Microrrelato e imagen: El caso de José María Merino

The object of this study is describing the narrative mechanism of two bimedial short short stories by J.M. Merino which include a manipulated painting (“Nighthawks” vs “Las Meninas”). The study aims to explain why the manipulation provides, in one case, an imaginative reading (complementary story) and, in the other, an analytical-reflective one.Se describe el mecanismo narrativo de dos microrrelatos bimediales de J.M. Merino que llevan incorporado un cuadro trucado ("Nighthawks“ vs "Las Meninas“). Sobre esta base, se trata de explicar por qué la manipulación favorece, en el primer caso, una lectura más bien imaginativa (historia complementaria) y, en el segundo, una lectura reflexivo-analítica

Del arte a la narración gráfica : Hieronymus Bosch (El Bosco) y Francesc Capdevila (Max)

¿Hasta qué punto la explicación verbal de un cuadro puede completarse con o, incluso, sustituirse por una narración visual? El autor de El tríptico de los encantados trata de dar una respuesta a esta pregunta por medio de la producción de un relato gráfico (cómic) cuyo contenido son tres pinturas puestas en movimiento mediante una secuencia de dibujos. En el artículo que sigue se analizan los procedimientos básicos de este tipo de relato: la reproducción (en forma de viñeta) de una pintura famosa y la subsiguiente transformación en narración gráfica.¿To what extent can the verbal explanation of a picture be completed, or even substituted, by a visual narrative? The author of El tríptico de los encantados attempts to answer this question by producing a graphic narrative (comic) comprised of three paintings set in movement through a sequence of drawings. The present article analyzes the basic procedures of this type of narration: reproduction (in the shape of vignettes) of a famous painting and the subsequent transformation in graphic narration.Fil: Rodiek, Christoph. Technische Universität Dresde

A SEP Mission to Jupiter Using the Stretched Lens Array

As space exploration continues to be a primary focus of NASA, solar electric propulsion (SEP) becomes a forerunner in the mode of transportation to reach other planets in our solar system. Several critical issues emerge as potential barriers to this approach such as reducing solar array radiation damage, operating the array at high voltage (>300 V) for extended times for Hall or ion thrusters, and designing an array that will be resistant to micrometeoroid impacts and the differing environmental conditions as the vehicle travels further into space. It is also of great importance to produce an array that is light weight to preserve payload mass fraction and to do this at a cost that is lower than today's arrays. This paper will describe progress on an array that meets all these requirements and will detail its use in a solar electric mission to Jupiter. From 1998-2001, NASA flew the Deep Space 1 mission that validated the use of ion propulsion for extended space missions. This highly successful two-year mission also used a novel SCARLET solar array that concentrated sunlight eight-fold onto small area solar cells. This array performed flawlessly and within 2% of its projected performance over the entire mission. That design has evolved into the Stretched Lens Array (SLA) shown in figure 1. The primary difference between SCARLET and the SLA is that no additional glass cover is used over the silicone lens. This has led to significant mass, cost and complexity reductions. The module shown in figure 1 is the latest version of the design. This design leads to a specific power exceeding 300 W/kg at voltages exceeding 300 V. In addition, this module has been tested to voltages over 1000 V while under hypervelocity particle impact in a plasma environment with no arcing. Furthermore array segments are under test for corona breakdown that can become a critical issue for long term, high voltage missions

The Stretched Lens Solar Array for Mars Surface Power

[Abstract] With implementation of the ambitious U.S. space exploration policy underway, new technology to provide power on the Martian surface becomes a priority. Early missions anticipate the use of fuel cells, but the primary power system will rely heavily upon solar arrays. These arrays should have the following characteristics: high efficiency, light weight, high packaging density and be able to withstand low temperature operation in wind and dust storms. This paper will describe how the Stretched Lens Array (SLA) can effectively and reliably provide power on the Mars surface overcoming the environmental challenges

Radiometric characterization of a triggered narrow-bandwidth single-photon source and its use for the calibration of silicon single-photon avalanche detectors

The traceability of measurements of the parameters characterizing single-photon sources, such as photon flux and optical power, paves the way towards their reliable comparison and quantitative evaluation. In this paper, we present an absolute measurement of the optical power of a single-photon source based on an InGaAs quantum dot under pulsed excitation with a calibrated single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detector. For this purpose, a single excitonic line of the quantum dot emission with a bandwidth below 0.1 nm was spectrally filtered by using two tilted interference filters. Since high count rates are essential for many metrological applications, we optimized the setup efficiency by combining high overall transmission of the optical components with a geometrical enhancement of the extraction efficiency of a single quantum dot by a monolithic microlens to reach photon fluxes up to 3.7 * 10^5 photons per second at the SPADs. A relative calibration of two SPAD detectors with a relative standard uncertainty of 0.7% was carried out and verified by the standard calibration method using an attenuated laser. Finally, an Allan deviation analysis was performed giving an optimal averaging time of 92 s for the photon flux.DFG, 232645976, GRK 1952: Metrologie komplexer Nanosysteme - NanoMetDFG, 390837967, EXC 2123: QuantumFrontiers - Licht und Materie an der Quantengrenz

