A conceptual map about alternating current circuits

Teachers are deeply concerned on how to be more effective in our task of teaching. We must organize the contents of our specific area providing them with a logical configuration, for which we must know the mental structure of the students that we have in the classroom. We must shape this mental structure, in a progressive manner, so that they can assimilate the contents that we are trying to transfer, to make the learning as meaningful as possible. In the generative learning model, the links before the stimulus delivered by the teacher and the information stored in the mind of the learner requires an important effort by the student, who should build new conceptual meanings. That effort, which is extremely necessary for a good learning, sometimes is the missing ingredient so that the teaching-learning process can be properly assimilated. In electrical circuits, which we know are perfectly controlled and described by Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's two rules, there are two concepts that correspond to the following physical quantities: voltage and electrical resistance. These two concepts are integrated and linked when the concept of current is presented. This concept is not subordinated to the previous ones, it has the same degree of inclusiveness and gives rise to substantial relations between the three concepts, materializing it into a law: The Ohm, which allows us to relate and to calculate any of the three physical magnitudes, two of them known. The alternate current, in which both the voltage and the current are reversed dozens of times per second, plays an important role in many aspects of our modern life, because it is universally used. Its main feature is that its maximum voltage is easily modifiable through the use of transformers, which greatly facilitates its transfer with very few losses. In this paper, we present a conceptual map so that it is used as a new tool to analyze in a logical manner the underlying structure in the alternate current circuits, with the objective of providing the students from Sciences and Engineering majors with another option to try, amongst all, to achieve a significant learning of this important part of physics.AB thanks the “Generalitat Valenciana” of Spain (project PROMETEOII/2015/015) and the "Vicerrectorado de Tecnologías de la Información" of the University of Alicante, Spain (project GITE-09006-UA)

Evaluating competences in Physics through rubrics

El modelo educativo con enfoque en la formación de competencias, promovido a principios del siglo XXI y que ha tomado un papel muy importante en el proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje en las instituciones educativas de todos los niveles educativos, establece que para el desarrollo armónico del ser humano la educación debe ser integral. La educación basada en competencias está orientada hacia la generación de capacidades en el educando y por ello, la evaluación debe centrarse en éstas, particularmente las que tienen que ver con habilidades para identificar, proyectar, resolver problemas y tomar decisiones. Las rúbricas de evaluación por competencias son una herramienta que permite obtener evidencia de la adquisición de éstas y aplicación del conocimiento fuera del aula. Esto supone un cambio en el escenario escolar, tanto para los profesores, así como también para los estudiantes, quienes deben asumir nuevas funciones, roles y tareas para lograr un aprendizaje basado en competencias genéricas y específicas. En este trabajo se presenta una propuesta de rúbricas para la evaluación por Competencias de Física en el ámbito universitario, específicamente, para evaluar el desarrollo de prácticas de laboratorio. Con este trabajo, se pretende introducir nuevos métodos de evaluación e identificar oportunidades para desarrollar capacidades y evaluar aprendizajes a través de indicadores de progreso. En esta primera fase del proyecto, se ha diseñado una práctica de laboratorio y en conjunto se ha elaborado la rúbrica de evaluación, aplicada a alumnos de Fundamentos Físicos de la Informática en el Grado de Ingeniería Informática de la Escuela Politécnica Superior de la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), situada en el campus universitario de Albacete.The educational model with focus on competency formation, promoted at the beginning of the XXI century and which has taken a very important role in the teaching-learning process in educational institutions of all educational levels, it establishes that for the development of the human being education must be integral. Competency-based education is oriented towards the generation of skills in the student, therefore, the evaluation should focus on these, particularly those that have to do with abilities to identify, project, solve problems and make decisions. The rubrics of competency evaluation are a tool that allows to obtain evidence of the acquisition of these and application of knowledge outside the classroom. This implies a change in the university’s scenario, both for the teachers, as well as for the students, who must assume new functions, roles and tasks to achieve a learning based on generic and specific competences. In this work a proposal of rubrics for the evaluation by Physics Competences in the university area is presented, specifically, to evaluate the development of laboratory practices. With this work, it is intended to introduce new assessment methods and identify opportunities to develop skills and evaluate learning through indicators of progress. In this first phase of the project, a laboratory practice has been designed and together the evaluation rubric has been developed, applied to students of Physical Foundations of Informatics in the Degree of Computer Engineering of the Higher Polytechnic School of the University of Castilla -La Mancha (UCLM), located on the university campus of Albacete

