Local Behavior of the First-Order Gradient Correction to the Thomas-Fermi Kinetic Energy Functional

The first order gradient correction to the Thomas-Fermi functional, proposed by Haq, Chattaraj and Deb (Chem. Phys. Lett. vol. 81, 8031, 1984) has been studied by evaluating both the total kinetic energy and the local kinetic energy density. For testing the kinetic energy density we evaluate its deviation from an exact result through a quality factor, a parameter that reflects the quality of the functionals in a better way than their relative errors. The study is performed on two different systems: light atoms (up to Z=18) and a noninteracting model of fermions confined in a Coulombic-type potential. It is found than this approximation gives very low relative errors and a better local behavior than any of the usual generalized gradient approximation semilocal kinetic density functionals.Comment: 7 pages, 2 tables, 4 figure

Investigating the experience of Moodle adoption through expert voices

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) such as Moodle are now widely used in universities and other organisations. One crucial factor in the successful employment of such platforms is the ability and commitment of teaching staff to adopt the system. Despite the importance of this role, there has been little work to examine the experience of using VLEs in practice. This paper presents initial, qualitative research aimed at understanding how Moodle is being used and the different experiences and perspectives of the staff involved. To generate themes and areas of interest for future investigation this paper uses interview data from two “expert witnesses” who have a deep understanding of how the platform is used. Emergent themes include: divergence between confident and basic users; the spread of usage within an academic community; lack of progression to innovative teaching methods

InterGEO: a digital platform for university education on geomorphological heritage

The project InterGEO was carried out with the objective to disseminate knowledge on geomorphological heritage by developing a digital learning platform. It aims at improving students' autonomy by the reduction of face-to-face teaching and increasing autonomous learning as well as promoting international interactions between students interested in geomorphological heritage. A completely free-access virtual course on geomorphosites was developed with the Learning Management System Moodle. The course is divided into 24 thematic chapters, each of them containing a short description, a list of references and selected publications, as well as other educational material (videos, virtual fieldtrips, etc.). In particular, several videos allow presenting in a dynamic way concepts and examples. The paper presents the tool and its use in academic programmes in six European universities, where it was tested, in various contexts (Bachelors' and Masters' programmes; students in geography or geology; general courses in geomorphology and specific courses on geoheritage and geoconservation), before discussing the advantages and challenges the tool is facing. The InterGEO platform is an easy-to-use and friendly educational tool, which allows developing blended learning activities; it is flexible and adaptable in various learning contexts.The coordination tasks (appointment of an assistant) and two workshops in Lausanne were financed by the University of Lausanne (Teaching Innovation Fund and Investment Fund of the Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, FGSE). The videos were designed and created with support of the universities of Lausanne (TIF) and Savoie Mont Blanc (IDEFI Promising and ReflexPro; LabEx ITEM)

Social Media Collaboration in Software Projects

Social media has had a big impact on the way that software projects are managed and the way that stakeholders interact with each other: indeed, the nature of soft-ware projects has evolved substantially in keeping with the evolution of technology. A direct consequence of the ubiquity of the internet is the increasing trend towards cooperation outside the boundaries of an office. The interactions involved in soft-ware projects have changed accordingly and can be broadly divided into two types (1) interactions among stakeholders who are in a single location, (for example people sharing the same office space) and (2) interactions among stakeholders who are in distributed locations (for example software projects which are partly implemented offshore). Social media has been and remains a significant facilitator to these kinds of interactions. This chapter looks at the implications of the use of social media in 21st Century software projects

