Measuring the Solar Radius from Space during the 2003 and 2006 Mercury Transits

The Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory observed the transits of Mercury on 2003 May 7 and 2006 November 8. Contact times between Mercury and the solar limb have been used since the 17th century to derive the Sun's size but this is the first time that high-quality imagery from space, above the Earth's atmosphere, has been available. Unlike other measurements this technique is largely independent of optical distortion. The true solar radius is still a matter of debate in the literature as measured differences of several tenths of an arcsecond (i.e., about 500 km) are apparent. This is due mainly to systematic errors from different instruments and observers since the claimed uncertainties for a single instrument are typically an order of magnitude smaller. From the MDI transit data we find the solar radius to be 960".12 +/- 0".09 (696,342 +/- 65 km). This value is consistent between the transits and consistent between different MDI focus settings after accounting for systematic effects.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal (2012 March 5

Virtual agent organizations to optimize energy consumption in households

Global warming affects us all, that is why we must all act to stop it. It has been shown that this undoubted problem can be solved to a large extend if we make small individual efforts. How can we do this? Making prudent use of electricity. If we manage to make more efficient use of the energy we consume in our homes, we will contribute enormously in this common cause. With the help of virtual agents, we will get a better management of the energy we consume

Educación física. Propuesta de aplicación de las nuevas tecnologías a la evaluación en el proceso educativo de la ESO

La evaluación del proceso educativo sólo ocasionalmente se lleva a la práctica. Probablemente el mayor problema al que tradicionalmente se ha enfrentado la evaluación del proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje es el cómo y por quien llevarlo a cabo. En casi la totalidad de los estudios realizados, se contemplan tres elementos básicos para desarrollar la evaluación del proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje: Evaluación del alumno, Evaluación del profesor, y Evaluación del proceso de la acción didáctica. Esta labor de evaluación, que ha de ser acometida por los Departamentos de Educación Física, sólo es posible si se dispone de una amplia información de todos los componentes involucrados en el proceso; y sólo a partir de estos, es posible analizar y diagnosticar las deficiencias. En este artículo se presenta una propuesta de evaluación del proceso a través del análisis previo de los datos recogidos de los alumnos. Estos son tratados informativamente y ofrecen de forma sencilla y automática, a través de la hoja de cálculo Excel 2000 de Microsoft, una representación estadística y gráfica de los resultados.The evaluation of the educational process is only occasionally put into practice. Probably the biggest problem traditionally encountered in the evaluation of the teaching-learning process is how to implement it and by whom. Almost all the studies carried out contemplate three elements as the basis for implementing the evaluation of the teaching-learning process: Evaluation of the student, Evaluation of the teacher, and Evaluation of the educational methodology. This task of evaluation, which has to be carried out by the Physical Education Department, is possible only when you have available information from all the components involved in the process; and only then is it viable to analyze and diagnose the deficiencies. A proposal for the evaluation of the process in presented based on the analysis of data collected from students. This data is entered into a Microsoft Excel 2000 spreadsheet and processed to provide a statistical and graphical representation of the results. See "The computerized evaluation in Physical Education for E.S.O." – Martínez López (2001); Published by Paidotribo

Corrugated velocity patterns in the spiral galaxies: NGC 278, NGC 1058, NGC 2500 & UGC 3574

We address the study of the H α vertical velocity field in a sample of four nearly face-on galaxies using long-slit spectroscopy taken with the Intermediate dispersion Spectrograph and Imaging System (ISIS), attached to the William Herschel Telescope (WHT) at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (Spain). The spatial structure of the velocity vertical component shows a radial corrugated pattern with spatial scales higher or within the order of 1 kpc. The gas is mainly ionized by high-energy photons: only in some locations of NGC 278 and NGC 1058 is there some evidence of ionization by low-velocity shocks, which, in the case of NGC 278, could be due to minor mergers. The behaviour of the gas in the neighbourhood of the spiral arms fits, in the majority of the observed cases, with that predicted by the so-called hydraulic bore mechanism, where a thick magnetized disc encounters a spiral density perturbation. The results obtained show that it is difficult to explain the H α large-scale velocity field without the presence of a magnetized, thick galactic disc. Larger samples and spatial covering of the galaxy discs are needed to provide further insight into this problem.We acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through grants AYA2010-17631 and AYA2013-40611-P, and from the Consejeria de Educacion y Ciencia (Junta de Andalucia) through TIC-101, TIC-4075 and TIC-114Peer Reviewe

