Multi-filter transit observations of WASP-39b and WASP-43b with three San Pedro M\'artir telescopes

Three optical telescopes located at the San Pedro M\'artir National Observatory were used for the first time to obtain multi-filter defocused photometry of the transiting extrasolar planets WASP-39b and WASP-43b. We observed WASP-39b with the 2.12m telescope in the U filter for the first time, and additional observations were carried out in the R and I filters using the 0.84m telescope. WASP-43b was observed in VRI with the same instrument, and in the i filter with the robotic 1.50m telescope. We reduced the data using different pipelines and performed aperture photometry with the help of custom routines, in order to obtain the light curves. The fit of the light curves (1.5--2.5mmag rms), and of the period analysis, allowed a revision of the orbital and physical parameters, revealing for WASP-39b a period ($4.0552947 \pm 9.65 \times 10^{-7}$ days) which is $3.084 \pm 0.774$ seconds larger than previously reported. Moreover, we find for WASP-43b a planet/star radius ($0.1738 \pm 0.0033$) which is $0.01637 \pm 0.00371$ larger in the i filter with respect to previous works, and that should be confirmed with additional observations. Finally, we confirm no evidence of constant period variations in WASP-43b.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, accepted in PASP, scheduled for the February 1, 2015 issu

El aprendizaje del español como lengua extranjera desde una perspectiva de sensibilización cultural

En los últimos años, el aprendizaje del español como lengua extranjera ha tenido un auge entre los extranjeros. Según el Instituto Cervantes (2022), casi 22 millones de personas estudian español alrededor del mundo. En el primer semestre del 2021, la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera se percibe como una necesidad en un programa de formación docente de español y lenguas extranjeras de una universidad privada de Bogotá, Colombia. Este trabajo pretende mostrar los resultados de un proyecto de investigación, de tipo cualitativo, cuyo principal objetivo fue fomentar el aprendizaje de ELE en aprendices de nacionalidad extranjera por medio de una sensibilización cultural, en este caso, con estudiantes de nacionalidad coreana. La población participante en el estudio se escogió teniendo en cuenta las relaciones de amistad y cooperación entre Colombia y Corea, la creación de las relaciones diplomáticas en 1962 y la reciente relación estratégica de cooperación establecida en el 2011. Para tal fin, en el segundo semestre del 2022 se diseñó e implementó un curso virtual llamado “Practiquemos Español”, el cual se realizó por medio de la plataforma de zoom. El curso buscó promover un acercamiento entre la cultura Latinoamericana y la cultura del país de origen de los aprendices y promocionar a Colombia como un destino atractivo para aprender español. Los resultados muestran que el conocimiento de la cultura de los países hispanohablantes es fundamental en el proceso de aprendizaje del español porque permite una mejor comprensión del idioma, promueve su aprendizaje e incrementa la motivación de los estudiantes para seguir perfeccionándolo.Universidad Libre- Ciencias de la educación- Licenciatura en Español y Lengua extranjerasOver the last few years, learning Spanish as a foreign language has experienced an increase among foreign individuals. According to Instituto Cervantes (2022), approximately 22 million people are studying Spanish around the world. In the first semester of 2021, teaching Spanish as a foreign language was considered a necessity within a bachelor’s degree program in Spanish and foreign languages at a Private University in Bogota, Colombia. This information aims to present a qualitative research project with the main objective of promoting the learning of ELE (Español como Lengua Extranjera) among foreign learners through cultural awareness, specifically focusing on students of Korean nationality in this case. The population was selected based on the existing friendship and cooperation between Colombia and Korea, which includes the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1962 and the recent strategic cooperation relationship established in 2011. To achieve this goal, a course named "Practiquemos Español" was designed and implemented during the second semester of 2022, utilizing the Zoom platform. The course aimed to facilitate a connection between Latin American culture and the students' own cultures, while also promoting Colombia as an appealing destination for learning Spanish. The results show that knowledge of the culture of Spanish-speaking countries is essential in the process of learning Spanish, as it enhances comprehension of the language, encourages its acquisition, and bolsters students' motivation to further enhance their skills

A cooperative-relational approach to digital libraries

Copyright @ 2007 Springer-Verlag, Berlin HeidelbergThis paper presents a novel approach to model-driven development of Digital Library (DL) systems. The overall idea is to allow Digital Library systems designers (e.g. information architects, librarians, domain experts) to easily design such systems by using a visual language. We designed a Domain Specific Visual Language for such a purpose and developed a framework supporting it; this framework helps designers by automatically generating code for the defined Digital Library system, so that they do not have to get involved into technical issues concerning its deployment. In our approach, both Human-Computer Interaction and Computer Supported Collaborative Work techniques are exploited when generating interfaces and services for the specific Digital Library domain

Incentivizing Information Literacy Integration: A Case Study on Faculty–Librarian Collaboration

