An empirical evaluation of a set of recommendations for extrasensory perception experimental research

One of the main criticisms of extrasensory perception (ESP) research is the lack of replication of positive results across laboratories. In this paper we report a study (N=100) where we tested a set of practices recommended by researchers in the area in order to develop a robust 'recipe' for ESP experimental research. In an experimental condition that included these practices we observed a 30% rate of correct guesses (z=0.82, p=0.21, one tailed) compared to a 22% rate observed in a control condition (z=-0.49, p=0.31, one-tailed). It is discussed how results obtained so far, with free-response protocols, are not strong enough to fully satisfy mainstream science

Minimally non-local nucleon-nucleon potentials with chiral two-pion exchange including Δ\Delta's

We construct a coordinate-space chiral potential, including $\Delta$-isobar intermediate states in its two-pion-exchange component. The contact interactions entering at next-to-leading and next-to-next-to-next-to-leading orders ($Q^2$ and $Q^4$, respectively, $Q$ denoting generically the low momentum scale) are rearranged by Fierz transformations to yield terms at most quadratic in the relative momentum operator of the two nucleons. The low-energy constants multiplying these contact interactions are fitted to the 2013 Granada database, consisting of 2309 $pp$ and 2982 $np$ data (including, respectively, 148 and 218 normalizations) in the laboratory-energy range 0--300 MeV. For the total 5291 $pp$ and $np$ data in this range, we obtain a $\chi^2$/datum of roughly 1.3 for a set of three models characterized by long- and short-range cutoffs, $R_{\rm L}$ and $R_{\rm S}$ respectively, ranging from $(R_{\rm L},R_{\rm S})=(1.2,0.8)$ fm down to $(0.8,0.6)$ fm. The long-range (short-range) cutoff regularizes the one- and two-pion exchange (contact) part of the potential.Comment: 32 pages, 19 figures, accepted for publication as a Regular Article in Physical Review

Neutron Fermi Liquids under the presence of a strong magnetic field with effective nuclear forces

Landau's Fermi Liquid parameters are calculated for non-superfluid pure neutron matter in the presence of a strong magnetic field at zero temperature. The particle-hole interactions in the system, where a net magnetization may be present, are characterized by these parameters in the framework of a multipolar formalism. We use either zero- or finite-range effective nuclear forces to describe the nuclear interaction. Using the obtained Fermi Liquid parameters, the effect of a strong magnetic field on some bulk magnitudes such as isothermal compressibility and spin susceptibility is also investigated.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figure

Phase retrieval from experimental far-field intensity data

Contiene: Fórmulas y 5 ilustraciones.We demonstrate the reconstruction of real and positive objects from experimental far-field intensity measurements by means of two phase-retrieval algorithms. Both the iterative Fourier transform and the simulated annealing algorithms are used, and an analysis is made of the advantages and disadvantages of each of these procedures and also of combinations of both methods. The objects tested either were binary or had many gray levels. We worked with data with a considerable amount of experimental noise, and in addition we recognized the importance of taking into account the nonrandom distortions produced by the detecting devices, which can critically bias the results toward erroneous estimates of the objects. Noisy data, however, can create ambiguities in the reconstructions, and hence additional information may be needed to overcome this disadvantage.Supported by the Comision Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnologia of Spain under grant pbO278. M. J. Pérez-Ilzarbe acknowledges a grant from Ministerio de Educaci6n y Ciencia - This paper was published in Journal of the Optical Society of America A, and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website: http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=josaa-7-3-434. Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law.Peer reviewe

Los ajustes deprimen el empleo. Análisis de coyuntura del mercado de trabajo en el segundo trimestre de 2012

La economía española ha entrado en recesión en el segundo trimestre de 2012, por segunda vez desde que estalló la crisis económica. La intensa caída de la actividad económica provoca una nueva oleada de destrucción de empleo. Como consecuencia, se ha alcanzado la tasa de paro más alta en un trimestre en la serie histórica de la EPA que ofrece el INE. En el artículo presente se analizan la evolución de las principales variables laborales en el mercado de trabajo español y de Andalucía. Se presta especial atención a la formación de la mano de obra y a la evolución de los diferentes grupos de trabajadores cualificados de acuerdo con la evolución del ciclo económico en el periodo 2008-2012.In the second quarter of 2012, Spanish economy has come into a new recession period for the second time since the beginning of the economic crisis. The big decrease of economic activity is the cause of a new wave of employment destruction. As a result, the highest rate of unemployment in modern Spanish economic history has been reached, according to the data provided by the National Institute of Statistics. In this paper, we analyse the evolution of the main labour indicators in the Spanish and Andalusian Labour Markets. We pay special attention to the impact of economic crisis on different groups of workers according to their educational levels in the period 2008-2012

Instalados en la recesión económica. Análisis de coyuntura del mercado de trabajo en el segundo semestre de 2012

