Concurrent Session, Prescription for Success: Using ePortfolio to Job Prep Non-traditional Students

This session will describe the Prescription for Success program; a model to integrate three high impact strategies. Using ePortfolio, the program encompasses Writing across the Curriculum and Service Learning in a community college. The overall goal is to improve students\u27 information literacy, technology and writing skills in a pre-licensure associate degree program. Focused on making student learning visible, the program has developed a multilayered, multipronged approach to enhance student learning and prepare them to compete in the 21st century job market. This presentation will provide an overview of the integrative curriculum with both student and faculty workshops

Platinum(II) Complexes Bearing Triphenylphosphine and Chelating Oximes: Antiproliferative Effect and Biological Profile in Resistant Cells

Platinum(II) complexes of the type [Pt(Cl)(PPh3){(κ2-N,O)-(1{C(R)=N(OH)-2(O)C6H4})}] with R=Me, H, (1 and 2) were synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction confirmed the proposed (SP4-3) configuration for 1. Study of the antiproliferative activity, performed on a panel of human tumor cell lines and on mesothelial cells, highlighted complex 2 as the more effective. In particular, it showed a remarkable cytotoxicity in ovarian carcinoma cells (A2780) and interestingly, a significant antiproliferative effect on cisplatin resistant cells (A2780cis). Investigation into the intracellular mechanism of action demonstrated that 2 had a lower ability to platinate DNA than did cisplatin, which was taken as reference, and a notably higher uptake in resistant cells. A significant accumulation in mitochondria, along with the ability to induce concentration-dependent mitochondrial membrane depolarization and intracellular reactive oxygen species production, allowed us to propose a mitochondrion-mediated pathway as responsible for the interesting cytotoxic profile of complex 2

Supported tris-triazole ligands for batch and continuous-flow copper-catalyzed huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions

The lack of supported versions of the tris[(1-benzyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl]amine (TBTA) ligand, suitable for flow-chemistry applications at scale, prompted us to develop a new route for the immobilization of such tris-triazole chelating units on highly cross-linked polystyrene resins. With this aim, the preparation of the known TBTA-type monomer 3 was optimized to develop a high-yield synthetic sequence, devoid of chromatographic purifications at any stage. Then, bead-type (P7) and monolithic (M7) functional resins were obtained by the easy and scalable suspension-or mold-copolymerization of 3 with divinylbenzene. Both types of materials were found to possess a highly porous morphology and specific surface area in the dry state and could be charged with substantial amounts of Cu(I) or Cu(II) salts. After treatment of the latter with a proper reducing agent, the corresponding supported Cu(I) complexes were tested in the copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC). The immobilized catalysts proved active at room temperature and, in batch and with catalyst loadings as low as 0.6 mol%, afforded quantitative conversions within 20 h. Independent of the alkyne structure, extended use of the supported catalyst in flow was also possible. In the reaction of benzylazide and propargyl alcohol, this allowed a total turnover number larger than 400 to be reached

MARTA: A high-energy cosmic-ray detector concept with high-accuracy muon measurement

A new concept for the direct measurement of muons in air showers is presented. The concept is based on resistive plate chambers (RPCs), which can directly measure muons with very good space and time resolution. The muon detector is shielded by placing it under another detector able to absorb and measure the electromagnetic component of the showers such as a water-Cherenkov detector, commonly used in air shower arrays. The combination of the two detectors in a single, compact detector unit provides a unique measurement that opens rich possibilities in the study of air showers.Comment: 11 page

The ASIMOV Prize for scientific publishing - HEP researchers trigger young people toward science

This work presents the ASIMOV Prize for scientific publishing, which was launched in Italy in 2016. The prize aims to bring the young generations closer to scientific culture, through the critical reading of popular science books. The books are selected by a committee that includes scientists, professors, Ph.D. and Ph.D. students, writers, journalists and friends of culture, and most importantly, over 800 school teachers. Students are actively involved in the prize, according to the best practices of public engagement: they read, review the books and vote for them, choosing the winner. The experience is quite successful: 12,000 students from 270 schools all over Italy participated in the last edition. The possibility of replicating this experience in other countries is indicated, as was done in Brazil in 2020 with more than encouraging results

Highlights from the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory is the world's largest cosmic ray observatory. Our current exposure reaches nearly 40,000 km$^2$ str and provides us with an unprecedented quality data set. The performance and stability of the detectors and their enhancements are described. Data analyses have led to a number of major breakthroughs. Among these we discuss the energy spectrum and the searches for large-scale anisotropies. We present analyses of our X$_{max}$ data and show how it can be interpreted in terms of mass composition. We also describe some new analyses that extract mass sensitive parameters from the 100% duty cycle SD data. A coherent interpretation of all these recent results opens new directions. The consequences regarding the cosmic ray composition and the properties of UHECR sources are briefly discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 12 figures, talk given at the 33rd International Cosmic Ray Conference, Rio de Janeiro 201

A search for point sources of EeV photons

Measurements of air showers made using the hybrid technique developed with the fluorescence and surface detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory allow a sensitive search for point sources of EeV photons anywhere in the exposed sky. A multivariate analysis reduces the background of hadronic cosmic rays. The search is sensitive to a declination band from -85{\deg} to +20{\deg}, in an energy range from 10^17.3 eV to 10^18.5 eV. No photon point source has been detected. An upper limit on the photon flux has been derived for every direction. The mean value of the energy flux limit that results from this, assuming a photon spectral index of -2, is 0.06 eV cm^-2 s^-1, and no celestial direction exceeds 0.25 eV cm^-2 s^-1. These upper limits constrain scenarios in which EeV cosmic ray protons are emitted by non-transient sources in the Galaxy.Comment: 28 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Reconstruction of inclined air showers detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory

We describe the method devised to reconstruct inclined cosmic-ray air showers with zenith angles greater than $60^\circ$ detected with the surface array of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The measured signals at the ground level are fitted to muon density distributions predicted with atmospheric cascade models to obtain the relative shower size as an overall normalization parameter. The method is evaluated using simulated showers to test its performance. The energy of the cosmic rays is calibrated using a sub-sample of events reconstructed with both the fluorescence and surface array techniques. The reconstruction method described here provides the basis of complementary analyses including an independent measurement of the energy spectrum of ultra-high energy cosmic rays using very inclined events collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: 27 pages, 19 figures, accepted for publication in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (JCAP

Calibration of the Logarithmic-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) Radio Stations at the Pierre Auger Observatory using an Octocopter

An in-situ calibration of a logarithmic periodic dipole antenna with a frequency coverage of 30 MHz to 80 MHz is performed. Such antennas are part of a radio station system used for detection of cosmic ray induced air showers at the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory, the so-called Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA). The directional and frequency characteristics of the broadband antenna are investigated using a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) carrying a small transmitting antenna. The antenna sensitivity is described by the vector effective length relating the measured voltage with the electric-field components perpendicular to the incoming signal direction. The horizontal and meridional components are determined with an overall uncertainty of 7.4^{+0.9}_{-0.3} % and 10.3^{+2.8}_{-1.7} % respectively. The measurement is used to correct a simulated response of the frequency and directional response of the antenna. In addition, the influence of the ground conductivity and permittivity on the antenna response is simulated. Both have a negligible influence given the ground conditions measured at the detector site. The overall uncertainties of the vector effective length components result in an uncertainty of 8.8^{+2.1}_{-1.3} % in the square root of the energy fluence for incoming signal directions with zenith angles smaller than 60{\deg}.Comment: Published version. Updated online abstract only. Manuscript is unchanged with respect to v2. 39 pages, 15 figures, 2 table