Creating advanced Quizzes using Moodle

Taking on the role of adviser, the teacher must now assess the student´s learning process, not merely to sanction his results but to help the student achieve his best results through a constant supervision of his work. In this way, even though there may be final exams, these won´t be the only means of assessment. Sometimes the great amount of work that constant supervision implies may prove to be cumbersome. In Spain the new titles have meant moving from a training model mainly expository type and based on final exams, towards a model linking theory and practice, to promote the effort and cooperative learning, facilitate learning through libraries, virtual campus and resource centers for learning and research, and assess learning through continuous assessment systems. Assuming the role of counselor, the teacher must now evaluate the process of student learning, not merely to punish their results, but should help to meet objectives through continuous monitoring of their work. Thus, although they may be final exams are not the only methods of assessment. They will predominate procedures to facilitate the monitoring of student learning during their university life: objective evidence (true / false, multiple choice, matching elements ...), short-answer tests, extended-response tests, development, testing oral, self-evaluation systems ... anyway a greater variety of tools. For this reason it is useful to employ questionnaires using Moodle. In short, if our purpose is to use Moodle to assess the student´s competence acquired through an exam, calculated question types are very useful to generate questions in this virtual domain. Therefore each student will have different questions and we will avoid situations in which the students share the answers since they will have to know the procedure to arrive at the solution.Isabel Escobar wishes to acknowledge the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad the support throughout the grant DPI2012-32994

Elaboration of rubrics for the evaluation by competences of Physics in the University

The competency-based educational model, that initiated at the beginning of the XXI century plays a very important role during the teaching-learning process in higher education institutions, it establishes that for the development of the human being education must be integral. Competency-based education is oriented towards an evaluation model linked to student training, in order to foster the development of skills and abilities to identify, project, solve problems and make decisions. In addition, it promotes the pursuit of meaningful learning and fosters collaborative work. In this context, the rubrics of competency evaluation appeared as a tool that allows obtaining evidence of the acquisition of competences and application of knowledge outside the classroom. This implies a change in the university’s scenario, both for teachers and for students, as there are new roles and tasks to achieve learning based on generic and specific competencies. In this work we present a proposal of rubrics for the evaluation by Physics Competences in the university field, specifically, to evaluate the development of laboratory practices. Also, we want to introduce new assessment methods and identify opportunities to develop skills and evaluate learning through indicators of progress. In this first phase we have designed a laboratory practice, and we have developed the evaluation rubric applied to students of Physical Foundations of Informatics in the Degree of Computer Engineering of the Higher Polytechnic School of the University of Castilla -La Mancha (UCLM), located on the university campus of Albacete

Gender and observed complexity in palliative home care : A prospective multicentre study using the hexcom model

This study analyses gender differences in the complexity observed in palliative home care through a multicentre longitudinal observational study of patients with advanced disease treated by palliative home care teams in Catalonia (Spain). We used the HexCom model, which includes six dimensions and measures three levels of complexity: high (non-modifiable situation), medium (difficult) and low. Results: N = 1677 people, 44% women. In contrast with men, in women, cancer was less prevalent (64.4% vs. 73.9%) (p < 0.001), cognitive impairment was more prevalent (34.1% vs. 26.6%; p = 0.001) and professional caregivers were much more common (40.3% vs. 24.3%; p < 0.001). Women over 80 showed less complexity in the following subareas: symptom management (41.7% vs. 51,1%; p = 0.011), emotional distress (24.5% vs. 32.8%; p = 0.015), spiritual distress (16.4% vs. 26.4%; p = 0.001), socio-familial distress (62.7% vs. 70.1%; p = 0.036) and location of death (36.0% vs. 49.6%; p < 0.000). Men were more complex in the subareas of "practice" OR = 1.544 (1.25-1.90 p = 0.000) and "transcendence" OR = 1.52 (1.16-1.98 p = 0.002). Observed complexity is related to male gender in people over 80 years of age. Women over the age of 80 are remarkably different from their male counterparts, showing less complexity regarding care for their physical, psycho-emotional, spiritual and socio-familial needs

