The Higher Institute of Technologies and Applied Sciences (InSTEC) is a Cuban educational institution that prepares students in the fields of nuclear and environmental sciences. It is the only institution in Cuba that provides the opportunities of studies in these topics and one of the few in Latin America. Its headquarters is in Havana, inside the territory of the “Quinta de los Molinos”. The school offers the high education degree in the following programmes:Other postgraduate programmes include the Master in Nuclear and Energetic Installations, the Master in Nuclear Physics and Master in Radiochemistry..
The high demand of sustainable, wearable, and environmentally friendly sensors has led to increased interest in devices such as triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). In particular, textile-TENGs (T-TENGs), a kind of nanogenerator based on textile materials, provide valuable features such as wearability, low cost, and potentially low environmental impact. In this work, triboelectric nanogenerators based on ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and cotton fabric (COF) have been manufactured. To further increase the output performance, cotton fabric was coated with single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNHs), both pristine and treated under oxidation. The coated COF/UHMWPE shows higher output voltage (up to 4.8 and 5.6 V, respectively), showing the positive effect associated with the presence of SWCNHs. Finally, to validate its performance, a proof of concept is presented by developing a portable electronic board for signal acquisition, processing, and analysis of the same as a remote Wi-Fi communication via http so that the breathing of a patient or an impact on the body could be measured and monitored.
The Spin Physics Detector Collaboration proposes to install a universal detector in the second interaction point of the NICA collider under construction (JINR, Dubna) to study the spin structure of the proton and deuteron and other spin-related phenomena using a unique possibility to operate with polarized proton and deuteron beams at a collision energy up to 27 GeV and a luminosity up to 1032 cm−2 s−1. As the main goal, the experiment aims to provide access to the gluon TMD PDFs in the proton and deuteron, as well as the gluon transversity distribution and tensor PDFs in the deuteron, via the measurement of specific single- and double-spin asymmetries using different complementary probes, such as charmonia, open charm, and prompt photon production processes. Other polarized and unpolarized physics is possible, especially at the first stage of NICA operation with reduced luminosity and collision energy of the proton and ion beams. This paper is dedicated exclusively to technical issues of the SPD setup construction. Corrected: 5 February 2025 (the surname of one of the authors was initially misspelled (M. Bolsunovskya), the correct spelling is M. Bolsunovskaya). 23 April 2025 (the surname of one of the authors was initially misspelled (A. Seleznev), the correct spelling is A. Selezenev).
En el presente estudio se sintetizaron nanorods de óxido de zinc (NR-Zn0) mediante el método hidrotermal a 90 °C, a diferentes tiempos de reacción (2, 3, 4 y 5 h) para evaluar cuantitativamente su evolución morfológica. La caracterización por FTIR confirmó la formación del óxido, mientras que las micrografías SEM evidenciaron nanorods homogéneos con geometría hexagonal típica de la fase wurtzita. A través de un flujo de análisis basado en los softwares ImageJ y Origin se determinaron parámetros morfométricos como longitud, diámetro y relación de aspecto, demostrando que el tiempo de reacción es un factor clave para controlar la morfología sin recurrir a técnicas de análisis más complejas. Estos resultados aportan información útil para optimizar la síntesis de NR-ZnO y orientar su incorporación en biomateriales con potencial en aplicaciones avanzadas.
La integración del riesgo climático en la planificación turística es crucial para la sostenibilidad de los destinos costeros vulnerables. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el riesgo climático en el destino Jardines del Rey (Cuba) mediante la actualización de su modelo de ciclo de vida con variables climáticas. Se empleó una metodología descriptiva-correlacional, mediante análisis documental y cartográfico, entrevistas a expertos y observación empírica en los cayos Coco, Guillermo y Paredón Grande. Las variables independientes analizadas fueron el ascenso del nivel medio del mar (proyecciones 2050/2100), exposición a huracanes, sensibilidad ecológica y erosión costera. Los resultados revelaron que el crecimiento de la infraestructura hotelera (6.6% anual) superó al de la demanda (3.9%), lo que cuestiona la fase de "consolidación" previamente asignada. Se proyectó que para 2100 más del 50% de la superficie de Cayo Guillermo y Cayo Paredón Grande sufriría inundación permanente, riesgo climático que califica como muy alto debido a su fragilidad geomorfológica y alta densidad de desarrollo. Se concluyó que el modelo clásico de ciclo de vida es insuficiente y debe actualizarse con la integración de proyecciones climáticas para priorizar medidas de adaptación progresiva, reorientar inversiones y fortalecer la resiliencia del destino, desaconsejando la expansión en zonas de alto riesgo.
In this study, we demonstrate an efficient optical-to-thermal energy-conversion (self-heating) ability of room temperature (RT)-grown gallium nitride (GaN) thin films on direct amorphous glass substrates. Radio frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering was employed to experimentally achieve the RT crystallinity of these films directly on glass substrates. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations are implemented to elucidate their optothermal response. Our experimental approach precludes the need for conventional prerequisites such as pre- or postannealing, substrate heating, or utilizing buffer (nucleation) nanolayers during the fabrication of GaN thin films on glass substrates. Notably, thin films with an excellent hexagonal wurtzite polymorphic phase comprising mainly (101), (002), and (100) planes is witnessed. Comprehensive characterizations, including structural, morphological, elemental, and surficial analyses, were performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), correspondingly. These analyses confirm the exceptional homogeneity, morphology, and structural integrity of the RT-grown GaN films on the glass. Furthermore, this study also examined the influence of rf-power and gas flow on the film growth rate, thickness, and overall quality. Thickness (t GaN) dependent optical response, power absorption (P abs), and volumetric power dissipation (P abs-density) in the GaN films were analyzed across the ultraviolet-visible (UV-visible) spectrum using FDTD simulations. Our findings offer a potentially transformative approach for the cost-effective, large-scale production of GaN substrates that are crucial for power and optoelectronic applications. This work paves the way for futuristic advancements by facilitating further investigation into critical challenges such as strain-induced crystallographic orientation issues, phase stability, and mitigation of lattice mismatch and dislocation defects in ultrathin GaN films. Furthermore, our research plays a vital role in unlocking the full potential of GaN films in energy harvesting applications.
