Energetic particle acceleration and transport by Alfven/acoustic waves in tokamak-like Solar flares

Alfv´en/acoustic waves are ubiquitous in astrophysical as well as in laboratory plasmas. Their interplay with energetic ions is of crucial importance to understanding the energy and particle exchange in astrophysical plasmas as well as to obtaining a viable energy source in magnetically confined fusion devices. In magnetically confined fusion plasmas, an experimental phase-space characterisation of convective and diffusive energetic particle losses induced by Alfv´en/acoustic waves allows for a better understanding of the underlying physics. The relevance of these results in the problem of the anomalous heating of the solar corona is checked by MHD simulations of Tokamak-like Solar flare tubes

Pragmática de la desinformación. Un estudio del leak de Prism a través de las reacciones de los gobiernos de Estados Unidos, Alemania y Venezuela

En este trabajo se exponen las técnicas de desinformación más comunes que se evidencian en el leak sobre el proyecto Prism de la NSA y sus inmediatas reacciones por parte de los gobiernos de Estados Unidos, Alemania y Venezuela. Para lograr este objetivo, se ha realizado un análisis cualitativo de base interpretativa al discurso de los mandatarios de los tres países, a través de las informaciones recogidas en medios digitales, mediante la localización, criba especializada, métodos de criterio de fuentes y selección aleatoria por metodología de semana construida. Los resultados evidencian el uso de al menos 11 estra- tagemas de desinformación

Overview of the JET results in support to ITER

The 2014–2016 JET results are reviewed in the light of their significance for optimising the ITER research plan for the active and non-active operation. More than 60 h of plasma operation with ITER first wall materials successfully took place since its installation in 2011. New multi-machine scaling of the type I-ELM divertor energy flux density to ITER is supported by first principle modelling. ITER relevant disruption experiments and first principle modelling are reported with a set of three disruption mitigation valves mimicking the ITER setup. Insights of the L–H power threshold in Deuterium and Hydrogen are given, stressing the importance of the magnetic configurations and the recent measurements of fine-scale structures in the edge radial electric. Dimensionless scans of the core and pedestal confinement provide new information to elucidate the importance of the first wall material on the fusion performance. H-mode plasmas at ITER triangularity (H = 1 at βN ~ 1.8 and n/nGW ~ 0.6) have been sustained at 2 MA during 5 s. The ITER neutronics codes have been validated on high performance experiments. Prospects for the coming D–T campaign and 14 MeV neutron calibration strategy are reviewed.European Commission (EUROfusion 633053

Beneficial effects of karate on the proprioception and coordination of young people with Down syndrome: a two-year follow up

Resumen Objetivos: establecer el impacto de las artes marciales en el desarrollo de habilidades motoras, específicamente sobre la propiocepción, en jóvenes afectados por síndrome de Down. Diseño: en este estudio participan 7 adolescentes en los que se evalúa secuencialmente el control postural antes, durante y después de 2 años de entrenamiento de karate. Se adaptaron tres pruebas (prueba de sentadillas, del flamenco y de velocidad del movimiento del brazo) para realizar un análisis de la propiocepción. Resultados: concluimos que la incorporación del karate en la rutina deportiva de jóvenes afectados por síndrome de Down conlleva una mejora en su equilibrio y coordinación general

Recommendations for the Management of Construction and Demolition Waste in Treatment Plants

Construction and demolition waste consists approximately of one third waste generated in the European Union. The recycling of this stream waste will provide ecological and sustainable benefits. Recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste are clearing a path into civil constructions, as substitutes for natural aggregates. The possible applications of recycled aggregates on infrastructure construction projects will depend on the quality of the recycled aggregates mainly. This will be determined by the nature and the origin of the construction and demolition waste, and the treatment system undergone. Hence, this work proposes recommendations for the handling of construction and demolition waste in treatment plants

Bio-inspired broad-class phonetic labelling

Recent studies have shown that the correct labeling of phonetic classes may help current Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) when combined with classical parsing automata based on Hidden Markov Models (HMM).Through the present paper a method for Phonetic Class Labeling (PCL) based on bio-inspired speech processing is described. The methodology is based in the automatic detection of formants and formant trajectories after a careful separation of the vocal and glottal components of speech and in the operation of CF (Characteristic Frequency) neurons in the cochlear nucleus and cortical complex of the human auditory apparatus. Examples of phonetic class labeling are given and the applicability of the method to Speech Processing is discussed

Network Analysis for Learners’ Concept Maps While Using Mobile Augmented Reality Gaming

Using mobile augmented reality games in education combines situated and active learning with pleasure. The aim of this research is to analyze the responses expressed by young, middle-aged, and elderly adults about the location-based mobile augmented reality (MAR) games using methods of content analysis, concept maps, and social network analysis (SNA). The responses to questions related to MAR game Ingress were collected from 36 adult players, aged 20–60, from Greece, and subsequently analyzed by means of content analysis, concept maps, and social network analysis. Our findings show that for question 1 (How do you feel when you endow the geographical space with personal preferences?), there was a differentiation of the answers between age groups with age groups agreeing in pairs, the first two and the last two, while for question 2 (Do you think that the game offers opportunities for learning and teaching geography, building on your previous geographical knowledge?), there was an overlap in responses of participants among age groups. It was also revealed that the MAR games foster a constructivism approach of learning, as their use learning becomes an active, socially supported process of knowledge construction

Effectiveness of PMI Combined with Common Interest Activity for Elementary School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Peer-mediated intervention (PMI) includes a range of strategies that are considered a successful aid in social-communication behavior for kids and their peers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study was carried out to improve the social behavior of children with ASD, using peer training through an activity that they have in common. Three ASD students in Greek elementary schools, aged seven to ten years old, two boys and one girl, participated in this study. The peers of ASD students were trained to interact with them during recess in a comprehensive school setting. An ABA reversal design was used on each participant in order to define the effects of the intervention. Through observation probes, the responses and the initiations of all ASD students were noted by trained school staff. The results of the intervention phase showed an increase in both of these two variables. Furthermore, the follow-up phase depicted important results for the academic community, also showing an increase in all ASD students’ responses and initiations. The current study supplements the existing PMI research, which leads to the possible use of this valid tool that could be used in school settings in order to increase the socialization of ASD students

Phase space geometry and optimal state preparation in quantum metrology with collective spins

We revisit well-known protocols in quantum metrology using collective spins and propose a unifying picture for optimal state preparation based on a semiclassical description in phase space. We show how this framework allows for quantitative predictions of the timescales required to prepare various metrologically useful states, and that these predictions remain accurate even for moderate system sizes, surprisingly far from the classical limit. Furthermore, this framework allows us to build a geometric picture that relates optimal (exponentially fast) entangled probe preparation to the existence of separatrices connecting saddle points in phase space. We illustrate our results with the paradigmatic examples of the two-axis counter-twisting and twisting-and-turning Hamiltonians, where we provide analytical expressions for all the relevant optimal time scales. Finally, we propose a generalization of these models to include $p$-body collective interaction (or $p$-order twisting), beyond the usual case of $p=2$. Using our geometric framework, we prove a no-go theorem for the local optimality of these models for $p>2$.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, 9 pages appendi