Multidisciplinary investigations of earthflow processes in the differential erosion furrows morphostructural unit, Northern Rif (Morocco): case study of the Seikha landslide

In the Rif mountain chain, Slow earthflow processes affectthe clayey and flysch formations of the Tangier and Flysch structural units respectively. To understand the underlying geomorphological processes and the trigger-failure relationship between the local mediterranean climate conditions and the earthflow-like morphologies at the Differential Erosion Furrow (DEF) morphostructural unit, a case study is conducted at the Seikha earthflow. The methodology proposed uses a multidisciplinary approach, coupling in situ geophysical and geotechnical tests to study the geometry of the landslide and remote sensing techniques to monitor its activity. Our results indicate that on one hand, the cross-analysis of geological and geophysical results shows that landslide processes at the study area follow a typical terrestrial-style earthflow model, where the geological structures controlling the landscape’s evolution are orientated parallel to the longitudinal stress direction. Vertical and horizontal resistivity variations also allow reconstructing the retrogressive genetic processes responsible for older processes that contributed to the evolution of this hillslope in particular and the DEF morphostructural unit as a whole. On the other hand, the interpretation of multitemporal aerial photographs suggests that the Seikha landslide is in a dormant state and that its acceleration periods follow multiannual cyclic trends related to historic climate and base level fall variations. Seasonal Trends are also emphasized by SBAS (small baseline subset) inSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) and borehole inclinometer results, which show evidence of slow gravitational deformation that can be accelerated during seasonal rainfall periods.En la cadena montañosa del Rif, los procesos lentos de earthflow (flujo de tierra) afectan a las formaciones arcillosas y flysch de las unidades estructurales de Tánger y Flysch, respectivamente. Para comprender los procesos geomorfológicos subyacentes y la relación entre los factores desencadenantes y la ruptura, en el contexto de las condiciones climáticas mediterráneas locales y las morfologías tipo earthflow observadas en la unidad morfoestructural de Surco de Erosión Diferencial (DEF, por sus siglas en inglés), se lleva a cabo un estudio de caso en el earthflow de Seikha. La metodología propuesta emplea un enfoque multidisciplinar que combina ensayos geofísicos y geotécnicos in situ para estudiar la geometría del deslizamiento, junto con técnicas de teledetección para monitorear su actividad. Nuestros resultados indican, por un lado, que el análisis cruzado de los datos geológicos y geofísicos muestra que los procesos de deslizamiento en el área de estudio siguen un modelo típico de earthflow de tipo terrestre, donde las estructuras geológicas que controlan la evolución del paisaje están orientadas en paralelo a la dirección del esfuerzo longitudinal. Las variaciones verticales y horizontales de resistividad permiten además reconstruir los procesos genéticos retrógrados responsables de eventos antiguos que contribuyeron a la evolución de esta ladera en particular y de la unidad morfoestructural DEF en su conjunto. Por otro lado, la interpretación de fotografías aéreas multitemporales sugiere que el deslizamiento de Seikha se encuentra en un estado latente (dormant) y que sus períodos de aceleración siguen tendencias cíclicas multianuales relacionadas con variaciones históricas del clima y del descenso del nivel de base. Las tendencias estacionales también se ponen de manifiesto mediante los resultados de SBAS (small baseline subset) InSAR (Radar Interferométrico de Apertura Sintética) y de inclinómetros en sondeos, los cuales evidencian una deformación gravitacional lenta que puede acelerarse durante los períodos de lluvias estacionales.Funding for this research was provided by the CNRST “Centre National de Recherche Scientifique et Technique” as part of the PPR2/205/65 project. Funding for open access publishing: Universidad de Granada/CBUA. The authors of this paper wish to express their sincere appreciation for the financial support received from these organizations

The persistence of gender roles in legal discourse facing the reform of the Moroccan Mudawwana

