Detection of Major River Bed Changes in the River Ebro (north-eastern Spain)

Detection of major river bed changes in River Ebro (northeastern Spain

Self-Repairable Smart Grids Via Online Coordination of Smart Transformers

The introduction of active devices in Smart Grids, such as smart transformers, powered by intelligent software and networking capabilities, brings paramount opportunities for online automated control and regulation. However, online mitigation of disruptive events, such as cascading failures, is challenging. Local intelligence by itself cannot tackle such complex collective phenomena with domino effects. Collective intelligence coordinating rapid mitigation actions is required. This paper introduces analytical results from which two optimization strategies for self-repairable Smart Grids are derived. These strategies build a coordination mechanism for smart transformers that runs in three healing modes and performs collective decision-making of the phase angles in the lines of a transmission system to improve reliability under disruptive events, i.e., line failures causing cascading failures. Experimental evaluation using self-repairability envelopes in different case networks, ac power flows, and varying number of smart transformers confirms that the higher the number of smart transformers participating in the coordination, the higher the reliability and the capability of a network to self-repair

Design of an analog/digital truly random number generator

An analog-digital system is presented for the generation of truly random (aperiodic) digital sequences. This model is based on a very simple piecewise-linear discrete map which is suitable for implementation using monolithic analog sampled-data techniques. Simulation results are given illustrating the optimum choice of the model parameters. Circuit implementations are reported for the discrete map using both switched-capacitor (SC) and switched-current (SI) techniques. The layout of a SI prototype in a 3-μm n-well double-polysilicon double-metal technology is included

Re-imagining The Human Rights Law Clinic

This article, co-authored with Chilean law professor Nicolás Espejo, engages the debate in U.S. clinical circles about how best to configure an international human rights law clinic, given that such clinics are widely perceived to be substantially different from their domestic law counterparts. This perception has led many U.S. human rights clinicians to favor the non-legal dimension of human rights advocacy in their teaching, such as fact-finding and reporting. In this context, we address a number of threshold questions: How different are clinics of the human rights variety from more traditional models that center on providing legal services to clients? Should the focus of the former be litigation, or is it preferable to emphasize other types of nonlegal advocacy? Does it make sense, for example, to teach classic lawyering skills such as client interviewing and counseling to human rights clinical students who have systemic change and broader advocacy objectives in mind? In short, should we be training lawyers or human rights activists? Our approach is first to present a summary of the evolution, focus, and function of public interest and human rights clinics in Latin America. While some variation naturally exists among the different manifestations of this model, there are also common denominators of shared purpose, perspective, and practice. Having defined the Latin American model, we analyze and illustrate it with select case studies from the aforementioned countries before outlining a number of useful lessons to be drawn from the Latin American experience. And while we recognize that there were important differences between the two clinical worlds we compared, we conclude there are even more similarities that, to our minds, help to bridge the geographic divide and allow for productive comparison. Based on the Latin American model and our own experience in the field, we conclude that the same core skill set embraced by most traditional law clinics in the United States – legal interviewing, counseling, negotiation, and oral advocacy – can well play an important role in the configuration of U.S. human rights law clinics too, more than is generally recognized. Whether these basic lawyering skills are taught is, at bottom, a pedagogic choice made by the clinical professor, not a limitation inherent in human rights clinics per se or a function of any particular definition of human rights advocacy. We argue, moreover, that these basic legal skills are highly transferable and thus invaluable to all kinds of advocacy, human rights included, and not just in the litigation context. In short, we take the view that international human rights clinic could, and should, be configured to train skilled and ethical legal professionals capable of practicing competently in any legal field, including but not limited to human right

On some strategies using auxiliary information for estimating finite population mean

This paper presents an empirical investigation of the performance of five strategies for estimating the finite population mean using parameters such as mean or variance or both of an auxiliary variable. The criteria used for the choices of these strategies are bias, efficiency and approach to normality (asymmetry)

Occupational injuries and the “student syndrome” (or procrastination) on a large construction Project

Resumen Introducción: Hay una mayor incidencia de lesiones en los primeros días hábiles de la semana, y entre las 13:00 y las 17:00 horas. Se ha descrito una asociación entre algunas fechas especiales y cambios en la ocurrencia de muertes o enfermedades en diferentes países y regiones. Nuestra hipótesis fue que el cumplimiento de las obligaciones contractuales de una empresa puede convertirse en un desencadenante que aumenta la ocurrencia de lesiones laborales. Métodos: Nosotros analizamos los registros de lesiones e informes de nómina mensuales consolidados (de enero de 2012 a septiembre de 2013) para el personal que trabajaba en empresas que participaron en un megaproyecto para construir una carretera en Colombia. Este análisis informa una posible asociación entre las fechas de hitos contractuales financieramente importantes y una mayor ocurrencia de lesiones laborales. Pruebas binomiales de una cola se usaron para comparar la ocurrencia de lesiones uno y dos meses antes vs un mes después de cuatro fechas límite, correspondientes al 14, 3, 1 y 1% del presupuesto general, respectivamente. Resultados: La mayor incidencia de lesiones se observó durante el mes anterior a la fecha límite correspondiente al 14% del presupuesto (p=0,07). Discusión: Los hitos contractuales podrían actuar como determinantes distales, mientras que los errores humanos son determinantes proximales de las lesiones.Abstract Introduction: There is a higher occurrence of injuries on the first working days of the week, and between 13:00 and 17:00 hours. An association between some special dates and changes in the occurrence of deaths or diseases have been described in different countries and regions. Our hypothesis was that completing contractual obligations with a company may become triggers that increase the occurrence of occupational injuries. Methods: Injury records were analyzed and consolidated monthly payroll reports (from January 2012 to September 2013) for personnel operations who worked in companies that were involved in a megaproject to build a road in Colombia. This analysis reports a possible association between dates of financially important contractual milestones and a higher occurrence of occupational injuries. One-tailed binomial tests were used to compare the occurrence of injuries one and two months before and one month after four deadlines, corresponding to 14, 3, 1 and 1% of the overall budget, respectively. Results: The highest occurrence of injuries was observed during the month before the deadline corresponding to 14% of the budget (p=0.07). Discussion: Contractual milestones could act as distal determinant whereas human errors are proximal determinants of injuries

On some strategies using auxiliary information for estimating finite population mean

This paper presents an empirical investigation of the performance of five strategies for estimating the finite population mean using parameters such as mean or variance or both of an auxiliary variable. The criteria used for the choices of these strategies are bias, efficiency and approach to normality (asymmetry)

Arbres fontaines, eau du brouillard et forêts de nuages

A partir des arbres fontaines comme le Garoé (Hierro, Canaries), un reportage photographique commenté est présenté sur la captation des eaux de brouillard par la végétation. Le Garoé était un laurier dont l'eau était bue aussi bien par l'homme que par le bétail jusqu'en 1610, date à laquelle il fut déraciné par un ouragan. Actuellement, hommes et animaux puisent leurs ressources en eau dans des forêts de conifères à Hierro, où pins et genévriers sont plantés ou entretenus en mémoire du Garoé. Les progrès en matière de captation des eaux du brouillard et les recherches menées dans les forêts de nuages sont brièvement passés en revue. La captation de ces eaux se met en place au nord du Chili et au Pérou pour aider des communautés isolées. Les forêts de nuages, appartenant à la classification d'écosystème fragile de la FAO, sont en danger. Les programmes de recherche y sont généralement soutenus par l'UICN et la PHI de l'Unesco. (Résumé d'auteur

Quinoidization of regioregular oligo(THIENO[3,4-b]THIOPHENE)s

Caracterización de oligotiofenosUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec