Effect of External Noise Correlation in Optical Coherence Resonance

Coherence resonance occurring in semiconductor lasers with optical feedback is studied via the Lang-Kobayashi model with external nonwhite noise in the pumping current. The temporal correlation and the amplitude of the noise have a highly relevant influence in the system, leading to an optimal coherent response for suitable values of both the noise amplitude and correlation time. This phenomenon is quantitatively characterized by means of several statistical measures.

Influence of RF power on the properties of sputtered ZnO:Al thin films

Transparent conducting, aluminium doped zinc oxide thin films (ZnO:Al) were deposited by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The RF power was varied from 60 to 350Wwhereas the substrate temperature was kept at 160 °C. The structural, electrical and optical properties of the as-deposited films were found to be influenced by the deposition power. The X-ray diffraction analysis showed that all the films have a strong preferred orientation along the [001] direction. The crystallite size was varied from 14 to 36 nm, however no significant change was observed in the case of lattice constant. The optical band gap varied in the range 3.44-3.58 eV. The lowest resistivity of 1.2×10 -3Vcm was shown by the films deposited at 250 W. The mobility of the films was found to increase with the deposition power.

Transparent conducting thin films by the co-sputtering of ZnO-ITO targets

Transparent and conductive Zn-In-Sn-O (ZITO) amorphous thin films have been deposited at room temperature by the rf magnetron co-sputtering of ITO and ZnO targets. Co-sputtering gives the possibility to deposit multicomponent oxide thin films with different compositions by varying the power to one of the targets. In order to make ZITO films with different Zn content, a constant rf power of 50 W was used for the ITO target, where as the rf power to ZnO target was varied from 25 W to 150 W. The as deposited films showed an increase in Zn content ratio from 17 to 67 % as the power to ZnO target was increased from 25 to 150 W. The structural, electrical and optical properties of the as deposited films are reported. The films showed an average transmittance over 80% in the visible wavelength range. The electrical resistivity and optical band gap of the ZITO films were found to depend on the Zn content in the film. The ZITO films deposited at room temperature with lower Zn content ratios showed better optical transmission and electrical properties compared to ITO film.

Uniformity Study of Amorphous and Microcrystalline Silicon Thin Films Deposited on 10cmx10cm Glass Substrate using Hot Wire CVD Technique

The scaling up of the Hot Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition (HW-CVD) technique to large deposition area can be done using a catalytic net of equal spaced parallel filaments. The large area deposition limit is defined as the limit whenever a further increment of the catalytic net area does not affect the properties of the deposited film. This is the case when a dense catalytic net is spread on a surface considerably larger than that of the film substrate. To study this limit, a system able to hold a net of twelve wires covering a surface of about 20 cm x 20 cm was used to deposit amorphous (a-Si:H) and microcrystalline (μc-Si:H) silicon over a substrate of 10 cm x 10 cm placed at a filament-substrate distance ranging from 1 to 2 cm. The uniformity of the film thickness d and optical constants, n(x, λ) and α(x,¯hω), was studied via transmission measurements. The thin film uniformity as a function of the filament-substrate distance was studied. The experimental thickness profile was compared with the theoretical result obtained solving the diffusion equations. The optimization of the filament-substrate distance allowed obtaining films with inhomogeneities lower than ±2.5% and deposition rates higher than 1 nm/s and 4.5 nm/s for (μc-Si:H) and (a-Si:H), respectively.

Autoimmunity-Associated LYP-W620 Does Not Impair Thymic Negative Selection of Autoreactive T Cells.

