On-line tools to improve the presentation skills of scientific results

[EN] In experimental sciences and engineering it is essential to communicate and present the results effectively. The authors have participated in several educational innovation projects since 2016, aimed at developing of materials to improve the communication skills of scientific results. An exhaustive and updated compilation of the international rules that constitute the basis for the writted and oral scientific presentations was carried out. The good teaching practices in these fields were also identified. The results of those previous projects have shown the need to incorporate web questionnaires and other interactive content into the educational program. These are adapted to the demands of the students and provide a training feeback. In this contribution, the new materials that are being developed within the innovation project UV-SFPIE_PID19-1096780, funded by the University of Valencia, are presented. They are devoted to facilitate the acquisition of communication skills of scientific results. In particular, these tools combine ICT self-learning environments with traditional classroom teaching (blended learning). The project methodology includes educational data mining aimed at identifying the most effective materials and activities to achieve its objectives. The aim of these mixed learning tools is to facilitate the acquisition by the students of the necessary skills of oral and written communication, improve their presentation skills and, consequently, also their employability as university graduates.This work has been supported by the University of Valencia through project SFPIE_PID19-1096780.Campos-Taberner, M.; Gilabert, M.; Manzanares, J.; Mafé, S.; Cervera, J.; García-Haro, F.; Martínez, B.... (2020). On-line tools to improve the presentation skills of scientific results. IATED. 4907-4910. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2020.1342S4907491

Optimal Matrix Product States for the Heisenberg Spin Chain

We present some exact results for the optimal Matrix Product State (MPS) approximation to the ground state of the infinite isotropic Heisenberg spin-1/2 chain. Our approach is based on the systematic use of Schmidt decompositions to reduce the problem of approximating for the ground state of a spin chain to an analytical minimization. This allows to show that results of standard simulations, e.g. density matrix renormalization group and infinite time evolving block decimation, do correspond to the result obtained by this minimization strategy and, thus, both methods deliver optimal MPS with the same energy but, otherwise, different properties. We also find that translational and rotational symmetries cannot be maintained simultaneously by the MPS ansatz of minimum energy and present explicit constructions for each case. Furthermore, we analyze symmetry restoration and quantify it to uncover new scaling relations. The method we propose can be extended to any translational invariant Hamiltonian.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures; typos adde

Revisiting the thiosemicarbazonecopper(II) reaction with glutathione. Activity against colorectal carcinoma cell lines

Thiosemicarbazones (TSCs), and their copper derivatives, have been extensively studied mainly due to the potential applications as antitumor compounds. A part of the biological activity of the TSC-CuII complexes rests on their reactivity against cell reductants, as glutathione (GSH). The present paper describes the structure of the [Cu(PTSC)(ONO2)]n compound (1) (HPTSC =pyridine-2-carbaldehyde thiosemicarbazone) and its spectroscopic and magnetic properties. ESI studies performed on the reaction of GSH with 1 and the analogous [{Cu (PTSC*)(ONO2)}2] derivative (2, HPTSC* =pyridine-2-carbaldehyde 4N-methylthiosemicarbazone) show the absence of peaks related with TSC-Cu-GSH species. However GSH-Cu ones are detected, in good agreement with the release of CuI ions after reduction in the experimental conditions. The reactivity of 1 and 2 with cytochrome c and myoglobin and their activities against HT-29 and SW-480 colon carcinoma cell lines are compared with those shown by the free HPTSC and HPTSC* ligands.Obra Social “la Caixa” (OSLC-2012-007), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and FEDER funds (CTQ2013-48937-C2-1-P, CTQ2015-70371-REDT, MAT2015-66441-P, BIO2015-67358-C2-2-P), Junta de Castilla y León (BU237U13), Gerencia Regional de Salud, Consejería de Sanidad, Junta de Castilla y León (GRS 1023/A/14), the Basque Government (project IT-779-13

A global view on the riparian forests with Salix neotricha and Populus alba in the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain)