Proyecto PID2022-139657NB-I00 “Cambios legislativos en el Magreb central tras la Primavera Árabe: narrativas democratizadoras, libertades públicas y género” financiado por MICIUE AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y por FEDER, UE.El lenguaje es el instrumento fundamental que permite comunicar y moldear los valores, comportamientos y roles que distinguen a las personas en el ejercicio de las funciones sociales. La Constitución marroquí reconoce los derechos a la igualdad entre hombres y mujeres y a la no discriminación. Sin embargo, este reconocimiento formal resulta insuficiente en la práctica por lo que el lenguaje legal desempeña un papel esencial en la consecución real de los derechos. La Mudawwana representa un caso paradigmático de pervivencia de leyes discriminatorias en el ordenamiento jurídico marroquí. El principal objetivo de este trabajo es revisar el lenguaje del citado texto, ante el anuncio de su inminente reforma, desde la perspectiva feminista del análisis crítico del discurso jurídico para poner de manifiesto tanto las incoherencias y la presencia de términos y artículos sexistas como la capacidad transformadora del derecho.Language is the fundamental instrument for communicating and shaping the values, behaviours and roles that distinguish people in the exercise of social functions. The Moroccan Constitution recognises the rights to equality between men and women and to non-discrimination. However, this formal recognition is insufficient in practice in the actual realization of rights due to a range of factors among which the laws and the legal discourse play an essential role. The Mudawwana represents a paradigmatic case of the survival of discriminatory laws in the Moroccan legal system. The main objective of this paper is to review the language of the above-mentioned text and the most controversial legal figures, as well as the changes experimented in this law, in view of its imminent reform, from a feminist perspective to highlight both the inconsistencies and the presence of sexist terms and articles, as well as the transformative capacity of law.MICIUE/AEI/10.13039 /501100011033 PID2022-139657NB-I00FEDER, U

Data quality tools to enhance a network anomaly detection benchmark

Network traffic datasets are essential for the construction of traffic models, often using machine learning (ML) techniques. Among other applications, these models can be employed to solve complex optimization problems or to identify anomalous behaviors, i.e., behaviors that deviate from the established model. However, the performance of the ML model depends, among other factors, on the quality of the data used to train it. Benchmark datasets, with a profound impact on research findings, are often assumed to be of good quality by default. In this paper, we derive four variants of a benchmark dataset in network anomaly detection (UGR’16, a flow-based real-world traffic dataset designed for anomaly detection), and show that the choice among variants has a larger impact on model performance than the ML technique used to build the model. To analyze this phenomenon, we propose a methodology to investigate the causes of these differences and to assess the quality of the data labeling. Our results underline the importance of paying more attention to data quality assessment in network anomaly detection.Agencia Estatal de Investigación in Spain, MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033, grant No. PID2020-113462RB-I0

A Novel Approach for Evaluating Web Page Performance Based on Machine Learning Algorithms and Optimization Algorithms

This work has been developed under the grant PID2023-147409NB-C21, funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia Innovación y Universidades (Agencia Estatal de Investigación) MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, as well as by ERDF (European Union). The research has also been funded by projects TED2021-131699B-I00 and TED2021-129938B-I00 (MICU and AEI), as well as projects PID2020-113462RB-I00 and PID2020-115570GB-C22 of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness; project C-ING-179-UGR23 financed by the “Consejería de Universidades, Investigación e Inno-vación” (Andalusian Government, FEDER Program 2021-2027); and project PPJIA2023-031 (Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia UGR).This study introduces a novel evaluation framework for predicting web page performance, utilizing state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of web quality assessment. We systematically identify and analyze 59 key attributes that influence website performance, derived from an extensive literature review spanning from 2010 to 2024. By integrating a comprehensive set of performance metrics—encompassing usability, accessibility, content relevance, visual appeal, and technical performance—our framework transcends traditional methods that often rely on limited indicators. Employing various classification algorithms, including Support Vector Machines (SVMs), Logistic Regression, and Random Forest, we compare their effectiveness on both original and feature-selected datasets. Our findings reveal that SVMs achieved the highest predictive accuracy of 89% with feature selection, compared to 87% without feature selection. Similarly, Random Forest models showed a slight improvement, reaching 81% with feature selection versus 80% without. The application of feature selection techniques significantly enhances model performance, demonstrating the importance of focusing on impactful predictors. This research addresses critical gaps in the existing literature by proposing a methodology that utilizes newly extracted features, making it adaptable for evaluating the performance of various website types. The integration of automated tools for evaluation and predictive capabilities allows for proactive identification of potential performance issues, facilitating informed decision-making during the design and development phases. By bridging the gap between predictive modeling and optimization, this study contributes valuable insights to practitioners and researchers alike, establishing new benchmarks for future investigations in web page performance evaluation.MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 PID2023-147409NB-C21ERDF (European Union)TED2021-131699B-I00 and TED2021-129938B-I00 (MICU and AEI)Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness PID2020-113462RB-I00 and PID2020-115570GB-C22Andalusian Government C-ING-179-UGR23FEDER Program 2021-2027Universidad de Granada PPJIA2023-03