A C1858T (R620W) variation in the PTPN22 gene encoding the tyrosine phosphatase LYP is a major risk factor for human autoimmunity. LYP is a known negative regulator of signaling through the T cell receptor (TCR), and murine Ptpn22 plays a role in thymic selection. However, the mechanism of action of the R620W variant in autoimmunity remains unclear. One model holds that LYP-W620 is a gain-of-function phosphatase that causes alterations in thymic negative selection and/or thymic output of regulatory T cells (Treg) through inhibition of thymic TCR signaling. To test this model, we generated mice in which the human LYP-W620 variant or its phosphatase-inactive mutant are expressed in developing thymocytes under control of the proximal Lck promoter. We found that LYP-W620 expression results in diminished thymocyte TCR signaling, thus modeling a "gain-of-function" of LYP at the signaling level. However, LYP-W620 transgenic mice display no alterations of thymic negative selection and no anomalies in thymic output of CD4(+)Foxp3(+) Treg were detected in these mice. Lck promoter-directed expression of the human transgene also causes no alteration in thymic repertoire or increase in disease severity in a model of rheumatoid arthritis, which depends on skewed thymic selection of CD4(+) T cells. Our data suggest that a gain-of-function of LYP is unlikely to increase risk of autoimmunity through alterations of thymic selection and that LYP likely acts in the periphery perhaps selectively in regulatory T cells or in another cell type to increase risk of autoimmunity.

A Lei de Lotka na bibliometria brasileira

Usando os dados reportados em artigos publicados em revistas brasileiras e trabalhos apresentados em congressos nacionais, replicaram-se as aplicações da Lei de Lotka à literatura brasileira em 10 campos diferentes. Utilizou-se o modelo do poder inverso pelos métodos do mínimo quadrado e probabilidade máxima. Das 10 literaturas nacionais analisadas, somente a literatura de medicina, siderurgia, jaca e biblioteconomia ajustaram-se ao modelo do poder inverso generalizado pelo método dos mínimos quadrados. No entanto, só duas literaturas (veterinária e cartas do Arquivo Privado de Getúlio Vargas) não se ajustaram ao modelo quando se usou o método da máxima probabilidade. Para ambas literaturas, tentaram-se modelos diferentes. A literatura de veterinária ajustou-se à distribuição binomial negativa, e as cartas do Arquivo Privado de Getúlio Vargas ajustaram-se melhor à distribuição Gauss-Poisson Inversa Generalizada.

Elitismo na literatura sobre a produtividade dos autores

O objetivo deste artigo é identificar, descrever e analisar os autores que conformam a elite numa subárea do campo da bibliometria: a produtividade dos autores, conhecida também como a Lei de Lotka. Como unidades de análises foi tomado cada um dos 376 diferentes autores produtores dos 390 artigos, capítulos de livros e trabalhos apresentados em congressos sobre a chamada Lei de Lotka, desde 1922 até 2003. Encontrou-se que a elite está formada por 17 autores que participaram da produção de cinco ou mais documentos cada um e contribuindo com pouco mais de uma terceira parte dos artigos.

La productividad de los autores en la ciencia de la información colombiana

Este trabajo analiza la productividad científica de los autores que han publicado documentos en cuatro revistas de ciencia de la información editadas en Colombia desde 1978 a 2009. Se encontraron 555 autores, de los cuales 422 (76%) publicaron un único artículo y 78 (24%) publicaron 2 o más artículos. También se identificaron 11 autores como los más productivos con 21 y 7 artículos cada uno. El número de autores observados fueron estinados con los modelos del poder inverso generalizado, Gauss Poisson inversa generalizada y Poisson lognormal por el método de la máxima probabilidad. Las pruebas de ajuste estadístico chi-cuadrado y K-S mostraron que los tres modelos se ajustan a los datos observados en este trabajo.

Enzyme polymorphism and clinical variability of diseases: a study of diabetes mellitus.

We investigated possible relations among four common neonatal manifestations of diabetic pregnancy (macrosomia, hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, jaundice) and four enzyme polymorphisms (PGM1, ADA, AK1, ACP1 in a sample of infants born of diabetic mothers. The pattern of associations observed between the two sets of variables is consistent with known differences in enzymatic activity within phenotypes of each system, suggesting that low enzymatic activity may have unfavorable effects on fetal development and on adaptability of the neonate to the extrauterine environment, Some of the polymorphic enzymes studied influence fetal growth in normal pregnancy as well. Analysis of relations between genetic polymorphisms and the clinical pattern of common diseases may provide a better understanding of the genetic basis of the clinical variability of diseases within and between human populations.

