Ni-Mn-Ga thin films produced by pulsed laser deposition

Polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga thin films have been deposited by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique, using slices of a Ni-Mn-Ga single crystal as targets and onto Si (100) substrates at temperatures ranging from 673 K up to 973 K. Off-stoichiometry thin films were deposited at a base pressure of 1×10-6-Torr or in a 5 mTorr Ar atmosphere. Samples deposited in vacuum and temperatures above 823 K are magnetic at room temperature and show the austenitic {220} reflection in their x-ray diffraction patterns. The temperature dependences of both electrical resistance and magnetic susceptibility suggest that these samples exhibit a structural martensitic transition at around 260 K. The magnetoresistance ratio at low temperature can be as high as 1.3%, suggesting the existence of a granular structure in the films

[Frascati. Eremiti Camaldolesi di Monte Corona]

Référence bibliographique : Weigert, 167, 168, 169

Floods in Iowa : stage and discharge,1976.

This report presents station descriptions and tables of peak stages and discharges for 259 continuous and partial-record gaging stations all of which are located at or within the boundaries of Iowa. contained in this report are not only the data for the annual flood series for each gaging station but also for the partial-duration series at those stations for which they could be obtained. This report has been designed to present a summary of the recorded data concerning floods in Iowa.

Volcanic arcs fed by rapid pulsed fluid flow through subducting slabs

At subduction zones, oceanic lithosphere that has interacted with sea water is returned to the mantle, heats up during descent and releases fluids by devolatilization of hydrous minerals. Models for the formation of magmas feeding volcanoes above subduction zones require largescale transport of these fluids into overlying mantle wedges(1-3). Fluid flow also seems to be linked to seismicity in subducting slabs. However, the spatial and temporal scales of this fluid flow remain largely unknown, with suggested timescales ranging from tens to tens of thousands of years(3-5). Here we use the Li-Ca-Sr isotope systems to consider fluid sources and quantitatively constrain the duration of subduction-zone fluid release at similar to 70 km depth within subducting oceanic lithosphere, now exhumed in the Chinese Tianshan Mountains. Using lithium-diffusion modelling, we find that the wall-rock porosity adjacent to the flowpath of the fluids increased ten times above the background level. We show that fluids released by devolatilization travelled through the slab along major conduits in pulses with durations of about similar to 200 years. Thus, although the overall slab dehydration process is continuous over millions of years and over a wide range of pressures and temperatures, we conclude that the fluids produced by dehydration in subducting slabs are mobilized in short-lived, channelized fluid-flow events.

Automatic Tracer-Dilution Method Used for Stage-Discharge Ratings and Streamflow Hydrographs on Small Iowa Streams, HR-285, 1990

An automatic system was designed to concurrently measure stage and discharge for the purpose of developing stage-discharge ratings and high flow hydrographs on small streams. Stage, or gage height, is recorded by an analog-to-digital recorder and discharge is determined by the constant-rate tracer-dilution method. The system measures flow above a base stage set by the user. To test the effectiveness of the system and its components, eight systems, with a variety of equipment, were installed at crest-stage gaging stations across Iowa. A fluorescent dye, rhodamine-WT, was used as the tracer. Tracer-dilution discharge measurements were made during 14 flow periods at six stations from 1986 through 1988 water years. Ratings were developed at three stations with the aid of these measurements. A loop rating was identified at one station during rapidly-changing flow conditions. Incomplete mixing and dye loss to sediment apparently were problems at some stations. Stage hydrographs were recorded for 38 flows at seven stations. Limited data on background fluorescence during high flows were also obtained.

La consolidacion de una nueva estrategia en las relaciones entre la Corona de Aragon y el Magreb Hafsida: el tratado de 1403 y sus perspectivas mercantiles

La coyuntura política del reino de Túnez repercutió de forma decisiva sobre las aspiraciones y fracasos de sus relaciones diplomáticas y comerciales con las potencias europeas. Tras un periodo prolongado jalonado por acuerdos sucesivos, las viejas pretensiones tributarias de la Corona de Aragón alcanzarán a ser reconocidas en el tratado suscrito en 1360, aunque aquel acuerdo no conseguirá hacer efectiva en la práctica dicha reclamación. El fortalecimiento del poder de los Hafsíes en las últimas décadas del siglo XIV reabre un periodo de confrontación velada con la intensificación de las actividades corsarias, que culminan en sendas expediciones de castigo sobre puertos magrebíes. El tratado de 1403 pondrá fin a dichas hostilidades y reabrirá una nueva estrategia en las relaciones con el Magreb Hafsída.

