Ianus: an adaptive FPGA computer

Dedicated machines designed for specific computational algorithms can outperform conventional computers by several orders of magnitude. In this note we describe Ianus, a new generation FPGA based machine and its basic features: hardware integration and wide reprogrammability. Our goal is to build a machine that can fully exploit the performance potential of new generation FPGA devices. We also plan a software platform which simplifies its programming, in order to extend its intended range of application to a wide class of interesting and computationally demanding problems. The decision to develop a dedicated processor is a complex one, involving careful assessment of its performance lead, during its expected lifetime, over traditional computers, taking into account their performance increase, as predicted by Moore’s law. We discuss this point in detail.

Finite size effects in the specific heat of glass-formers

We report clear finite size effects in the specific heat and in the relaxation times of a model glass former at temperatures considerably smaller than the Mode Coupling transition. A crucial ingredient to reach this result is a new Monte Carlo algorithm which allows us to reduce the relaxation time by two order of magnitudes. These effects signal the existence of a large correlation length in static quantities.

Red supergiants around the obscured open cluster Stephenson 2

Context. Several clusters of red supergiants have been discovered in a small region of the Milky Way close to the base of the Scutum-Crux Arm and the tip of the Long Bar. Population synthesis models indicate that they must be very massive to harbour so many supergiants. Amongst these clusters, Stephenson 2, with a core grouping of 26 red supergiants, is a strong candidate to be the most massive young cluster in the Galaxy. Aims. Stephenson 2 is located close to a region where a strong over-density of red supergiants had been found. We explore the actual cluster size and its possible connection to this over-density. Methods. Taking advantage of Virtual Observatory tools, we have performed a cross-match between the DENIS, USNO-B1 and 2MASS catalogues to identify candidate obscured luminous red stars around Stephenson 2, and in a control nearby region. More than 600 infrared bright stars fulfill our colour criteria, with the vast majority having a counterpart in the I band and >400 being sufficiently bright in I to allow observation with a 4-m class telescope. We observed a subsample of ~250 stars, using the multi-object, wide-field, fibre spectrograph AF2 on the WHT telescope in La Palma, obtaining intermediate-resolution spectroscopy in the 7500–9000 Å range. We derived spectral types and luminosity classes for all these objects and measured their radial velocities. Results. Our targets turned out to be G and K supergiants, late (≥ M4) M giants, and M-type bright giants (luminosity class II) and supergiants. We found ~35 red supergiants with radial velocities similar to Stephenson 2 members, spread over the two areas surveyed. In addition, we found ~40 red supergiants with radial velocities incompatible in principle with a physical association. Conclusions. Our results show that Stephenson 2 is not an isolated cluster, but part of a huge structure likely containing hundreds of red supergiants, with radial velocities compatible with the terminal velocity at this Galactic longitude (and a distance ~6 kpc). In addition, we found evidence of several populations of massive stars at different distances along this line of sight.

No tan diferentes. La actividad empresarial de los siderúrgicos españoles en el contexto europeo (1891-1936)

A la hora de explicar las causas del atraso relativo de España en las décadas previas a la Guerra Civil, algunos autores han considerado como un factor clave la mayor propensión de los empresarios españoles a las estrategias de búsqueda de rentas, lo que dio lugar a un sector industrial protegido, cartelizado e ineficiente. Dado que la siderurgia es señalada frecuentemente como el paradigma de las funciones improductivas de los empresarios españoles, el presente trabajo pretende, en primer lugar, contrastar las actitudes de los siderúrgicos españoles con las de los franceses y alemanes en las décadas que precedieron a la Primera Guerra Mundial. En segundo lugar, se analizará si la cartelización del mercado entre 1897 y 1936 tuvo consecuencias negativas para el desarrollo económico de España, tales como restricción a la entrada de competidores, ausencia de innovaciones tecnológicas y, como resultado de ello, una oferta rígida para su producción.

Mecanismos de coordinación docente en la Facultad de Derecho

El trabajo de esta Red docente ha consistido en recopilar y proponer nuevos mecanismos de coordinación docente aplicables a las cuatro titulaciones de Grado de la Facultad de Derecho. Los resultados de los Informes de Seguimiento de cada titulación de la Facultad, muestran la necesidad de establecer instrumentos de coordinación del profesorado de cada titulación para unificar y armonizar criterios en lo relativo al volumen total del trabajo exigido al estudiante, la distribución temporal adecuada del mismo y el trabajo colectivo de todos los profesores para conseguir los objetivos plasmados en la Memoria Verificada por ANECA para cada título. El objetivo de esta Red ha sido recopilar los mecanismos de coordinación ya existentes y proponer otros nuevos que puedan plantearse en las correspondientes Comisiones de titulación y aplicarse en cursos sucesivos en nuestra Facultad.

