Using remote sensing assessments to document historical and current saved consumptive use (CU) on alfalfa and grass hayfields managed under full and partial-season irrigation regimes

August 2017.Includes bibliographical references

Proyecto de automatización y control mediante scada de un sistema de almacenamiento y recuperación industrial de piezas

[ES] En el proyecto “PROYECTO DE AUTOMATIZACIÓN Y CONTROL MEDIANTE SCADA DE UN SISTEMA DE ALMACENAMIENTO Y RECUPERACIÓN INDUSTRIAL DE PIEZAS” se diseña un sistema inteligente de distribución basado en la moderna tecnología de los PLC’s. También se realiza un SCADA con el que se controlan todos los procesos y se observa de manera instantánea el desarrollo del proceso que se lleva a cabo. Para automatizar el sistema AS/RS se realiza una programación robusta y muy completa, que permite el uso manual y el automático. En cuanto al uso manual, se permite el control tanto local, desde la propia máquina, como centralizado, desde el ordenador. En cuanto al uso automático, se programan cinco modos de funcionamiento distintos que abarcan todas las funciones que se esperan de un sistema AS/RS. Además, se dota al sistema de una opción de apagado que finaliza los procesos llevando la máquina a una posición final.Cabot Almela, J. (2015). Proyecto de automatización y control mediante scada de un sistema de almacenamiento y recuperación industrial de piezas. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/56066.TFG

Comparative effects of oleoyl-estrone and a specific β3-adrenergic agonist (CL316, 243) on the expression of genes involved in energy metabolism of rat white adipose tissue

Background: The combination of oleoyl-estrone (OE) and a selective b3-adrenergic agonist (B3A; CL316,243) treatment in rats results in a profound and rapid wasting of body reserves (lipid). Methods: In the present study we investigated the effect of OE (oral gavage) and/or B3A (subcutaneous constant infusion) administration for 10 days to overweight male rats, compared with controls, on three distinct white adipose tissue (WAT) sites: subcutaneous inguinal, retroperitoneal and epididymal. Tissue weight, DNA (and, from these values cellularity), cAMP content and the expression of several key energy handling metabolism and control genes were analyzed and computed in relation to the whole site mass. Results: Both OE and B3A significantly decreased WAT mass, with no loss of DNA (cell numbers). OE decreased and B3A increased cAMP. Gene expression patterns were markedly different for OE and B3A. OE tended to decrease expression of most genes studied, with no changes (versus controls) of lipolytic but decrease of lipogenic enzyme genes. The effects of B3A were widely different, with a generalized increase in the expression of most genes, including the adrenergic receptors, and, especially the uncoupling protein UCP1. Discussion: OE and B3A, elicit widely different responses in WAT gene expression, end producing similar effects, such as shrinking of WAT, loss of fat, maintenance of cell numbers. OE acted essentially on the balance of lipolysislipogenesis and the blocking of the uptake of substrates; its decrease of synthesis favouring lipolysis. B3A induced a shotgun increase in the expression of most regulatory systems in the adipocyte, an effect that in the end favoured again the loss of lipid; this barely selective increase probably produces inefficiency, which coupled with the increase in UCP1 expression may help WAT to waste energy through thermogenesis. Conclusions: There were considerable differences in the responses of the three WAT sites. OE in general lowered gene expression and stealthily induced a substrate imbalance. B3A increasing the expression of most genes enhanced energy waste through inefficiency rather than through specific pathway activation. There was not a synergistic effect between OE and B3A in WAT, but their combined action increased WAT energy waste

A New Competence-based Approach for Personalizing MOOCs in a Mobile Collaborative and Networked Environment

