Graphene Multi-Protonation: a Cooperative Mechanism for Proton Permeation

The interaction between protons and graphene is attracting a large interest due to recent experiments showing that these charged species permeate through the 2D material following a low barrier (~ 0.8 eV) activated process. A possible explanation involves the flipping of a chemisorbed proton (rotation of the C-H$^+$ bond from one to the other side of the carbon layer) and previous studies have found so far that the energy barriers (around 3.5 eV) are too high to explain the experimental findings. Contrarily to the previously adopted model assuming an isolated proton, in this work we consider protonated graphene at high local coverage and explore the role played by nearby chemisorbed protons in the permeation process. By means of density functional theory calculations exploiting large molecular prototypes for graphene it is found that, when various protons are adsorbed on the same carbon hexagonal ring, the permeation barrier can be reduced down to 1.0 eV. The related mechanism is described in detail and could shed a new light on the interpretation of the experimental observations for proton permeation through graphene.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

Service Quality and Customer Loyalty in a Post-Crisis Context. Prediction-Oriented Modeling to Enhance the Particular Importance of a Social and Sustainable Approach

Research into the influence of service quality on customer loyalty has typically focused on confirming isolated direct causal influences regarding particular dimensions of quality, usually undertaken in the context of positive, firm-customer relations. The present study extends analysis of these factors through a new lens. First, the study was undertaken in a market context following a crisis that has had far-reaching consequences for customers’ relational behaviors. We explore the case of the Spanish banking industry, a sector that accurately reflects these new relational conditions, including a rising demand for more socially responsible banking. Second, we propose a holistic model that combines the effects of four key factors associated with service quality (outcome, personnel, servicescape and social qualities). We also apply an innovative predictive methodological technique using partial least squares (PLS) and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) that enables us not only to determine the direct causal effects among variables, but also to consider different scenarios in which to predict customer loyalty. The results highlight the role of outcome and social qualities. The novelty of the social qualities factor helps to underscore the importance of social, ethical and sustainable practices to customer loyalty, although personnel and servicescape qualities must also be present to improve the predictive capability of service quality on loyalty

Desde los actos de habla de Austin a los actos comunicativos. Perspectivas desde Searle, Habermas y CREA

El concepto de acto de habla ha sido una gran aportación de la filosofía del lenguaje al estudio de los procesos de comunicación que está tomando mayor importancia con el actual giro dialógico de las sociedades y las propias ciencias sociales. El desarrollo posterior que hizo Searle de las contribuciones de Austin fue tomado como el punto de partida de la concepción de actos de habla y actos comunicativos que Ha-bermas consideró una de las bases de su teoría de la acción comunicativa. Sin embargo, en el trabajo conjunto de Searle y CREA se clarificaron los errores de comprensión que Habermas tuvo de la concepción de Searle. De ese debate surgió la importancia del desarrollo de la concepción de actos comunicativos dialógicos y actos comunicativos de poder que ha sido incorporada al proyecto INCLuD-ED1 cuyo equipo ha continuado desarrollándola hasta la actualidad en diferentes ámbitos. En este artículo se desarrolla esa evolución a partir de un análisis de las aportaciones recientes de la filosofía del lenguaje, seguidamente de una explicación de los actos de habla y los actos comunicativos y finalmente un análisis de las relaciones de poder y las relaciones dialógicas que se dan en los diferentes actos comunicativos

Turning difficulties into possibilities: engaging Roma families and students in school through dialogic learning

Schools and communities may have a key role in reversing the cycle of inequality that the Roma suffer in Europe. Aiming at reducing existing inequalities, dialogic learning aims to ensure high levels of academic learning for all children, by involving the whole community through egalitarian dialogue. Less well known are the implications of this approach for the Roma in highly marginalised areas. This article presents the results of a longitudinal case study in a Spanish primary school, undertaken as part of the European Union-funded INCLUD-ED Integrated Project. It reports on educational actions grounded in dialogic learning, which have succeeded in engaging families and communities in the school, the classroom and other learning spaces. Based on a dialogic school-based transformation, Roma families participated in children's learning activities and decision-making spaces. We explore how these actions involving Roma families are developed and the effect they may have in improving learning and engagement

Researchers' Perceptions About Methodological Innovations in Research Oriented to Social Impact: Citizen Evaluation of Social Impact