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound signs for detecting adnexal torsion: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of different ultrasound signs for diagnosing adnexal torsion, using surgery as the reference standard. Methods: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published between January 1990 and November 2021 evaluating ovarian edema, adnexal mass, ovarian Doppler flow findings, the whirlpool sign and pelvic fluid as ultrasound signs (index tests) for detecting adnexal torsion, using surgical findings as the reference standard. The search for studies was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, The Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov and Web of Science databases. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios were calculated separately, and the post-test probability of adnexal torsion following a positive or negative test was also determined. Results: The search identified 1267 citations after excluding duplicates. Eighteen studies were ultimately included in the qualitative and quantitative syntheses. Eight studies (809 patients) analyzed the presence of ovarian edema, eight studies (1044 patients) analyzed the presence of an adnexal mass, 14 studies (1742 patients) analyzed ovarian Doppler flow, six studies (545 patients) analyzed the whirlpool sign and seven studies (981 patients) analyzed the presence of pelvic fluid as ultrasound signs of adnexal torsion. Overall, the quality of most studies was considered to be moderate or good. However, there was a high risk of bias in the patient-selection and index-text domains (with the exception of the whirlpool sign) in a significant proportion of studies. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of each ultrasound sign were 58%, 86%, 4.0 and 0.49 for ovarian edema, 69%, 46%, 1.3 and 0.67 for adnexal mass, 65%, 91%, 7.6 and 0.38 for the whirlpool sign, 53%, 95%, 11.0 and 0.49 for ovarian Doppler findings and 55%, 69%, 1.7 and 0.66 for pelvic fluid. Heterogeneity was high for all analyses. Conclusions: The presence of an adnexal mass or pelvic fluid have poor diagnostic accuracy as ultrasound signs of adnexal torsion, while the presence of ovarian edema, the whirlpool sign and decreased or absent ovarian Doppler flow have good specificity but moderate sensitivity for detecting adnexal torsion. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.Objetivo.Evaluar la precision diagnostica de diferentes indicios ecograficos para el diagnostico de la torsion anexial,utilizando la cirugia como patron de referencia. Metodos. Se trata de una revision sistematica y un metaanalisis de los estudios publicados entre enero de 1990 y noviembre de 2021 que evaluaron el edema ovarico, la masa anexial, los resultados del flujo Doppler ovarico, el ‘‘signo del remolino’’ (torsion ovarica) y el liquido pelvico como indicios ecograficos (pruebas de referencia) para detectar la torsion anexial, utilizando los resultados quirurgicos como patron de referencia. La busqueda de estudios se realizo en las bases de datos PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, The Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov y Web of Science.Para evaluar la calidad de los estudios se utilizo la herramienta de Evaluacion de Calidad de los Estudios de Precision Diagnostica-2 (QUADAS-2, por sus siglas en ingles). Se calcularon por separado los valores combinados de sensibilidad,especificidad y cocientes de verosimilitud positivos y negativos, y se determino tambien la probabilidad posterior a la prueba de la torsion anexial tras una prueba positiva o negativa. Resultados. La busqueda identifico 1267 citas, una vez excluidas las duplicadas. Se incluyeron dieciocho estudios en las sıntesis cualitativa y cuantitativa. Ocho estudios (809 pacientes) analizaron la presencia de edema ovarico, ocho estudios(1044 pacientes) analizaron la presencia de una masa anexial, 14 estudios (1742 pacientes) analizaron el flujo Doppler ovarico, seis estudios (545 pacientes) analizaron el ‘‘signo del remolino’’ y siete estudios (981 pacientes) analizaron la presencia de lıquido pelvico como indicios ecograficos de torsion anexial. En general, la calidad de la mayorıa de los estudios se considero moderada o buena. Sin embargo, hubo un alto riesgo de sesgo en una proporcion significativa de estudios en las areas de seleccion de pacientes y texto de referencia (con la excepcion del ‘‘signo del remolino’’). Los valores combinados de la sensibilidad, la especificidad y los cocientes de probabilidad positivos y negativos de cada indicio ecografico fueron del 58%, 86%, 4,0 y 0,49 para el edema ovarico, del 69%, 46%, 1,3 y 0,67 para la masa anexial, del 65%, 91%, 7,6 y 0,38 para el ‘‘signo del remolino’’, del 53%, 95%, 11,0 y 0,49 para los resultados del Doppler ovarico y del 55%, 69%, 1,7 y 0,66 para el liquido pelvico. La heterogeneidad fue elevada en todos los analisis. Conclusion. La presencia de una masa anexial o de liquido pelvico apenas tienen precision diagnostica como indicios ecograficos de torsion anexial, mientras que la presencia de edema ovarico, el ‘‘signo del remolino’’ y la disminucion o ausencia de flujo Doppler ovarico tienen una buena especificidad, pero una sensibilidad moderada para detectar la torsion anexial

