Extensions and foundations of the continuous symmetry measure

A quantum mechanical extension of the continuous symmetry measures (CMS) proposed by Avnir et al. is described. The theoretical framework is essentially based in a simple extension of the HMO approach, leading to compute molecular CSM energy spectra, constituting a useful step for construction of first and higher order CSM terms. This permits in turn to connect the general CMS theoretical framework with the fundaments of structure-property relationships and allows the evaluation of statistical mechanics CMS partition functions and the deduction of CMS thermodinamical functions as well

Britain and Latin America: 'Hope in a Time of Change?'

In the first section we propose briefly to look at the history of British-Latin American relations since the 1930s to emphasise what is perhaps common knowledge: the steady decline in the relationship, which reached its lowest point during the war in the South Atlantic in 1982. Although this story has already been told elsewhere, we summarise it here both to provide a backdrop and to illustrate the contrasts with the later period. We will then turn to an examination of the recent signs of revival. Using parliamentary records, some official unpublished documents, newspaper publications, and other secondary material, we will look at the evidence that points to a relative renewal of Anglo-Latin American relationship in the past decade. The last section of the paper will consider the limitations of this revival before speculating about the prospects for the long-term strengthening of British ties with Latin America

On-line database of voltammetric data of immobilized particles for identifying pigments and minerals in archaeometry, conservation and restoration (ELCHER database)

[EN] A web-based database of voltammograms is presented for characterizing artists' pigments and corrosion products of ceramic, stone and metal objects by means of the voltammetry of immobilized particles methodology. Description of the website and the database is provided. Voltammograms are, in most cases, accompanied by scanning electron microphotographs, X-ray spectra, infrared spectra acquired in attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy mode (ATR-FTIR) and diffuse reflectance spectra in the UV-Vis-region. For illustrating the usefulness of the database two case studies involving identification of pigments and a case study describing deterioration of an archaeological metallic object are presented. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Research was conducted within the "Grupo de analisis cientifico de bienes culturales y patrimoniales y estudios de ciencia de la conservacion" Microcluster of the University of Valencia Excellence Campus. Financial support is gratefully acknowledged from the MINECO Projects CTQ2014-53736-C3-1-P and CTQ2014-53736-C3-2-P which are also supported with ERDF funds. The authors would like to thank to Gonzalo Girones Sarrio manager of GongDisseny Co. by the technical support for building the site structure and the structure of the database, Archbishop of Valencia, Dr. Ignacio Bosch Reig and Dr. Pilar Roig Picazo directors of the intervention project in the Basilica de la Virgen de los Desamparados de Valencia, the conservator Estrella Arcos Von Haartman (Quibla Restaura Company) and City Council Town of Malaga, the Museum of Archaeology of Xativa, its director Angel Velasco and the conservators Isabel Martinez Lazaro and Betlem Martinez for facilitating access to samples as well as Manuel Planes Insausti and Dr Jose Luis Moya Lopez technical supervisors of the Electron Microscopy Service of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia where were carried out SEM-EDX analyses.Domenech-Carbo, A.; Domenech Carbo, MT.; Valle-Algarra, FM.; Gimeno-Adelantado, J.; Osete Cortina, L.; Bosch-Reig, F. (2016). On-line database of voltammetric data of immobilized particles for identifying pigments and minerals in archaeometry, conservation and restoration (ELCHER database). Analytica Chimica Acta. 927:1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2016.04.052S11292

New evidence of scope economies among lending,deposit-taking, loan commitments and mutual fund activities.

Financial innovation and technology affect bank cost, revenue and profits. Most of the previous empirical studies have not found significant cost, profit or revenue scope economies or output pair complementarities either between traditional and non-traditional banking products or between traditional activities themselves. We study scope economies and output pair complementarities in a ‘broad banking’ environment: the Spanish banking sector. The results indicate that after including off-balance sheet business in the output mix, cost and profit scope economies rise and are statistically significant. Besides, consumer valuation of financial services is only detected when the off-balance sheet business is added to the output definition.banking, scope economies, off-balance sheet.

The determinants of bank margins revisited: A note on the effects of diversification

Most of the theoretical and empirical literature on bank margins has dealt solely with interest margins. Applying the seminal Ho-Saunders model (JFQA, 1981) to a multi-output framework, we show that the relationship between bank margins and market power (controlling for risk) varies significantly across bank specializations. Using a set of both accounting margins and New Empirical Industrial Organization (NEIO) margins, we find that market power rises significantly with output diversification towards non-traditional activities. These results contribute to explain the paradoxical coexistence of decreasing interest margins and higher market power found in previous studies.bank margins, specialization, market structure.

The finance-growth nexus: a regional perspective

Recent cross-country studies suggest that finance and economic growth are significantly related. The characteristics and geographical scope of this relationship has become central to explain differences in economic development. Two concepts are highly relevant in this context. Firstly, financial deepening, that involves the development of traditional and non-traditional financial services in these territories. Secondly, bank dependence, which makes households and firms rely heavily on banks. Employing dynamic causality and panel data techniques on a sample of Spanish banks during 1993-1999 we find that -at a regional level- economic growth predicted financial deepening in this period which suggests that banks locate and distribute new financial products mostly in well developed territories. Regarding bank dependence, bank lending specialization appears to be a key issue in financing firms and households compared to other bank specializations. According to previous studies, lending dependence confer banks a special role in promoting regional economic growth in bank-based financial systems.Banks, financial deepening, bank dependence, regional growth.