Current scientific literature is outlining a profound and accelerated transformation in the relationships between qualitative methodologies of research, citizens, society and social theories. The evolution towards a more dialogic society has led to a less talked about methodological advancement: Citizen participation in the evaluation of the social impact of research. Social impact is a priority of the current scientific research programs that also emphasize co-creation. The co-creation of the evaluation of this social impact requires both, qualitative methodologies and innovation, in order to make them able to optimize the social impact of research. This study, aimed at presenting the first meta-analysis of such methodological innovation from researchers' view, includes interviews with seven researchers conducting research with social impact. In order to contrast citizens' voices, results from the interviews have been

Péptidos y anticuerpos útiles para la elaboración de medicamentos para el tratamiento o prevención de enfermedades humanas neurodegenerativas, medicamentos así obtenidos y sus aplicaciones

Péptidos y anticuerpos útiles para la elaboración de medicamentos para el tratamiento o prevención de enfermedades humanas neurodegenerativas, medicamentos así obtenidos y sus aplicaciones. La presente invención describe inhibidores de la expresión génica del gen que codifica para la proteína NP1, que actúa como un inductor de apoptosis neural y neurodegeneración, útiles para la elaboración de medicamentos o composiciones farmacéuticas para el tratamiento o prevención de enfermedades humanas neurológicas, preferentemente enfermedades neurodegenerativas. Más preferentemente, la enfermedad neurodegenerativa es el Alzheimer. Estos inhibidores incluyen anticuerpos específicos de la proteína NP1 humana así como de péptidos derivados de la misma que pueden ser utilizados en procedimientos de inmunización pasiva y activa, respectivamente, frente a estas enfermedades.Peer reviewedConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (España)A1 Solicitud de patente con informe sobre el estado de la técnic

On uniqueness and instability for some thermomechanical problems involving the Moore– Gibson–Thompson equation

It is known that in the case that several constitutive tensors fail to be positive definite the system of the ther- moelasticity could become unstable and, in certain cases, ill-posed in the sense of Hadamard. In this paper, we consider the Moore–Gibson–Thompson thermoelasticity in the case that some of the constitutive tensors fail to be positive and we will prove basic results concerning uniqueness and instability of solutions. We first consider the case of the heat conduction when dissipation condition holds, but some constitutive tensors can fail to be positive. In this case, we prove the uniqueness and instability by means of the logarithmic convexity argument. Second we study the thermoelastic system only assuming that the thermal conductivity tensor and the mass density are positive and we obtain the uniqueness of solutions by means of the Lagrange identities method. By the logarithmic convexity argument we prove later the instability of solutions whenever the elasticity tensor fails to be positive, but assuming that the conductivity rate is positive and the thermal dissipation condition hold. We also sketch similar results when conductivity rate and/or the thermal conductivity fail to be positive definite, but the elasticity tensor is positive definite and the dissipation condition holds. Last sections are devoted to considering the case when a third-order equation is proposed for the displacement (which comes from the viscoelasticiy). A similar study is sketched in these cases.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Lectura dialógica: interacciones que mejoran y aceleran la lectura

En este trabajo se aborda el estudio de la lectura dialógica enmarcada en una más amplia concepción de aprendizaje que tiene sus fundamentos en las prácticas (comunidades de aprendizaje), teorías (Freire, Habermas, Searle) e investigaciones (includ-ed) más relevantes de la actual sociedad de la información, situando en este nuevo contexto las aportaciones dialógicas anteriores. Esto permite entenderla como una instancia coordinante de las actividades de aprendizaje que realizan todas las personas que interaccionan con los niños, especialmente quienes conviven con ellos en las aulas y en los domicilios, es decir, el profesorado y las familias. Aquí se intenta demostrar cómo los centros que han adoptado esta concepción de aprendizaje dialógico están consiguiendo mejorar y acelerar el aprendizaje de la lectura y la escritura de todos los educandos con más espacios y más personas que las tradicionales de la escuela heredada de la sociedad industrial. Asímismo, se constata cómo se promueve la lectura de los familiares en casa y también en el espacio escolar a través de las tertulias literarias dialógicas que consiguen que personas que nunca han leído un libro disfruten de obras de Safo, Joyce o Lorca. Resulta auspiciosa, además, la colaboración directa de familiares, de diversidad de profesionales y del voluntariado en el aprendizaje de la lectura y la escritura que realizan los estudiantes, no solo en el horario lectivo sino también fuera de clase