An innovative practice in the Physics laboratory: radiofrequency electromagnetic fields personal exposure

The evolution of the species has led us to adapt and live in an environment of electromagnetic waves of low frequency and low intensity of natural origin: proceeding from the Sun and Storms. In addition, we have gotten used to the Earth’s weak magnetic field, which is practically stationary. However, human activity has altered this natural balance with more intense electromagnetic fields and with a very different spectral distribution of frequencies. In the past two decades, personal exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields (RF-EMF) has experimented an important increase due to the development of the information society, and at some point, we have wondered whether these have any negative effects on health, some out of concern and some out of curiosity. Parallel to the increase of the exposure to RF-EMF, the concern regarding the potential health effects has increased. Among the most feared effects, stands out the possible relationship of the RF-EMF with some diseases of the brain of unspecified causes, which has motivated numerous epidemiological studies. However, many of these studies have focused almost exclusively in the location of the antennas of mobile phones, and not in involving the participants to disseminate the results with society. In this context, the use of personal Expometers allows to study the RF-EMF exposition in great detail (spatial, temporary, number of bands, precision, etc.) and/or characterize the exposure level of the population in different micro environments, where it is possible to study if there is spatial correlation with the incidence of any disease. Some studies propose alternatives to assess exposure in different micro environments, using different models elaborated from point measurements or elaborating exposure maps. In view of the growing public concern about the possible health effects of RF-EMF, we believe that a modern society must be sufficiently informed of all technological developments and possible health implications, and the best option is through education. At university level, laboratory practices can be developed where students participate during the measurement process, so they know the equipment and see the application of physics in this type of studies; in addition, they will be aware of the obtained results. We firmly believe that the work in the laboratory contributes in making learning more meaningful. What you manipulate is learned differently, you know the why, but also the how. For that reason, in this work we present the design and development of a laboratory practice for students of Physics for Computer Science Engineering the Degree in Computer Science, whose objective is to measure the intensity of the RF-EMF in 14 different frequency bands. The practice has been developed at the Faculty of Computer Science Engineering at the UCLM, located in the Campus of Albacete. The measurement instrument was Satimo's EME Spy 140 personal exposimeter, and data analysis was performed using EME Spy Analysis Software v3.20, Excel, Google Earth, ArcGIS Software and the Kriging method. With the results obtained, we realize that the recorded measurements are well below the basic restrictions and reference levels allowed by the European, Spanish and Castilla-La Mancha regulations respectively. We believe that this laboratory practice can be replicated in other national universities, as well as universities in other countries

A population of gamma-ray emitting globular clusters seen with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

