Incommensurate instability and lattice dynamics of potassium selenate within a semiempirical rigid-ion model

The lattice dynamics of potassium selenate is analyzed using a rigid-ion model with the selenate groups reduced to rigid bodies. The interatomic forces have been adjusted only using static structural data. The number of adjustable parameters varies from two to five. Such a simple model is already sufficient to reproduce semiquantitatively the phonon dynamics of the real system. In particular, the model exhibits the lattice instability leading to the existence of an incommensurate phase. The characteristics of the resulting soft mode agree with those observed experimentally. The calculated eigenvector, in excellent agreement with the experimental one, is rather insensitive to the details of the interactions. This explains the strong similarities of the incommensurate modulations in most A2BX4 compounds. On the other hand, the form of the soft-phonon branch strongly depends on the force model. It is sufficient to fit the model to the static structure observed at 145 K instead of the one at room temperature, to provoke a conspicuous softening of the branch. The branch minimum is specially sensitive to some potassium-oxygen interactions. The relative size of the cations plays an essential role in the origin of the incommensurate instability. For comparison the results of a similar analysis for Cs2SeO4 are presented. In this case, the unstable or soft character of the lowest 2 branch disappears.Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Técnica PB87-074

Artificial intelligence in wind speed forecasting: a review

Wind energy production has had accelerated growth in recent years, reaching an annual increase of 17% in 2021. Wind speed plays a crucial role in the stability required for power grid operation. However, wind intermittency makes accurate forecasting a complicated process. Implementing new technologies has allowed the development of hybrid models and techniques, improving wind speed forecasting accuracy. Additionally, statistical and artificial intelligence methods, especially artificial neural networks, have been applied to enhance the results. However, there is a concern about identifying the main factors influencing the forecasting process and providing a basis for estimation with artificial neural network models. This paper reviews and classifies the forecasting models used in recent years according to the input model type, the pre-processing and post-processing technique, the artificial neural network model, the prediction horizon, the steps ahead number, and the evaluation metric. The research results indicate that artificial neural network (ANN)-based models can provide accurate wind forecasting and essential information about the specific location of potential wind use for a power plant by understanding the future wind speed values

Effects of dissipation in an adiabatic quantum search algorithm

We consider the effect of two different environments on the performance of the quantum adiabatic search algorithm, a thermal bath at finite temperature, and a structured environment similar to the one encountered in systems coupled to the electromagnetic field that exists within a photonic crystal. While for all the parameter regimes explored here, the algorithm performance is worsened by the contact with a thermal environment, the picture appears to be different when considering a structured environment. In this case we show that, by tuning the environment parameters to certain regimes, the algorithm performance can actually be improved with respect to the closed system case. Additionally, the relevance of considering the dissipation rates as complex quantities is discussed in both cases. More particularly, we find that the imaginary part of the rates can not be neglected with the usual argument that it simply amounts to an energy shift, and in fact influences crucially the system dynamics.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figure

Student mentoring program at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville (2006/07 - present): SWOT analysis carried out by mentor students

El “Programa de Alumnos Tutores” (LCC, Facultad de Farmacia US) se viene realizando ininterrumpidamente desde 2006/07 hasta la actualidad. Propósito: tutela de alumnos de nuevo ingreso por parte de alumnos de cursos superiores (AATT) bajo la supervisión de Profesores Tutores. Pretende generar una actitud responsable en los AATT y favorecerles el desarrollo de habilidades sociales. El objetivo de este trabajo es recoger las opiniones de los AATT (algunos comenzaron en ediciones anteriores y continúan desinteresadamente). Se aborda mediante un análisis DAFO. Conclusión: se han detectado factores estratégicos críticos, para una vez identificados, usarlos y apoyar en ellos la marcha del “Programa de Alumnos Tutores”, consolidando las fortalezas, minimizando las debilidades, aprovechando las ventajas de las oportunidades, y eliminando o reduciendo las amenazas.The "Student Mentor Program" (Faculty of Pharmacy, US) has been running since 2006/07 – to present. Purpose: to mentor new students by senior students (Mentor Students) under the supervision of mentor professors. It aims to generate a responsible attitude in students and tutors to encourage the development of social skills. Objective: To collect the views of mentor students (some started in previous years and continue to selflessly), through a SWOT analysis. Conclusion: it has been found critical strategic factors. It intends to use these factors for strengthening the "Student Mentor Program"

