X-RAY: Averiguar espacios e inventar lugares

The places that have led me to understand the concept of architectural space, I have those that show me the soul of space and the true luxury of architecture, are those that have not been described in its exterior, which have required some exploration, which they remain hidden and silent in the dark because the light reaches them timid, dense and filtered. X-rays as a photographic technique, understood, on the one hand as beautiful tool of exploration and analysis of the reality hidden behind the appearance of the visible world, and on the other hand as a technique applied to architectural projects reveals a suggestive world of possibilities for the creation of new spaces. If the section cuts, photography by X-ray reveals. Section alters, modifies, fractures; X-rays reveal with no alteration internal parts of a particular object. Today a new generation of architects is producing experimental works under the influence of this unknown field of photography, an interaction that is allowing to find spaces and invent new places. Our work implements the suggestive potential of this tool, providing the sustained personal experience with Nick Veasey in Radar Studio (London). For several weeks we had the opportunity to work in his bunker, in his darkroom, to explore the architectural possibilities of the X-ray machine An unpublished documentation, which reveals an exciting world with endless creative possibilities. A new veiled reality surprises us with the discovery of new spaces for architecture.Los lugares que me han llevado a comprender el concepto de espacio arquitectónico, los que mas me han mostrado el alma del espacio y el verdadero lujo de la arquitectura, son aquellos que no se han descrito en su exterior, que han requerido de una cierta exploración, que permanecen ocultos y en silencio, a oscuras porque la luz les llega tímida, densa y filtrada. Los rayos X como técnica fotográfica, entendida, por un lado como hermosa herramienta de exploración y análisis de la realidad que se oculta tras la apariencia del mundo visible, y por otro lado como técnica que aplicada al proyecto arquitectónico desvela un sugerente mundo de posibilidades para la creación de nuevos espacios. Si la sección corta, la fotografía mediante rayos X desvela. La sección altera, modifica, fractura; los rayos X revelan sin alteración alguna las partes internas de un determinado objeto. Hoy en día una nueva generación de arquitectos está produciendo obras experimentales bajo la influencia de este desconocido campo de la fotografía, una interacción que está permitiendo averiguar espacios e inventar nuevos lugares. Nuestro trabajo pone en práctica el potencial de esta sugerente herramienta, aportando la experiencia personal mantenida con Nick Veasey en Radar Studio (Londres). Durante varias semanas tuvimos la oportunidad de trabajar en su bunker, en su darkroom, de explorar las posibilidades arquitectónicas de su máquina de rayos X. Una documentación inédita, que desvela un mundo apasionante, con una posibilidades creativas infinitas. Una nueva realidad velada que nos sorprende con el descubrimiento de nuevos espacios para la arquitectura

Welbeck estate. Desde las entrañas de la tierra John Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 5th Duque de Portland (1800-1879)

Esta es la historia de una ciudad transformada desde las entrañas de la tierra, un más allá donde las leyes de la razón quedan en suspenso. Una especie de “otra naturaleza”, entendida como un inmaterial desconocido con el que reflexionar sobre la hipótesis de que toda ciudad contiene en sus dobleces un mundo natural. Este ensayo es un posicionamiento, un dialogo en torno a esta singular relación entre ciudad y naturaleza; una reflexión sobre la forma en que las cosas ocurren en el espacio, y aquellas que suceden en el tiempo. Espacios y tiempos desdoblados y plegados sobre sí mismos, como inmateriales con los que el 5th duque construyó esta fascinante escenografía en la que representar su propia vida.The life of the 5th Duke of Portland is the story of the obsession with finding a spot of quiet, a zone free of worry, a place to feel safe. Perhaps he found there, in that natural and unfolded space of the visible world, the forces to overcome his difficulty, to understand the scale of space; that is, the way in which others establish relationships of similarity, distance or closeness with oneself. Following his appointment as heir to this immense state, almost immediately began a series of investments of an unprecedented scale, which have been considered, technically and conceptually, pioneers in the domestic and landscape transformations of the nineteenth century. Welbeck Estate is a double city, one visible and the other hidden, one in surface, constructed with physical materials; the other less obvious, submerged between shadows and natural substances, flows, energies, scales, processes and senses.This is the story of a city transformed from the bowels of the earth, beyond where the laws of reason are suspended. A kind of “other nature”, understood as an immaterial unknown with which to reflect on the way things happen in space, and those that happen in time. Spaces and times unfolded and folded over themselves, as materials with which the 5th Duke built this fascinating scenery in which to represent his own life

Gigantism: microsurgical treatment by transsphenoidal approach and prognostic factors

Purpose: We present the results of transsphenoidal microsurgical treatment in 14 patients with gigantism. The influence on the prognosis of factors such as the tumor size and preoperative levels of GH and IGF-1 is also quantified. Materials and methods: The patients, operated between 1982 and 2004, were reviewed retrospectively in June 2022. All patients had complete endocrinological studies in the preoperative period and a postoperative control between 6 days and 3 weeks. Follow-up has been supported with annual check-ups between 3 and 31 years. We have compared the preoperative levels of GH and IGF-1 of these patients with the levels of a series of acromegalic patients operated on in the same Center. Results: In this series there were 4 women and 10 men. The age ranged between 14 and 21 years. In 6 patients, postoperative hormone levels achieved the disease control criteria (42.8%). The CT/MRI studies revealed the existence of invasive tumors in 10 of the patients (71.4%). Postoperative CT/MRI showed no tumor tissue in 3 patients but in 7 patients there were tumor remains. The remaining 4 patients had abnormal images although not considered as tumor. A statistical comparison of preoperative serum GH and IGF-1 levels in patients with gigantism and patients with acromegaly showed a significant elevation in the former. Conclusion: Pituitary adenomas that cause gigantism are generally large and invasive, which makes them difficult to cure. High preoperative levels of GH and IGF-1 are also factors that decrease remission