Forests dominated by Salix neotricha, and Populus alba found along the mesoeutrophic rivers in the Iberian Peninsula, were studied. We discuss the floristic circumscription, chorology, and community segregation based on the available releve´s of all Iberian riparian communities included in Populenion albae. Eleven formerly described communities were analyzed and due to original floristic combination, habitat features, and biogeographic scope, a new willow and poplar forest type is proposed within a well-defined biogeographical unit (Sadensean-Dividing Portuguese Subprovince): Clematido campaniflorae- Salicetum neotrichae. This syntaxon is found under a semi-hyperoceanic thermomediterranean to lower mesomediterranean, subhumid to humid bioclimate. Cluster analysis including all Iberian communities of Populenion albae shows a clear floristic segregation within the suballiance and confirms the originality of the new association. Furthermore, chemical characteristics of the water along some of the Portuguese watercourses with Populenion albae were studied and compared to the oligotrophic rivers occupied by Osmundo-Alnion communities. This study suggests that floristic separation between the communities of Populenion and Osmundo-Alnion is accompanied by a differentiation of the water trophic level

Efficacy and Tolerability of 6-Month Treatment with Tamsulosin Plus the Hexanic Extract of Serenoa repens versus Tamsulosin Plus 5-Alpha-Reductase Inhibitors for Moderate-to-Severe LUTS-BPH Patients: Results of a Paired Matched Clinical Study

The objective of this subset analysis was to evaluate and compare the efficacy and tolerability of two combination treatments for men with moderate-to-severe lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH). Data were from a real-world, open-label, prospective, and multicenter study performed in outpatient urology clinics. Men with moderate-to-severe LUTS/BPH received 6-month treatment with tamsulosin (TAM) in combination with either the hexanic extract of S. repens (HESr) or a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor (5ARI). Changes in urinary symptoms and quality of life were measured using the IPSS and BII questionnaires, respectively. Treatment tolerability was assessed by recording adverse effects (AEs). Patients in the two study groups were matched using iterative and propensity score matching approaches. After iterative matching, data were available from 136 patients (n = 68 treated with TAM + 5ARI, n = 68 with TAM + HESr). After 6 months of treatment, mean (SD) IPSS total score improved by 7.7 (6.3) and 6.7 (5.0) points in the TAM + 5ARI and TAM + HESr groups, respectively (p = 0.272); mean BII total scores improved by 3.1 (2.9) and 2.9 (2.4) points (p = 0.751), respectively. AEs were reported by 26.5% and 10.3% of patients in the same groups, mostly affecting sexual function (p < 0.027). When used in a real-world setting to treat patients with moderate-severe LUTS/BPH, 6-month treatment with TAM + HESr was as effective as TAM + 5ARI, but with better tolerability. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Study of Spin and Decay-Plane Correlations of W Bosons in the e+e- -> W+W- Process at LEP

Data collected at LEP at centre-of-mass energies \sqrt(s) = 189 - 209 GeV are used to study correlations of the spin of W bosons using e+e- -> W+W- -> lnqq~ events. Spin correlations are favoured by data, and found to agree with the Standard Model predictions. In addition, correlations between the W-boson decay planes are studied in e+e- -> W+W- -> lnqq~ and e+e- -> W+W- -> qq~qq~ events. Decay-plane correlations, consistent with zero and with the Standard Model predictions, are measured

Ultrarelativistic sources in nonlinear electrodynamics

The fields of rapidly moving sources are studied within nonlinear electrodynamics by boosting the fields of sources at rest. As a consequence of the ultrarelativistic limit the delta-like electromagnetic shock waves are found. The character of the field within the shock depends on the theory of nonlinear electrodynamics considered. In particular, we obtain the field of an ultrarelativistic charge in the Born-Infeld theory.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Measurement of the Cross Section for Open-Beauty Production in Photon-Photon Collisions at LEP

The cross section for open-beauty production in photon-photon collisions is measured using the whole high-energy and high-luminosity data sample collected by the L3 detector at LEP. This corresponds to 627/pb of integrated luminosity for electron-positron centre-of-mass energies from 189GeV to 209GeV. Events containing b quarks are identified through their semi-leptonic decay into electrons or muons. The e+e- -> e+e-b b~X cross section is measured within our fiducial volume and then extrapolated to the full phase space. These results are found to be in significant excess with respect to Monte Carlo predictions and next-to-leading order QCD calculations