The κ - μ shadowed fading model with arbitrary intercluster correlation

In this paper, we propose a generalization of the well-known κ-μ shadowed fading model. Based on the clustering of multipath waves as the baseline model, the novelty of this new distribution is the addition of an arbitrary correlation for the scattered components within each cluster. It also inherits the random fluctuation of the dominant component, which is assumed to be the same for all clusters. Thus, it unifies a wide variety of models: Rayleigh, Rician, Rician shadowed, Nakagami- m, κ-μ and κ-μ shadowed as well as multivariate Rayleigh, Rician and Rician shadowed. The main statistics of the newly proposed model, i.e. moment generating function, probability density function and cumulative density function, are given in terms of exponentials and powers, and some numerical results are provided in order to analyze the impact of the arbitrary intercluster correlation.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Flux-cutting and flux-transport effects in type-II superconductor slabs in a parallel rotating magnetic field

The magnetic response of irreversible type-II superconductor slabs subjected to in-plane rotating magnetic field is investigated by applying the circular, elliptic, extended-elliptic, and rectangular flux-line-cutting critical-state models. Specifically, the models have been applied to explain experiments on a PbBi rotating disk in a fixed magnetic field ${\bm H}_a$, parallel to the flat surfaces. Here, we have exploited the equivalency of the experimental situation with that of a fixed disk under the action of a parallel magnetic field, rotating in the opposite sense. The effect of both the magnitude $H_a$ of the applied magnetic field and its angle of rotation $\alpha_s$ upon the magnetization of the superconductor sample is analyzed. When $H_a$ is smaller than the penetration field $H_P$, the magnetization components, parallel and perpendicular to ${\bm H_a}$, oscillate with increasing the rotation angle. On the other hand, if the magnitude of the applied field, $H_a$, is larger than $H_P$, both magnetization components become constant functions of $\alpha_s$ at large rotation angles. The evolution of the magnetic induction profiles inside the superconductor is also studied.Comment: 12 pages, 29 figure

Urban dwelling environments case study: Mexico City

Thesis (M.Arch.A.S.) Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture, 1974.Also issued by the M.I.T. Education Research Program: Urban Settlement Design in Developing Countries, Cambridge, Mass. in 1974.Bibliography: p. 180.by Jose Luis Cortes Delgado, Ramiro Marcelo Davila Cabello, Enrique Ignacio Espinosa Fernandez.M.Arch.A.S

Knowledge and health care trajectories in damaged population in Mexico: an interdisciplinary approach

El objetivo de este artículo es evidenciar la potencialidad que tiene el abordaje interdisciplinario en la comprensión integral del proceso salud/enfermedad/atención de poblaciones vulneradas de tres comunidades, una rural ubicada en el Estado de Oaxaca (Charco Redondo) y dos en la Ciudad de México (Xochimilco y Magdalena Contreras). La experiencia y los saberes (representaciones y prácticas sociales) se recuperan desde la perspectiva de sus habitantes, siguiendo la estrategia basada en aproximaciones multi método. Con base en referentes teóricos y metodológicos compartidos, se revisó el material empírico producido en tres investigaciones previas. El abordaje interdisciplinario se orientó hacia la reinterpretación histórica, antropológica y psicosocial de los saberes y de las trayectorias de búsqueda de atención de la población, para lograr una comprensión más amplia e integradora del proceso salud/enfermedad que contribuya a la elaboración de políticas públicas orientadas a mejorar las condiciones de salud de poblaciones vulneradas. Al final del trabajo se plantean algunas reflexiones sobre los alcances, limitaciones y los retos para impulsar la investigación interdisciplinaria.The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the potentiality of an inter-disciplinary approach in the comprehensive understanding of the health-illness-attention process in Mexican damaged populations, one of them in a rural community in Oaxaca (Charco Redondo) and two communities in Mexico City (Xochimilco and Magdalena Contreras). The experience and knowledge (representations and social practices) are obtained from the perspective of the inhabitants, using a multi-method strategy. Shared theoretical and methodological references are used to review the empirical material acquired in three previous research studies. The inter-disciplinary approach focused on the historical, anthropological and psychosocial reinterpretation of knowledge and the population's trajectory in their search for attention, in order to achieve a broader, more integral understanding of the health-illness process that contributes to the design of policies meant to improve the health conditions of damaged populations. The article ends with some reflections on the scope, constraints and challenges of promoting inter-disciplinary research

Revisiting the Technological and Non-Technological Challenges to Municipal E-Government in Spain

