The Classification of the Largest Caps in AG(5, 3)

AbstractWe prove that 45 is the size of the largest caps in AG(5,3), and such a 45-cap is always obtained from the 56-cap in PG(5,3) by deleting an 11-hyper-plane

Template-Stripped Multifunctional Wedge and Pyramid Arrays for Magnetic Nanofocusing and Optical Sensing

We present large-scale reproducible fabrication of multifunctional ultrasharp metallic structures on planar substrates with capabilities including magnetic field nanofocusing and plasmonic sensing. Objects with sharp tips such as wedges and pyramids made with noble metals have been extensively used for enhancing local electric fields via the lightning-rod effect or plasmonic nanofocusing. However, analogous nanofocusing of magnetic fields using sharp tips made with magnetic materials has not been widely realized. Reproducible fabrication of sharp tips with magnetic as well as noble metal layers on planar substrates can enable straightforward application of their material and shape-derived functionalities. We use a template-stripping method to produce plasmonic-shell-coated nickel wedge and pyramid arrays at the wafer-scale with tip radius of curvature close to 10 nm. We further explore the magnetic nanofocusing capabilities of these ultrasharp substrates, deriving analytical formulas and comparing the results with computer simulations. These structures exhibit nanoscale spatial control over the trapping of magnetic microbeads and nanoparticles in solution. Additionally, enhanced optical sensing of analytes by these plasmonic-shell-coated substrates is demonstrated using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. These methods can guide the design and fabrication of novel devices with applications including nanoparticle manipulation, biosensing, and magnetoplasmonics

The Four Educational Pillars in the Teaching and Learning Process of Mathematics

Com todo avanço tecnológico, percebe-se que o fracasso no ensino de matemática na educação básica, muitas vezes, está vinculado à prática pedagógica adotada pelos professores. Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar uma nova proposta de ensino e aprendizagem de matemática na educação básica, chamado Processo – RICA. A base deste processo fundamenta-se em quatro pilares educacionais: Raciocínio Lógico, Inteligência matemática, Criatividade e Aprendizagem. Os dados foram levantados, a partir, de um estudo de caso com seis alunos voluntários de um curso técnico de informática do Instituto Federal de Alagoas e a análise desses dados evidenciou que o processo - RICA é uma proposta metodológica visivelmente adaptável, moderna e inovadora para o entendimento dos tópicos de matemática e contribui para obter novas possibilidades para assimilação desta ciência tão provocativa e essencial para a explicação dos fenômenos da natureza.With all technological advancement, it can be seen that the failure in the teaching of mathematics in basic education is often linked to the pedagogical practice adopted by teachers. This article aims to present a new proposal of teaching and learning mathematics in basic education, called Process - RICA. The basis of this process is based on four educational pillars: Logical Reasoning, Mathematical Intelligence, Creativity and Learning. The data were collected from a case study with six students from a technical course at the Federal Institute of Alagoas, and the analysis of these data showed that the RICA process is a visibly adaptable, modern and innovative methodological proposal for the understanding of the topics of mathematics and contributes to obtain new possibilities for assimilation of this science so provocative and essential for the explanation of the phenomena of nature.Facultad de Informátic

The Four Educational Pillars in the Teaching and Learning Process of Mathematics

Com todo avanço tecnológico, percebe-se que o fracasso no ensino de matemática na educação básica, muitas vezes, está vinculado à prática pedagógica adotada pelos professores. Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar uma nova proposta de ensino e aprendizagem de matemática na educação básica, chamado Processo – RICA. A base deste processo fundamenta-se em quatro pilares educacionais: Raciocínio Lógico, Inteligência matemática, Criatividade e Aprendizagem. Os dados foram levantados, a partir, de um estudo de caso com seis alunos voluntários de um curso técnico de informática do Instituto Federal de Alagoas e a análise desses dados evidenciou que o processo - RICA é uma proposta metodológica visivelmente adaptável, moderna e inovadora para o entendimento dos tópicos de matemática e contribui para obter novas possibilidades para assimilação desta ciência tão provocativa e essencial para a explicação dos fenômenos da natureza.With all technological advancement, it can be seen that the failure in the teaching of mathematics in basic education is often linked to the pedagogical practice adopted by teachers. This article aims to present a new proposal of teaching and learning mathematics in basic education, called Process - RICA. The basis of this process is based on four educational pillars: Logical Reasoning, Mathematical Intelligence, Creativity and Learning. The data were collected from a case study with six students from a technical course at the Federal Institute of Alagoas, and the analysis of these data showed that the RICA process is a visibly adaptable, modern and innovative methodological proposal for the understanding of the topics of mathematics and contributes to obtain new possibilities for assimilation of this science so provocative and essential for the explanation of the phenomena of nature.Facultad de Informátic

