Ocke-Schwen Bohn and Murray J. Munro (eds) (2007): Language Experience in Second Language Speech Learning: In Honor of James Emile Flege, Language learning and language teaching monograph series, volume 17, Amsterdam, John Benjamins

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Quantum Properties of the radiation emitted by a conductor in the Coulomb Blockade Regime

We present an input-output formalism describing a tunnel junction strongly coupled to its electromagnetic environment. We exploit it in order to investigate the dynamics of the radiation being emitted and scattered by the junction. We find that the non-linearity imprinted in the electronic transport by a properly designed environment generates strongly squeezed radiation. Our results show that the interaction between a quantum conductor and electromagnetic fields can be exploited as a resource to design simple sources of non-classical radiation.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, includes Supplementar

Perception of Fa by non-native listeners in a study abroad context

The present study aims at exploring the under-investigated interface between SA and L2 phonological development by assessing the impact of a 3-month SA programme on the pronunciation of a group of 23 Catalan/Spanish learners of English (NNSs) by means of phonetic measures and perceived FA measures. 6 native speakers (NS) in an exchange programme in Spain provided baseline data for comparison purposes. The participants were recorded performing a reading aloud task before (pre-test) and immediately after (post-test) the SA. Another group of 37 proficient non-native listeners, also bilingual in Catalan/Spanish and trained in English phonetics, assessed the NNS' speech samples for degree of FA. Phonetic measures consisted of pronunciation accuracy scores computed by counting pronunciation errors (phonemic deletions, insertions and substitutions, and stress misplacement). Measures of perceived FA were obtained with two experiments. In experiment 1, the listeners heard a random presentation of the sentences produced by the NSs and by the NNSs at pre-test and post-test and rated them on a 7-point Likert scale for degree of FA (1 = “native” , 7 = “heavy foreign accent”). In experiment 2, they heard paired pre-test/post-test sentences (i.e. produced by the same NNS at pre-test and posttest) and indicated which of the two sounded more native-like. Then, they stated their judgment confidence level on a 7-point scale (1 = “unsure”, 7 = “sure”). Results indicated a slight, non-significant improvement in perceived FA after SA. However, a significant decrease was found in pronunciation accuracy scores after SA. Measures of pronunciation accuracy and FA ratings were also found to be strongly correlated. These findings are discussed in light of the often reported mixed results as regards pronunciation improvement during short-term immersion

Old methods for new solutions: Historical restoration of Santa Maria la Mayor church in Rubielos de Mora

[EN] The main goal of the patrimonial intervention in Santa Maria la Mayor, the main church of Rubielos de Mora in Spain, has a clear focus on eliminating the humidity coming from the subsoil and its related pathologies. These problems are inherent to the building’s structure. Many historical buildings’ foundations and walls directly contact the soil, creating a common cause for different pathologies. In our study case, this is aggravated as the church has been built on a ravine with flowing water.The solution for the new pavement needs to solve two problems. On the one hand, a technical one to solve water access inside the church and its pathologies. On the other hand, a geometrical one, to solve a geometrically accurate mesh of industrial cut stone pavement with the irregular geometry of the church. Historically we can find different individual solutions for these problems. The presented solution comes from a different starting point to unite both problems as one, as they are related.Historically, churches were built based on layouts that tried to solve with the same method different and diverse problems. These layouts looked for spatial harmony and proportions across the church, sizing the structural elements based on numerical relationships. Iconic shapes reference iconic meanings and links between the physical and the metaphysical world, where every element found its exact place.Following this train of thought laid by the master builders who predeceased us, the solution must be unique, coherent, and based upon the church layout. The new pavement fuses the old and the new, creating a contemporary solution for historical problems, employing historical methods with current technology. It solves humidity and geometry with a mutual solution for Santa Maria la Mayor.Fernández Mora, V.; Boigues, C. (2023). Old methods for new solutions: Historical restoration of Santa Maria la Mayor church in Rubielos de Mora. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 440-451. https://doi.org/10.4995/VIBRArch2022.2022.1523644045

Self-assembly of microscopic rods due to depletion interaction

In this article, using numerical simulations we investigate the self-assembly of rod-like particles in suspension due to depletion forces which naturally emerge due to the presence of smaller spherical depletant particles. We characterize the type of clusters that are formed and the evolution of aggregation departing from a random initial configuration. We show that eventually the system reaches a thermodynamic equilibrium state in which the aggregates break and reform dynamically. We investigate the equilibrium state of aggregation, which exhibits a strong dependence on depletant concentration. In addition, we provide a simple thermodynamic model inspired on the theory of self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules which allows us to understand qualitatively the equilibrium aggregate size distributions that we obtain in simulation

El Geoparc Mundial de la UNESCO "Comarca Minera, Hidalgo": Un resultat de la cooperació científica entre Mèxic i Catalunya

La Comarca Minera de l'Estat d'Hidalgo, a la zona centreoriental de Mèxic, va rebre la designació de Geoparc Mundial de la UNESCO el 5 de maig de 2017. Aquest reconeixement va culminar un projecte transdisciplinari de tres anys, el qual va implicar una intensa cooperació entre diverses institucions de recerca mexicanes i catalanes. El projecte, encapçalat per la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), va reunir un grup nombrós d'especialistes en ciències de la Terra, i també en d'altres disciplines totalment alienes a la geologia, i va fomentar la participació d'organitzacions agràries (ejidos) i civils, a més de la col·laboració d'estudiants i voluntaris. Actualment la Comarca Minera es un dels sis únics geoparcs d'Amèrica (i un dels dos que hi ha a Mèxic), i conté un geopatrimoni excepcional, l'eix del qual es la mineria del districte argentífer històric de Pachuca-Real del Monte. A més dels excepcionals dipòsits de tipus epitermal, que es compten entre els més grans del món, el geoparc presenta els següents elements geològics de rellevància mundial: (a) la localitat tipus de la cristobalita i de la tridimita, (b) els basalts amb disjunció columnar de Huasca de Ocampo, descrits pel naturalista prussià Alexander von Humboldt l'any 1803, i (c) l'obsidiana del Cerro de Las Navajas, explotada ininterrompudament des d'abans del Virregnat i que fou estratègica pel comerç de diverses cultures de Mesoamèrica.The Comarca Minera, Hidalgo UNESCO Global Geopark (Mexico) was formally designated on May 5th, 2017. This achievement was the result of a transdisciplinary, three-year project, for which there has been close cooperation among Mexican and Catalan universities, as well as Hidalgo's government institutions. The project was leaded by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM in its Spanish acronym) and brought together geoscientists of all disciplines, as well as specialists outside geology. It also prompted the collaboration of agrarian (ejidos) and civil organizations, as well as of students and volunteers. At present Comarca Minera is one of the six geoparks in America, treasuring an outstanding geoheritage around the silver mining of the historical district of Pachuca-Real del Monte. In addition, the geoheritage includes the follow highlights: (a) the type locality of cristobalite and tridymite, (b) the columnar jointed basalts of Huasca de Ocampo, described for the first time by the Prussian naturalist Alexander von Humboldt in 1803, and (c) Cerro de Las Navajas, which was one of the most important obsidian deposits for Mesoamerican cultures.El Geoparque Mundial de la UNESCO Comarca Minera, Hidalgo (México) fue designado oficialmente el 5 de mayo de 2017, culminando de esta manera un proyecto transdisciplinario de tres años, periodo durante el cual se mantuvo una intensa cooperación entre instituciones de educación superior y gubernamentales mexicanas y universidades catalanas. El proyecto, liderado por la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), aglutinó un nutrido grupo de especialistas en geociencias y en disciplinas totalmente ajenas a estas, y promovió la participación de organizaciones campesinas (ejidos) y de la sociedad civil, así como de voluntarios y estudiantes de diversas licenciaturas

Un passeig aleatori: el problema de la ruina del jugador

Treballs Finals de Grau de Matemàtiques, Facultat de Matemàtiques, Universitat de Barcelona, Any: 2018, Director: Carles Rovira Escofet[en] This paper deals with the idea of random walks and is divided into three sections. In the first one, the ”Gambler’s”ruin problem is explained: from where it emerged, how it was developed, and some resolutions of the problem. In the next section, we introduce the random walk in one dimension with a view to the problem in the previous section. We’ll see different properties of this random walk and we’ll study the most important concepts. In the last section we’ll focus on the two-dimensional random walk. We’ll see the most important properties and what happens in higher dimensions

Does having good articulatory skills lead to more fluent speech in first and second languages?

Speaking fluently requires three main processes to run smoothly: conceptualization, formulation, and articulation. This study investigates to what extent fluency in spontaneous speech in both first (L1) and second (L2) languages can be explained by individual differences in articulatory skills. A group of L2 English learners (n = 51) performed three semi spontaneous speaking tasks in their L1 Spanish and in their L2 English. In addition, participants performed articulatory skill tasks that measured the speed at which their articulatory speech plans could be initiated (delayed picture naming) and the rate and accuracy at which their articulatory gestures could be executed (diadochokinetic production). The results showed that fluency in spontaneous L2 speech can be predicted by L1 fluency, replicating earlier studies and showing that L2 fluency measures are, to a large degree, measures of personal speaking style. Articulatory skills were found to contribute modestly to explaining variance in both L1 and L2 fluency