The discrimination capabilities of Micromegas detectors at low energy

The latest generation of Micromegas detectors show a good energy resolution, spatial resolution and low threshold, which make them idoneous in low energy applications. Two micromegas detectors have been built for dark matter experiments: CAST, which uses a dipole magnet to convert axion into detectable x-ray photons, and MIMAC, which aims to reconstruct the tracks of low energy nuclear recoils in a mixture of CF4 and CHF3. These readouts have been respectively built with the microbulk and bulk techniques, which show different gain, electron transmission and energy resolutions. The detectors and the operation conditions will be described in detail as well as their discrimination capabilities for low energy photons will be discussed.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the TIPP2011 conference (Physics Procedia

CAST microbulk micromegas in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory

During the last taking data campaigns of the CAST experiment, the micromegas detectors have achieved background levels of $\approx 5 \times 10^{-6}$keV$^{-1}$cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ between 2 and 9 keV. This performance has been possible thanks to the introduction of the microbulk technology, the implementation of a shielding and the development of discrimination algorithms. It has motivated new studies towards a deeper understanding of CAST detectors background. One of the working lines includes the construction of a replica of the set-up used in CAST by micromegas detectors and its installation in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory. Thanks to the comparison between the performance of the detectors underground and at surface, shielding upgrades, etc, different contributions to the detectors background have been evaluated. In particular, an upper limit $< 2 \times 10^{-7}$keV$^{-1}$cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ for the intrinsic background of the detector has been obtained. This work means a first evaluation of the potential of the newest micromegas technology in an underground laboratory, the most suitable environment for Rare Event Searches.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures. To appear in the proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Technology and Instrumentation for Particle Physics (TIPP 2011

Lessons from the operation of the "Penning-Fluorescent" TPC and prospects

We have recently reported the development of a new type of high-pressure Xenon time projection chamber operated with an ultra-low diffusion mixture and that simultaneously displays Penning effect and fluorescence in the near-visible region (300 nm). The concept, dubbed `Penning-Fluorescent' TPC, allows the simultaneous reconstruction of primary charge and scintillation with high topological and calorimetric fidelity

Low Background Micromegas in CAST

Solar axions could be converted into x-rays inside the strong magnetic field of an axion helioscope, triggering the detection of this elusive particle. Low background x-ray detectors are an essential component for the sensitivity of these searches. We report on the latest developments of the Micromegas detectors for the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST), including technological pathfinder activities for the future International Axion Observatory (IAXO). The use of low background techniques and the application of discrimination algorithms based on the high granularity of the readout have led to background levels below 10$^{-6}$ counts/keV/cm$^2$/s, more than a factor 100 lower than the first generation of Micromegas detectors. The best levels achieved at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC) are as low as 10$^{-7}$ counts/keV/cm$^2$/s, showing good prospects for the application of this technology in IAXO. The current background model, based on underground and surface measurements, is presented, as well as the strategies to further reduce the background level. Finally, we will describe the R&D paths to achieve sub-keV energy thresholds, which could broaden the physics case of axion helioscopes.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, Large TPC Conference 2014, Pari

Perceived emotional intelligence and its relation to tobacco and cannabis use among university students

The aim of this work has been to analyse the role of Perceived Emotional Intelligence (PEI) in the use of tobacco and cannabis in 133 psychology undergraduates (114 women and 19 men), all aged between 18 and 27, with a mean age of 21.52 yr. (SD= 5.42). PEI was assessed using an abbreviated version of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS), developed by Salovey, Mayer, Goldman, Turvey and Palfai (1995) and adapted into Spanish by Fernández-Berrocal, Extremera, and Ramos (2004). The TMMS assesses an individual's ability to perceive, understand and manage emotion. The principal results obtained point to the fact that the students who consume tobacco or cannabis present lower levels of the Repair component of the TMMS and are those who started consuming tobacco or cannabis at an earlier age. On the other hand, Emotional Clarity appears to be related to the occasional consumption of cannabis, in that the students attaining high scores were those who consumed less. The Emotional Attention component of the TMMS is not involved in the consumption of these substances. These preliminary findings indicate the existing relationship between some components of the TMMS and the consumption of tobacco or cannabis. Nevertheless, we need to further investigate the differing implications of each one of the PEI components in the use of these substancesEl objetivo de este trabajo ha sido analizar el papel de la Inteligencia Emocional Percibida (IEP) en el consumo de tabaco y cannabis en 133 estudiantes de psicología (114 mujeres y 19 hombres) con una edad comprendida entre 18 y 27 años, y una media de edad 21.52 años (DS= 5.42). La PEI fue medida mediante la versión abreviada del Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS) desarrollado por Salovey, Mayer, Goldman, Turvey y Palfai (1995) y adaptado al castellano por Fernández-Berrocal, Extremera y Ramos (2004). El TMMS es una medida que evalúa la habilidad del individuo para percibir, comprender y manejar las emociones. Los principales resultados obtenidos apuntan al hecho de que los estudiantes que consumen tabaco o cannabis presentan niveles bajos en el componente de Reparación del TMMS y son los que comenzaron a consumir tabaco o cannabis a una edad más temprana. Por otro lado, la Claridad Emocional parece estar relacionada con el consumo ocasional de cannabis, de modo que los estudiantes con alta puntuación en este factor consumieron menos. El componente de Atención Emocional del TMMS no está implicado en el consumo de estas sustancias. Estos resultados preliminares indican la relación existente entre algunos componentes del TMMS y el consumo de tabaco o cannabis. No obstante, es necesario investigar más en las diferentes implicaciones de cada uno de los componentes de la IEP en el consumo de estas sustancia