TRACES OF THE TERRITORY IN SPANISH PHOTOGRAPHY SINCE THE 1990s

This paper proposes a reading of the cultural and social aspects associated with sundry notions of territory through Spanish photography at the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first. An analysis of a series of case studies reveals a new awareness of the common space through the concept of trace, being understood beyond the material imprint, as it falls under the influence of the cultural aspects that clarify the account of the conflict and consciousness of the suburbs and peripheries. Contemporary ruins arising from unbridled urban growth, or the invisible wounds associated with certain places, converge in a series of images that have their own tradition in the conceptual experiments of the 70s and the aesthetics of the “non-site” displayed in the 90s. As background, the economic and political avatars of recent years in Spain – also linked to a global crisis – are manifested in a series of photographic musings whose images portray the scenarios of a premature ruin linked to property speculation and the traces of a collective memory.     

Creating an Holistic Emergency Alert Management Platform

ABSTRACT

Extreme natural events require effective emergency procedures to minimize adverse effects on a region’s population and economy. Such procedures typically involve the effort of several different teams of first responders (e.g., fire fighters, public administrations, police departments, utility companies), hence coordination is fundamental to the effectiveness of the response to the emergency that must be supported with adequate infrastructures. Nonetheless, first responders often rely on manual processes, in the life cycle of extreme events, which do not change consistently with the type of shock or affected population. The aim of this paper is to present a technology transfer process to improve both the emergency alert process and the knowledge of disaster-type safety procedures through the implementation of a proposed platform. We also highlight a pilot application on a post-disaster case study—the province of L’Aquila (Abruzzi) in Italy.     

Modification of structure and conductivity of nanohorns by toluene addition in carbon arc

Abstract

In the present work, we compare the structure and transport properties of carbon nanohorns (CNHs) synthesized by arc evaporation of graphite alone and with the addition of some portion of toluene. The materials have been investigated using transmission electron microscopy, Raman and infrared spectroscopies, thermogravimetric and BET analyses. The addition of a small amount of toluene during the evaporation of graphitic rod increases the length of CNHs, affects their hierarchical arrangement in aggregates and results in surface functionalization. All these features significantly enhance the conductivity of CNHs obtained with toluene additive in comparison with the pristine CNHs.     

Effects of Agaricus bisporus on gel properties of chicken myofibrillar protein

The gel-forming ability of myofibrillar protein (MP) is highly correlated with the characteristics of emulsified meat products. Incorporation of Agaricus bisporus (Ab) powder into MP gels may enhance its gel properties to facilitate the development of a novel and safe meat product. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of Ab powder on gel strength, water holding capacity (WHC), texture, rheological behaviour, LF-NMR spin–spin relaxation (T₂), microstructure and protein secondary structure of the MP gel system. The results indicated that the gel strength, WHC, G' value and G" value were significantly improved when the addition of Ab powder increased from 0% to 6% (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the T₂ relaxation time was shortened, and free water was transformed into immobilised water. The texture of the gel was improved when 1%–4% Ab powder was added compared to the control. Furthermore, Ab filled in the gel network and promoted the unfolding of MP α-helix and the formation of MP β-sheet during the thermal denaturation of MP, leading to a dense aggregated network structure. The study suggested that Ab could be a promising ingredient in improving chicken MP's gel properties and developing fat-reduced meat products.     

Formation of new functional materials and device heterostructures on the basis of nanosystems of superionic conductors

Search for conditions of conservation of fast ionic transport (FIT) in nanosystems of advanced superionic conductors (ASIC)[1-4] and synthesis of new types of device thin-film heterostructures on this basis is a fundamental scientific problem. ASICs (α-AgI, solid electrolytes of the family RbAg4I5, etc. ) are crystals with a record high level of ionic conductivity and a low value of activation energy E～0. 1 eV.