Els briozous

La varietat de fons existent a l'ambient bentònic de l'Arxipèlag de Cabrera dóna cabuda a totes les comunitats bentòniques i a bona part de les espècies de briozous pròpies de la fauna balear. Tot i no haver-se realitzat una recerca faunística exhaustiva, el nombre de tàxons que hem pogut identificar a l'Arxipèlag i els seus voltants és de 145 (10 Ctenostomata, 109 Cheilostomata i 26 Cyclostomata). La gran transparència de les aigües introdueix una forta asimetria en la distribució batimètrica dels briozous de Cabrera, els quals només resulten abundants a gran fondària (més de 35 m) i en ambients críptics, extra pioms i coves. És destacable la riquesa i particularitat de la briofauna epibiont de les comunitats de maêrl i del rodòfit Osmundaria volubilis.The rich variety of bottoms which are present in the benthic environment surrounding the Cabrera Archipelago makes possible the occurrence of most of the benthic communities and the bryozan species inhabiting the Balearic area. Even though an exhaustive faunistic research has not been undertaken, the number of taxa currently known from the archipelago and surrounding waters attains 145 bryozoan species (lO Ctenostomata, 109 Cheilostomata and 26 Cyclostomata). The great transparence of sea-water produces an assimetry in the bathymetric pattern of the bryozoan distribution. Bryozoans are only abundant in deep waters (more than 35 m depth) or in cryptic environments, roofs and caves. There is an streaking richness and singularity in the bryozoan epifauna colonising the thalli of free-living corallines (maérl) and the frondose red algae Osmundaria volubilis

El Bentos: el marc físic

Les característiques globals de les aigües (O a -50 metres) de l'Arxipèlag de Cabrera permeten situar-les en l'extrem d'oligotròfia i altes temperatures de les aigües pròpies de la Mediterrània Occidental. El contingut en nutrients és molt baix -en el context de les aigües costaneres mediterrànies-, i les mitjanes oscil-len entre 0,04 i 0,08 J.Lmols/l de fosfats i 0,25 i 0,80 J.Lmols/l de nitrats. La transparència de l'aigua és extraordinària durant tot l'any (principalment a l'estiu), amb aigües que varien entre els tipus lA i II de Jerlov (coeficients d'extinció entre 0,053 i 0,076 m'). La temperatura de l'aigua superficial és elevada en relació a d'altres localitats mediterrànies i varia entre 14,6°C (febrer) i 27,5°C (agost). Pel que fa a les característiques tròfiques i òptiques de l'aigua, l'Arxipèlag de Cabrera és més proper als mars subtropicals que als mars temperats. La temperatura mitjana de l'aigua és també més propera a la de les zones tropicals i subtropicals que a la de les zones temperades, però la forta oscillació tèrmica i les relativament baixes temperatures que s'obtenen a l'hivern diferencien Cabrera de les zones tropicals. La distribució en fondària dels paràmetres ambientals estudiats suggereix que la llum. i l'hidrodinamisme són, per aquest ordre, els factors de més importància a l'hora de determinar la zonació de les comunitats submergides. Tots dos factors tenen una disminució exponencial en fondària. És possible, però, que la temperatura i els nutrients tinguin un cert protagonisme en explicar la manca de determinades espècies per sobre del nivell mitjà de la termoclina a l'estiu. La concentració de nutrients, la llum i la temperatura tenen un comportament estacional molt marcat que, encara que inferior a d'altres localitats mediterrànies, és suficient per a delimitar les característiques ambientals de cada estació de l'any.The global attributes of the coastal waters (from O to -50 meters) surrounding the Cabrera archipelago stand for the warmy and oligotrophic extreme in Western Mediterranean waters. The nutrient content is very low in relation to other coastal mediterranean waters; average phosphate concentrations range from 0,04 to 0,08 J.Lmols/l and mean nitrate concentrations range from 0,25 to 0,8 J.Lmols/i. Water transmittance is very high throughout the year (highest in summer), with waters ranging between Jerlov's types lA and II (attenuation coefficient between 0,053 and 0,076 m'). Surface water temperatures range between 14,6°C (february) and 27,5°C (august). The Cabrera archipelago stands closer to subtropical and tropical than to temperate seas according to trophic and optical attributes. Mean water temperatures are also close to those usually found in subtropical areas but the wide thermic ranges and the relatively low winter temperatures keep Cabrera away from truly warm seas. The depth profiles of the environmental factors affecting plant and animal distribution suggest that light and hydrodynamism are, in this order, the main factors forcing zonation in underwater cliffs. Both factors exponentially decrease with depth. Nevertheless, temperature and nutrient concentration are probably important in determining the uppermost limit of some strictly deep-water species. Changes in nutrient concentration, light, and temperature show a noticeable seasonal trend, that although being lower than the observed in other mediterranean localities, allows the typification of a whole annual cycle

