AuNx stabilization with interstitial nitrogen atoms: A Density Functional Theory Study

Researchers have been studying 4d and 5d Series Transition Metal Nitrides lately as a result of the experimental production of AuN, PtN, CuN. In this paper, we used the Density Functional Theory (DFT) implementing a pseudopotential plane-wave method to study the incorporation of nitrogen atoms in the face-centered cube (fcc) lattice of gold (Au). First, we took the fcc structure of gold, and gradually located the nitrogen atoms in tetrahedral (TH) and octahedral (OH) interstitial sites. AuN stabilized in: 2OH (30%), 4OH and 4TH (50%), 4OH - 2TH (close to the wurtzite structure) and 6TH (60%). This leads us to think that AuN behaves like a Transition Metal Nitride since the nitrogen atoms look for tetrahedral sites. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Hacia el modelado 3d de tumores cerebrales mediante endoneurosonografía y redes neuronales

Las cirugías mínimamente invasivas se han vuelto populares debido a que implican menos riesgos con respecto a las intervenciones tradicionales. En neurocirugía, las tendencias recientes sugieren el uso conjunto de la endoscopia y el ultrasonido, técnica llamada endoneurosonografía (ENS), para la virtualización 3D de las estructuras del cerebro en tiempo real. La información ENS se puede utilizar para generar modelos 3D de los tumores del cerebro durante la cirugía. En este trabajo, presentamos una metodología para el modelado 3D de tumores cerebrales con ENS y redes neuronales. Específicamente, se estudió el uso de mapas auto-organizados (SOM) y de redes neuronales tipo gas (NGN). En comparación con otras técnicas, el modelado 3D usando redes neuronales ofrece ventajas debido a que la morfología del tumor se codifica directamente sobre los pesos sinápticos de la red, no requiere ningún conocimiento a priori y la representación puede ser desarrollada en dos etapas: entrenamiento fuera de línea y adaptación en línea. Se realizan pruebas experimentales con maniquíes médicos de tumores cerebrales. Al final del documento, se presentan los resultados del modelado 3D a partir de una base de datos ENS.Minimally invasive surgeries have become popular because they reduce the typical risks of traditional interventions. In neurosurgery, recent trends suggest the combined use of endoscopy and ultrasound (endoneurosonography or ENS) for 3D virtualization of brain structures in real time. The ENS information can be used to generate 3D models of brain tumors during a surgery. This paper introduces a methodology for 3D modeling of brain tumors using ENS and unsupervised neural networks. The use of self-organizing maps (SOM) and neural gas networks (NGN) is particularly studied. Compared to other techniques, 3D modeling using neural networks offers advantages, since tumor morphology is directly encoded in synaptic weights of the network, no a priori knowledge is required, and the representation can be developed in two stages: off-line training and on-line adaptation. Experimental tests were performed using virtualized phantom brain tumors. At the end of the paper, the results of 3D modeling from an ENS database are presented

A displacement-based design method for medium rise reinforced concrete walls [Un método de diseño basado en desplazamientos para muros de hormigon reforzado de mediana altura]

In displacementbased design methods some demand considerations, starting from the first mode of vibration, are usually made. However, some authors have called the attention on the importance of taking the higher modes into account, due to their influence in the distribution and demand of both, moments and shears along the vertical elements, with significant effects. In this work, the method presented allows to consider, in a practical way, the effect of the higher modes on the seismic response of a structure. The proposal to achieve it, is a simplified model of Three Degree of Fredom developed from a mass concentration of four points equally distant along the building height. This method corresponds to an iterative process, in which the analysis and design procedures are carried out simultaneously, thus, avoiding considerations or suppositions on resistance and ductility values. This method has been applied to the structural walls of a 15storey building. The results obtained show the efficiency of the method in terms of the proposed objectives achievement and the fast converging of the iterative process involved. The effect of the higher modes is extremely noticeable in the distribution of shear stresses and the use of an initial pre-dimensioning involving the reinforcement, allows consistency between the analysis and the structural design

THE IMPRINT of RADIAL MIGRATION on the VERTICAL STRUCTURE of GALAXY DISKS

We use numerical simulations to examine the effects of radial migration on the vertical structure of galaxy disks. The simulations follow three exponential disks of different mass but similar circular velocity, radial scalelength, and (constant) scale height. The disks develop different non-axisymmetric patterns, ranging from feeble, long-lived multiple arms to strong, rapidly evolving few-armed spirals. These fluctuations induce radial migration through secular changes in the angular momentum of disk particles, mixing the disk radially and blurring pre-existing gradients. Migration primarily affects stars with small vertical excursions, regardless of spiral pattern. This "provenance bias" largely determines the vertical structure of migrating stars: inward migrators thin down as they move in, whereas outward migrators do not thicken up but rather preserve the disk scale height at their destination. Migrators of equal birth radius thus develop a strong scale-height gradient, not by flaring out as commonly assumed, but by thinning down as they spread inward. Similar gradients have been observed for low-[α/Fe] mono-abundance populations (MAPs) in the Galaxy, but our results argue against interpreting them as a consequence of radial migration. This is because outward migration does not lead to thickening, implying that the maximum scale height of any population should reflect its value at birth. In contrast, Galactic MAPs have scale heights that increase monotonically outward, reaching values that greatly exceed those at their presumed birth radii. Given the strong vertical bias affecting migration, a proper assessment of the importance of radial migration in the Galaxy should take carefully into account the strong radial dependence of the scale heights of the various stellar populations. © 2016. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved

Dyes removal from water using low cost absorbents

In this study, the removal capacity of low cost adsorbents during the adsorption of Methylene Blue (MB) and Congo Red (CR) at different concentrations (50 and 100mg•L-1) was evaluated. These adsorbents were produced from wood wastes (cedar and teak) by chemical activation (ZnCl2). Both studied materials, Activated Cedar (AC) and activated teak (AT) showed a good fit of their experimental data to the pseudo second order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherms. The maximum adsorption capacities for AC were 2000.0 and 444.4mg•g-1 for MB and CR, respectively, while for AT, maximum adsorption capacities of 1052.6 and 86.4mg•g-1 were found for MB and CR, respectively. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Editorial

Anagramas Rumbos y Sentidos de la Comunicación has reached maturity regarding some of its publishing processes, as well as the consolidation of its academic trajectory. Fifteen years of reflection and discussion about communication are reflected in the fact that the journal is now linked to various databases, as well as in the broadening of the international spectrum of its collaborations.A Anagramas Rumbos y Sentidos de la Comunicación chegou à maturidade de alguns dos processos editoriais, bem como à consolidação de sua trajetória acadêmica. Quinze anos de reflexão e discussão sobre a comunicação são refletidos na vinculação da revista a diferentes bases de dados e na ampliação do alcance internacional de suas colaborações.Anagramas Rumbos y Sentidos de la Comunicación ha llegado a la madurez de algunos de los procesos editoriales, así como a la consolidación de su trayectoria académica. Quince años de reflexión y discusión en torno a la comunicación se reflejan en la vinculación de la revista a diferentes bases de datos, y en la ampliación del espectro internacional de sus colaboraciones.https://revistas.udem.edu.co/index.php/anagramas/article/view/263

Editorial

Con la edición número 33 de la revista Anagramas Rumbos y Sentidos de la Comunicación, y con los retos que han planteado los nuevos estándares de la ciencia, la tecnología y la innovación en Colombia, es pertinente seguir reflexionando sobre los conceptos de la apropiación social de la ciencia. Esta reflexión se ha propuesto en diferentes escenarios y ha generado diversas reacciones en el mundo académico. Algunas reflexiones que he hecho sobre la divulgación pública de la ciencia han sido ideas motivadoras que muestran un camino por construir.https://revistas.udem.edu.co/index.php/anagramas/article/view/272

Obtaining Au thin films in atmosphere of reactive nitrogen through magnetron sputtering

4d and 5d series of the transition metals are used to the obtaining nitrides metallic, due to the synthesis of PtN, AgN and AuN in the last years. Different nitrides are obtained in the Plasma Assisted Physics Vapour Deposition system, due to its ionization energy which is necessary for their formation. In this paper a Magnetron Sputtering system was used to obtain Au thin films on Si wafers in Nitrogen atmosphere. The substrate temperature was varied between 500 to 950°C. The samples obtained at high temperatures (>500°C) show Au, Si and N elements, as it is corroborated in the narrow spectrum obtained for X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy; besides the competition of orientation crystallographic texture between (111) and (311) directions was present in the X-Ray Diffraction analysis to the sample heated at 950°C

Mercury removal in wastewater by iron oxide nanoparticles

Mercury is one of the persistent pollutants in wastewater; it is becoming a severe environmental and public health problem, this is why nowadays its removal is an obligation. Iron oxide nanoparticles are receiving much attention due to their properties, such as: great biocompatibility, ease of separation, high relation of surface-area to volume, surface modifiability, reusability, excellent magnetic properties and relative low cost. In this experiment, Fe3O4 and γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized using iron salts and NaOH as precipitation agents, and Aloe Vera as stabilizing agent; then these nanoparticles were characterized by three different measurements: first, using a Zetasizer Nano ZS for their size estimation, secondly UV-visible spectroscopy which showed the existence of resonance of plasmon at λmax∼360 nm, and lastly by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to determine nanoparticles form. The results of this characterization showed that the obtained Iron oxides nanoparticles have a narrow size distribution (∼100nm). Mercury removal of 70% approximately was confirmed by atomic absorption spectroscopy measurements

Adsorption of arsenate on Fe-(hydr)oxide

Adsorption using metal oxide materials has been demonstrated to be an effective technique to remove hazardous materials from water, due to its easy operation, low cost, and high efficiency. The high number of oxyanions in aquatic ecosystems causes serious pollution problems. Removal of arsenate (H2AsO4 -), is one of the major concerns, since it is a highly toxic anion for life. Within the metal oxides, the iron oxide is considered as a suitable material for the elimination of oxyanions. The adsorption of H2AsO4 - on Fe-(hydr)oxide is through the formation of inner or outer sphere complexes. In this work, through computational methods, a complete characterization of the adsorbed surface complexes was performed. Three different pH conditions were simulated (acidic, intermediate and basic), and it was found that, the thermodynamic favourability of the different adsorbed complexes was directly related to the pH. Monodentate complex (MM1) was the most thermodynamically favourable complex with an adsorption energy of -96.0kJ/mol under intermediate pH conditions. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd