Numerical Simulation of Baroclinic Jovian Vortices

We examine the evolution of baroclinic vortices in a time-dependent, nonlinear numerical model of a Jovian atmosphere. The model uses a normal-mode expansion in the vertical, using the barotropic and first two baroclinic modes. Results for the stability of baroclinic vortices on an f plane in the absence of a mean zonal flow are similar to results of Earth vortex models, although the presence of a fluid interior on the Jovian planets shifts the stability boundaries to smaller length scales. The presence of a barotropic mean zonal flow in the interior stabilizes vortices against instability and significantly modifies the finite amplitude form of baroclinic instabilities. The effect of a zonal flow on a form of barotropic instability produces periodic oscillations in the latitude and longitude of the vortex as observed at the level of the cloud tops. This instability may explain some, but not all, observations of longitudinal oscillations of vortices on the outer planets. Oscillations in aspect ratio and orientation of stable vortices in a zonal shear flow are observed in this baroclinic model, as in simpler twodimensional models. Such oscillations are also observed in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Neptune. The meridional propagation and decay of vortices on a β plane is inhibited by the presence of a mean zonal flow. The direction of propagation of a vortex relative to the mean zonal flow depends upon the sign of the meridional potential vorticity gradient; combined with observations of vortex drift rates, this may provide a constraint on model assumption for the flow in the deep interior of the Jovian planets

El romancero de Quevedo. Notas sobre la innovación barroca de un género literario

La autora analiza un romance quevedesco como ejemplo de innovación barroca de un subgénero poético. The author analyses a Quevedian burlesque poem as an example of Barroquian innovation of lyrical poetry

Fear appeals used prior to a high-stakes examination: What makes them threatening?

Prior to high-stakes examinations teachers use messages that focus on avoiding failure as a motivational strategy. Such messages, referred to as fear appeals, have been linked with negative outcomes. The strength of that link is determined by whether fear appeals are appraised by students as threatening. The aim of this study was to examine whether the threat appraisal of fear appeals was predicted from frequency of message use, academic self-efficacy and subjective values (intrinsic, attainment and extrinsic). 544 secondary school students clustered in thirty Mathematics classes completed measures of academic self-efficacy, subjective values and fear appeals (both frequency and threat). Fear appeals were appraised as more threatening when students reported lower academic self-efficacy, were in classes where their teacher made more frequent fear appeals concerning the consequences of failure and when the class was composed of students with low intrinsic, but high extrinsic, values. Students differ in the extent to which they appraise fear appeals as threatening. Teachers and instructors would be advised to consider how they convey the importance of high-stakes examinations to students as well as how messages might be received by different students. © 2014

OBSCN Mutations Associated with Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Haploinsufficiency

Studies of the functional consequences of DCM-causing mutations have been limited to a few cases where patients with known mutations had heart transplants. To increase the number of potential tissue samples for direct investigation we performed whole exon sequencing of explanted heart muscle samples from 30 patients that had a diagnosis of familial dilated cardiomyopathy and screened for potentially disease-causing mutations in 58 HCM or DCM-related genes.We identified 5 potentially disease-causing OBSCN mutations in 4 samples; one sample had two OBSCN mutations and one mutation was judged to be not disease-related. Also identified were 6 truncating mutations in TTN, 3 mutations in MYH7, 2 in DSP and one each in TNNC1, TNNI3, MYOM1, VCL, GLA, PLB, TCAP, PKP2 and LAMA4. The mean level of obscurin mRNA was significantly greater and more variable in healthy donor samples than the DCM samples but did not correlate with OBSCN mutations. A single obscurin protein band was observed in human heart myofibrils with apparent mass 960 ± 60 kDa. The three samples with OBSCN mutations had significantly lower levels of obscurin immunoreactive material than DCM samples without OBSCN mutations (45±7, 48±3, and 72±6% of control level).Obscurin levels in DCM controls, donor heart and myectomy samples were the same.OBSCN mutations may result in the development of a DCM phenotype via haploinsufficiency. Mutations in the obscurin gene should be considered as a significant causal factor of DCM, alone or in concert with other mutations

Le développement rural grâce aux contributions scientifiques et universitaires dans les revues espagnoles (1990-2000)

The aim of this paper is to realize a valuation, both quantitative and qualitative, of the contributions focused on rural development that have been published during the last twenty years in the main journals with geographical contents. The selection has comprised 20 Spanish journals, under the subjects geography, economy and tourism, and 77 papers have been considered in our study.El objetivo de este trabajo es realizar una valoración cuantitativa y cualitativa de las aportaciones sobre el desarrollo rural que aparecen en las principales revistas de contenido geográfico en las dos últimas décadas. La selección comprende 20 revistas españolas que se inscriben en las disciplinas de geografía, economía y turismo. El vaciado bibliográfico ha derivado en la lectura de 77 artículos relacionados con la temática de estudio.L’objectif de c’étude est faire une valorisation quantitative et qualitative des apports sur le développement rural dans le contexte académique de la Géographie. Pur faire ça, nous avons sélectionné les principaux vingt revues espagnoles rapportées avec les matières de Géographie, Economie et Tourisme pendant les derniers vingt ans. C’analyse a débouché dans la lecture de 77 articules rapportées avec le développement rural

Breaking the Mould and the Birth of a New Journal: Online Educational Research Journal

Academic journals are evolving and proliferating but despite their success there is much room for improvement. The traditional paper based model is expensive, constrained by space, exclusive and beset with problems of refereeing and publication time. The newer on-line journals go some way to dealing with these issues but they fail to capitalise on the possibilities opened up by the web. This paper launches a new journal Online Educational Research Journal (OERJ) which is free, unconstrained by space and accessible to all. It takes a novel approach to refereeing allowing discussion online and deals with the shortage of refereeing by requiring authors to reciprocate. A key feature of the journal is that papers are guaranteed to be published albeit anonymously in the first instance. After receiving the ratings and comments of referees which will go online the paper becomes onymous unless the author chooses to withdraw

Comparing Analysis Frames for Visual Data Sets: Using Pupil Views Templates to explore perspectives of learning

A key challenge of visual methodology is how to combine large-scale qualitative data sets with epistemologically acceptable and rigorous analysis techniques. The authors argue that a pragmatic approach drawing on ideas from mixed methods is helpful to open up the full potential of visual data. However, before one starts to “mix” the stages of analysis one needs to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses provided by the various qualitative and quantitative perspectives. This article therefore provides a methodological discussion based on empirical research experiences with one visual data set: Pupil Views Templates (Wall and Higgins). The authors investigate two different approaches to the analysis of these data: inductive and deductive processes. The two approaches are applied separately to the same data set and observations are made regarding the affordances and constraints of each process, and the findings and implications for developing visual analysis in this area are presented. The authors show how both processes provide useful insight, but without clear strategy as to how they can be combined to achieve the intent of the research, the true potential of visual data will remain unlocked

Un compromiso hacia la ciencia en abierto

Con motivo de la celebración de la Semana del Acceso Abierto, Remedios Melero, investigadora del CSIC y experta en la materia, impartió en la Universidad de Navarra una conferencia titulada "Un compromiso hacia la Ciencia en abierto". La conferencia tuvo lugar el lunes 19 de octubre de 2015, a las 9.30 horas, en el aula magna de la Escuela de Arquitectura