International norms for adult handgrip strength: A systematic review of data on 2.4 million adults aged 20 to 100+ years from 69 countries and regions

We would like to acknowledge the funding received by the following primary authors: CC-S is supported by European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska Curie grant agreement (No.101028929). BJF is supported by National Heart Foundation of Australia Postdoctoral Fellowship (No. 106588). BG is supported by Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. DPL is supported by Clive Kearon Award, McMaster University. Additional funding information can be found in Supplementary Funding.Background Muscular strength is a powerful marker of current health status and robust predictor of age-related disease and disability. Handgrip strength (HGS) using isometric dynamometry is a convenient, feasible, and widely used method of assessing muscular strength among people of all ages. While adult HGS norms have been published for many countries, no study has yet synthesized available data to produce international norms. The objective of this study was to generate international sex- and age-specific norms for absolute and body size-normalized HGS across the adult lifespan. Methods Systematic searches were conducted in 6 databases/web search engines (MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Google Scholar) up to December 1, 2023. We included full-text peer-reviewed observational studies that reported normative HGS data for adults aged ≥20 years by sex and age. Pseudo data were generated using Monte Carlo simulation following harmonization for methodological variation. Population-weighted Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape were used to develop sex- and age-specific norms for absolute HGS (kg) and HGS normalized by height (Ht, m) squared (i.e., HGS/Ht2 in kg/m2). Norms were tabulated as percentile values (5th to 95th) and visualized as smoothed percentile curves. Results We included data from 100 unique observational studies representing 2,405,863 adults (51.9% female) aged 20 to 100+ years from 69 countries and regions tested from the year 2000 onward. On average, absolute and normalized HGS values negligibly improved throughout early adulthood, peaked from age 30–39 years (at 49.7 kg (males) and 29.7 kg (females) for absolute HGS or 16.3 kg/m2 (males) and 11.3 kg/m2 (females) for HGS/Ht2), and declined afterwards. The age-related decline in HGS accelerated from middle to late adulthood and was slightly larger for males than for females during middle adulthood. Conclusion This study provides the world's largest and most geographically comprehensive international norms for adult HGS by sex and age. These norms have utility for global peer-comparisons, health screening, and surveillance.European Union's Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska Curie (No.101028929)National Heart Foundation of Australia Postdoctoral Fellowship (No. 106588)Australian Government Research Training Program ScholarshipClive Kearon Award, McMaster Universit

Towards an energy consumption index for deep learning models: a comparative analysis of architectures, GPUs, and measurement Tools

The growing global demand for computational resources, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, raises increasing concerns about energy consumption and its environmental impact. This study introduces a newly developed energy consumption index that evaluates the energy efficiency of Deep Learning (DL) models, providing a standardized and adaptable approach for various models. Convolutional neural networks, including both classical and modern architectures, serve as the primary case study to demonstrate the applicability of the index. Furthermore, the inclusion of the Swin Transformer, a state-of-the-art and modern non-convolutional model, highlights the adaptability of the framework to diverse architectural paradigms. This study analyzes the energy consumption during both training and inference of representative DL architectures, including AlexNet, ResNet18, VGG16, EfficientNet-B3, ConvNeXt-T, and Swin Transformer, trained on the Imagenette dataset using TITAN XP and GTX 1080 GPUs. Energy measurements are obtained using sensor-based tools, including OpenZmeter (v2) with integrated electrical sensors. Additionally, software-based tools such as CarbonTracker (v1.2.5) and CodeCarbon (v2.4.1) retrieve energy consumption data from computational component sensors. The results reveal significant differences in energy efficiency across architectures and GPUs, providing insights into the trade-offs between model performance and energy use. By offering a flexible framework for comparing energy efficiency across DL models, this study advances sustainability in AI systems, supporting accurate and standardized energy evaluations applicable to various computational settings.PID2023-147409NB-C21. MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ERDF/EU. Ministerio Español de Ciencia e InnovaciónPID2020-115570GB-C22. MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ERDF/EU. Ministerio Español de Ciencia e InnovaciónPID2022-137461NB-C32. MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ERDF/EU. Ministerio Español de Ciencia e InnovaciónTIC251-G-FEDER. ERDF/EUC-ING-027-UGR23. ERDF/E