Probing the innermost regions of AGN jets and their magnetic fields with RadioAstron II. Observations of 3C 273 at minimum activity

RadioAstron is a 10 m orbiting radio telescope mounted on the Spektr-R satellite, launched in 2011, performing Space Very Long Baseline Interferometry (SVLBI) observations supported by a global ground array of radio telescopes. With an apogee of about 350 000 km, it is offering for the first time the possibility to perform {\mu}as-resolution imaging in the cm-band. We present observations at 22 GHz of 3C 273, performed in 2014, designed to reach a maximum baseline of approximately nine Earth diameters. Reaching an angular resolution of 0.3 mas, we study a particularly low-activity state of the source, and estimate the nuclear region brightness temperature, comparing with the extreme one detected one year before during the RadioAstron early science period. We also make use of the VLBA-BU-BLAZAR survey data, at 43 GHz, to study the kinematics of the jet in a 1.5-year time window. We find that the nuclear brightness temperature is two orders of magnitude lower than the exceptionally high value detected in 2013 with RadioAstron at the same frequency (1.4x10^13 K, source-frame), and even one order of magnitude lower than the equipartition value. The kinematics analysis at 43 GHz shows that a new component was ejected 2 months after the 2013 epoch, visible also in our 22 GHz map presented here. Consequently this was located upstream of the core during the brightness temperature peak. These observations confirm that the previously detected extreme brightness temperature in 3C 273, exceeding the inverse Compton limit, is a short-lived phenomenon caused by a temporary departure from equipartition. Thus, the availability of interferometric baselines capable of providing {\mu}as angular resolution does not systematically imply measured brightness temperatures over the known physical limits for astrophysical sources.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

A study of methods for reducing the Pareto front to a single solution applied to the extractive multi-document summarization problem

Los métodos de resumen automático son actualmente necesarios en muchos contextos diferentes. El problema de resumen extractivo multi-documento intenta cubrir el contenido principal de una colección de documentos y reducir la información redundante. La mejor manera de abordar esta tarea es mediante un enfoque de optimización multi-objetivo. El resultado de este enfoque es un conjunto de soluciones no dominadas o conjunto de Pareto. Sin embargo, dado que solo se necesita un resumen, se debe reducir el frente de Pareto a una única solución. Para ello, se han considerado varios métodos, como el mayor hipervolumen, la solución consenso, la distancia más corta al punto ideal y la distancia más corta a todos los puntos. Los métodos han sido probados utilizando conjuntos de datos de DUC, y han sido evaluados con las métricas ROUGE. Los resultados revelan que la solución consenso obtiene los mejores valores promedio.Automatic summarization methods are currently needed in many different contexts. The extractive multi-document summarization problem tries to cover the main content of a document collection and to reduce the redundant information. The best way to address this task is through a multi-objective optimization approach. The result of this approach is a set of non-dominated solutions or Pareto set. However, since only one summary is needed, the Pareto front must be reduced to a single solution. For this, several methods have been considered, such as the largest hypervolume, the consensus solution, the shortest distance to the ideal point, and the shortest distance to all points. The methods have been tested using datasets from DUC, and they have been evaluated with ROUGE metrics. The results show that consensus solution achieves the best average values.Esta investigación ha sido apoyada por la Agencia Estatal de Investigación (proyectos PID2019-107299GB-I00 y MTM2017-86875-C3-2-R), por la Junta de Extremadura (proyectos GR18090 y GR18108) y por la Unión Europea (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional). Jesus M. Sanchez-Gomez está apoyado por un Contrato Predoctoral financiado por la Junta de Extremadura (contrato PD18057) y la Unión Europea (Fondo Social Europeo)

Comorbidity and osteoporotic fracture: approach through predictive modeling techniques using the OSTEOMED registry

Purpose To examine the response to anti-osteoporotic treatment, considered as incident fragility fractures after a minimum follow-up of 1 year, according to sex, age, and number of comorbidities of the patients. Methods For this retrospective observational study, data from baseline and follow-up visits on the number of comorbidities, prescribed anti-osteoporotic treatment and vertebral, humerus or hip fractures in 993 patients from the OSTEOMED registry were analyzed using logistic regression and an artificial network model. Results Logistic regression showed that the probability of reducing fractures for each anti-osteoporotic treatment consid- ered was independent of sex, age, and the number of comorbidities, increasing significantly only in males taking vitamin D (OR = 7.918), patients without comorbidities taking vitamin D (OR = 4.197) and patients with ≥ 3 comorbidities taking calcium (OR = 9.412). Logistic regression correctly classified 96% of patients (Hosmer–Lemeshow = 0.492) compared with the artificial neural network model, which correctly classified 95% of patients (AUC = 0.6). Conclusion In general, sex, age and the number of comorbidities did not influence the likelihood that a given anti-osteoporotic treatment improved the risk of incident fragility fractures after 1 year, but this appeared to increase when patients had been treated with risedronate, strontium or teriparatide. The two models used classified patients similarly, but predicted differently in terms of the probability of improvement, with logistic regression being the better fit

Tumor testicular de saco vitelino con metástasis a pleura: primer caso reportado en la literatura

ResumenEl cáncer testicular es el tumor urológico maligno más común en hombres jóvenes. Más del 90% corresponden a tumores de células germinales. El objetivo del estudio es el reporte del primer caso de cáncer testicular de tumores de células germinales con metástasis a pleura.Paciente masculino de 21 años, inicia su padecimiento con dolor en hemitórax derecho; la radiografía de tórax presenta una radioopacidad en lóbulo medio de pulmón derecho y la tomografía de tórax detecta una masa intratorácica y extrapulmonar. La biopsia torácica guiada por ultrasonido muestra una masa sólida adosada a la pared torácica, con efecto de desplazamiento sobre la pleura, conocido como «efecto en cola de cometa». La biopsia fue positiva para lesión neoplásica maligna poco diferenciada de la pleura. A la exploración encontramos testículo derecho con tumoración en polo inferior el cual se corrobora por ultrasonido. Los marcadores tumorales solo con elevación de alfa-fetoproteína 295.87ng/dL y deshidrogenasa láctica en 2,380UI/L. En la tomografía de abdomen se identificó actividad ganglionar interaortocava. Realizamos orquiectomía radical derecha. Reporte patológico: tumor testicular de saco vitelino, pT1N2M1S2.En este caso se pudo comprobar que las metástasis fueron a nivel pleural, que lo ubica como una forma de diseminación excepcional.AbstractTesticular cancer is the most common malignant urologic tumor in young men. More than 90% are germ cell tumors. The aim of this study was to report the first case of germ cell tumor testicular cancer with metastasis to the pleura.A 21-year-old man had disease onset with pain in the right hemithorax. The chest x-ray showed radio-opacity in the middle lobe of the right lung. A chest tomography scan detected an intrathoracic and extrapulmonary mass. Ultrasound-guided thoracic biopsy revealed a solid mass attached to the thoracic wall, displaced over the pleura, known as the “comet tail effect”. The biopsy was positive for a poorly differentiated malignant neoplastic lesion of the pleura. Upon physical examination we encountered a right testis with a tumor at the lower pole; this was corroborated through ultrasound. In relation to tumor markers, only alpha-fetoprotein was elevated at 295.87ng/dl and lactate dehydrogenase at 2,380 IU/l. An abdominal tomography scan identified interaortocaval lymph node activity. We performed a right radical orchiectomy and the pathology report was testicular yolk sac tumor, pT1N2M1S2.In our patient, metastasis at the level of the pleura was confirmed, making this a case with an exceptional form of spread

The SEEMP Approach to Semantic Interoperability for E-Employment

SEEMP is a European Project that promotes increased partnership between labour market actors and the development of closer relations between private and public employment services, making optimal use of the various actors’ specific characteristics, thus providing job-seekers and employers with better services. The need for a flexible collaboration gives rise to the issue of interoperability in both data exchange and share of services. SEEMP proposes a solution that relies on the concepts of services and semantics in order to provide a meaningful service-based communication among labour market actors requiring a minimal shared commitment