Globular clusters with their large populations of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are believed to be potential emitters of high-energy gamma-ray emission. Our goal is to constrain the millisecond pulsar populations in globular clusters from analysis of gamma-ray observations. We use 546 days of continuous sky-survey observations obtained with the Large Area Telescope aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to study the gamma-ray emission towards 13 globular clusters. Steady point-like high-energy gamma-ray emission has been significantly detected towards 8 globular clusters. Five of them (47 Tucanae, Omega Cen, NGC 6388, Terzan 5, and M 28) show hard spectral power indices $(0.7 < \Gamma <1.4)$ and clear evidence for an exponential cut-off in the range 1.0-2.6 GeV, which is the characteristic signature of magnetospheric emission from MSPs. Three of them (M 62, NGC 6440 and NGC 6652) also show hard spectral indices $(1.0 < \Gamma < 1.7)$, however the presence of an exponential cut-off can not be unambiguously established. Three of them (Omega Cen, NGC 6388, NGC 6652) have no known radio or X-ray MSPs yet still exhibit MSP spectral properties. From the observed gamma-ray luminosities, we estimate the total number of MSPs that is expected to be present in these globular clusters. We show that our estimates of the MSP population correlate with the stellar encounter rate and we estimate 2600-4700 MSPs in Galactic globular clusters, commensurate with previous estimates. The observation of high-energy gamma-ray emission from a globular cluster thus provides a reliable independent method to assess their millisecond pulsar populations that can be used to make constraints on the original neutron star X-ray binary population, essential for understanding the importance of binary systems in slowing the inevitable core collapse of globular clusters.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. Corresponding authors: J. Kn\"odlseder, N. Webb, B. Pancraz

Freezing Protocol Optimization for Iberian Red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) Epididymal Sperm under Field Conditions

14 Pág.Creating germplasm banks of wild species, such as the Iberian red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) can be challenging. One of the main difficulties is the obtention and cryopreservation of good-quality reproductive cells when the spermatozoa are obtained from epididymides after death. To avoid a loss of seminal quality during transport, developing alternative methods for cooling and freezing sperm samples under field conditions is necessary. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different durations of equilibrium and different techniques of cooling and freezing on Iberian red deer epididymal sperm quality after thawing to optimize the processing conditions in this species. Three experiments were carried out: (I) evaluation of refrigeration in straws or tubes of 15 mL; (II) study of equilibration period (0, 30, 60, or 120 min); and (III) comparison of four freezing techniques (liquid nitrogen vapor in a tank (C), liquid nitrogen vapor in a polystyrene box (B), dry ice (DY), and placing straws on a solid metallic plate floating on the surface of liquid nitrogen (MP)). For all experiments, sperm motility and kinematic parameters, acrosomal integrity, sperm viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, and DNA integrity were evaluated after thawing. All statistical analyses were performed by GLM-ANOVA analysis. Samples refrigerated in straws showed higher values (p ≤ 0.05) for mitochondrial activity and lower values (p ≤ 0.05) for apoptotic cells. Moreover, the acrosome integrity showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) between 0 and 120 min, but not between 30 and 60 min, of equilibration. Finally, no significant differences were found between freezing in liquid nitrogen vapors in a tank or in a box, although there was a low quality after thawing when the samples were cryopreserved in dry ice or by placing straws on a solid metallic plate floating on the surface of liquid nitrogen. In conclusion, under field conditions, it would be possible to refrigerate the sperm samples by storing them in straws with a 120 min equilibration period and freezing them in liquid nitrogen vapors in a tank or box.This research was funded by a National Grant from MICINN, grant number received a contract from “Plan Propio de la UCLM” cofinanced bTRA2009-0291.D.A.M.-C.y the European Social Fund. A.M.-M. received a predoctoral contract from MICINN cofinanced by the European Social Fund (PRE2018-084837).Peer reviewe

Fermi Large Area Telescope Constraints on the Gamma-ray Opacity of the Universe

The Extragalactic Background Light (EBL) includes photons with wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared, which are effective at attenuating gamma rays with energy above ~10 GeV during propagation from sources at cosmological distances. This results in a redshift- and energy-dependent attenuation of the gamma-ray flux of extragalactic sources such as blazars and Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). The Large Area Telescope onboard Fermi detects a sample of gamma-ray blazars with redshift up to z~3, and GRBs with redshift up to z~4.3. Using photons above 10 GeV collected by Fermi over more than one year of observations for these sources, we investigate the effect of gamma-ray flux attenuation by the EBL. We place upper limits on the gamma-ray opacity of the Universe at various energies and redshifts, and compare this with predictions from well-known EBL models. We find that an EBL intensity in the optical-ultraviolet wavelengths as great as predicted by the "baseline" model of Stecker et al. (2006) can be ruled out with high confidence.Comment: 42 pages, 12 figures, accepted version (24 Aug.2010) for publication in ApJ; Contact authors: A. Bouvier, A. Chen, S. Raino, S. Razzaque, A. Reimer, L.C. Reye