Characterization of Different Types of Micro-Fission and Micro-Ionization Chambers Under X-Ray Beams

This research has been funded by EU 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101008126, corresponding to the RADNEXT project, and co-financed by International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility-Demo Oriented Neutron Source (IFMIF-DONES), co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund-FEDER, the project PID2022-137543NB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and ERDF “A way of making Europe”, and by the Junta de Andalucía (FQM387), and granted within the program “Precompetitive Research Projects for Young Researchers. Modality B—Projects for Doctoral Students” of the Institutional Research and Transfer Plan of the University of Granada for the year 2023.Various models of ionization and fission chambers for ionizing radiation detection, designed to operate under harsh conditions such as those found in fusion reactors or particle accelerators, have been experimentally characterized and numerically simulated. These models were calibrated using a photon beam in the X-ray spectrum. Irradiations were performed at the Biomedical Research Center of the University of Granada (CIBM) with a bipolar metal-ceramic X-ray tube operating at a voltage of 150 kV and a dose rate ranging from 0.05 to 2.28 Gy/min. All detectors under study featured identical external structures but varied in detection volume, anode configuration, and filling gas composition. To assess inter- and intra-model response variations, the tested models included 12 micro-ionization chambers (CRGR10/C5B/UG2), 3 micro-fission chambers (CFUR43/C5B-U5/UG2), 8 micro-fission chambers (CFUR43/C5B-U8/UG2), and 3 micro-fission chambers (CFUR44/C5B-U8/UG2), all manufactured by Photonis (Merignac, France). The experimental setup was considered suitable for the tests, as the leakage current was below 20 pA. The optimal operating voltage range was determined to be 130–150 V, and the photon sensitivities for the chambers were measured as 29.8 ± 0.3 pA/(Gy/h), 43.0 ± 0.8 pA/(Gy/h), 39.2 ± 0.3 pA/(Gy/h), and 96.0 ± 0.9 pA/(Gy/h), respectively. Monte Carlo numerical simulations revealed that the U layer in the fission chambers was primarily responsible for their higher sensitivities due to photoelectric photon absorption. Additionally, the simulations explained the observed differences in sensitivity based on the filling gas pressure. The detectors demonstrated linear responses to dose rates and high reproducibility, making them reliable tools for accurate determination of ionizing photon beams across a range of applications.EU 2020, 101008126International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility-Demo Oriented Neutron Source (IFMIF-DONES)European Regional Development Fund-FEDERMCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 PID2022-137543NB-I00ERDF “A way of making Europe”Junta de Andalucía (FQM387)University of Granad

Sulfur-doped carbon/TiO2 composites for ethylene photo-oxidation. Enhanced performance by doping TiO2 phases with sulfur by mobile species inserted on the carbon support

The performance of carbon xerogel/TiO2 composites in ethylene photo-oxidation was analyzed under dynamic conditions considering various parameters, namely sulfur doping, dry vs. humid conditions and type of radiation (ultraviolet, UV, vs. visible light, Vis). The catalysts were synthesized using an acid-catalyzed sol-gel process and characterized with complementary techniques, including SEM/EDX, XRD, XPS and physical adsorption of N2 and CO2, among others. The performance of samples in ethylene removal by adsorption and photo-oxidation under dynamic flow was discussed and related with their physicochemical properties and the experimental conditions. Although ethylene adsorption was hindered by doping and humidity, both factors were found to enhance photoactivity by promoting the formation of highly oxidant hydroxyl radicals (HO•). The composites showed an improved catalytic performance compared to bare TiO2, with sulfur improving the activity by approximately 8 %. The presence of the carbon material also enhanced the performance under Vis radiation by nearly 25 %. It was suggested that sulfur species could migrate from the carbon support to the TiO2 nanoparticles during carbonization, forming Ti-O-S bonds. This finding constitutes a novel, cost-effective, sustainable and scalable method for the preparation of supported and doped TiO2 nanocomposites