Long time remodeling during retinal degeneration evaluated by optical coherence tomography, immunocytochemistry and fundus autofluorescence

Purpose: To characterize the relationship between fundus autofluorescence (FAF), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) over the course of chronic retinal degeneration in the P23H rat. Methods: Homozygous albino P23H rats, Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats as controls and pigmented Long Evans (LE) rats were used. A Spectralis HRA OCT system was used for scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) imaging OCT and angiography. To determine FAF, fluorescence was excited using diode laser at 488 nm. A fast retina map OCT was performed using the optic nerve as a landmark. IHC was performed to correlate with the findings of OCT and FAF changes. Results: During the course of retinal degeneration, the FAF pattern evolved from some spotting at 2 months old to a mosaic of hyperfluorescent dots in rats 6 months and older. Retinal thicknesses progressively diminished over the course of the disease. At later stages of degeneration, OCT documented changes in the retinal layers, however, IHC better identified the cell loss and remodeling changes. Angiography revealed attenuation of the retinal vascular plexus with time. Conclusion: We provide for the first time a detailed long-term analysis of the course of retinal degeneration in P23H rats using a combination of SLO and OCT imaging, angiography, FAF and IHC. Although, the application of noninvasive methods enables longitudinal studies and will decrease the number of animals needed for a study, IHC is still an essential tool to identify retinal changes at the cellular level.

Resúmenes de tesis y memorias de licenciatura leídas en el Departamento de Humanidades Contemporáneas División Historia Contemporánea, de la Universidad de Alicante

Resúmenes de: Quilis Tauriz, Fernando: Revolución y guerra civil. Las colectividades obreras en la provincia de Alicante (1936-1939). Tesis doctoral leída el 20 de febrero de 1990. Director: Dr. D. Salvador Forner Muñoz; Esteve Ibáñez, Luis: El pensamiento de E. Castelar. Tesis doctoral leída el 9 de marzo de 1990. Director: D. Glicerio Sánchez Recio; Rocamora Rocamora, José Antonio: El nacionalismo iberista (1808-1936). Tesis doctoral leída el 9 de junio de 1990. Director: Dr. D. Salvador Forner Muñoz; Martínez Leal, Juan: República y guerra civil en Cartagena (1931-1939). Tesis doctoral leída el 1 de diciembre de 1990. Director: Dr. D. Salvador Forner Muñoz; Sempere i Gomis, Antoni Francesc: Evolució i desenvolupament socio-econòmic de El Campello (1900-1985). Memòria de Llicenciatura llegida el 18 de desembre del 1989. Director: Dr. D. Glicerio Sánchez Recio; Miranda Encarnación, José Antonio: La industrialización de Elche en el tránsito del siglo XIX al XX. Memoria de licenciatura leída el 21 de diciembre de 1989. Director: Dr. D. Glicerio Sánchez Recio; García Costa, Antonio José: Bandolerismo en la comarca del Bajo Segura en la primera mitad del siglo XIX. Memoria de licenciatura leída el día 18 de enero de 1990. Director: Dr. D. Glicerio Sánchez Recio; Pérez Ortiz, Juan Francisco: La provincia de Alicante durante la dictadura de Primo de Rivera: Evolución política. Memoria de licenciatura leída el 6 de abril de 1990. Director: Dr. D. Glicerio Sánchez Recio.

El promotor de la salud de los hombres sin dispendio el menor de sus caudales : admirable methodo de curar todo mal, con brevedad, seguridad, y à placer : disertacion historico-critico medico-practica en que se establece el agua por remedio universal de las dolencias /

Mode of access: Internet.

Arnoldi Vinni... Jurisprudentiae contractae siue Partitionum Juris Civilis libri IV... : adjectus est huic editoni tractatus de jurisdictione, pactis, transactionibus & collationibus : cum indicibus necessariis

Mode of access: Internet.

Historia general de las conquistas del Nuevo Reyno de Granada ... /

Contiene la primera parte.

Vexamen dado en la insigne Universidad de Osuna, en 7. de diciembre, año de 1751, en los grados de doctor en medicina de D. Domingo Longinos Garcia, D. Juan Barra, y D. Joseph Rabelo; y de Maestro en Artes de Don Juan Garcia Carnero ... /

Mode of access: Internet.