Writing Abstracts: Technological Applications from a Corpus-Based Study

Paper (RP), have often been analyzed in order to observe how information has been rendered for translation or contrastive analysis purposes. However, in this genre, as in many others, “while there is a wealth of descriptive research, generally speaking, the information is not directly amenable to applied endevours” (Rabadán, 2008: 103). The aim of this paper was to describe the methodology and the tools devised by the ACTRES research group to bridge the transition between linguistic description and procedural information. The first step of this process was to design a small special corpus of scientific abstracts, the BioAbstracts_C-ACTRES. The macro and microlinguistic characteristics of this corpus were analyzed in order to find the most prototypical rhetorical, grammatical and lexical features of this genre. Then, we identified the “anchors” (Rabadán: in press) relevant for the native speakers of Spanish. Finally, a prototype of a writing application, the Scientific_Abstract_Generator, has been designed. Still under development, it aims at helping native Spanish users who are non-linguist field experts, to write scientific abstracts in English

The role of sulfate groups in controlling CaCO3 polymorphism

The nucleation and growth of CaCO3 phases from aqueous solutions with SO4 2-:CO3 2- ratios from 0 to 1.62 and a pH ∼ 10.9 were studied experimentally in batch reactors at 25 ºC. The mineralogy, morphology and composition of the precipitates were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and microanalyses. The solids recovered after short reaction times (5 min to 1 h) consisted of a mixture of calcite and vaterite, with a S content that linearly correlates with the SO4 2-:CO32- ratio in the aqueous solution. The solvent-mediated transformation of vaterite to calcite subsequently occurred. After 24 h of equilibration, calcite was the only phase present in the precipitate for aqueous solutions with SO4 2-:CO3 2- ≤ 1. For SO4 2-:CO3 2- > 1, vaterite persisted as a major phase for a longer time (>250 h for SO4 2-:CO3 2- = 1.62). To study the role of sulfate in stabilizing vaterite, we performed a molecular simulation of the substitution of sulfate for carbonate groups into the crystal structure of vaterite, aragonite and calcite. The results obtained show that the incorporation of small amounts (<3 mole%) of sulfate is energetically favorable in the vaterite structure, unfavorable in calcite and very unfavorable in aragonite. The computer modeling provided thermodynamic information, which, combined with kinetic arguments, allowed us to put forward a plausible explanation for the observed crystallization behavior

Spectral fluorescence variation of pollen and spores from recent peat-forming plants

The fluorescence properties of spores and pollen grains examined under ultraviolet incident light are used to assess the maturity of sedimentary organic matter and may have other applications in relation to recent sediments, in areas such as paleoenvironmental research. In this study pollen grains and spores from 33 species common in peat ecosystems were mounted on a glass slide in accordance with standard palynologycal procedures for recent plants. The main objective of this work was to assess the variability of fluorescence spectra of pollens and spores within a single species or even within a single sample. A minimum of 10 spectra were recorded from each sample and were averaged to obtain a spectrum characteristic of each sample. Both the average scattering and the scattering in different spectral regions were calculated using the standard deviation (SD) and the coefficient of variation (CV). The effect of the preparation techniques was assessed on some samples of Ericaceae taxa. The results indicated similar spectra for alcohol-washed and distilled water-washed samples, whereas the application of an acetolysis solution caused an increase in intensity and a shift to longer wavelengths. The spectra corresponding to the Sphagnum spores had the lowest intensity of all the families studied and displayed their maxima at the lowest registered wavelengths. They often showed a peak in the red region of the spectra, causing a larger scatter in fluorescence in this region. This peak is probably the result of wax or cytoplasmic material attached to the exospore. A significant number of Ericaceae taxa had two fluorescing pollen populations: a blue one of high intensity and smaller size and a yellow-orange one of low intensity and larger size. This difference could be related to different degrees of maturity of the pollen grains. In the case of pollen grains of herbaceous, tree and bush plants the largest scatter was found in the tails of the spectra toward the blue and red regions. The decreasing trend of fluorescence intensity with the shift of the spectra toward red was not observed in the pollen and spores of fresh plants. A good correlation was found between the spectral maxima (λmax) and the red-green quotient (QR/G) regardless of the type of plant.Financial support from MICINN (CGL2009-13990-C02-01/02), MINECO (CGL2013-46458-C2-1-R) and a FPU fellowship from MEC for J. Urbanczyk are gratefully acknowledged.Peer reviewe

La pesquisa activa desde un enfoque estudiantil en el enfrentamiento a la COVID-19

