Evaluation of the program ‘understanding and learning in the classroom’

We present the program “understanding and learning in the classroom” centered on the improvement of reading comprehension strategies. We present also an evaluation of this program

de Sitter relativity: a natural scenario for an evolving Lambda

The dispersion relation of de Sitter special relativity is obtained in a simple and compact form, which is formally similar to the dispersion relation of ordinary special relativity. It is manifestly invariant under change of scale of mass, energy and momentum, and can thus be applied at any energy scale. When applied to the universe as a whole, the de Sitter special relativity is found to provide a natural scenario for the existence of an evolving cosmological term, and agrees in particular with the present-day observed value. It is furthermore consistent with a conformal cyclic view of the universe, in which the transition between two consecutive eras occurs through a conformal invariant spacetime.Comment: V1: 11 pages. V2: Presentation changes, new discussion added, 13 page

Compositional analysis of InAs-GaAs-GaSb heterostructures by low-loss electron energy loss spectroscopy

As an alternative to Core-Loss Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy, Low-Loss EELS is suitable for compositional analysis of complex heterostructures, such as the InAs-GaAs-GaSb system, since in this energy range the edges corresponding to these elements are better defined than in Core-Loss. Furthermore, the analysis of the bulk plasmon peak, which is present in this energy range, also provides information about the composition. In this work, compositional information in an InAs-GaAs-GaSb heterostructure has been obtained from Low-Loss EEL spectra

de Sitter special relativity

A special relativity based on the de Sitter group is introduced, which is the theory that might hold up in the presence of a non-vanishing cosmological constant. Like ordinary special relativity, it retains the quotient character of spacetime, and a notion of homogeneity. As a consequence, the underlying spacetime will be a de Sitter spacetime, whose associated kinematics will differ from that of ordinary special relativity. The corresponding modified notions of energy and momentum are obtained, and the exact relationship between them, which is invariant under a re-scaling of the involved quantities, explicitly exhibited. Since the de Sitter group can be considered a particular deformation of the Poincar\'e group, this theory turns out to be a specific kind of deformed (or doubly) special relativity. Some experimental consequences, as well as the causal structure of spacetime--modified by the presence of the de Sitter horizon--are briefly discussed.Comment: V2: Some presentation changes; a new section introduced, with a discussion about possible phenomenological consequences; new references added; version to be published in Classical and Quantum Gravit

Effect of Cutting Height on Tiller Population Density and Herbage Biomass of Buffel Grass

The aim of this trial was to investigate the effect of different cutting heights on tiller population density and herbage biomass of Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L) grown in miniature swards in a greenhouse. Four treatments with five replicates: five cm, ten cm, and 20 cm cutting height, and control (without cut) were randomly allocated. Intensity of defoliation affected the cumulative herbage harvested; the ten cm cutting height was greater (404.1 g DM m-2) than 5 cm (317.6 g DM m-2) and 20 cm (263.9 g DM m-2), respectively. Cumulative herbage harvested in the control, increased progressively until September; from then onwards tended to decrease. At the end of the trial, the highest tiller population density was found at five cm cutting height with 28 %, 48 % and 71 % more tillers than ten cm, 20 cm and control, respectively. Herbage mass at five cm and ten cm cutting height, were greater for tiller population density and herbage harvested than 20 cm and control (α\u3c 0.05)

Background studies and shielding effects for the TPC detector of the CAST experiment

Sunset solar axions traversing the intense magnetic field of the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) experiment may be detected in a Time Projection Chamber (TPC) detector, as X-rays signals. These signals could be masked, however, by the inhomogeneous background of materials in the experimental site. A detailed analysis, based on the detector characteristics, the background radiation at the CAST site, simulations and experimental results, has allowed us to design a shielding which reduces the background level by a factor of ~4 compared to the detector without shielding, depending on its position, in the energy range between 1 and 10 keV. Moreover, this shielding has improved the homogeneity of background measured by the TPC.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, accepted in New Journal of Physic

Setting limits on Effective Field Theories: the case of Dark Matter

The usage of Effective Field Theories (EFT) for LHC new physics searches is receiving increasing attention. It is thus important to clarify all the aspects related with the applicability of the EFT formalism in the LHC environment, where the large available energy can produce reactions that overcome the maximal range of validity, i.e. the cutoff, of the theory. We show that this does forbid to set rigorous limits on the EFT parameter space through a modified version of the ordinary binned likelihood hypothesis test, which we design and validate. Our limit-setting strategy can be carried on in its full-fledged form by the LHC experimental collaborations, or performed externally to the collaborations, through the Simplified Likelihood approach, by relying on certain approximations. We apply it to the recent CMS mono-jet analysis and derive limits on a Dark Matter (DM) EFT model. DM is selected as a case study because the limited reach on the DM production EFT Wilson coefficient and the structure of the theory suggests that the cutoff might be dangerously low, well within the LHC reach. However our strategy can also be applied to EFT's parametrising the indirect effects of heavy new physics in the Electroweak and Higgs sectors

Framework for collaborative intelligence in forecasting day-ahead electricity price

