Teacher reactions to the use of blogs in the classroom.

En este artículo presentamos un estudio exploratorio cualitativo cuyo objetivo fue co - no cer la percepción que una muestra de 25 profesores de enseñanza primaria, secundaria y uni versitaria, que utilizan habitualmente los blogs en sus aulas, sobre las posibilidades edu cativas que, en su opinión, tiene este recurso en rendimiento y comportamiento de los alum nos. Se realizó una investigación cualitativa mediante la técnica de relatos. La extracción de la información contenida en los relatos fue llevada a cabo mediante Análisis de Con - tin gencias utilizando software experimental como GestMagister y GOLUCA, para elaborar una representación gráfica en forma de Red Asociativas Pathfinder de las categorías más im portantes encontradas. Según estas categorías y sus relaciones identificamos las princi pa les posibilidades educativas del uso de los blogs, en opinión de los participantes.In this article we present a cualitative study whose objective was to find out the perception of 25 teachers of primary, high school and university who usually use blogs for their lessons, regarding the educational posibilities which, in their opionions, this resource has in the performance and behaviour of the pupils. A qualitative investigation was made using the story telling technique. The extraction of information of the tales was made using Risk Analysis, helped by experimental software, in the form of GestMagister and GOLUCA, to make a graphical representation in the shape of an Pathfinder Asociative Network of the most important categories found. With these categories and their relations we identify the main educational posibilities of the use of blogs in the opinion of the participants.peerReviewe

Recent changes in women’s Olympic shooting and effects in performance

In 2018, the Olympic shooting regulations were modified to increase the number of women’s shots from 40 to 60, equaling the number given to men. This research presented in this paper addresses two research issues: (1) has the performance of women’s shooting changed as a result of this increase in the number of shots? and (2) with the equalized number of shots in place, do women and men perform differently? This study included 292 shooters who competed in the 2016 and/or 2018 European Championships who all obtained top-50 results. Our sample included balanced quotas for sports (50% pistol and 50% rifle) and by category (50% women and 50% men). Both championships were held in the same facilities and in the same month of the season, but with the difference that in 2016, women had 40 shots and in 2018 they had 60 shots. We observed that women’s performances did not diminish for the pistol or the rifle category when their number of shots were increased. Men and women shot equally well with rifles, although the men’s performance with pistols was higher than that of women. We concluded that sports in which physical strength is a minor factor, as in the case of shooting, should revise their regulations in the interest of greater gender equality in sport

Nanofabrication and electrochemical characterization of self-assembled monolayers sandwiched between metal nanoparticles and electrode surfaces

et al.Nanoscience and nanotechnology have reached the syllabi of many upper-division undergraduate and master-level courses all over the world. There is therefore a growing need for practical exercises that illustrate the fabrication, characterization, properties, and applications of nanomaterials. Here we describe an advanced-level laboratory experiment in which students had the opportunity to fabricate surfaces modified by ordered monolayers and nanostructured materials. The surface modification was quantified by means of a quartz crystal microbalance, while the electrochemical properties of the nanoarchitectures were assessed using cyclic voltammetry experiments. Electron transfer across self-assembled monolayers mediated by gold nanoparticles was presented as a topic for discussion, and consideration of potential practical applications of the observed phenomena (catalytic and electrocatalytic processes, as well as development of optical, (opto)electronic, and photovoltaic devices with enhanced properties) was proposed as a further reading exercise.Financial support from the Department of Physical Chemistry and DGA/Fondos Feder is acknowledge as well as CTQ2012-33198 and CTQ2013-50187-EXP grants.Peer Reviewe

Type II supernova spectral diversity, II: spectroscopic and photometric correlations

We present an analysis of observed trends and correlations between a large range of spectral and photometric parameters of more than 100 type II supernovae (SNe II), during the photospheric phase. We define a common epoch for all SNe of 50 days post-explosion, where the majority of the sample is likely to be under similar physical conditions. Several correlation matrices are produced to search for interesting trends between more than 30 distinct light-curve and spectral properties that characterize the diversity of SNe II. Overall, SNe with higher expansion velocities are brighter, have more rapidly declining light curves, shorter plateau durations, and higher 56Ni masses. Using a larger sample than previous studies, we argue that "Pd" - the plateau duration from the transition of the initial to "plateau" decline rates to the end of the "plateau" - is a better indicator of the hydrogen envelope mass than the traditionally used optically thick phase duration (OPTd: explosion epoch to end of plateau). This argument is supported by the fact that Pd also correlates with s 3, the light-curve decline rate at late times: lower Pd values correlate with larger s 3 decline rates. Large s 3 decline rates are likely related to lower envelope masses, which enables gamma-ray escape. We also find a significant anticorrelation between Pd and s 2 (the plateau decline rate), confirming the long standing hypothesis that faster declining SNe II (SNe IIL) are the result of explosions with lower hydrogen envelope masses and therefore have shorter Pd values.Fil: Gutiérrez, Claudia P.. Universidad de Chile; Chile. University of Southampton; Reino Unido. European Southern Observatory Santiago; Chile. Millennium Institute Of Astrophysics; ChileFil: Anderson, Joseph P.. European Southern Observatory Santiago; ChileFil: Hamuy, Mario. Millennium Institute Of Astrophysics; Chile. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: González Gaitan, Santiago. Universidad de Chile; Chile. Universidade de Lisboa; Portugal. Millennium Institute Of Astrophysics; ChileFil: Galbany, Lluis. University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown; Estados Unidos. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Dessart, Luc. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Stritzinger, Maximilian D.. University Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Phillips, Mark M.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Morrell, Nidia. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Folatelli, Gaston. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentin

