Potential Growth and Business Cycle in the Spanish Economy: Implications for Fiscal Policy

An accurately estimation of the cyclical position of an economy is a necessary condition for the success of fiscal stabilisation policies. In this paper we show that the estimation of the output gap by means of decomposing a production function produces similar results to univariate and multivariate methods, increasing their robustness and allowing us to conclude that most of the information on the economic cycle is included in the cyclical component of the unemployment rate. The results also indicate that there is reduced uncertainty about the periods when the Spanish economy has clearly been in a deep recession or in a sharp expansion. These periods have been limited and of relatively short duration. Fiscal policy should pay particular attention to these episodes, when discretionary stabilisation policies make most sense.potential growth, business cycle, speed-limit policies

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field

Interface Double-Exchange Ferromagnetism in the Mn-Zn-O System: New Class of Biphase Magnetism

In this Letter, we experimentally show that the room temperature ferromagnetism in the Mn-Zn-O system recently observed is associated with the coexistence of Mn3+ and Mn4+ via a double-exchange mechanism. The presence of the ZnO around MnO2 modifies the kinetics of MnO2→Mn2O3 reduction and favors the coexistence of both Mn oxidation states. The ferromagnetic phase is associated with the interface formed at the Zn diffusion front into Mn oxide, corroborated by preparing thin film multilayers that exhibit saturation magnetization 2 orders of magnitude higher than bulk samples.This work has been partially supported by the University Complutense Project No. PR1/05-13325. Partial support from the EU Network of Excellence SANDIE is also acknowledged.Peer reviewe

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Co–Pt granular multilayers

Magnetization hysteresis curves have been measured on Co granular multilayers, (Al₂O₃/Co/Pt)N (N = 1 and 25), with the applied magnetic field parallel and perpendicular to the substrate plane. In all samples perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was observed. For Co particles with average diameter 3 nm, the coercive field at low temperature is μ₀HC = 0.5 T. HC decreases for increasing temperature and disappears at ≈200 K. A soft magnetic component is also present in all samples up to the freezing temperature Tf = 365 K. Co and Pt XMCD measurements at the L2,3 edges were performed, yielding to the orbital mL and spin mS contributions to the total magnetic moment of the system. These results, in addition to XANES ones, indicate the presence of CoxPt₁₋x alloy. Particles conformed of CoPt alloy, embedded in Pt and coupled magnetically by dipolar or RKKY interaction, may explain the phenomenology observed in these systems

Biomimetic Synthesis of Sub-20 nm Covalent Organic Frameworks in Water

ISSN:0002-7863ISSN:1520-512

Biomimetic Synthesis of Sub-20 nm Covalent Organic Frameworks in Water

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are commonly synthesized under harsh conditions yielding unprocessable powders. Control in their crystallization process and growth has been limited to studies conducted in hazardous organic solvents. Herein, we report a one-pot synthetic method that yields stable aqueous colloidal solutions of sub-20 nm crystalline imine-based COF particles at room temperature and ambient pressure. Additionally, through the combination of experimental and computational studies, we investigated the mechanisms and forces underlying the formation of such imine-based COF colloids in water. Further, we show that our method can be used to process the colloidal solution into 2D and 3D COF shapes as well as to generate a COF ink that can be directly printed onto surfaces. These findings should open new vistas in COF chemistry, enabling new application areas

Biomimetic synthesis of sub-20 nm covalent organic frameworks in water

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are commonly synthesized under harsh conditions yielding unprocessable powders. Control in their crystallization process and growth has been limited to studies conducted in hazardous organic solvents. Herein, we report a one-pot synthetic method that yields stable aqueous colloidal solutions of sub-20 nm crystalline imine-based COF particles at room temperature and ambient pressure. Additionally, through the combination of experimental and computational studies, we investigated the mechanisms and forces underlying the formation of such imine-based COF colloids in water. Further, we show that our method can be used to process the colloidal solution into 2D and 3D COF shapes as well as to generate a COF ink that can be directly printed onto surfaces. These findings should open new vistas in COF chemistry, enabling new application areas