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a new disruptive development in higher education that combines openness and scalability in a most powerful way. They have the potential to widen participation in higher education. Thus, they contribute to social inclusion, the dissemination of knowledge and pedagogical innovation and also the internationalization of higher education institutions. However, one of the critical elements for a massive open language learning experience to be successful is to empower learners and to facilitate networked learning experiences. In fact, MOOCs are designed for an undefined number of participants, thus serving a high heterogeneity of profiles, with diverse learning styles and prior knowledge, and also contexts of participation and diversity of online platforms. Personalization can play a key role in this process. The iMOOC pedagogical model introduced the notion of diversity to MOOC design, allowing for a clear differentiation of learning paths and also virtual environments. In this article, the authors present a proposal based on the iMOOC approach for a new framework for personalizing and adapting MOOCs designed in a collaborative, networked pedagogical approach by identifying each participant's competence profile and prior knowledge, as well as the respective mobile communication device used to generate matching personalized learning. This article also shows the results obtained in a laboratory environment after an experiment has been performed with a prototype of the framework. It can be observed that creating personalized learning paths is possible and the next step is to test this framework with real experimental groups.Los cursos en línea masivos y abiertos (MOOC) son una nueva tendencia rompedora en la educación superior. Estos cursos combinan la propiedad de ser abiertos con la posibilidad de ser escalables de una forma muy potente. Tienen el potencial de permitir la participación en la educación superior para todas las personas, a todos los niveles. Por lo tanto, contribuyen a la inclusión social, la difusión del conocimiento y la innovación pedagógica, así como la internalización de las instituciones de educación superior. Sin embargo, uno de los elementos críticos para que tenga éxito una experiencia de aprendizaje de forma abierta y masiva es potenciar y facilitar una red de aprendizaje. De hecho, los MOOC no están diseñados para un número predefinido de participantes por lo que sirven para un alto número de perfiles heterogéneos, con diversidad de estilos de aprendizaje y conocimientos previos, pero también contextos de participación y diversidad de plataformas online. La personalización puede desempeñar un papel clave en este proceso. El modelo pedagógico iMOOC introdujo el principio de diversidad en el diseño de MOOC, permitiendo una clara diferenciación de caminos de aprendizaje y también entornos virtuales. En este artículo los autores presentan una propuesta basada en el enfoque de iMOOC, sobre un nuevo sistema para la personalización y adaptación de MOOC diseñados en un enfoque colaborativo y en una red pedagógica. El mecanismo es identificar cada competencia del perfil de los participantes, el conocimiento previo que estos tienen así como detectar sus respectivos dispositivos móviles, y se genera un camino de aprendizaje personalizado en base a estos parámetros. Este artículo también muestra los resultados obtenidos en un entorno de laboratorio después de un experimento llevado a cabo con un prototipo del sistema. Se puede observar que es posible crear caminos de aprendizaje personalizados y que el siguiente paso es probar este sistema con grupos experimentales reales

First record of the harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) extralimital presence in the Mediterranean Sea

The stranding of a harp seal on the beach in the municipality of Motril (southern Spain) represents the first record of this species in the Mediterranean Sea and the southernmost known report. It was a male which reached the beach very tired and sick, dying after two hours on the sand. The specimen presented three species of epibionts. This is the second species of Arctic seal recorded in the Mediterranean SeaPeer reviewe

Tuning branching in ceria nanocrystals

Branched nanocrystals (NCs) enable high atomic surface exposure within a crystalline network that provides avenues for charge transport. This combination of properties makes branched NCs particularly suitable for a range of applications where both interaction with the media and charge transport are involved. Herein we report on the colloidal synthesis of branched ceria NCs by means of a ligand-mediated overgrowth mechanism. In particular, the differential coverage of oleic acid as an X-type ligand at ceria facets with different atomic density, atomic coordination deficiency, and oxygen vacancy density resulted in a preferential growth in the [111] direction and thus in the formation of ceria octapods. Alcohols, through an esterification alcoholysis reaction, promoted faster growth rates that translated into nanostructures with higher geometrical complexity, increasing the branch aspect ratio and triggering the formation of side branches. On the other hand, the presence of water resulted in a significant reduction of the growth rate, decreasing the reaction yield and eliminating side branching, which we associate to a blocking of the surface reaction sites or a displacement of the alcoholysis reaction. Overall, adjusting the amounts of each chemical, well-defined branched ceria NCs with tuned number, thickness, and length of branches and with overall size ranging from 5 to 45 nm could be produced. We further demonstrate that such branched ceria NCs are able to provide higher surface areas and related oxygen storage capacities (OSC) than quasi-spherical NCs

Concerning the Latin-American International Human Rights Protection Model Law (DAHL Model Law)