Análisis de las motivaciones para la participación en la comunidad

En este artículo se describen y se analizan los tipos de motivación que conducen a los integrantes de una comunidad a participar en sus asociaciones. De una muestra de 274 estudiantes universitarios, 138 manifestaron pertenecer al menos a una asociación. Los participantes indicaron el nombre de la(s) asociación(es) y las incluyeron en diferentes categorías (política, cultural, asistencial, religiosa, deportiva, de ocio y otras). Cada participante expresó sus motivos para pertenecer a ella(s). Se realizó un análisis de contenido con sus respuestas, utilizando los diez tipos motivacionales de la teoría de los valores de Schwartz como categorías de codificación. Los resultados indican una diferente orientación por género para participar en las asociaciones. En general, los motivos colectivistas están más representados en la participación en la comunidad que los motivos individualistas.This paper aims to describe the motivation types driving people of a community to participate in its associations. Out of a sample of 274 university students, 138 reported they belonged to at least one association. Participants reported the name of the association(s) and included it/them in different categories (political, cultural, assistencial, religious, sporting, leisure and others). Every participant expressed his/her motives to participate there. A content analysis was made on their answers, using the ten motivational types of Schwartz's theory of values as coding categories. Results show a differential gender orientation to participate in different types of associations. In general, collectivist motives are more represented in community participation than individualist motives

Clinical Uses of Melatonin in Pediatrics

This study analyzes the results of clinical trials of treatments with melatonin conducted in children, mostly focused on sleep disorders of different origin. Melatonin is beneficial not only in the treatment of dyssomnias, especially delayed sleep phase syndrome, but also on sleep disorders present in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity, autism spectrum disorders, and, in general, in all sleep disturbances associated with mental, neurologic, or other medical disorders. Sedative properties of melatonin have been used in diagnostic situations requiring sedation or as a premedicant in children undergoing anesthetic procedures. Epilepsy and febrile seizures are also susceptible to treatment with melatonin, alone or associated with conventional antiepileptic drugs. Melatonin has been also used to prevent the progression in some cases of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. In newborns, and particularly those delivered preterm, melatonin has been used to reduce oxidative stress associated with sepsis, asphyxia, respiratory distress, or surgical stress. Finally, the administration of melatonin, melatonin analogues, or melatonin precursors to the infants through the breast-feeding, or by milk formula adapted for day and night, improves their nocturnal sleep. Side effects of melatonin treatments in children have not been reported. Although the above-described results are promising, specific studies to resolve the problem of dosage, formulations, and length of treatment are necessary

Learning force patterns with a multimodal system using contextual cues

Previous studies on learning force patterns (fine motor skills) have focused on providing “punctual information”, which means users only receive information about their performance at the current time step. This work proposes a new approach based on “contextual information”, in which users receive information not only about the current time step, but also about the past (how the target force has changed over time) and the future (how the target force will change). A test was run to compare the performance of the contextual approach in relation to the punctual information, in which each participant had to memorize and then reproduce a pattern of force after training with a multimodal system. The findings suggest that the contextual approach is a useful strategy for force pattern learning. The advantage of the contextual information approach over the punctual information approach is that users receive information about the evolution of their performance (helping to correct the errors), and they also receive information about the next forces to be exerted (providing them with a better understanding of the target force profile). Finally, the contextual approach could be implemented in medical training platforms or surgical robots to extend the capabilities of these systems

The fractal dimension of star-forming regions at different spatial scales in M33

We study the distribution of stars, HII regions, molecular gas, and individual giant molecular clouds in M33 over a wide range of spatial scales. The clustering strength of these components is systematically estimated through the fractal dimension. We find scale-free behavior at small spatial scales and a transition to a larger correlation dimension (consistent with a nearly uniform distribution) at larger scales. The transition region lies in the range 500-1000 pc. This transition defines a characteristic size that separates the regime of small-scale turbulent motion from that of large-scale galactic dynamics. At small spatial scales, bright young stars and molecular gas are distributed with nearly the same three-dimensional fractal dimension (Df <= 1.9), whereas fainter stars and HII regions exhibit higher values (Df = 2.2-2.5). Our results indicate that the interstellar medium in M33 is on average more fragmented and irregular than in the Milky Way.Comment: 18 pages including 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap

INCIDENCIAS PUNTUALES DE LA LEY 7/2003, DE 1 DE ABRIL, EN EL RÉGIMEN GENERAL DE LA SOCIEDAD DE RESPONSABILIDAD LIMITADA

Según la propia Exposición de Motivos de la Ley 7/2003, de 1 de abril [razonamiento II], ésta trata de «resolver tres problemas que se han identificado en la mayoría de nuestras empresas: las dificultades de financiación, la pérdida del control de la gestión por los socios que ostentan la mayoría y los problemas de supervivencia de la sociedad derivados de la sucesión generacional». La solución de tales problemas permitirá que las pequeñas y medianas empresas instituidas bajo la forma de sociedad limitada puedan «desarrollarse, alcanzar el ámbito internacional y superar los cambios generacionales dentro de las mismas». (...