Nanopore sensing at ultra-low concentrations using single molecule dielectrophoretic trapping

Single-molecule techniques are being developed with the exciting prospect of revolutionizing the healthcare industry by generating vast amounts of genetic and proteomic data. One exceptionally promising route is in the use of nanopore sensors. However, a well-known complexity is that detection and capture is predominantly diffusion limited. This problem is compounded when taking into account the capture volume of a nanopore, typically 108–1010 times smaller than the sample volume. To rectify this disproportionate ratio, we demonstrate a simple, yet powerful, method based on coupling single-molecule dielectrophoretic trapping to nanopore sensing. We show that DNA can be captured from a controllable, but typically much larger, volume and concentrated at the tip of a metallic nanopore. This enables the detection of single molecules at concentrations as low as 5 fM, which is approximately a 103 reduction in the limit of detection compared with existing methods, while still maintaining efficient throughput

The Four Educational Pillars in the Teaching and Learning Process of Mathematics

Com todo avanço tecnológico, percebe-se que o fracasso no ensino de matemática na educação básica, muitas vezes, está vinculado à prática pedagógica adotada pelos professores. Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar uma nova proposta de ensino e aprendizagem de matemática na educação básica, chamado Processo – RICA. A base deste processo fundamenta-se em quatro pilares educacionais: Raciocínio Lógico, Inteligência matemática, Criatividade e Aprendizagem. Os dados foram levantados, a partir, de um estudo de caso com seis alunos voluntários de um curso técnico de informática do Instituto Federal de Alagoas e a análise desses dados evidenciou que o processo - RICA é uma proposta metodológica visivelmente adaptável, moderna e inovadora para o entendimento dos tópicos de matemática e contribui para obter novas possibilidades para assimilação desta ciência tão provocativa e essencial para a explicação dos fenômenos da natureza.With all technological advancement, it can be seen that the failure in the teaching of mathematics in basic education is often linked to the pedagogical practice adopted by teachers. This article aims to present a new proposal of teaching and learning mathematics in basic education, called Process - RICA. The basis of this process is based on four educational pillars: Logical Reasoning, Mathematical Intelligence, Creativity and Learning. The data were collected from a case study with six students from a technical course at the Federal Institute of Alagoas, and the analysis of these data showed that the RICA process is a visibly adaptable, modern and innovative methodological proposal for the understanding of the topics of mathematics and contributes to obtain new possibilities for assimilation of this science so provocative and essential for the explanation of the phenomena of nature.Facultad de Informátic

Forecast uncertainty and ensemble spread in surface currents from a regional ocean model

An operational ocean Ensemble Prediction System (EPS) for the coastal seas off Northern Norway is evaluated by comparing with high-frequency radar current speed estimates. The EPS is composed of 24 members for which the ocean current is not perturbed nor constrained but forced with an atmosphere ensemble. The ocean ensemble spread stems from (i) accumulated differences in wind-forcing history and (ii) constraints of sea surface temperature by data assimilation. The intention of the ensemble is to reflect the actual uncertainty in initial conditions, which are largely unknown in terms of mesoscale circulation. We find a low but pronounced predictive skill in surface currents along with a good statistic skill. Additionally, current speeds show deterioration of the validation metrics over the forecast range. Further, high-resolution wind forcing seems to provide better forecast skill in currents compared to lower resolution forcing. In general, the ensemble exhibits the ability to predict forecast uncertainty

The emergence of international food safety standards and guidelines: understanding the current landscape through a historical approach

Following the Second World War, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) teamed up to construct an International Codex Alimentarius (or 'food code') which emerged in 1963. The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) was charged with the task of developing microbial hygiene standards, although it found itself embroiled in debate with the WHO over the nature these standards should take. The WHO was increasingly relying upon the input of biometricians and especially the International Commission on Microbial Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) which had developed statistical sampling plans for determining the microbial counts in the final end products. The CCFH, however, was initially more focused on a qualitative approach which looked at the entire food production system and developed codes of practice as well as more descriptive end-product specifications which the WHO argued were 'not scientifically correct'. Drawing upon historical archival material (correspondence and reports) from the WHO and FAO, this article examines this debate over microbial hygiene standards and suggests that there are many lessons from history which could shed light upon current debates and efforts in international food safety management systems and approaches