La presente nota introduce y analiza la Ley Modelo Dahl, elaborada por el jurista argentino Henry S. Dahl y que pretende ayudar y estimular a países latinoamericanos a mejorar sus recursos cara a la Litigación Internacional en materia de Derechos Humanos. En la nota se analizan cuidadosamente la Exposición de Motivos y el articulado de la Ley, que se divide en 7 artículos: competencia (foro de necesidad), aplicación a personas físicas y jurídicas, imprescriptibilidad de las acciones, admisibilidad de la prueba extranjera, indemnizaciones conforme a derecho extranjero, apelaciones y notificaciones por correo certificado. La nota también describe la presente situación de la Litigación Internacional en materia de Derechos Humanos, haciendo referencia a la perspectiva Norteamericana, Europea y de las Naciones Unidas.The note below introduces and analyzes the Dahl Model Law, drafted by the Argentinian jurist Henry S. Dahl and whose intention is to help and stimulate Latin American countries in order to improve their resources in the field of Transnational Human Rights Litigation. There is a careful analysis of the Recitals of the law and its seven sections: jurisdiction (forum of necessity), application to physical and legal persons, the inexistence of a statute of limitation, admissibility of the evidence found abroad, damages according to foreign law, appeals and notifications by certified mail. This note also describes the present state of Transnational Human Rights Litigation, making reference to the US, European and United Nations perspective

Eficiencia energética del alumbrado exterior en España

El alumbrado público en España representa entre un 40% y 60 % del total del consumo eléctrico de las ciudades, lo que supone unos gastos de electricidad y mantenimiento en torno a los 1.200 millones de euros al año. Sin embargo, los avances realizados en esta materia pueden ayudar a reducir este consumo energético hasta en un 45%. Si echamos un vistazo al resto de los países de la Unión Europea, podemos comprobar como España es el país que presenta un mayor consumo energético en alumbrado exterior por habitante, llegando a duplicar el valor de países como Alemania o Reino Unido. Por este motivo pretendemos realizar un pequeño análisis sobre el estado de nuestras instalaciones, para lo cual realizaremos una comparación con uno de los países más eficientes de la Unión Europea, el Reino Unido. Esta comparación nos ayudará a analizar algunos de los aspectos que consideramos que han sido pasados por alto en la normativa de eficiencia energética de alumbrado exterior de España, los cuales podrían suponer un aumento en la eficiencia de nuestros sistemas de alumbrado, con el correspondiente ahorro energético que esto podría conllevar

Gamifying massive online courses: effects on the social networks and course completion rates

This paper analyzes the e ects of gamification in the social network of a massive online course. An educational social-networking platform gathered information about the contributions of participants and about the social networks that were formed during the course. A gamification layer with three game elements (points, badges, and leaderboard) was then implemented in the online learning platform. Social network analysis (SNA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to analyze the di erences between a treatment and a comparison group (N = 591 and N = 427), using a set of 20 variables for each participant which quantified contributions to the learning platform as well as position and influence in the social network. The results of SNA show that gamification influences the structure of the social network of the course. The results also suggest that the variables cluster similarly for each group and that the linear combination of variables called the first component (F1) is a good descriptor of students’ work and position in the network. F1 can be used to build predictive models of course completion. The models show that the probability of passing the course increases more rapidly in the treatment (gamified) group.Spanish Ministry of Economic A airs and Digital Transformation (Grant TIN2014-54874-R) and Government of Comunidad de Madrid (Grant CM/JIN/2019-037).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Online division of labour: emergent structures in Open Source Software

The development Open Source Software fundamentally depends on the participation and commitment of volunteer developers to progress on a particular task. Several works have presented strategies to increase the on-boarding and engagement of new contributors, but little is known on how these diverse groups of developers self-organise to work together. To understand this, one must consider that, on one hand, platforms like GitHub provide a virtually unlimited development framework: any number of actors can potentially join to contribute in a decentralised, distributed, remote, and asynchronous manner. On the other, however, it seems reasonable that some sort of hierarchy and division of labour must be in place to meet human biological and cognitive limits, and also to achieve some level of efficiency. These latter features (hierarchy and division of labour) should translate into detectable structural arrangements when projects are represented as developer-file bipartite networks. Thus, in this paper we analyse a set of popular open source projects from GitHub, placing the accent on three key properties: nestedness, modularity and in-block nestedness -which typify the emergence of heterogeneities among contributors, the emergence of subgroups of developers working on specific subgroups of files, and a mixture of the two previous, respectively. These analyses show that indeed projects evolve into internally organised blocks. Furthermore, the distribution of sizes of such blocks is bounded, connecting our results to the celebrated Dunbar number both in off- and on-line environments. Our conclusions create a link between bio-cognitive constraints, group formation and online working environments, opening up a rich scenario for future research on (online) work team assembly (e.g. size, composition, and formation). From a complex network perspective, our results pave the way for the study of time-resolved datasets, and the design of suitable models that can mimic the growth and evolution of OSS projects