In the past decade, society and technology have made remarkable progress in the realm of the digital economy. Public administrations, in their double role as part and servant of society, must keep up with this progress, but this development does not happen without its difficulties. This paper aims to explore whether the transformation of local e-government environment has made a significant impact in the way municipalities face their challenges when implementing an e-government strategy. To do so, a longitudinal research was conducted to explore any changes within the perceived value of challenges to municipal e-government initiatives over the past 8 years by local Chief Information Officers in Spain. This theoretical and empirical research contributes to the ongoing discussion on the varying role of technology as an explicit hindrance and as base for other challenges, and the impact of other non ICT-driven challenges for e-government. It also proposes a set of managerial implications to help overcoming said challenges based on the knowledge of local government experts in a contingent manner. The paper’s results establish the significant and persistent effect of political interference in local e-government success in Spain, asserting that they are mostly non ICT-driven challenges that are viewed as significantly bigger obstacles today

E-Government Implementation, Work Process Changes and Competency Training in Spanish Town Councils

This paper aims to empirically explore whether changes in technological infrastructures and working processes have been perceived by local public employees, and if training programs have been used as a way to introduce these changes in a strategic manner. The analysis of the differences in the situation between 2005 and 2014 reveals an increased investment in technology and a decreased investment in training, and that public employees have not perceived a significant improvement in the way they work and in their efficiency levels. These findings emphasize the importance of competence-based management for the effective provision of public services. Purpose – This paper has as its aim to empirically explore whether changes in technological infrastructures and working processes have been perceived by local public employees, and if training programs have been used as a way to introduce these changes in a strategic manner. Design/Methodology/Approach – A longitudinal analysis was carried for this purpose asking about the presence of training actions addressed to the employees of Spanish public administrations and about the perception that ICT area managers have in regards to the effects caused by the introduction of e-government strategies. Findings – The results obtained show that town councils have increased their investment in technical aspects of e-government, but not in the development of competences to use the technology. In addition, the fact that public employees have not perceived a significant improvement in the way they work and in their efficiency levels leads to the conclusion that a decreased investment in competency training is not conducive to a greater sense of efficiency in the provision of public services. Research limitations/implications – The limitations of this paper lie on the lack of consideration of certain parameters which might influence strategic e-government implementation; plus incurring in single-bias response and considering only one case (Spain) in the research. The statistical analysis is merely descriptive, although it provides the researchers with clear results. Practical implications – Public managers and policy makers should reflect on the long-term effects of their e-government decisions or ‒ alternatively ‒ the absence of such effects. Shortterm ‘patches’ are only useful to meet a specific need during a certain period, whereas change management requires a more far-reaching, long-term look which can overcome the budgetary limits and the traditional bureaucratic barriers. Originality/Value – This paper presents the results of a longitudinal analysis carried out over nine years that explores first-hand opinions of e-government professionals, linking competency-base management and e-government success

Anomalías dentofaciales como factor asociado a la caries dental en grupos de edades de 5 a 14 años, en las regiones de salud del Ministerio de Salud en Panamá, año 2016

Objetivos: Determinar la Asociación de las Anomalías Dentofaciales en el Desarrollo de la Caries Dental, en los Grupos de edades de 5 - 14, en las Regiones de Salud del Ministerio de Salud, Panamá, Año 2016. Sujetos y Método: Estudio analítico de casos y controles. La muestra es la población total de niños/as de 5 a 14 años es de 383 que presentan anomalías dentofaciales y caries dental. Se utilizó margen de error de 5% y nivel de confianza de 95%. Resultados: Se afirma la asociación entre la presencia de anomalías dentofaciales y el desarrollo de la caries dental (X2 = 7.3, Ok = 1.67). Conclusión: Se determinó la asociación entre la presencia de anomalías dentofaciales y el desarrollo de la caries dental

New analytical method for determination of phthalates in wastewater by on line lc-gc-ms using the totad interface and fraction collector

There is an increasing demand for automatic, reliable and sensitive analytical methods for determining trace levels of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in environmental samples. While on line coupled liquid chromatography-gas chromatography (LC-GC) has been proof to be a powerful tool for trace-level analyses in complex matrices, the present work presents a new totally automated on line LC-GC method, using the Through Oven Transfer Adsorption Desorption (TOTAD) interface, for the analysis of four of the main phthalates, dibuthyl phthalate (DBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), in a matrix as complex as leachate. The sample is directly injected into the LC injector valve with no sample pretreatment other than simple filtration. The LC step separates the target analytes from matrix interference. Two different LC fractions are collected in a purposely designed fraction collector and then transferred to the TOTAD interface, which concentrates the analytes, totally eliminates the solvent and transfers the analytes to the GC-MS system, where the analysis is carried out. The LOD of the method varied from 0.1 µg/L (DEHP) to 1.4 µg/L (DMP), RSD for retention time below 0.14% and for absolute peak areas below 12% and linearity from 1 µg/L to 1000 µg/L (R2 > 0.99), except in the case of DEHP (linearity from 1 to 250 µg/L, R2 = 0.94). The method was applied to the analysis of the target analytes in samples collected from a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in Rosario (Argentina).Fil: Espinosa, F.J.. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; EspañaFil: Toledano, R.M.. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; EspañaFil: Andini, Juan Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; ArgentinaFil: Cortés, J.M.. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; EspañaFil: Vázquez, A.M.. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; Españ