Foraging cues and thermal environments influence retreat site selection in fossorial earthsnakes

Retreat selection can be a complex process to understand due to the effects of multiple biotic and abiotic factors. The control of these variables through experimental studies may help to explain the factors that affect microhabitat selection. We experimentally examined whether retreat-site selection by two fossorial Mexican earthsnakes (Conopsis biserialis and C. nasus) is determined by the effects of temperature inside the retreat and/ or the presence of chemical prey cues in the laboratory. We also examined whether visual prey cues or their combination with chemical prey cues have a significant effect on retreat-site selection. Overall our results show that retreat-site selection of both earthsnake species was mainly based on foraging opportunities, as indicated by the selection of retreats with presence of prey chemical cues, even when thermal conditions were not favorable. In the absence of prey cues, however, earthsnakes preferred warmer retreats. Earthsnakes showed strong selection for chemical prey cues, and no selection for visual prey cues. The addition of visual prey cues to chemical prey cues did not affect retreat selection. Therefore, resource selection by earthsnakes appeared to be strongly guided by the presence of chemical prey cues, and to a lesser extent, thermal conditions. We observed similar habitat selection in the two earthsnakes species, likely due to their close phylogenetic relationship. Although several other factors might affect habitat selection by fossorial earthsnakes, it may be explained, at least partially, by the influence of physiological needs such as foraging and thermoregulation.José Martín was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades grant MICINN PGC2018-093592-B-I00

Influence of Emotional Intelligence, Motivation and Resilience on Academic Performance and the Adoption of Healthy Lifestyle Habits among Adolescents

Included among the basic objectives of Physical Education (PE) classes is the consolidation of habits of a healthy lifestyle among adolescents. However, the main studies in this field have focused on cognitive aspects related to students during these classes, yet they ignore the role that emotions can play in the adoption of future habits. Objectives: To analyze how emotions (emotional intelligence and emotional state) can influence the resilience and motivation of adolescents, as well as academic performance and adoption of healthy lifestyle habits. Methodology: 615 secondary school students between the ages of 14 and 19 participated (M = 16.02; SD = 1.57) in the study. A structural equations model was developed using the main variables and by applying some of the principles of Self-Determination Theory. The results show that emotional intelligence is positively related to positive emotions and negatively related to negative emotions. Positive emotions positively predict both self-motivation towards physical education classes and resilience. Resilience positively predicts self-motivation. Finally, self-motivation acts as a predictor of both academic performance and regular participation in physical activity. Conclusions: This study successfully shows the importance of focusing on emotions in PE classes inasmuch as emotion increases the tendency to get good grades and maintain active lifestyle habits. In this sense, focusing on the emotions of students in PE could prove quite beneficial

No More Bricks in the Wall: Adopting Healthy Lifestyles through Physical Education Classes

Despite the multiple benefits associated with practicing physical activity regularly, less than 20% of the population do it on a daily basis. Physical education classes could contribute, during childhood and adolescence, to consolidating adherence to healthy lifestyle habits. The present study involved 606 secondary school students between the ages of 13 and 19. We analysed the relationships between the perception of psychological control and support for autonomy, the satisfaction and frustration of psychological needs, mind-wandering and mindfulness, positive and negative emotions, motivation towards physical education classes, physical activity and the intention to be physically active—all through a structural equation model, which presented acceptable goodness-of-fit indices. The results showed that students who feel more autonomous see that their psychological needs are met and feel emotionally positive; this will result in the development of autonomous motivation towards physical education classes and physical activity that, in turn, could lead to a greater intention to be physically active

Return level estimation of extreme rainfall over the Iberian Peninsula: Comparison of methods

Se describen y aplican a la Península Ibérica (IP) diferentes formas de estimar los niveles de retorno futuros (RL) de las precipitaciones extremas, basadas en la teoría de los valores extremos (EVT). El estudio se realizó para un conjunto de series temporales de precipitaciones de alta calidad observadas en la IP durante el período 1961-2010. Se compararon dos enfoques, los picos sobre el umbral (POT) y los máximos de bloque (BM) con la distribución del valor extremo generalizado (GEV), a fin de identificar cuál es el más apropiado para la estimación de los RL. Para el primer enfoque, que identifica las tendencias de los parámetros de las distribuciones asintóticas de los extremos, se consideraron conjuntos de datos de todos los días y de sólo días de lluvia porque una fracción importante de los valores de las precipitaciones diarias sobre el IP es cero. Para el segundo enfoque, se consideraron los datos de sólo días lluviosos que muestran la evolución de la media, la varianza y el número de días lluviosos. Las LR de 20 años previstas para 2020 se estimaron utilizando estos métodos para tres estaciones: otoño, primavera e invierno. El GEV es menos fiable que el POT porque los bloques fijos conducen a la selección de valores no extremos. Las LR futuras obtenidas con el POT son mayores que las estimadas con el GEV, principalmente porque algunos medidores muestran tendencias positivas significativas para el número de días de lluvia. El otoño, más que el invierno, es actualmente la estación con mayores precipitaciones en algunas regiones.Different ways to estimate future return levels (RLs) for extreme rainfall, based on extreme value theory (EVT), are described and applied to the Iberian Peninsula (IP). The study was done for an ensemble of high quality rainfall time series observed in the IP during the period 1961–2010. Two approaches, peaks-over-threshold (POT) and block maxima (BM) with the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution, were compared in order to identify which is the more appropriate for the estimation of RLs. For the first approach, which identifies trends in the parameters of the asymptotic distributions of extremes, both all-days and rainy-days-only datasets were considered because a major fraction of values of daily rainfall over the IP is zero. For the second approach, rainy-days-only data were considered showing how the mean, variance and number of rainy days evolve. The 20-year RLs expected for 2020 were estimated using these methods for three seasons: autumn, spring and winter. The GEV is less reliable than the POT because fixed blocks lead to the selection of non-extreme values. Future RLs obtained with the POT are greater than those estimated with the GEV, mainly because some gauges show significant positive trends for the number of rainy days. Autumn, rather than winter, is currently the season with the heaviest rainfall for some regions.• Junta de Extremadura y Fondos FEDER. Proyecto IB16063 • Junta de Extremadura y Fondos FEDER. Ayuda GR15137peerReviewe

