A multinational SDI-based system to facilitate disaster risk management in the Andean Community

A useful strategy for improving disaster risk management is sharing spatial data across different technical organizations using shared information systems. However, the implementation of this type of system requires a large effort, so it is difficult to find fully implemented and sustainable information systems that facilitate sharing multinational spatial data about disasters, especially in developing countries. In this paper, we describe a pioneer system for sharing spatial information that we developed for the Andean Community. This system, called SIAPAD (Andean Information System for Disaster Prevention and Relief), integrates spatial information from 37 technical organizations in the Andean countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru). SIAPAD was based on the concept of a thematic Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) and includes a web application, called GEORiesgo, which helps users to find relevant information with a knowledge-based system. In the paper, we describe the design and implementation of SIAPAD together with general conclusions and future directions which we learned as a result of this work

Proceedings Scholar Metrics: H Index of proceedings on Computer Science, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, and Communications according to Google Scholar Metrics (2011-2015)

The objective of this report is to present a list of proceedings (conferences, workshops, symposia, meetings) in the areas of Computer Science, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, and Communications covered by Google Scholar Metrics and ranked according to their h-index. Google Scholar Metrics only displays publications that have published at least 100 papers and have received at least one citation in the last five years (2010-2014). The searches were conducted between the 7th and 12th of December, 2016. A total of 1634 proceedings have been identified.Martín-Martín, A.; Ayllón, JM.; Orduña Malea, E.; Delgado López-Cózar, E. (2016). Proceedings Scholar Metrics: H Index of proceedings on Computer Science, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, and Communications according to Google Scholar Metrics (2011-2015). http://hdl.handle.net/10251/11237

Algorithms and architectures for MCMC acceleration in FPGAs

Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is a family of stochastic algorithms which are used to draw random samples from arbitrary probability distributions. This task is necessary to solve a variety of problems in Bayesian modelling, e.g. prediction and model comparison, making MCMC a fundamental tool in modern statistics. Nevertheless, due to the increasing complexity of Bayesian models, the explosion in the amount of data they need to handle and the computational intensity of many MCMC algorithms, performing MCMC-based inference is often impractical in real applications. This thesis tackles this computational problem by proposing Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) architectures for accelerating MCMC and by designing novel MCMC algorithms and optimization methodologies which are tailored for FPGA implementation. The contributions of this work include: 1) An FPGA architecture for the Population-based MCMC algorithm, along with two modified versions of the algorithm which use custom arithmetic precision in large parts of the implementation without introducing error in the output. Mapping the two modified versions to an FPGA allows for more parallel modules to be instantiated in the same chip area. 2) An FPGA architecture for the Particle MCMC algorithm, along with a novel algorithm which combines Particle MCMC and Population-based MCMC to tackle multi-modal distributions. A proposed FPGA architecture for the new algorithm achieves higher datapath utilization than the Particle MCMC architecture. 3) A generic method to optimize the arithmetic precision of any MCMC algorithm that is implemented on FPGAs. The method selects the minimum precision among a given set of precisions, while guaranteeing a user-defined bound on the output error. By applying the above techniques to large-scale Bayesian problems, it is shown that significant speedups (one or two orders of magnitude) are possible compared to state-of-the-art MCMC algorithms implemented on CPUs and GPUs, opening the way for handling complex statistical analyses in the era of ubiquitous, ever-increasing data.Open Acces

Standards of representation in political parties

Gender equality is widely accepted by political and institutional actors in Albania and is prominently anchored in the country’s legal framework in line with Albania’s international obligations1 and its efforts towards EU Acquis approximation. Achieving full gender equality at the national level is a human rights issue, closely linked to rule of law and non-discrimination in society. Equal representation in Albania’s political party system is concurrent with the country’s democratic standards, the constitutional obligations and state responsibilities to fight gender-based discrimination, the specific features of the Albanian political system, and the legislation on elections and on political parties. Women’s representation in parliament, government, and local government has increased considerably nationwide after the application of the gender quota in 2013 and 2015. Although the growth curve is reflected across the country, there is a noticeable difference between the regions and among competing political entities. Equal representation in party structures is associated with the introduction and enforcement of gender quotas. Despite positive trends and promises by the political parties in this regard, women’s representation in party decision-making bodies remains low. The main obstacles to the present representation gap are linked to the patriarchal culture that prevails in the society and the political class of the country, and to the weak voice of women in the media and civil society, which has not yet been able to maximize its chances to promote gender equality. However, the existence of positive models of women politicians in social, political and media that effectively promote women in politics and decision-making shows that further investment in promoting gender equality and equal political representation is needed to achieve sustainability and success

Proceedings Scholar Metrics 2017: H Index of proceedings on Computer Science, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, and Communications according to Google Scholar Metrics (2012-2016)

EC3 Reports;22The objective of this report is to present a list of proceedings (conferences, workshops, symposia, meetings) in the areas of Computer Science, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, and Communications covered by Google Scholar Metrics and ranked according to their h-index. Google Scholar Metrics only displays publications that have published at least 100 papers and have received at least one citation in the last five years (2012-2016). The currently were conducted between the 18th and 22th of December, 2017. A total of 1,918 queries proceedings have been identified.Delgado López-Cózar, E.; Orduña Malea, E. (2017). Proceedings Scholar Metrics 2017: H Index of proceedings on Computer Science, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, and Communications according to Google Scholar Metrics (2012-2016). http://hdl.handle.net/10251/11237

A framework for the management of environmental information in Higher Education Institutions

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are not immune to the global environment problems. An increasing awareness of the environmental responsibilities of HEIs has led researchers to investigate the role of environmental information and Environmental Management Information Systems (EMISs) in HEIs. EMISs play a major role in environmental management and environmental decision making in HEIs. Internationally, an increasing number of HEIs are embracing the concept of ‘sustainable HEIs’ by undertaking green campus initiatives. HEIs often use diverse information systems, some of which are manual systems, proven to be inefficient and this gives rise to redundant and inconsistent databases which result in non-compliance with regulations, confusion and lack of co-ordinated effort. There is therefore need for an integrated, comprehensive software system and framework which can assist with the efficient management of environmental information at South African HEIs. This study fills a gap in the field of environmental sustainability at HEIs as the evaluation of existing sustainability programs has shown common weakness such as: Failure to effectively set baselines, flaws in data acquisition and management and missing documentation. The aim of this study is to propose a framework for Environmental Information Management (EIM) in HEIs. The framework includes guidelines related to the components of the framework which can also be used to perform a gap analysis to facilitate the improved design of effective and efficient EIM processes and data stores. The Design Science Research (DSR) methodology is the research methodology used in the development of the two artifacts of this study namely: The EIM framework for HEIs and an EMIS prototype to serve as proof of concept. Problem identification and motivation was the first activity of the DSR which was done through a rigorous literature review and an investigation and evaluation of extant systems. This resulted in the design of an initial EIM framework for HEIs. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) was the HEI used as the case study. The EIM framework was applied at NMMU and this enabled the researcher to understand the current As-Is EIM processes at NMMU and this resulted in clear objectives of a solution. The EMIS prototype (data warehouse) was then designed and implemented based on the theoretical framework. Three sets of evaluations were done to determine the acceptance of the EIM framework for HEIs and the performance of the EMIS prototype. The EIM framework was generally positively accepted and minor suggestions were made. An updated version of the EIM framework was proposed and evaluated. The experimental evaluation results showed that the EMIS prototype was efficient and effective. The contribution of this study is an EIM framework for HEIs and an implementation of an EMIS (EnviroDW) at NMMU that could be utilised by other HEIs