Measuring Oscillations with A Million Atmospheric Neutrinos

We analyze the sensitivity achievable by the current and near-future water(ice)-Cherenkov atmospheric neutrino experiments in the context of standard three-flavor neutrinos oscillations. In this study, we perform an in-depth analysis of the current shared systematic uncertainties arising from the common flux and neutrino-water interactions. We then implement the systematic uncertainties of each experiment and develop the atmospheric neutrino simulations for Super-Kamiokande (SK), with and without neutron-tagging capabilities (SuperK-Gd), IceCube-Upgrade, and ORCA experiments. A careful review of the synergies and features of these experiments is carried out to examine the potential of a joint analysis of these atmospheric neutrino data in resolving the $\theta_{23}$ octant and the neutrino mass ordering. Finally, we assess the capability to constraint $\theta_{13}$ and the CP-violating phase ($\delta_{CP}$ ) in the leptonic sector independently from reactor and accelerator neutrino data.Comment: 39 pages, 33 figure

El poblament prehistòric de la vall del Montsant a partir dels tallers de superfície

L'estudi del poblament d'aquesta zona el basem en l'anàlisi de tota una sèrie de jacimients que es troben situats en el sector central de la vall del Montsant que comprèn tot el terme municipal de Margalef de Montsant (Priorat), per ser aquest el sector que presenta unes característiques idònies per l'assentament humà.A aquesta zona hem localitzat aproximadament uns 17 jaciments arqueològics, tant en cova com en abric o en superfície. Tots aquests assentaments es situen a les terrasses del llit principal del riu Montsant, a unes alçades sobre el nivell del riu que oscil·len entre els 41,8 i els 10 metres

In Candida parapsilosis the ATC1 gene encodes for an acid trehalase involved in trehalose hydrolysis, stress resistance and virulence

An ORF named CPAR2-208980 on contig 005809 was identified by screening a Candida parapsilosis genome data base. Its 67% identity with the acid trehalase sequence from C. albicans (ATC1) led us to designate it CpATC1. Homozygous mutants that lack acid trehalase activity were constructed by gene disruption at the two CpATC1 chromosomal alleles. Phenotypic characterization showed that atc1Δ null cells were unable to grow on exogenous trehalose as carbon source, and also displayed higher resistance to environmental challenges, such as saline exposure (1.2 M NaCl), heat shock (42°C) and both mild and severe oxidative stress (5 and 50 mM H2O2). Significant amounts of intracellular trehalose were specifically stored in response to the thermal upshift in both wild type and mutant strains. Analysis of their antioxidant activities revealed that catalase was only triggered in response to heat shock in atc1Δ cells, whereas glutathione reductase was activated upon mild oxidative stress in wild type and reintegrant strains, and in response to the whole set of stress treatments in the homozygous mutant. Furthermore, yeast cells with double CpATC1 deletion were significantly attenuated in non-mammalian infection models, suggesting that CpATC1 is required for the pathobiology of the fungus. Our results demonstrate the involvement of CpAtc1 protein in the physiological hydrolysis of external trehalose in C. parapsilosis, where it also plays a major role in stress resistance and virulence

Usefulness of feedback in e-learning from the students' perspective

Purpose: Functionality of feedback in pedagogical processes has been broadly analyzed in face-to-face learning, although to a lesser extent than in the on-line learning. Narciss (2004, 2008) distinguishes two dimensions within the feedback, the semantic dimension and the structural dimension. This article aims to analyze, from the students' perspective, the semantic dimension of feedback in a virtual learning environment (VLE). Firstly, we analyze the importance that VLE students give to feedback and its degree of personalization. Later, the usefulness that students deem feedback should have, paying special attention to each of its semantic subdimensions (Narciss, 2004). Design/methodology/approach: A survey was conducted among students of Business Administration degree of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). 182 students took part, separated into two groups (pilot and control). Findings: It has been proved that 90% of students give a great or very great importance to reception of feedback from their tutors, a relevance they consider to be higher than the one within a face-to-face environment. This percentage is around 75% with regard to the importance given to the level of personalization of feedback. The development of a factor analysis has revealed that usefulness of personalized feedback perceived by the students can be subsumed under two large dimensions: the one that facilitates learning (related to its semantic dimension) and the motivational one (by allowing an easier and more fluid communication with the tutor, contributing not to leave the course, etc.) The latter dimension has been also proved to be key in order to attain improvements in the students' satisfaction with the learning process. This research was funded by the Catalan government and the UOC, within the framework of projects to Improve Teaching Quality (ITQ). Originality/value: Implementing personalized feedback has a relevant impact on the student, who values it because it makes his learning process easier, richer and more significant. Moreover, it has a clear motivational effect over the student, which had not been sufficiently evidenced by other researches. Such effect needs not to be underestimated, particularly within an on-line environment, where dropout rate is usually high