Scope Economies and Competition Beyond the Balance Sheet: a ‘broad banking’ Experience

There is a recent trend in banking research aiming to assess how financial innovation and technology are affecting bank cost, revenue and profits. Most of the studies have not found significant cost, profit or revenue complementarities either between traditional and non-traditional banking products or between traditional activities themselves. We study complementarities in a ‘broad banking’ environment: the Spanish banking sector. The results indicate that after including off-balance sheet business in the output mix, cost and profit scope economies increase significantly. Besides, consumer valuation of financial services is only detected when the off-balance sheet business is added to the output definition.banking, cost, profit, scope economies, off-balance sheet.

Electrochemical Characterization and Dating of Archaeological Leaded Bronze Objects Using the Voltammetry of Immobilized Particles

[EN] The application of solid state electrochemistry techniques for the characterization and dating of leaded bronze objects is described. Characteristic voltammetric signatures of copper and lead corrosion products were used as markers of more or less prolonged corrosion periods. The proposed methodology was applied to samples from the Roman archaeological sites of Valeria (Spain) and Gadara (Jordan), Roman and medieval sites in Xativa (Spain), and modern statuary exhibited outdoors, on the campus of the Universitat Politecnica of Valencia, Spain, covering a time interval between the fourth to second century bc and the 20th century ad. For such samples, the ratio between the signals for copper and lead corrosion products decreased monotonically with the corrosion time. This variation was modelled on the basis of thermochemical and kinetic considerations, the experimental data being consistent with a potential rate law for the corrosion process.Financial support from the MINECO Projects CTQ2014-53736-C3-1-P and CTQ2014-53736-C3-2-P, which are supported by ERDF funds, is gratefully acknowledged. We wish to thank the Fondo de Arte y Patrimonio of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia; the Museu de Prehistoria of Valencia, and its director Helena Bonet and curator Jaime Vives-Ferrandiz; and the Museu Municipal of Xativa and its director Angel Velasco. We also wish to thank Dr Jose Luis Moya Lopez and Mr Manuel Planes Insausti (Microscopy Service of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia) for technical support.Doménech Carbó, A.; Domenech Carbo, MT.; Redondo-Marugán, J.; Osete Cortina, L.; Vivancos Ramón, MV.; Martínez, B.; Martínez Lázaro, ID.... (2018). Electrochemical Characterization and Dating of Archaeological Leaded Bronze Objects Using the Voltammetry of Immobilized Particles. Archaeometry. 60(2):308-324. https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12308S30832460

El doble testimoni de Miquel Martí i Pol (1957-1972)

Theessay offers a revisión of Miquel Martí i Pol’s poetry written between 1957 and 1971. This poetry has been regarded by critics as linked to historical realism, and in our opinión consitutes the literary consolidation of the Roda de Ter-born poet after his his apprenticeship in existential poetry. Throughout five books and a long poem, the authorembodies a double social dimensión in his verse: on the one hand, extemal and collective history, especially achieved through the universe of the village and the factory; on the other hand, the inner and personal history dealing with aspects of his most intérnate experience in themes such as love or the function of poetry

Electrochemical discrimination of mints: The last Chinese emperors Kuang Hsu and Hsuan T'ung monetary unification

[EN] An electrochemical methodology for discriminating monetary emissions, a recurrent problem in much archaeological studies, is introduced. The method is based on the record of voltammetric signatures of cuprite and tenorite corrosion products in the patina using a minimally invasive nanosampling following the voltammetry of immobilized particles methodology. A model for the depth variation of voltammetric electrochemical parameters characterizing the composition of the corrosion patinas is presented. This model permits to rationalize electrochemical data and discriminate different monetary emissions. The application of this technique, corroborated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and focusing ion beam-field emission scanning electron microscopy (FIB-FESEM-EDX), to a series of 10 cash copper coins produced around the Kuang Hsu and Hsuan Tung last Chinese emperors permits to discern different provincial mints and reveals that the monetary unification developed in this period was not uniform.Financial support from the Spanish MINECO Projects CTQ2014-53736-C3-1-P and CTQ2014-53736-C3-2-P which are also supported with ERDF funds. The Universita degli Studi di roma "La Sapienza" has granted a six-months research-scholarship (d.r.n. 965/2016 prot.n.0022041 del 31/03/2016) to the graduated Elena Montagna. The authors also wish to thank Dr. Jose Luis Moya Lopez and Mr. Manuel Planes Insausti (Microscopy Service of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia) for technical supportDomenech-Carbo, A.; Domenech Carbo, MT.; Montagna, E.; Álvarez-Romero, C.; Lee, Y. (2017). Electrochemical discrimination of mints: The last Chinese emperors Kuang Hsu and Hsuan T'ung monetary unification. Talanta. 169:50-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2017.03.025S505616