Electricity price forecasting in wholesale markets is an essential asset for deciding bidding strategies and operational schedules. The decision making process is limited if no understanding is given on how and why such electricity price points have been forecast. The present article proposes a novel framework that promotes human–machine collaboration in forecasting day-ahead electricity price in wholesale markets. The framework is based on a new model architecture that uses a plethora of statistical and machine learning models, a wide range of exogenous features, a combination of several time series decomposition methods and a collection of time series characteristics based on signal processing and time series analysis methods. The model architecture is supported by open-source automated machine learning platforms that provide a baseline reference used for comparison purposes. The objective of the framework is not only to provide forecasts, but to promote a human-in-the-loop approach by providing a data story based on a collection of model-agnostic methods aimed at interpreting the mechanisms and behavior of the new model architecture and its predictions. The framework has been applied to the Spanish wholesale market. The forecasting results show good accuracy on mean absolute error (1.859, 95% HDI [0.575, 3.924] EUR (MWh)−1) and mean absolute scaled error (0.378, 95% HDI [0.091, 0.934]). Moreover, the framework demonstrates its human-centric capabilities by providing graphical and numeric explanations that augments understanding on the model and its electricity price point forecasts

Third-order nonlinear optical response and photoluminescence characterization of tellurite glasses with different alkali metal oxides as network modifiers

Studies of the third-order nonlinear optical properties in TeO(2)-MO-R(2)O glasses with three different alkali metal oxides R(2)O (R - Li, Na, K) as network modifiers and two network intermediates MO (M - Zn, Mg) are reported. The influence of such modifiers and intermediates on the nonlinear optical properties of these glasses was investigated using the standard Z-scan and the thermally managed Z-scan techniques under femtosecond pulse excitation at 800 nm. For different modifiers and intermediates, the nonlinear refraction indices n(2) of these glasses varied in the range 1.31-2.81 (x10(-15) cm(2)/W). It was found that n(2) increases as the ionic radius of both network modifiers and intermediates decreases. Furthermore, the measurements show that the contribution from thermo-optical effects to the nonlinear refraction index is negligible for all of the studied glass compositions. In addition, the effect of modifiers and intermediates in the formation of localized states in the vicinity of the optical bandgap was also studied through photoluminescence experiments. These experiments revealed the presence of two emission bands (red and blue) originating from these localized states that can be populated after optical excitation and subsequent relaxation

On zeros of irreducible characters lying in a normal subgroup

[EN] Let N be a normal subgroup of a finite group G. In this paper, we consider the elements g of N such that x(g)¿0 for all irreducible characters x of G. Such an element is said to be non-vanishing in G. Let p be a prime. If all p-elements of N satisfy the previous property, then we prove that N has a normal Sylow p-subgroup. As a consequence, we also study certain arithmetical properties of the G-conjugacy class sizes of the elements of N which are zeros of some irreducible character of G. In particular, if N=G, then new contributions are obtained.The first author is supported by Proyecto Prometeo II/2015/011, Generalitat Valenciana (Spain). The research of the second author is partially funded by the Istituto Nazionale di Alta Matematica - INdAM. The third author acknowledges the predoctoral grant ACIF/2016/170, Generalitat Valenciana (Spain). The first and third authors are also supported by Proyecto PGC2018-096872-B-I00, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (Spain).Felipe Román, MJ.; Grittini, N.; Ortiz-Sotomayor, VM. (2020). On zeros of irreducible characters lying in a normal subgroup. Annali di Matematica Pura ed Applicata (1923 -). 199:1777-1789. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10231-020-00942-1S17771789199Beltrán, A., Felipe, M.J.: Prime powers as conjugacy class lengths of $$\pi$$-elements. Bull. Aust. Math. Soc. 69, 317–325 (2004)Beltrán, A., Felipe, M.J., Malle, G., Moretó, A., Navarro, G., Sanus, L., Solomon, R., Tiep, P.H.: Nilpotent and abelian Hall subgroups in finite groups. Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 368, 2497–2513 (2016)Berkovich, Y., Kazarin, L.S.: Indices of elements and normal structure of finite groups. J. Algebra 283, 564–583 (2005)Bianchi, M., Chillag, D., Lewis, M.L., Pacifici, E.: Character degree graphs that are complete graphs. Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 135, 671–676 (2007)Brough, J., Kong, Q.: On vanishing criteria that control finite group structure II. Bull. Aust. Math. Soc. 98, 251–257 (2018)Brough, J.: Non-vanishing elements in finite groups. J. Algebra 460, 387–391 (2016)Dolfi, S., Pacifici, E., Sanus, L., Spiga, P.: On the orders of zeros of irreducible characters. J. Algebra 321, 345–352 (2009)Grüninger, M.: Two remarks about non-vanishing elements in finite groups. J. Algebra 460, 366–369 (2016)Isaacs, I.M.: Character Theory of Finite Groups. Academic Press Inc., London (1976)Isaacs, I.M., Navarro, G., Wolf, T.R.: Finite group elements where no irreducible character vanishes. J. Algebra 222, 413–423 (1999)Malle, G., Navarro, G.: Characterizing normal Sylow $$p$$-subgroups by character degrees. J. Algebra 370, 402–406 (2012)Malle, G., Navarro, G., Olsson, J.B.: Zeros of characters of finite groups. J. Group Theory 3, 353–368 (2000)The GAP Group: GAP—Groups, Algorithms, and Programming. Version 4.10.0 (2018). http://www.gap-system.or