Introduction: the active survey medical students carry out plays an essential role in fighting Covid-19.Objective: to characterize the work of the active survey from the perspective of medical students in fighting Covid-19.Method: an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out with medical students who conducted surveys in Habana del Este and 10 de Octubre municipalities, in September 2020. The target group included 55 medical students who agreed to participate in the study; the totality of the group was included in the study.Results: female students predominated (60 %), and students of Medicine (87,27 %). The 12,73 % of them described the surveys as an unnecessary activity and 69,09 % expressed it is a slowdown on the development of the teaching-learning process; 96,36 % reported that the work of the active survey was supervised by healthcare professionals and 80 % reported receiving training from healthcare professionals in the health area. Among the difficulties in conducting the active survey, the students reported a negative attitude on the part of the population being surveyed (36,36 %).Conclusions: medical students showed a positive response about the importance of doing surveys; however, many students considered it a slowdown on the development of the educational process without contributions to professional development. The professors play an essential role in the training and supervision of active surveys.Introducción: la pesquisa activa realizada por estudiantes de ciencias médicas juega un papel indispensable en el enfrentamiento a la COVID-19Objetivo: caracterizar la labor de la pesquisa activa desde la perspectiva estudiantil en el enfrentamiento a la COVID-19.Método: se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal en estudiantes de las ciencias médicas que se encontraron pesquisando en los municipios Habana del Este y 10 de Octubre, en el mes de septiembre de 2020. El universo estuvo conformado por 55 estudiantes que accedieron a participar en el estudio, trabajándose con la totalidad.Resultados: se encontró predominio de las féminas (60 %), y estudiantes de Medicina (87,27 %). El 12,73 % calificó la pesquisa como una actividad innecesaria y el 69,09 % la calificó como un freno para el desarrollo del proceso docente. El 96,36 % refirió que la labor de pesquisa activa fue supervisada por profesionales de la salud y el 80 % expuso recibir la preparación por parte de profesionales de la salud del área de salud. Entre las dificultades en la realización de la pesquisa activa, los estudiantes refirieron una actitud negativa por parte de la población objeto de pesquisa (36,36 %). Conclusiones: existió una apercepción positiva por parte de los estudiantes sobre la importancia de la pesquisa, sin embargo, un gran número de estudiantes la consideró como un freno en el desarrollo del proceso docente-educativo y sin aportes al desarrollo profesional. El profesor juega un papel imprescindible en la preparación y guía de la pesquisa activa

Cualificación acústica de una cámara de transmisión vertical de dimensiones reducidas

En el laboratorio de Acústica y Vibraciones de la ETS de Arquitectura UPM se ha construido una cámara de transmisión vertical de dimensiones reducidas con fines de investigación y docencia. Dispone de una abertura de ensayo de área 7,5 m2, sobre la que se ha instalado una losa de hormigón de 140 mm de espesor. Los volúmenes de las salas superior e inferior son 13,2 m3 y 11,8 m3 respectivamente. En este trabajo se muestran los ensayos realizados en la caracterización de la cámara siguiendo las directrices generales indicadas en las Normas UNE-EN ISO 10140-3 y 5: 2011

Crecimiento de cristales de anglesita y celestina en gel de sílice. Transferencia de masa y criterios de cristalización Sílice. Transferencia de masa y criterios de cristalización

En el presente trabajo se analiza la cristalización de Celestina (SrSO,) mediante la técnica del gel de Sílice. El dispositivo experimental consistió en un sistema doble de difusión-reacción. Los reactivos empleados fueron SrCL, y N%S04 (0.5.0.3 y 0.1M. en ambos casos). La testificación experimental de la transferencia de masa y de la evolución del pH en el gel sirvió de vehículo para establecer unos "criterios de cristalización" que. unidos a la sobresaturación, han permitido justificar la posición del primer precipitado. Asimismo, se ha estudiado la influencia de la sobresaturación y de la velocidad de sobresaturación en la morfologíade crecimiento de los cristales de Celestina. El caracter de sistema abierto de la técnica empleada da lugar a que las condiciones de cristalización se modifiquen a lo largo del tiempo y del espacio. Dicha evolución queda reflejada en diferentes estadios morfológicos que se han interpretado de acuerdo con las características fisicoquímicas del medio

Efectos de la ceguera sobre la actividad oxidativa de estructuras del sistema nervioso central y glandulares en ratas machos y hembras

Estudio de la influencia de la ceguera en la rata sobre la actividad oxidativa de partes de sistema nervioso y ovarios y testículos

A simple formula for the computation of branches and asymptotes of curves and some applications

In this paper, we obtain a simple formula based on the computation of some derivatives for determining the branches and the asymptotes of curves that are defined by a parametrization. For this purpose, we use some previous results and notions presented in Blasco and Pérez-Díaz, 2014a, Blasco and Pérez-Díaz, 2014b, Blasco and Pérez-Díaz, 2015, Blasco and Pérez-Díaz, 2020. From these results, we show how the generalized asymptotes of the input curve can be easily computed and we present some applications related to the ramification index and degree of the asymptote, the infinity form and the multiplicity of the infinity points. Furthermore, we show how to construct all the families of parametric curves having some given asymptotes. We develop this method for the plane case but it can be trivially adapted for dealing with rational curves in n-dimensional space. In addition, the formulaes presented can be similarly obtained for curves defined by a parametrization not necessarily rational.Agencia Estatal de Investigació

Asymptotic behavior of a surface implicitly defined

In this paper, we introduce the notion of infinity branches and approaching surfaces. We obtain an algorithm that compares the behavior at the infinity of two given algebraic surfaces that are defined by an irreducible polynomial. Furthermore, we show that if two surfaces have the same asymptotic behavior, the Hausdorff distance between them is finite. All these concepts are new and represent a great advance for the study of surfaces and their applications.Agencia Estatal de Investigació