Planck 2013 results. XXII. Constraints on inflation

We analyse the implications of the Planck data for cosmic inflation. The Planck nominal mission temperature anisotropy measurements, combined with the WMAP large-angle polarization, constrain the scalar spectral index to be ns = 0:9603 _ 0:0073, ruling out exact scale invariance at over 5_: Planck establishes an upper bound on the tensor-to-scalar ratio of r < 0:11 (95% CL). The Planck data thus shrink the space of allowed standard inflationary models, preferring potentials with V00 < 0. Exponential potential models, the simplest hybrid inflationary models, and monomial potential models of degree n _ 2 do not provide a good fit to the data. Planck does not find statistically significant running of the scalar spectral index, obtaining dns=dln k = 0:0134 _ 0:0090. We verify these conclusions through a numerical analysis, which makes no slowroll approximation, and carry out a Bayesian parameter estimation and model-selection analysis for a number of inflationary models including monomial, natural, and hilltop potentials. For each model, we present the Planck constraints on the parameters of the potential and explore several possibilities for the post-inflationary entropy generation epoch, thus obtaining nontrivial data-driven constraints. We also present a direct reconstruction of the observable range of the inflaton potential. Unless a quartic term is allowed in the potential, we find results consistent with second-order slow-roll predictions. We also investigate whether the primordial power spectrum contains any features. We find that models with a parameterized oscillatory feature improve the fit by __2 e_ _ 10; however, Bayesian evidence does not prefer these models. We constrain several single-field inflation models with generalized Lagrangians by combining power spectrum data with Planck bounds on fNL. Planck constrains with unprecedented accuracy the amplitude and possible correlation (with the adiabatic mode) of non-decaying isocurvature fluctuations. The fractional primordial contributions of cold dark matter (CDM) isocurvature modes of the types expected in the curvaton and axion scenarios have upper bounds of 0.25% and 3.9% (95% CL), respectively. In models with arbitrarily correlated CDM or neutrino isocurvature modes, an anticorrelated isocurvature component can improve the _2 e_ by approximately 4 as a result of slightly lowering the theoretical prediction for the ` <_ 40 multipoles relative to the higher multipoles. Nonetheless, the data are consistent with adiabatic initial conditions

SEVA 4.0: an update of the Standard European Vector Architecture database for advanced analysis and programming of bacterial phenotypes

10 Pág.The SEVA platform (https://seva-plasmids.com) was launched one decade ago, both as a database (DB) and as a physical repository of plasmid vectors for genetic analysis and engineering of Gram-negative bacteria with a structure and nomenclature that follows a strict, fixed architecture of functional DNA segments. While the current update keeps the basic features of earlier versions, the platform has been upgraded not only with many more ready-to-use plasmids but also with features that expand the range of target species, harmonize DNA assembly methods and enable new applications. In particular, SEVA 4.0 includes (i) a sub-collection of plasmids for easing the composition of multiple DNA segments with MoClo/Golden Gate technology, (ii) vectors for Gram-positive bacteria and yeast and [iii] off-the-shelf constructs with built-in functionalities. A growing collection of plasmids that capture part of the standard-but not its entirety-has been compiled also into the DB and repository as a separate corpus (SEVAsib) because of its value as a resource for constructing and deploying phenotypes of interest. Maintenance and curation of the DB were accompanied by dedicated diffusion and communication channels that make the SEVA platform a popular resource for genetic analyses, genome editing and bioengineering of a large number of microorganisms.The SEVA repository has been developed and maintained with funds of the SYCOLIM [ERA-COBIOTECH 2018-PCI2019-111859-2] Project of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, SYNBIO4FLAV [H2020-NMBP-TR-IND/H2020-NMBP-BIO-2018-814650]; MIX-UP [MIX-UP H2020-BIO-CN-2019-870294] Contracts of the European Union; BIOSINT-CM [Y2020/TCS-6555] Project of the Comunidad de Madrid-European Structural and Investment Funds (FSE, FECER); P.I.N. acknowledges financial support by the Novo Nordisk Foundation [NNF20CC0035580, TARGET (NNF21OC0067996]; European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme [814418 (SinFonia)]; M.H.H.N. acknowledges funding by the Novo Nordisk Foundation [NNF20CC0035580]; P.D. was funded by Czech Science Foundation Project 22-12505S; A.G.M. was supported by the Grants BioSinT-CM [Y2020/TCS-6555]; CONTEXT (Atracción de Talento Program) [2019-T1/BIO-14053] Projects of the Comunidad de Madrid, MULTI-SYSBIO [PID2020-117205GA-I00]; Severo Ochoa Program for Centres of Excellence in R&D [CEX2020-000999-S] funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the ECCO (ERC-2021-COG-101044360) Contract of the EU. Funding for open access charge: European Commission Grant SYNBIO4FLAV [H2020-NMBP-TR-IND/H2020-NMBP-BIO-2018-814650].With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2020‐000999‐S) .Peer reviewe