Magnetism in Atomic-Sized Palladium Contacts and Nanowires

We have investigated Pd nanowires theoretically, and found that, unlike either metallic or free atomic Pd, they exhibit Hund's rule magnetism. In long, monoatomic wires, we find a spin moment of 0.7 Bohr magnetons per atom, whereas for short, monoatomic wires between bulk leads, the predicted moment is about 0.3 Bohr magnetons per wire atom. In contrast, a coaxial (6,1) wire was found to be nonmagnetic. The origin of the wire magnetism is analyzed.Comment: 6 pages, including 4 figure

Spontaneous Magnetization of Simple Metal Nanowires

On the basis of self-consistent density-functional calculations, it is predicted that three-dimensional nanowires of simple (nonmagnetic) metals undergo a transition to a spin-polarized magnetic state at critical radii. The magnetic transition also contributes to the elongation force on the nanowire. The force exhibits oscillations due to quantum confinement, in tune with the conductance steps as the wire is pulled.Peer reviewe

Electronic structure of cylindrical simple-metal nanowires in the stabilized jellium model

The ground-state electronic structures of cylindrical quantum wires are studied within the stabilized jellium model and using the spin-dependent density-functional theory. The subband structure is shown to affect the cohesive properties, causing an oscillating structure in the force needed to elongate the wire. Because the steps in the quantized conductance reflect also the subband structure a correlation between the force oscillations and conductance steps is established. The model also predicts magnetic solutions commensurate with the subband structure and consequently additional steps in the conductance.Peer reviewe

Acceptability of Food Products from Sweet Sorghum Sorghum bicolor L.Moench Grain Developed at Pampanga Agricultural College, Philippines

A total of twenty five sweet sorghum products were developed from the sweet sorghum grain at Pampanga Agricultural College, Magalang, Pampanga, Philippines. This products were grouped into soups and porridges  (8 recipes); snacks and native delicacies (9 recipes) , meals (8 recipes) and sorghum flour (2 recipes). In general, the sweet sorghum food products developed are “Like very much “ in terms of taste and appearance  but Moderately Like in terms of texture.  Since the “pattern recipe”  are popular the result of acceptability is high in terms of appearance and taste, however,  the comment on texture is that there is a little rough or gritty taste and sometimes there is the presence of plastic like particles.  As to level of acceptability, the food sorghum food products developed in this study were “Like very much” in terms of appearance, taste and over all acceptability but are “Moderately like” in terms of texture. 

Analysis of the sporting context of Spanish female competitive cyclists and triathletes

El objetivo del presente estudio fue conocer y comparar las características psicosociales de las ciclistas y triatletas federadas en España estableciendo unas pautas de actuación que mejoren su situación en el deporte de competición. Se analizan dos deportes con aspectos comunes (uso de la bicicleta en competición, participantes que realizan ambos deportes…) y diferenciadores (deporte clásico vs deporte moderno), con el objeto de descubrir las posibles diferencias y/o similitudes entre ambos. En este estudio descriptivo participaron 80 ciclistas y 126 triatletas. Se determinó el perfil sociodemográfico promedio de las ciclistas y triatletas mediante 2 cuestionarios semiestructurados que permitieron definirlas como deportistas a) amateurs con tendencia competidora, b) iniciadas a una edad tardía en su especialidad deportiva, c) con una amplia experiencia deportiva, d) con un nivel alto de estudios completado o en curso, y e) pertenecientes a un estrato social medio. Tras el análisis de los resultados creemos que se hace necesario un cambio en la política deportiva de las federaciones deportivas así como iniciativas tendentes a la mejora de las condiciones de competición de estas deportistasThe aim of this study was to know and compare the psychosocial characteristics from Spanish under-licence female cyclists and triathletes establishing guidelines to improve their situation in competitive sport. We compared two sports with common aspects (use of a bicycle in competition, participants who participate in both sports...) and differentiating ones (classic sport vs. modern), with the aim of uncover potential differences and/or similarities between the two. 80 cyclists and 126 triathletes took part in this descriptive study. We determined the average socio-demographic profile of cyclists and triathletes through 2 semistructured questionnaires. The athletes’ average socio-sporting profile was defined as a) amateur with a competitive tendency; b) who became specialised in the sport at a late age; c) having vast sporting experience; d) having completed, or completing, a high level of education; e) belonging to the middle class. We believe a change in politics in sports federations is needed, as are initiatives to improve competition conditions for these athletesEstudio financiado por el Ministerio de Educación y ciencia (AP2009-0529) y por la Real Federación Española de Ciclism