Aproximación al abordaje clínico de los síntomas psicóticos desde la Aceptación

El presente trabajo ofrece una revisión de las aplicaciones de la Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso (ACT) en sintomatología psicótica. En primer lugar, se presenta brevemente la Terapia, sus objetivos, el procedimiento canónico de aplicación y las técnicas más habituales. Posteriormente se analizan las adaptaciones que sería conveniente tener en cuenta al aplicar ACT a sintomatología psicótica, repasando los resultados habidos hasta la fecha. Así, se exponen los dos ensayos clínicos aleatorizados de ACT con pacientes diagnosticados de esquizofrenia, que suponen el mayor aval empírico de la Terapia. Igualmente se presentan tres estudios de caso relativos, por este orden, a alucinaciones auditivas, delirios y síntomas psicóticos negativos. Por último, se revisan las afinidades de ACT con otros enfoques basados en la aceptación de síntomas psicóticos y se propone un mayor énfasis en las variables sociales por parte de AC

Extending Amdahl's Law for the Cloud Computing Era

By extending Amdahl's law, software developers can weigh the pros and cons of moving their applications to the cloud.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2012-37868-C04-02/0

Efectos psicométricos y psicológicos de la revisión de respuestas en tests fijos y adaptativos informatizados

Two computerized versions of an English vocabulary test for Spanish speakers (an adaptive and a fixed one) were applied in a Spanish sample of first-year psychology undergraduate students. The effects of test type (computer-adaptive vs. computerized-fixed) and review condition (allowed vs. not allowed) on several psychological variables were examined. Withinsubject variables were measured both before and after review to study the effects of review on the psychological and psychometric variables for the review condition in both tests. Two major results were obtained after review: a) a significant increase of correct responses and estimated ability, and b) a decrease of the state-anxiety level. The differences were not significant for measurement error. Interaction effects (test type by moment) were not significant. These and other results concerning the assessment conditions established in this and previous papers are discussed. Finally, the implications that the results may have to establish review conditions in computerized adaptive tests are commentedSe aplicaron dos versiones informatizadas de un test de vocabulario inglés para hispanohablantes (uno fijo y otro adaptativo) a una muestra de estudiantes españoles de primer curso de Psicología. Se estudiaron los efectos del tipo de test (fijo versus adaptativo) y de la condición de revisión (permitida versus no permitida) sobre diversas variables psicológicas. Se analizaron los efectos de la revisión en ambos tests (diferencias antes-después) en una serie de variables psicológicas y psicométricas. Después de la revisión, dos fueron los resultados más destacables: a) un incremento significativo del número de aciertos y de la habilidad media estimada, y b) un descenso significativo del nivel de ansiedad estado de los evaluandos. No se obtuvieron diferencias significativas en precisión. Tampoco resultó significativo el efecto de la interacción entre el tipo de test y el momento (antes versus después de la revisión). Se discuten estos resultados y otros relativos a las condiciones de evaluación establecidas en el presente trabajo y en otros realizados previamente. Finalmente, se comentan las implicaciones que los resultados pueden tener para permitir la revisión en la aplicación real de tests adaptativos informatizadosThis research was supported in part by the research project of the D.G.E.S. PB97-004

Fuel cell-based CHP system modelling using Artificial Neural Networks aimed at developing techno-economic efficiency maximization control systems

This paper focuses on the modelling of the performance of a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC)-based cogeneration system to integrate it in hybrid and/or connected to grid systems and enable the optimization of the techno-economic efficiency of the system in which it is integrated. To this end, experimental tests on a PEMFC-based cogeneration system of 600 Wof electrical power have been performed to train an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). Once the learning of the ANN, it has been able to emulate real operating conditions, such as the cooling water out temperature and the hydrogen consumption of the PEMFC depending on several variables, such as the electric power demanded, temperature of the inlet water flow to the cooling circuit, cooling water flow and the heat demanded to the CHP system. After analysing the results, it is concluded that the presented model reproduces with enough accuracy and precision the performance of the experimented PEMFC, thus enabling the use of the model and the ANN learning methodology to model other PEMFC-based cogeneration systems and integrate them in techno-economic efficiency optimization control systems

Potential and Limitations of an Improved Method to Produce Dynamometric Wheels

[Abstract:] A new methodology for the estimation of tyre-contact forces is presented. The new procedure is an evolution of a previous method based on harmonic elimination techniques developed with the aim of producing low cost dynamometric wheels. While the original method required stress measurement in many rim radial lines and the fulfillment of some rigid conditions of symmetry, the new methodology described in this article significantly reduces the number of required measurement points and greatly relaxes symmetry constraints. This can be done without compromising the estimation error level. The reduction of the number of measuring radial lines increases the ripple of demodulated signals due to non-eliminated higher order harmonics. Therefore, it is necessary to adapt the calibration procedure to this new scenario. A new calibration procedure that takes into account angular position of the wheel is completely described. This new methodology is tested on a standard commercial five-spoke car wheel. Obtained results are qualitatively compared to those derived from the application of former methodology leading to the conclusion that the new method is both simpler and more robust due to the reduction in the number of measuring points, while contact forces’ estimation error remains at an acceptable level.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; TRA2012-38826-C02-01Madrid (Comunidad Autónoma); S2013-MIT271