Gamification in the natural science curriculum in basic education: empirical evidence of effectiveness in learning

https://www.mlsjournals.com/Educational-Research-Journal/article/view/2796Esta investigación ofrece a la comunidad educativa un diseño de propuesta de actuación en el currículo de ciencias naturales, que implicó el aprendizaje del concepto de la energía mediante la gamificación. La intervención se desarrolló en el Colegio José Martí en Bogotá, con una muestra de 32 estudiantes de quinto grado de educación básica primaria. La intención es abordar el problema científico planteado: ¿qué elementos debe contener una propuesta de actuación en el currículo del colegio José Martí que involucre la construcción del concepto de energía a través de la gamificación? Los interrogantes propuestos conducen a la formulación de varias hipótesis, entre ellas, si las estrategias de aprendizaje que utilizan la gamificación como un recurso educativo enriquecen el currículo en ciencias naturales y facilitan la construcción significativa del concepto de energía por parte los estudiantes. Esta investigación adopta un enfoque mixto, que combina métodos descriptivos, explicativos e interpretativos. Para el análisis cuantitativo, se emplearon algoritmos estadísticos como la prueba de Shapiro-Wilk y la prueba t de student, mientras que la parte cualitativa se usó el software maxqda. Este estudio aporta a la comunidad educativa una estrategia de aprendizaje innovadora para enseñar el concepto de la energía a través de la gamificación, generando cambios significativos en el currículo. Además de verificar que la utilización de herramientas tecnológicas y gamificadas, específicamente el juego “un recorrido energético: la magia de la energía” promovió un aprendizaje significativo del concepto en los estudiantes de quinto grado de básica primaria del colegio José Martí.This research offers the educational community a design proposal for action within the natural sciences curriculum, involving the learning of the concept of energy through gamification. The intervention took place José Martí School in Bogotá, with a sample of 32 fifth grade elementary students. The intention is to address the scientific problem posed: what elements should a proposal for action contain in the José Martí school curriculum that involves the construction of the concept of energy through gamification? The proposed questions lead to the formulation of several hypotheses, among them, whether learning strategies that use gamification as an educational resource enrich the natural sciences curriculum and facilitate the meaningful construction of the concept of energy by students. This research adopts a mixed approach, combining descriptive, explanatory and interpretive methods; For the quantitative analysis, statistical algorithms such as the Shapiro-Wilk test and the student t test were used, while the qualitative part was used maxqda software. This study provides the educational community with an innovative learning strategy to teach the concept of energy through gamification, generating significant changes in the curriculum. In addition to verifying that the use of technological and gamified tools, specifically the game “an energy journey: the magic of energy” promoted significant learning of the concept in fifth grade primary school students at the José Martí school

A statistical and modeling study on the effects of radiation on Au/Ta/ ZrO2(Y)/Pt/Ti memristive devices

In this study we have investigated the impact of the changes induced by ion irradiation on the performance and reliability of Au/Ta/ZrO2(Y)/Pt/Ti memristive devices. A comprehensive experimental approach was employed, involving irradiation with various ion species, including H+, Ne+, O+, and Kr+ to simulate different radiation environments. Thus, advanced statistical and modeling techniques to analyze the effects of irradiation on the resistive switching (RS) characteristics of the devices have been employed. Results revealed alterations in the post-irradiation RS parameters, including set and reset voltages and currents. These changes were found to depend on the ion species and dosage, with heavier ions such as Kr+ causing more pronounced effects. The findings are supported by detailed Monte Carlo simulations, which provided insights into the distribution of vacancies within the memristive devices under neutron irradiation. The experimental data, combined with the modeling results, indicate that RS is generally tolerant to radiation, although ion irradiation can lead to the formation of defect structures that affect the switching parameters of memristive devices