Combining Heuristics in Assembly Sequence Planning

Assembly Sequence Planning is tackled by modelling and solving a planning problem that considers the execution of the plan in a system with multiple assembly machines. The objective of the plan is the minimization of the total assembly time (makespan). To meet this objective, the model takes into account the durations and resources for the assembly tasks, the change of configuration in the machines, and the transportation of intermediate subassemblies between different workstations. In order to solve the problem, different heuristics has been defined from two relaxed model of it, one considering only the precedence constraints among tasks, and the other one considering only the use of shared resources. From these basic heuristics, other ones have been defined, combining both types of information from the problem, so that the refinement produces substantial improvements over the initial heuristics.Ministerio de Ciencia y TecnologíaDPI2003-07146-C02-0

Phenomenological interpolation of the inclusive J/psi cross section to proton-proton collisions at 2.76 TeV and 5.5 TeV

We present a study of the inclusive J/psi cross section at 2.76 TeV and 5.5 TeV. The energy dependence of the cross section, rapidity and transverse momentum distributions are evaluated phenomenologically. Their knowledge is crucial as a reference for the interpretation of A-A and p-A J/psi results at the LHC. Our approach is the following: first, we estimate the energy evolution of the pt-integrated J/psi cross section at mid-rapidity; then, we evaluate the rapidity dependence; finally, we study the transverse momentum distribution trend. Whenever possible, both theory driven (based on pQCD predictions) and functional form (data driven fits) calculations are discussed. Our predictions are compared with the recently obtained results by the ALICE collaboration in pp collisions at 2.76 TeV.Comment: 23 pages, 19 figures, updated text+figures, added comparison to ALICE measurements at 2.76Te

Relationship between cold executive functions and self-regulated learning management in college students

The aim of this research was to analyze the relationship between cold executive functions (cEFs), and self-regulated learning management (SRLM) in college students. There is a positive and a statistically significant relationship between cold executive functions (cEFs) and self-regulated learning management (SRLM). This research is a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, and inferential study, with a correlational approach. The sample was non-probabilistic, by convenience sampling, composed of n = 379 college students belonging to pedagogy careers, 64.1% were males, and 35.9% females, aged between 17 and 34 years old (M = 19.82, SD = 2.41). The results show that there is a strong association between cold executive functions and self-regulated learning management since high performance in cEFs would imply a high performance on learning management. On the other hand, it is also observed a predictive value of planning cEF on SRLM, meaning that, an optimal level of planning would imply adequate management of learning processes. The original contribution of this study is to provide evidence to consider supporting plans for college students to improve their skills in the cEFs, due to the negative impact that failure in higher education represents for the student, their families, and university system. Finally, we think it is necessary to continue the research in depth of these variables, and their influence in higher education academic performance.Relación entre las funciones ejecutivas frías y el aprendizaje autorregulado en estudiantes universitarios El propósito de esta investigación fue analizar la relación entre las funciones ejecutivas frías (FEf) y la gestión del aprendizaje autorregulado (GAAR) en universitarios, siguiendo la hipótesis de que existe una relación positiva y significativa entre ambas variables. El estudio fue de tipo cuantitativo de corte transversal, con enfoque correlacional, descriptivo e inferencial. La muestra fue de tipo no probabilística incidental, compuesta por n = 379 estudiantes universitarios de carreras de pedagogía, el 64,1% eran hombres y el 35,9% mujeres, de edades entre 17 y 34 años (M = 19,82, SD = 2,41). Los resultados muestran que existe una asociación fuerte entre funciones ejecutivas frías y gestión del aprendizaje autorregulado, dado que un alto rendimiento en FEf implicaría un alto rendimiento en Gestión del Aprendizaje. También se observa un valor predictor de la FEf de planificación sobre la GAAR, es decir, que un buen nivel de planificación implicaría una adecuada gestión de los procesos de aprendizaje. El aporte original de este estudio es presentar evidencias para que en los planes de apoyo a estudiantes universitarios se consideren estrategias que mejoren sus habilidades en las FEf detectadas, dado el impacto negativo que el fracaso en la educación superior tiene para el estudiante, sus familias y el sistema universitario. Finalmente, creemos que es necesario seguir profundizando en estas variables y en su influencia sobre el desempeño académico en la educación superior

Mapa de series, geoseries y geopermaseries de vegetación de España (Memoria del mapa de vegetación potencial de España). Parte II

Peer Reviewe

Evolución paleoambiental de la mitad sur de la Península Ibérica. Aplicación a la evaluación del comportamiento de los repositorios de residuos radiactivos

Esta publicación refleja los resultados obtenidos de la realización de los proyectos "EQUIP: Evidency from Quaternary Infills Palaeohydrogeology" (F 14W/ CT96/0031), financiado por la UE, "Evolución Paleoclimática de [a Mitad Sur de [a Península Ibérica" financiado por ENRESA y "Paleoclima" financiado por el Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear y ENRESA. La cuenca de Guadix-Baza, sector oriental, es una de las escasas zonas europeas donde se ha conservado un registro razonablemente completo del Pleistoceno. La cuenca de Guadix Baza, en régimen continental desde el Plioceno, funcionó bajo un régimen centrípeto, con abanicos aluviales en los bordes y una zona compleja lacustre en mosaico en su centro. Se ha podido establecer la existencia de una amplia variedad de facies aluviales y fluviales y sus interrelaciones. La sedimentación en el margen lacustre estaba constituida por arenas bioclásticas y lutitas con fósiles, mientras que en zonas más centrales predominaron lutitas yesíferas, lutitas con yeso intrasedimentario, arenas yesíferas yesos y, ocasionalmente, carbonatos que durante un período concreto depositaron los materiales que configuran el "Nivel Calcáreo de Orce", calizas y dolomías con cantidades variables de yeso y terrígenos cerca de los bordes. El trabajo de campo permitió el establecimiento de una serie estratigráfica tipo compuesta, que refleja los principales acontecimiento paleoambientales que tuvieron lugar durante el Pleistoceno. Con el fin de evitar la yesificación de la calcita y aragonito, propia del ambiente lacustre, la serie tipo de ha establecido en el registro del margen lacustre. Con ayuda del análisis paleomagnético y el análisis de la racemización de aminoácidos en conchas de moluscos y ostrácodos se ha establecido la cronología numérica de la sección estratigráfica tipo que cubre desde el límite Plioceno-Pleistoceno hasta unos 250 ka BP, cuando la erosión de la cabecera del río Fardes alcanza la cuenca abriéndola hacia el valle del Guadalquivir y cesando [a sedimentación lacustre. También se ha datado un depósito de terraza fluvial. Se han obtenido datos paleoambientales "instantáneos" mediante el estudio palinológico, el análisis paleobotánico de material silicificado (madera opalizada) o carbonizado (análisis paleoantracológico), el análisis geoquímico orgánico de algunos niveles especialmente favorables. La geoquímica orgánica de biomarcadores de algunos niveles concretos proporcionó datos sobre su origen (plantas terrestres o acuáticas) y confirmó que un conspicuo nivel carbonoso tuvo su origen en un incendio forestal. El análisis paleobiológico basado en la distribución de especies de ostrácodos, gasterópodos y pelecípodos ha permitido una primera aproximación paleoambiental, pese al evidente sesgo introducido por la presencia de fuentes salinas y materiales yesíferos en el área fuente de los abanicos aluviales del límite oriental de la cuenca. Esta interpretación se ha depurado mediante el estudio geoquímico inorgánico, isótopos estables y elementos traza de las conchas calcíticas de ostrácodos. Ello ha permitido el establecimiento de una alternancia de períodos "fríos y húmedos" y "cálidos y áridos" que permiten reconocer de las clases climáticas "mediterráneo seco" y "mediterráneo húmedo" sensu Horowitz (1989), que tienen sus correlatos en el registro paleoclimático de los grandes lagos del rift del Mar Muerto, el Mar Caspio y lagos pluviales de Norte América. La correlación de los datos isotópicos con las paleosalinidades deducidas del estudio de las inclusiones fluidas en yeso intrasedimentario ha permitido corroborar estas interpretaciones. Esto plantea un nuevo enfoque en el análisis del comportamiento de los repositorios de residuos radiactivos de alta

Thermal Dileptons at LHC

We predict dilepton invariant-mass spectra for central 5.5 ATeV Pb-Pb collisions at LHC. Hadronic emission in the low-mass region is calculated using in-medium spectral functions of light vector mesons within hadronic many-body theory. In the intermediate-mass region thermal radiation from the Quark-Gluon Plasma, evaluated perturbatively with hard-thermal loop corrections, takes over. An important source over the entire mass range are decays of correlated open-charm hadrons, rendering the nuclear modification of charm and bottom spectra a critical ingredient.Comment: 2 pages, 2 figures, contributed to Workshop on Heavy Ion Collisions at the LHC: Last Call for Predictions, Geneva, Switzerland, 14 May - 8 Jun 2007 v2: acknowledgment include

Cyclodextrin modulation of gallic acid in vitro antibacterial activity

The substitution of large spectrum antibiotics for natural bioactive molecules (especially polyphenolics) for the treatment of wound infections has come into prominence in the pharmaceutical industry. However, the use of such molecules depends on their stability during environmental stress and on their ability to reach the action site without losing biological properties. The application of cyclodextrins as a vehicle for polyphenolics protection has been documented and appears to enhance the properties of bioactive molecules. Therefore, the encapsulation of gallic acid, an antibacterial agent with low stability, by -cyclodextrin, (2-hydroxy) propyl--cyclodextrin and methyl--cyclodextrin, was investigated. Encapsulation by -cyclodextrin was confirmed for pH 3 and 5, with similar stability parameters. The (2-hydroxy) propyl--cyclodextrin and methyl--cyclodextrin interactions with gallic acid were only confirmed at pH 3. Among the three cyclodextrins, better gallic acid encapsulation were observed for (2-hydroxy) propyl--cyclodextrin, followed by -cyclodextrin and methyl--cyclodextrin. The effect of cyclodextrin encapsulation on the gallic acid antibacterial activity was also analysed. The antibacterial activity of the inclusion complexes was investigated here for the first time. According to the results, encapsulation of gallic acid by (2-hydroxy) propyl--cyclodextrin seems to be a viable option for the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections, since this inclusion complex has good stability and antibacterial activity.The authors are grateful for the FCT Strategic Project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013 and the Project "BioHealth-Biotechnology and Bioengineering approaches to improve health quality", Ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000027, co-funded by the "Programa Operacional Regional do Norte" (ON.2-O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER. The authors also acknowledge the project "Consolidating Research Expertise and Resources on Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology at CEB/IBB", Ref. FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462. This work is, also, funded by FEDER funds through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors-COMPETE and National Funds through FCT-Foundation for Science and Technology under the project PEst-C/CTM/UI0264/2011. Additionally, the authors would like to thank the FCT for the grant for E. Pinho (SFRH/BD/62665/2009)

Acceptability and feasibility of a virtual community of practice to primary care professionals regarding patient empowerment: A qualitative pilot study

Background: Virtual communities of practice (vCoPs) facilitate online learning via the exchange of experiences and knowledge between interested participants. Compared to other communities, vCoPs need to overcome technological structures and specific barriers. Our objective was to pilot the acceptability and feasibility of a vCoP aimed at improving the attitudes of primary care professionals to the empowerment of patients with chronic conditions. Methods: We used a qualitative approach based on 2 focus groups: one composed of 6 general practitioners and the other of 6 practice nurses. Discussion guidelines on the topics to be investigated were provided to the moderator. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed using the ATLAS-ti software. Results: The available operating systems and browsers and the lack of suitable spaces and time were reported as the main difficulties with the vCoP. The vCoP was perceived to be a flexible learning mode that provided up-to-date resources applicable to routine practice and offered a space for the exchange of experiences and approaches. Conclusions: The results from this pilot study show that the vCoP was considered useful for learning how to empower patients. However, while vCoPs have the potential to facilitate learning and as shown create professional awareness regarding patient empowerment, attention needs to be paid to technological and access issues and the time demands on professionals. We collected relevant inputs to improve the features, content and educational methods to be included in further vCoP implementation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02757781. Registered on 25 April 2016.This study was financed by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and Cofinanced by Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Gobierno de España. (PI15/00164, PI15/00586, PI15/00566

Acceptability and feasibility of a virtual community of practice to primary care professionals regarding patient empowerment : A qualitative pilot study

Background: Virtual communities of practice (vCoPs) facilitate online learning via the exchange of experiences and knowledge between interested participants. Compared to other communities, vCoPs need to overcome technological structures and specific barriers. Our objective was to pilot the acceptability and feasibility of a vCoP aimed at improving the attitudes of primary care professionals to the empowerment of patients with chronic conditions. Methods: We used a qualitative approach based on 2 focus groups: one composed of 6 general practitioners and the other of 6 practice nurses. Discussion guidelines on the topics to be investigated were provided to the moderator. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed using the ATLAS-ti software. Results: The available operating systems and browsers and the lack of suitable spaces and time were reported as the main difficulties with the vCoP. The vCoP was perceived to be a flexible learning mode that provided up-to-date resources applicable to routine practice and offered a space for the exchange of experiences and approaches. Conclusions: The results from this pilot study show that the vCoP was considered useful for learning how to empower patients. However, while vCoPs have the potential to facilitate learning and as shown create professional awareness regarding patient empowerment, attention needs to be paid to technological and access issues and the time demands on professionals. We collected relevant inputs to improve the features, content and educational methods to be included in further vCoP implementation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02757781. Registered on 25 April 2016

A note on comonotonicity and positivity of the control components of decoupled quadratic FBSDE

In this small note we are concerned with the solution of Forward-Backward Stochastic Differential Equations (FBSDE) with drivers that grow quadratically in the control component (quadratic growth FBSDE or qgFBSDE). The main theorem is a comparison result that allows comparing componentwise the signs of the control processes of two different qgFBSDE. As a byproduct one obtains conditions that allow establishing the positivity of the control process.Comment: accepted for publicatio