Europa als ulls dels Annales (1903-1933)

Le continent européen était, dans les trois premières décennies de ce siècle, le témoin de violents changements temtoriaux qui ont effacé le modele du XIXeme siécle. A bien des Cgards, Ie cadre dans lequel s'était inspiré l'édifice épistémologique de l'école régionale frangaise est en train d'étre remplacé par un autre dans lequel -au moins en apparence- les raports entre l'environnement physique et les sociétés humaines seront moins evidents. L'adaptation du corps théorique et métodologique à la réalité européenne semble caractérisée par une évolution non linéaire puisque, dans les dernières années du al période étudiée, on constate une involution, un retour au modele plus classique. Aussi, l'intérét croissant qu'a montre la revue pour l'Europe atlantique et des sujets d'ordre plus Cconomique s'estompe dans la fin de cette période et on s'apergoit d'une reprise des cadres traditionnels (de préférence mediterranéens) et on constate un intéret renouvellé pour les sociétés agricoles. De même, les monographies régionales qui paraissent dans la revue n'ont plus une vocation fonctionnelle -qui s'est manifesté au milieu des années 20 et, dans une large mesure, reprennent l'explication Ecologique avec la recherche des rapports entre l'environnement et la société.During this first third of this century, the continent of Europe witnessed far-reaching territorial transformations in the nineteenth century model. To some extent, the setting wich had inspired the epistemological structure of the French regional school was being replaced by one in which -at least to external appearances- the relationship between the physical environment and human activities was much less evident. The adaptation of the theoretical and methodological context to the new Europe seems to take the form of a non-lineal evolution, for in the latter years of the period examined, evolutionary tendencies indicate a return to the more classical model. In this way, the growing interest which the publication had shown in Atlantic Europe and topics of a more economic nature, was truncated. The traditional settings -especially the Mediterranean- came to the fore again and interest in rural societies was renewed. Likewise, the monographic studies which had demonstrated distinct functional objectives in the mid twenties, recovered elements of ecological explanation, and the search for the relationship between environment and society.El continente europeo era, en el primer tercio de este siglo, testimonio de violentas transformaciones tenitoriales que desdibujaron el modelo decimonónico. En cierta manera, el escenario en el que se había inspirado el edificio epistemológico de la escuela regional francesa estaba siendo sustituido por un entomo en el que -al menos en apariencia- las relaciones entre el medio físico y las actividades humanas aparecían menos evidentes. La adaptación del cuerpo teórico y metodológico a la reaiidad europea parece caracterizada por una evolución no lineal, ya que en los últimos años del periodo de estudio se constata una evolución, un retorno al modelo más clásico. Asi, el creciente interés que mostró la revista hacia la Europa Atlántica y la temática más economicista se ve truncada en el Último periodo, en el que se retoman los escenarios tradicionales (preferentemente mediterráneos) y se renueva el interés por las sociedades agricolas. De igual manera, las monografías que aparecen en la revista interrompen su vocación funcional -que habían manifestado a mediados de los años veinte- y, en buena medida, reencuentran la explicación ecológica, la búsqueda de las relaciones entre medio y sociedad.El continent europeu era, en el primer terç d'aquest segle, testimoni de violentes transformacions territorials que desdibuixaren el model noucentista. En certa manera, l'escenari en el qual s'havia inspirat l'edifici epistemològic de l'escola regional francesa és substituit per un entorn en el qual -almenys aparentment- les relacions entre el medi físic i les societats humanes restaren menys evidents. L'adaptació del cos teòric i metodològic a la realitat europea sembla caracteritzada per una evolució no lineal, ja que en els darrers anys del període d'estudi hom constata una involució, un retorn ai model més clàssic. Així doncs, l'interès creixent que mostra la revista vers l'Europa Atlètica i la temàtica més economista es veié truncat en el darrer període, en el qual es reprenen els escenaris tradicionals (preferentment mediterranis) i es renova l'interès per les societats agrícoles. De la mateixa manera, les monografies que apareixen a la revista interrompen la seva vocació funcional que havien manifestat a mitjans dels anys vint i, en gran mesura, retroben l'explicació ecològica, la recerca dels lligams entre medi i societat