Electrical characterization of single molecule and Langmuir-Blodgett monomolecular films of a pyridine-terminated oligo(phenylene-ethynylene) derivative

Monolayer Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films of 1,4-bis(pyridin-4-ylethynyl)benzene (1) together with the “STM touch-to-contact” method have been used to study the nature of metal–monolayer–metal junctions in which the pyridyl group provides the contact at both molecule–surface interfaces. Surface pressure vs area per molecule isotherms and Brewster angle microscopy images indicate that 1 forms true monolayers at the air–water interface. LB films of 1 were fabricated by deposition of the Langmuir films onto solid supports resulting in monolayers with surface coverage of 0.98 × 10−9 mol·cm−2. The morphology of the LB films that incorporate compound 1 was studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM images indicate the formation of homogeneous, monomolecular films at a surface pressure of transference of 16 mN·m−1. The UV–vis spectra of the Langmuir and LB films reveal that 1 forms two dimensional J-aggregates. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), in particular the “STM touch-to-contact” method, was used to determine the electrical properties of LB films of 1. From these STM studies symmetrical I–V curves were obtained. A junction conductance of 5.17 × 10−5 G 0 results from the analysis of the pseudolinear (ohmic) region of the I–V curves. This value is higher than that of the conductance values of LB films of phenylene-ethynylene derivatives contacted by amines, thiols, carboxylate, trimethylsilylethynyl or acetylide groups. In addition, the single molecule I–V curve of 1 determined using the I(s) method is in good agreement with the I–V curve obtained for the LB film, and both curves fit well with the Simmons model. Together, these results not only indicate that the mechanism of transport through these metal–molecule–metal junctions is non-resonant tunneling, but that lateral interactions between molecules within the LB film do not strongly influence the molecule conductance. The results presented here complement earlier studies of single molecule conductance of 1 using STM-BJ methods, and support the growing evidence that the pyridyl group is an efficient and effective anchoring group in sandwiched metal–monolayer–metal junctions prepared under a number of different conditions.S. M., M. C. L, and P. C. are grateful for financial assistance from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad from Spain in the framework of project CTQ2012-33198 and support from DGA and Fondos Feder for funding the Platon research group. S. M. also thanks his JIUZ-2013-CIE-05 grant. S. M and P. C. are grateful for the award of the CTQ2013-50187-EXP grant. P. J. L. thanks EPSRC for funding and also gratefully acknowledges support from the Australian Research Council (DP 140100855) and the award of the Future Fellowship (FT120100073). R. J. N. and S. J. H. thank EPSRC for funding (grant EP/H035184/1 and EP/K007785/1).Peer Reviewe

Is the Mediterranean Sean Outflow conditioning cold water corals in the North Atlantic?

posterWithin the context of the UE project ATLAS, in September - October 2016 on board RV Sarmiento de Gamboa, the MEDWAVES (MEDiterranean out flow WAter and Vulnerable EcosystemS) targeted areas under the potential influence of the MOW (Mediterranean Water Outflow) within the Mediterranean and Atlantic realms. These include seamounts where cold-water corals (CWC) have been reported, they may act as essential “stepping stones” connecting fauna of seamounts in the Mediterranean with those of seamounts in the continental shelf of Portugal, the Azores and the Mid‐ Atlantic Ridge. During MEDWAVES sampling was conducted through several seamounts: Formigas (Azores), Ormonde & Gazul (North Atlantic) and Seco de los Olivos (Alboran Sea). High quality CO2 measurements were conducted in the 500 meters above the bottom in order to characterize the water masses and detect the MOW spreading. MOW is warm and salty, but also high in alkalinity and pH. Is MOW conditioning CWC

Algal-fungal mutualism: cell recognition and maintenance of the symbiotic status of lichens

Lichens are specific symbiotic associations between photosynthetic algae or cyanobacteria and heterotrophic fungi forming a double entity in which both components coexist. Specificity required for the lichen establishment can be defined in this context as the preferential, but not exclusive, association of a biont with another, since the algal factor susceptible to be recognized is an inducible protein. Recognition of compatible algal cells is performed by specific lectins produced and secreted by the potential mycobiont. Some lectins from phycolichens and cyanolichens are glycosylated arginases which bind to an algal cell wall receptor, identified as a a-1, 4-polygalactosylated urease. However, other ligands exist which bind other lectins specific for mannose or glucose. This implies that, after recognition of a potential, compatible partner, other fungal lectins could determine the final success of the association. Since the fungus can parasitize non - recognized partners during the development of the association, the success after the first contact needs of a set of algal cells, the number of which was sufficient to prevent that the death of a certain number of them makes fail the symbiosis. Fungal lectins act as chemo tactic factors in such a way that algae and cyanobacteria move towards the hyphae, to acquire that critical size of the colony, by means of successive contractions and relaxation of the actomyosin cytoskeleton in absence of any motile appendages