Degradabilidad ruminal del forraje disponible en la pradera y del aparentemente consumido por vacas lecheras

Se evaluó la dinámica degradativa de forrajes, en muestras de una pradera permanente (Lolium perenne L.), manejadas a dos alturas de pradera, alta y baja. Las muestras consistieron en forraje disponible a ras de suelo (FD) y en forraje aparentemente consumido por vacas lecheras en pastoreo continuo (FS). La degradabilidad ruminal se estudió usando la técnica de las bolsas de dacrón y los datos fueron ajustados a una ecuación exponencial. La fracción soluble (g/kg MS), de la materia seca (MS) (299 v/s 351, s.e.d.= 5,4), de la materia organica (MO) (304 v/s 376, s.e.d.= 3,3) y del nitrógeno (250 v/s 301, s.e.d.= 6,4), fueron significativamente mayores (P<0,05) en muestras de FS que en muestras de FD. La degradabilidad potencial (g/kg MS) de MS, MO y nitrógeno, fue significativamente mayor (P<0,05) en las muestras de FS, que en las muestras de FD. La degradabilidad efectiva fue mayor en las muestras de FS, que en las muestras de FD, tanto para la MS (474 v/s 508, s.e.d.= 13,0), MO (490 v/s 529, s.e.d.= 11,6) y nitrógeno (351 v/s 419, s.e.d.= 10,0). Respecto del factor altura, sólo se encontró un efecto significativo en la degradabilidad efectiva en el nitrógeno, en favor de la altura baja (365 v/s 406, s.e.d.= 10,0).

Polyamine metabolism and signaling in plant abiotic stress protection

Polyamines (PAs) are small polycationic compounds present in all living organisms. Compelling evidences indicate a role for PAs in plant protection against stress. During the recent years, genetic, molecular and ‘omic’ approaches have been undertaken to unravel the role of PAs in stress signaling. Overall, results point to intricate relationships between PAs, stress hormone pathways and ROS signaling. Such cross-regulations condition stress signaling through the modulation of abscisic acid (ABA) and ROS amplification-loops. In this chapter we compile our recent findings which elucidate molecular mechanisms and signalingpathways by which PAs contribute to stress protection in plants.

Aspectos biológicos y poblacionales de Nasonovia ribisnigri y Aulacorthum solani sobre lechuga

Se estimó la influencia de los cultivares Criolla Blanca, Cuatro Estaciones y Gallega, sobre la biología y los parámetros poblacionales de Nasonovia ribisnigri y Aulacorthum solani (Homoptera: Aphidoidea) a 10±1ºC y HR de 90%. Los períodos ninfal, pre-reproductivo y post-reproductivo de N. ribisnigri fueron más largos sobre Cuatro Estaciones, no así el reproductivo. En A. solani el período ninfal fue más largo sobre Criolla Blanca y Cuatro Estaciones resultando el reproductivo mayor sobre Cuatro Estaciones. Las tasas intrínsecas de crecimiento natural (r m) de N. ribisnigri y A. solani fueron mayores sobre Criolla Blanca y Gallega, respectivamente. De acuerdo a la especie predominante convendría utilizar Cuatro Estaciones para N. ribisnigri y Criolla Blanca para A. solani, en épocas frías.

Disseny i implementació d'un quadre de comandament d'indicadors financers

El present projecte es desenvolupa sota el marc d’un conveni de pràctiques entre l’empresa UNIT4 i la UAB, amb l’objectiu de dissenyar i implementar un subproducte per a la plataforma ekon Finacnes que permeti treure el màxim profit als indicadors financers, creant un quadre de comandament intuïtiu i visualment agradable.

Anàlisi i disseny d'una aplicació web per a un banc del temps

Els bancs del temps són eines que permeten l'intercanvi de serveis entre persones d'una mateixa localització geogràfica. El tret més característic és que aquest serveis s'intercanvien sense utilitzar diners, agafant el temps propi d'una persona com a moneda de canvi. Es poden intercanviar tot tipus de serveis: passejar gossos, fer companyia a persones majors, classes de repàs, assessorament informàtic, etc. Aquest projecte proposa la creació d'un portal web que permeti i gestioni el funcionament d'un banc del temps, tant a nivell d'usuari com a nivell d'administració.