Heavy cosmic strings

We argue that cosmic strings with high winding numbers generally form in first-order gauge symmetry breaking phase transitions, and we demonstrate this using computer simulations. These strings are heavier than single-winding strings and therefore more easily observable. Their cosmological evolution may also be very different.Comment: 4 pages, updated to match the published versio

Topological Defects from First Order Gauge Theory Phase Transitions

We investigate the mechanism by which topological defects form in first order phase transitions with a charged order parameter. We show how thick superconductor vortices and heavy cosmic strings form by trapping of magnetic flux. In an external magnetic field, intermediate objects such as strips and membranes of magnetic flux and chains of single winding defects are produced. At non-zero temperature, a variety of spontaneous defects of different winding numbers arise. In cosmology, our results mean that the magnetic flux thermal fluctuations get trapped in a primordial multi-tension string network. The mechanism may also apply to the production of cosmic-like strings in brane collisions. In a thin type-I superconductor film, flux strips are found to be meta-stable while thick vortices are stable up to some critical value of the winding number which increases with the thickness of the film. In addition, a non-dissipative Josephson-like current is obtained across the strips of quantized magnetic flux.Comment: Corrections made on sections 4,5. Higher quality figures in published versio

Topological thermalization via vortex formation in ultra-fast quenches

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La imagen turística de Barcelona en la comunidad de flickr

Social networks are having a significant role as a source to inform and to promote destinations and to plan trips, but also as an instrument to obtain information from visitors (appraisals, perceptions, images...). This paper studies the changes resulting from the digital era in photography, by analyzing digital photographs published by tourists from one destination (specifically the city of Barcelona) on the Flickr network. The results show how the advent of digital photography has transformed the image of the destination.Las redes sociales están teniendo un papel trascendental no sólo como fuente para informar y promocionar destinos o planificar viajes, sino también como instrumento para obtener información de los visitantes. El artículo que se presenta a continuación es un estudio sobre los cambios que ha introducido la era digital en la práctica fotográfica, a partir de analizar las fotografías digitales publicadas por los turistas de un destino (concretamente Barcelona) en la red social flickr. Los resultados permiten ver como la irrupción de la fotografía digital ha transformado la imagen del destino

Robust energy shaping for mechanical systems with dissipative forces and disturbances

This paper presents a novel energy shaping-based integral action for mechanical systems with unknown dissipative forces and matched disturbances. The proposed approach builds on the simultaneous interconnection and damping as- signment method and takes advantage of the representation of the dissipative forces in the port-Hamiltonian dynamics. We consider dissipative forces that cannot be written in the classical dissipation structure of the port-Hamiltonian systems. We show that the proposed design ensures the stability of the equilibrium and is robust against dissipative force uncertainty, and rejects constant matched disturbances. Two case studies are presented, and simulation results show the closed-loop performance

Trandolapril/verapamil combination in hypertensive diabetic patients

Cardiovascular diseases are directly affected by arterial hypertension. When associated with diabetes mellitus, the potential deleterious effects are well amplified. Both conditions play a central role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, and renal insufficiency. Prevalence of hypertension is much higher among diabetic than non-diabetic patients, and the hypertensive patient is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Current international guidelines recommend aggressive reductions in blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients with additional risk factors, including cardiovascular risk factors, and emphasize the relevance of intensive reduction in patients with diabetes mellitus; a goal of 130/80 mm Hg is required. To achieve BP target a combination of antihypertensives will be needed, and the use of long-acting drugs that are able to provide 24-hour efficacy with a once-daily dosing confers the noteworthy advantages of compliance improvement and BP variation lessening. Lower dosages of the individual treatments of the combination therapy can be administered for the same antihypertensive efficiency as that attained with high dosages of monotherapy. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium-channel blockers as a combination have theoretically compelling advantages for vessel homeostasis. Trandolapril/verapamil sustained release combination has showed beneficial effects on cardiac and renal systems as well as its antihypertensive efficacy, with no metabolic disturbances. This combination can be considered as an effective therapy for the diabetic hypertensive population