Single photon sources for quantum radiometry: a brief review about the current state-of-the-art

Single-photon sources have a variety of applications. One of these is quantum radiometry, which is reported on in this paper in the form of an overview, specifically of the current state of the art in the application of deterministic single photon sources to the calibration of single photon detectors. To optimize single-photon sources for this purpose, extensive research is currently carried out at the European National Metrology Institutes (NMIs), in collaboration with partners from universities. Single-photon sources of different types are currently under investigation, including sources based on defect centres in (nano-)diamonds, on molecules and on semiconductor quantum dots. We will present, summarise, and compare the current results obtained at European NMIs for single-photon sources in terms of photon flux, single-photon purity, and spectral power distribution as well as the results of single-photon detector calibrations carried out with this type of light sources.DFG, 390837967, EXC 2123: QuantumFrontiers - Licht und Materie an der Quantengrenz

Pyogenic spondylitis

Pyogenic spondylitis is a neurological and life threatening condition. It encompasses a broad range of clinical entities, including pyogenic spondylodiscitis, septic discitis, vertebral osteomyelitis, and epidural abscess. The incidence though low appears to be on the rise. The diagnosis is based on clinical, radiological, blood and tissue cultures and histopathological findings. Most of the cases can be treated non-operatively. Surgical treatment is required in 10–20% of patients. Anterior decompression, debridement and fusion are generally recommended and instrumentation is acceptable after good surgical debridement with postoperative antibiotic cover

Allotment gardening and health: a comparative survey among allotment gardeners and their neighbors without an allotment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The potential contribution of allotment gardens to a healthy and active life-style is increasingly recognized, especially for elderly populations. However, few studies have empirically examined beneficial effects of allotment gardening. In the present study the health, well-being and physical activity of older and younger allotment gardeners was compared to that of controls without an allotment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A survey was conducted among 121 members of 12 allotment sites in the Netherlands and a control group of 63 respondents without an allotment garden living next to the home addresses of allotment gardeners. The survey included five self-reported health measures (perceived general health, acute health complaints, physical constraints, chronic illnesses, and consultations with GP), four self-reported well-being measures (stress, life satisfaction, loneliness, and social contacts with friends) and one measure assessing self-reported levels of physical activity in summer. Respondents were divided into a younger and older group at the median of 62 years which equals the average retirement age in the Netherlands.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After adjusting for income, education level, gender, stressful life events, physical activity in winter, and access to a garden at home as covariates, both younger and older allotment gardeners reported higher levels of physical activity during the summer than neighbors in corresponding age categories. The impacts of allotment gardening on health and well-being were moderated by age. Allotment gardeners of 62 years and older scored significantly or marginally better on all measures of health and well-being than neighbors in the same age category. Health and well-being of younger allotment gardeners did not differ from younger neighbors. The greater health and well-being benefits of allotment gardening for older gardeners may be related to the finding that older allotment gardeners were more oriented towards gardening and being active, and less towards passive relaxation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings are consistent with the notion that having an allotment garden may promote an active life-style and contribute to healthy aging. However, the findings may be limited by self selection and additional research is needed to confirm and extend the current findings.</p

What Is the Evidence to Support the Use of Therapeutic Gardens for the Elderly?

Horticulture therapy employs plants and gardening activities in therapeutic and rehabilitation activities and could be utilized to improve the quality of life of the worldwide aging population, possibly reducing costs for long-term, assisted living and dementia unit residents. Preliminary studies have reported the benefits of horticultural therapy and garden settings in reduction of pain, improvement in attention, lessening of stress, modulation of agitation, lowering of as needed medications, antipsychotics and reduction of falls. This is especially relevant for both the United States and the Republic of Korea since aging is occurring at an unprecedented rate, with Korea experiencing some of the world's greatest increases in elderly populations. In support of the role of nature as a therapeutic modality in geriatrics, most of the existing studies of garden settings have utilized views of nature or indoor plants with sparse studies employing therapeutic gardens and rehabilitation greenhouses. With few controlled clinical trials demonstrating the positive or negative effects of the use of garden settings for the rehabilitation of the aging populations, a more vigorous quantitative analysis of the benefits is long overdue. This literature review presents the data supporting future studies of the effects of natural settings for the long term care and rehabilitation of the elderly having the medical and mental health problems frequently occurring with aging