Quantum gravity phenomenology at the dawn of the multi-messenger era—A review

The exploration of the universe has recently entered a new era thanks to the multi-messenger paradigm, characterized by a continuous increase in the quantity and quality of experimental data that is obtained by the detection of the various cosmic messengers (photons, neutrinos, cosmic rays and gravitational waves) from numerous origins. They give us information about their sources in the universe and the properties of the intergalactic medium. Moreover, multi-messenger astronomy opens up the possibility to search for phenomenological signatures of quantum gravity. On the one hand, the most energetic events allow us to test our physical theories at energy regimes which are not directly accessible in accelerators; on the other hand, tiny effects in the propagation of very high energy particles could be amplified by cosmological distances. After decades of merely theoretical investigations, the possibility of obtaining phenomenological indications of Planck-scale effects is a revolutionary step in the quest for a quantum theory of gravity, but it requires cooperation between different communities of physicists (both theoretical and experimental). This review, prepared within the COST Action CA18108 “Quantum gravity phenomenology in the multi-messenger approach”, is aimed at promoting this cooperation by giving a state-of-the art account of the interdisciplinary expertise that is needed in the effective search of quantum gravity footprints in the production, propagation and detection of cosmic messengers.publishedVersio

Intracellular expression of Tat alters mitochondrial functions in T cells: a potential mechanism to understand mitochondrial damage during HIV-1 replication

HIV-1 replication results in mitochondrial damage that is enhanced during antiretroviral therapy (ART). The onset of HIV-1 replication is regulated by viral protein Tat, a 101-residue protein codified by two exons that elongates viral transcripts. Although the first exon of Tat (aa 1–72) forms itself an active protein, the presence of the second exon (aa 73–101) results in a more competent transcriptional protein with additional functions. Results: Mitochondrial overall functions were analyzed in Jurkat cells stably expressing full-length Tat (Tat101) or one-exon Tat (Tat72). Representative results were confirmed in PBLs transiently expressing Tat101 and in HIV-infected Jurkat cells. The intracellular expression of Tat101 induced the deregulation of metabolism and cytoskeletal proteins which remodeled the function and distribution of mitochondria. Tat101 reduced the transcription of the mtDNA, resulting in low ATP production. The total amount of mitochondria increased likely to counteract their functional impairment. These effects were enhanced when Tat second exon was expressed. Conclusions: Intracellular Tat altered mtDNA transcription, mitochondrial content and distribution in CD4+ T cells. The importance of Tat second exon in non-transcriptional functions was confirmed. Tat101 may be responsible for mitochondrial dysfunctions found in HIV-1 infected patients.We greatly appreciate the secretarial assistance of Mrs Olga Palao. This work was supported by FIPSE (360924/10), Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (SAF2010-18388), Spanish Ministry of Health (EC11- 285), AIDS Network ISCIII-RETIC (RD12/0017/0015), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (FIS PI12/00506). The work of Sara Rodríguez-Mora is supported by a fellowship of Sara Borrell from Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (2013). The work of María Rosa López-Huertas is supported by a fellowship of the European Union Programme Health 2009 (CHAARM).S

A megaxion at 750 GeV as a first hint of low scale string theory

Journal of High Energy Physics 2016.7 (2016): 021 reproduced by permission of Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA)Low scale string models naturally have axion-like pseudoscalars which couple directly to gluons and photons (but not W’s) at tree level. We show how they typically get tree level masses in the presence of closed string fluxes, consistent with the axion discrete gauge symmetry, in a way akin of the axion monodromy of string inflation and relaxion models. We discuss the possibility that the hints for a resonance at 750 GeV recently reported at ATLAS and CMS could correspond to such a heavy axion state (megaxion). Adjusting the production rate and branching ratios suggest the string scale to be of order Ms ≈ 7–104 TeV, depending on the compactification geometry. If this interpretation was correct, one extra Z’ gauge boson could be produced before reaching the string threshold at LHC and future collidersThis work is partially supported by the grants FPA2012-32828 and FPA2015-65929-P from the MINECO, the ERC Advanced Grant SPLE under contract ERC-2012-ADG-20120216-320421, the Consolider-Ingenio 2010 programme under grant MULTIDARK CSD2009-00064 and the grant SEV-2012-0249 of the “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa” Programm