Discharge water quality from old ditch networks in Finnish peatland forests

Tiivistelmä: Vanhoilta metsäojitusalueilta valuvan veden ominaisuudet

La consolidacion de una nueva estrategia en las relaciones entre la Corona de Aragon y el Magreb Hafsida: el tratado de 1403 y sus perspectivas mercantiles

La coyuntura política del reino de Túnez repercutió de forma decisiva sobre las aspiraciones y fracasos de sus relaciones diplomáticas y comerciales con las potencias europeas. Tras un periodo prolongado jalonado por acuerdos sucesivos, las viejas pretensiones tributarias de la Corona de Aragón alcanzarán a ser reconocidas en el tratado suscrito en 1360, aunque aquel acuerdo no conseguirá hacer efectiva en la práctica dicha reclamación. El fortalecimiento del poder de los Hafsíes en las últimas décadas del siglo XIV reabre un periodo de confrontación velada con la intensificación de las actividades corsarias, que culminan en sendas expediciones de castigo sobre puertos magrebíes. El tratado de 1403 pondrá fin a dichas hostilidades y reabrirá una nueva estrategia en las relaciones con el Magreb Hafsída.

Morphological and Magnetic Properties of Superparamagnetic Carbon-Coated Fe Nanoparticles Produced by Arc Discharge.

Spherical carbon coated iron particles of nanometric diameter in the 510 nm range have been produced by arc discharge at near-atmospheric pressure conditions (using 58·10 4 Pa of He). The particles exhibit a crystalline dense iron core with an average diameter 7.4 ± 2.0 nm surrounded by a sealed carbon shell, shown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected-area diffrac- tion (SAED), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (STEM-EDX) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). The SAED, EDX and EELS results indicate a lack of traces of core oxidized phases showing an efficient protection role of the carbon shell. The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles have been investigated in the 5300 K temperature range using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). The results reveal a superparamagnetic behaviour with an average monodomain diameter of 7.6 nm of the nanoparticles. The zero field cooled and field cooled (ZFC-FC)magnetization curves show a blocking temperature (TB)at room temperature very suitable for biomedical applications (drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging MRI, hyperthermia).

Standardizing admission and discharge processes to improve patient flow: A cross sectional study

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate how hospital capacity was managed focusing on standardizing the admission and discharge processes. Methods: This study was set in a 900-bed university affiliated hospital of the National Health Service, near Barcelona (Spain). This is a cross-sectional study of a set of interventions which were gradually implemented between April and December 2008. Mainly, they were focused on standardizing the admission and discharge processes to improve patient flow. Primary administrative data was obtained from the 2007 and 2009 Hospital Database. Main outcome measures were median length of stay, percentage of planned discharges, number of surgery cancellations and median number of delayed emergency admissions at 8:00 am. For statistical bivariate analysis, we used a Chi-squared for linear trend for qualitative variables and a Wilcoxon signed ranks test and a Mann–Whitney test for non-normal continuous variables. Results: The median patients’ global length of stay was 8.56 days in 2007 and 7.93 days in 2009 (p<0.051). The percentage of patients admitted the same day as surgery increased from 64.87% in 2007 to 86.01% in 2009 (p<0.05). The number of cancelled interventions due to lack of beds was 216 patients in 2007 and 42 patients in 2009. The median number of planned discharges went from 43.05% in 2007 to 86.01% in 2009 (p<0.01). The median number of emergency patients waiting for an in-hospital bed at 8:00 am was 5 patients in 2007 and 3 patients in 2009 (p<0.01). Conclusions: In conclusion, standardization of admission and discharge processes are largely in our control. There is a significant opportunity to create important benefits for increasing bed capacity and hospital throughput.

La Corona immarcescible : pintures de l'antiguitat tardana de la necròpolis alta d'Oxirinc (Mínia, Egipte)

La primera publicació de l’Institut enceta la Sèrie Documenta, que respon a la voluntat de promoure i editar estudis que donin a conèixer i emmarquin científicament nous elements de la cultura material de l’antiguitat clàssica.Aquest llibre estudia un conjunt de pintura mural dels segles V o VI que decorava les parets d’una casa funerària, convertida després en oratori, i que fou descoberta a la necròpolis alta de l’antiga ciutat d’Oxirinc (Mínia, Egipte). El cicle pictòric presenta una sobrietat simbolista que evoluciona després en una iconografia rica en figures i colors.Tot això, completat per la gens menyspreable qualitat artística de les representacions pictòriques, fa d’aquest conjunt una peça arqueològica molt singular.L’estudi inclou un primer capítol a càrrec del Dr. Josep Padró, de la Universitat de Barcelona, Maite Mascort i Hassan Ibrahim Amer, on es sintetitzen els treballs arqueològics i històrics realitzats, des de l’any 1992, a l’antiga Oxirin. Tot seguit, la Dra. Eva Subías, investigadora de la Universitat Rovira i Virgili i col·laboradora de l’Institut des del primer moment, ens ofereix l’estudi històricoartístic del cicle mural. Finalment, Concepció Piedrafita ens dóna la lectura i traducció dels textos grecs presents en les pintures.L’obra inclou una presentació a càrrec de Josep Guitart, director de l’Institut Català d’Arqueologia Clàssica i una traducció dels textos al francès.