A lo largo de 2012, España experimenta una profundización en la recesión económica que está sufriendo. Durante los cuatro trimestres de este año, no se han visto cifras positivas de crecimiento, sino una caída constante. La misma tendencia se observa en el resto de economías europeas, que en la última parte del año están adentrándose, o van camino de caer, de nuevo en la recesión. Como consecuencia de esta evolución, el deterioro del mercado de trabajo español sigue aumentando. Cae la ocupación y aumenta el desempleo hasta casi seis millones de personas, alcanzándose la tasa de paro más elevada de los registros de la EPA (26,02%). En el presente trabajo se presenta una panorámica sobre la evolución de la economía y el mercado de trabajo en España en el segundo semestre de 2012. El artículo también recoge un epígrafe dedicado al análisis de la evolución de las variables económicas y laborales más relevantes en Andalucía

Desequilibrios crecientes. Análisis de coyuntura del mercado de trabajo en el primer semestre de 2013

A lo largo del primer semestre de 2013, la economía española ha seguido en el proceso de recesión económica, si bien se presentan algunos indicios de que las previsiones para los próximos años pueden mejorar indicando el final de la crisis y el comienzo de la recuperación económica. No obstante, la tasa de paro en España se situó en el 26,26%, y la tasa de empleo en el 43,91%, valores muy alejados de la media de la UE. En el presente artículo se presenta una panorámica sobre la evolución de la economía y del mercado de trabajo en España en el primer trimestre de 2013. En primer lugar se analiza la evolución del cuadro macroeconómico general de la economía española. En las tres secciones siguientes se analizan, respectivamente, la oferta de trabajo, la demanda de trabajo y el desempleo. El artículo concluye con un epígrafe dedicado a la evolución de las variables económicas y laborales en Andalucía en el mismo periodo de tiempo

Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for thermal denaturation of ovine milk lactoferrin determined by its loss of immunoreactivity

Lactoferrin is a protein with important biological functions that can be obtained from milk and by-products derived from the dairy industry, such as whey. Although bovine lactoferrin has been extensively studied, ovine lactoferrin is not quite as well known. In the present study, the effect of several heat treatments in 3 different media, over a temperature range from 66 to 75°C, has been studied on lactoferrin isolated from sheep milk. Denaturation of lactoferrin was determined by measuring its immunoreactivity with specific polyclonal antibodies. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters obtained indicate that lactoferrin denatures by heat more rapidly in whey than in phosphate buffer or milk. The value of activation energy found for the denaturation process of lactoferrin when treated in whey is higher (390 kJ/mol) than that obtained in milk (194 kJ/mol) or phosphate buffer (179 kJ/mol). This indicates that a great amount of energy is necessary to start denaturation of ovine lactoferrin, probably due to the interaction of this protein with other whey proteins. The changes in the hydrophobicity of lactoferrin after heat treatments were determined by fluorescence measurement using acrylamide. The decrease in the hydrophobicity constant was very small for the treatments from 66 to 75°C, up to 20 min, which indicates that lactoferrin conformation did not experienced a greatchange. The results obtained in this study permit the prediction of behavior of ovine lactoferrin under several heat treatments and show that high-temperature, short-time pasteurization (72°C, 15 s) does not cause loss of its immunoreactivity and, consequently, would not affect its conformation and biological activity

La construcción arrastra a la crisis a la economía española. Informe de conyuntura sobre el mercado de trabajo en España y Andalucía (segundo trimestre de 2008).

En el segundo trimestre de 2008 la situación de crisis económica en la que se instala la economía española afecta de forma significativa a las variables laborales tanto en España como en Andalucía. En este sentido, la caída del sector de la construcción y más concretamente de la construcción de viviendas está siendo determinante. La reducción en el ritmo de crecimiento del empleo en el conjunto de España así como el mantenimiento de la actividad ha generado un aumento del desempleo en este trimestre. En lo referente al mercado de trabajo en Andalucía el empleo se ha reducido y el paro ha subido alcanzando una tasa del 16,27% en este trimestre

Angiogenesis in the Gonadal Capillary Network of the Chick Embryo

Seventy-one chick embryos of both sexes at the 35 Hamburger and Hamilton (H-H) developmental stage were processed for scanning electron microscopy of vascular corrosion casts and of critical point dried specimens, as well as transmission electron- and light microscopy, in order to study the angiogenic structures. The gonadal subepithelial capillary network was located at the level of the tunica albuginea under the covering epithelium. The casts showed a densely-meshed capillary network and numerous sprouting (nodular protrusions or capillary sprouts) and non-sprouting (enlarged vessels and angiogenic holes) angiogenic structures that were randomly distributed and mixed. Four types of angio-genic holes were encountered in the casts: primary (diameter \u3c 2.5 μm), secondary (diameter \u3e 2.5 μm), tertiary (variable diameter and circular narrowings on one side), and open angiogenic holes. We suggest that the different morphologies reflect evolution of these holes. Furthermore, the open angiogenic hole would probably either form nodular protrusions at its open ends, which tend to join with other nodular protrusions and neighboring capillaries and form new vessels; or there would be fusion with two or more neighboring open holes. Correlative critical point dried sections showed fenestrations in the capillary walls and transcapillary pillars that corresponded to the angiogenic holes found in the casts. Ultrathin sections of the vessels presented typical characteristics of growing endothelium: large nuclei with loosely textured chromatin, abundant cytoplasm rich in cell organelles and intraluminal endothelial processes