Coercive and anisotropy fields in patterned amorphous FeSi submicrometric structures

Amorphous FexSi12x films have been prepared on Si substrates in order to fabricate submicrometric magnetic structures with soft magnetic behavior. The magnetic properties compositional dependence of the unpatterned samples has been analyzed to select the Fe content (x50.7) with the lowest coercive and anisotropy fields values. Arrays of Fe0.7Si0.3 lines have been fabricated by electron beam lithography combined with a liftoff technique, with typical dimensions of 200 nm linewidth and 1 mm line spacing. These arrays present coercive fields parallel to the line direction as small as 9 Oe.Peer reviewe

Strain driven migration of In during the growth of InAs/GaAs quantum posts

Using the mechano-optical stress sensor technique, we observe a counter-intuitive reduction of the compressive stress when InAs is deposited on GaAs (001) during the growth of quantum posts. Through modelling of the strain fields, we find that such anomalous behaviour can be related to the strain-driven detachment of In atoms from the crystal and their surface diffusion towards the self-assembled nanostructures.We acknowledge the financial support by Spanish MINECO through Grant Nos. ENE2012-37804-C02-02 and TEC2011-29120-C05-04, and by Spanish CAM through Grant Nos. S2009/ESP-1503 and S2009/ENE-1477.Peer Reviewe

Impact of CD68/(CD3+CD20) Ratio at the Invasive Front of Primary Tumors on Distant Metastasis Development in Breast Cancer

Tumors are infiltrated by macrophages, T and B-lymphocytes, which may favor tumor development by promoting angiogenesis, growth and invasion. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical relevance of the relative amount of macrophages (CD68⁺), T-cells (CD3⁺ and B-cells (CD20⁺) at the invasive front of breast carcinomas, and the expression of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and their inhibitors (TIMPs) either at the invasive front or at the tumor center. We performed an immunohistochemical study counting CD3, CD20 and CD68 positive cells at the invasive front, in 102 breast carcinomas. Also, tissue sections were stained with MMP-2, -9, -11, -14 and TIMP-2 antibodies, and immunoreactivity location, percentage of reactive area and intensity were determined at the invasive front and at the tumor center. The results showed that an increased CD68 count and CD68/(CD3+CD20) ratio were directly associated with both MMP-11 and TIMP-2 expression by mononuclear inflammatory cells at the tumor center (p = 0.041 and p = 0.025 for CD68 count and p = 0.001 and p = 0.045 for ratio, respectively for MMP-11 and TIMP-2). In addition, a high CD68/(CD3+CD20) ratio (>0.05) was directly associated with a higher probability of shortened relapse-free survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that CD68/(CD3+CD20) ratio was an independent factor associated with distant relapse-free survival (RR: 2.54, CI: (1.23-5.24), p<0.01). Therefore, CD68/(CD3+CD20) ratio at the invasive front could be used as an important prognostic marker

Muscle Recovery after a Single Bout of Functional Fitness Training

Background: Functional fitness training (FFT) is a new exercise modality that targets functional multi-joint actions via both muscle-strengthening exercises and aerobic training intervals. The aim of the study was to examine muscle recovery over a 20 min period after an FFT workout in trained adults. Materials and methods: Participants were 28 healthy trained subjects. In a single session, a countermovement jump (CMJ) was performed to determine several mechanical variables (jump height, maximum velocity, power) before (preFFT) and 4, 10, and 20 min after the FFT workout (postFFT). In parallel, capillary blood lactate concentrations were measured pre- and 3 min postFFT. Heart rate was also measured before and after the workout, and perceived exertion was measured postFFT. Results: Significant differences between the time points preFFT and 4 min and 10 min postFFT, respectively, were produced in jump height (p = 0.022, p = 0.034), maximum velocity (p = 0.016, p = 0.005), average power relative (p = 0.018, p = 0.049), and average power total (p = 0.025, p = 0.049). No differences were observed in any of the variables recorded preFFT and 20 min postFFT. Conclusions: While mechanical variables indicating muscle fatigue were reduced 4 and 10 min postFFT, pre-exercise jump ability only really started to recover 20 min after FFT although not reaching pre-exercise levels. This means that ideally intervals of around 20 min of rest should be implemented between training bouts.Sección Deptal. de Radiología, Rehabilitación y Fisioterapia (Enfermería)Fac. de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y PodologíaTRUEAlfonso X el Sabio University Foundationpu

IEOOS: the Spanish Institute of Oceanography Observing System

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IEOOS, the Spanish Institute of Oceanography integrated ocean Observing System

Since its foundation, 100 years ago, the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) has been observing and measuring the ocean characteristics. Some systems like the tide gauges network has been working for more than 60 years. The IEO standard sections began at different moments depending on the local projects, and nowadays there are XXX coastal stations and XXX deep ones that are systematically sampled, taking physical as well as biochemical measurements. At this moment, the IEO Observing System (IEOOS) includes 4 permanent moorings equipped with currentmeters, an open-sea ocean-meteorological buoy offshore Santander and an SST satellital image reception station. It also supports the Spanish contribution to the ARGO international program with 47 deployed profilers, and continuous monitoring thermosalinometers, meteorological stations and ADCP installed on the IEO research vessels. All these networks are linked to international iniciatives like SeaDataNet, Emodnet, IbiROOS and MONGOOS. The system is completed with the IEO contribution to the RAIA and Gibraltar observatories, and the development of regional prediction models. All these systematic measurements allow IEO to give responses to ocean research activities, official agencies requirements and industrial and main society demands

Nanostructured tungsten as a first wall material for the future nuclear fusion reactors

The lack of materials able to withstand the severe radiation conditions (high thermal loads and atomistic damage) expected in fusion reactors is the actual bottle neck for fusion to become a reality. The main requisite for plasma facing materials (PFM) is to have excellent structural stability since severe cracking or mass loss would hamper their protection role which turns out to be unacceptable. Additional practical requirements for plasma facing materials are among others: (i) high thermal shock resistance, (ii) high thermal conductivity (iii) high melting point (iv) low physical and chemical sputtering, and (v) low tritium retention

Stress compensation by GaP monolayers for stacked InAs/GaAs quantum dots solar cells

Trabajo presentado en el 33rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, celebrado en San Diego, CA (Estados Unidos), del 11 al 16 de mayo de 2008In this work we report the stacking of 10 and 50 InAs quantum dots layers using 2 monolayers of GaP for stress compensation and a stack period of 18 nm on GaAs (001) substrates. Very good structural and optical quality is found in both samples. Vertical alignment of the dots is observed by transmission electron microscopy suggesting the existence of residual stress around them. Photocurrent measurements show light absorption up to 1.2 µm in the nanostructures together with a reduction in the blue response of the device. As a result of the phosphorus incorporation in the barriers, a very high thermal activation energy (431 meV) has also been obtained for the quantum dot emission.The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support by the Spanish MEC and CAM through projects 200560M089, S-05050/ENE-0310, TEC-2005-05781-C03- 01 and -02, Consolider-Ingenio 2010 CSD2006-0004, the Junta de Andalucia (project TEP383, group TEP120) and by the European Commission through the SANDIE Network of Excellence (NMP4-CT-2004-500101).Peer reviewe