Frequently, information literacy instruction takes the form of a one-shot library session with minimal collaboration between librarians and teaching faculty. To offer an alternative to this model, librarians implemented the Information Literacy Mini-Grant; an incentivized program inviting teaching faculty to collaborate with librarians to redesign an assignment to integrate information literacy into their course. Following the semester-long collaboration, teaching faculty provided written feedback and participated in a panel discussion to share their experiences with the program. This case study examines teaching faculty’s perceptions of collaborating with librarians in the pilot year of the program. Teaching faculty’s feedback provided insights into their perceptions of librarians, their thoughts regarding librarians’ unique expertise as pedagogical partners, and the challenges of collaborations. This case study considers the successes and challenges of the program and provides recommendations for future faculty-librarian collaborations that position librarians as partners in student learning

Dosimetry characterization of 32^{32}P intravascular brachytherapy source wires using Monte Carlo codes PENELOPE and GEANT4

Monte Carlo calculations using the codes PENELOPE and GEANT4 have been performed to characterize the dosimetric parameters of the new 20 mm long catheter based $^{32}$P beta source manufactured by Guidant Corporation. The dose distribution along the transverse axis and the two dimensional dose rate table have been calculated. Also, the dose rate at the reference point, the radial dose function and the anisotropy function were evaluated according to the adapted TG-60 formalism for cylindrical sources. PENELOPE and GEANT4 codes were first verified against previous results corresponding to the old 27 mm Guidant $^{32}$P beta source. The dose rate at the reference point for the unsheathed 27 mm source in water was calculated to be $0.215 \pm 0.001$ cGy s$^{-1}$ mCi$^{-1}$, for PENELOPE, and $0.2312 \pm 0.0008$ cGy s$^{-1}$ mCi$^{-1}$, for GEANT4. For the unsheathed 20 mm source these values were $0.2908 \pm 0.0009$ cGy s$^{-1}$ mCi$^{-1}$ and $0.311 \pm 0.001$ cGy s$^{-1}$ mCi$^{-1}$, respectively. Also, a comparison with the limited data available on this new source is shown. We found non negligible differences between the results obtained with PENELOPE and GEANT4.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, 7 tables (accepted for publication in Medical Physics

Reinforced silica-carbon nanotube monolithic aerogels synthesised by rapid controlled gelation

This work introduces a new synthesis procedure for obtaining homogeneous silica hybrid aerogels with carbon nanotube contents up to 2.50 wt.%. The inclusion of nanotubes in the highly porous silica matrix was performed by a two-step sol–gel process, resulting in samples with densities below 80 mg/cm3. The structural analyses (N2 physisorption and SEM) revealed the hierarchical structure of the porous matrix formed by nanoparticles arranged in clusters of 100 and 300 nm in size, specific surface areas around 600 m2/g and porous volumes above 4.0 cm3/g. In addition, a relevant increase on the mechanical performance was found, and an increment of 50% for the compressive strength and 90% for the maximum deformation were measured by uniaxial compression. This reinforcement was possible thanks to the outstanding dispersion of the CNT within the silica matrix and the formation of Si–O–C bridges between nanotubes and silica matrix, as suggested by FTIR. Therefore, the original synthesis procedure introduced in this work allows the fabrication of highly porous hybrid materials loaded with carbon nanotubes homogeneously distributed in the space, which remain available for a variety of technological applications

Multi-transmission-line-beam interactive system

We construct here a Lagrangian field formulation for a system consisting of an electron beam interacting with a slow-wave structure modeled by a possibly non-uniform multiple transmission line (MTL). In the case of a single line we recover the linear model of a traveling wave tube (TWT) due to J.R. Pierce. Since a properly chosen MTL can approximate a real waveguide structure with any desired accuracy, the proposed model can be used in particular for design optimization. Furthermore, the Lagrangian formulation provides for: (i) a clear identification of the mathematical source of amplification, (ii) exact expressions for the conserved energy and its flux distributions obtained from the Noether theorem. In the case of uniform MTLs we carry out an exhaustive analysis of eigenmodes and find sharp conditions on the parameters of the system to provide for amplifying regimes

Elevated CO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e further lengthens growing season under warming conditions

Observations of a longer growing season through earlier plant growth in temperate to polar regions have been thought to be a response to climate warming. However, data from experimental warming studies indicate that many species that initiate leaf growth and flowering earlier also reach seed maturation and senesce earlier, shortening their active and reproductive periods. A conceptual model to explain this apparent contradiction, and an analysis of the effect of elevated CO2—which can delay annual life cycle events—on changing season length, have not been tested. Here we show that experimental warming in a temperate grassland led to a longer growing season through earlier leaf emergence by the first species to leaf, often a grass, and constant or delayed senescence by other species that were the last to senesce, supporting the conceptual model. Elevated CO2 further extended growing, but not reproductive, season length in the warmed grassland by conserving water, which enabled most species to remain active longer. Our results suggest that a longer growing season, especially in years or biomes where water is a limiting factor, is not due to warming alone, but also to higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations that extend the active period of plant annual life cycles