Ambientes laborales de ruido en el sector minero de la Comunidad de Madrid : clasificación, predicción y soluciones

El ruido es uno de los contaminantes físicos de mayor presencia en el sector de la minería a cielo abierto así como en sus industrias auxiliares. Diferentes instituciones internacionales han tratado de una u otra forma el problema del ruido laboral, tanto desde el ámbito político y legislativo, como es el caso de la Unión Europea, como desde un punto de vista descriptivo y divulgativo, caso de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Actualmente se conocen numerosos efectos negativos producidos por la exposición al ruido, sobre todo en lo relativo al sistema auditivo. Aunque existen evidencias de la existencia de otros muchos efectos, algunos de ellos todavía no se encuentran caracterizados de forma precisa. Debido a la importancia que dichos efectos tienen sobre la salud y el bienestar de las personas, se hace necesario desarrollar mecanismos que estudien y planteen soluciones preventivas sobre estas cuestiones. En el año 2003 la Unión Europea aprobó una nueva Directiva (2003/10/CE) relativa a la exposición de los trabajadores a los riesgos derivados de los agentes físicos (ruido). Esta Directiva fue transpuesta al ordenamiento jurídico español mediante el Real Decreto 286/2006. Las particularidades y dificultades que presentan las actividades mineras y constructivas, respecto a otras actividades industriales, hacen compleja la aplicación de las diferentes normativas de ruido laboral. En esta investigación se han estudiado los niveles de ruido a los que se encuentran expuestos los trabajadores de los sectores de la minería y de la fabricación de cementos de la Comunidad de Madrid, utilizando diferentes técnicas y procedimientos de medida y comparando los resultados con los valores límite expresados en las diferentes legislaciones en vigor. Por otra parte, se ha desarrollado un algoritmo de estimación del tiempo óptimo de medida, que permite la evaluación de los niveles de exposición sonora mediante la realización de medidas con medidores personales de exposición sonora, y entre otras aportaciones, se ha analizado la contribución de las diferentes variables a la incertidumbre total de las medidas, que serán de utilidad para la valoración de la exposición al ruido en el trabajo en este sector productivo

Not without my mobile phone: alcohol binge drinking, gender violence and technology in the Spanish culture of intoxication

The practice of binge drinking has in recent decades consolidated what is known as the ‘culture of intoxication’ among the young people of Spain. This has coincided with the increase in the use of mobile-phone technology and of social networks within the night-time economy. Our main aim is to explore these new, potentially risky uses and violent behaviours, through an analysis of the discourses of the young people involved. This is a qualitative study with in-depth interviews (n¼24) of young people between the ages of sixteen and twenty-two, resident in two cities in the south of Spain: Granada and Seville. Findings: our results show that gender violence is present in the contexts where alcohol is consumed intensively and is related to the use of the mobile phone in interpersonal or couple relationships. This violence is practiced mainly against the women, who suffer sexual harassment and violation of their public image through information and communication technologies. Our data show that prevention should consider the new vulnerabilities that are generated out of the problematic association between technology and alcohol, using innovative strategies that are adapted to the new patterns of youth behaviour.Ministry of Industry, Economy and Competitiveness FEM2016- 77116-C2-1-RFEDER FEM2016- 77116-C2-1-

Tourist Influence on Nightlife Noise

Although environmental noise from entertainment and leisure activities is causing a growing number of complaints from EU population, this noise issue is not covered by the current EU initiatives on environmental noise management. This noise problem is difficult to tackle strategically and technically – no specific standards have yet been established for measurements, methods and indicators, and the practical remedies are still limited. This paper reviews nightlife noise and more specifically how the presence of tourists influences the variation of the noise. Several case studies were conducted in some Spanish locations by the seasonal tourist incursion, mainly in the summer months. Variations in the nightlife noise in recreational zones during the weekends and “working days” are compared. This research also discusses data from different years and seasonal periods and reinforced with data obtained through surveys specifically designed for foreign tourists. These surveys reveal practical information about how tourists perceive noise, and their behaviour and reactions to it. Those data could be useful for Environmental Noise Authorities to develop noise action plans, as recreational noise is a source not considered when noise mapping by means of using simulation techniques

Finanzas Corporativas: Rentabilidad Financiera de la Empresa de Vinagre S,A. Comprendido en el periodo del 2011 al 2013.

La empresa Vinagre S.A brinda los servicios de comercialización y distribución de vinagre 100% natural ubicada la fábrica en la ciudad de Rivas en la isla de Ometepec y la sede central está ubicada en Managua colonia Pedro Joaquín de la Semáforo de la Róbelo 5 cuadra al lago 2c.arriba 1l2 al lago media abajo. Durante el análisis investigativo en del año 2011 al 2013 se pudo constatar que las ventas y utilidad bruta cada año son favorables para la empresa, pero sus gastos operativos anual aumentaron consecutivamente en el año 2013 presento bajo rendimiento en cuanto a la utilidad neta para los accionistas. Para el debido análisis se utilizaron distintas herramientas como de análisis financiero donde se hizo el debido análisis dinámico y estático de los estados financieros, razones financieras y tomas de decisiones. Al desarrollar el caso práctico mediante la utilización de las herramientas antes mencionada, se encontró un alto índice de gastos operativos, debido a que los gastos de ventas y administración aumentaron, esto se debió a gastos excesivos que se realizaron en ambos departamentos, tales como aumento en los salarios para el departamento de administración, al igual que para el área de producción, la empresa Vinagre S.A. posee mucho personal para el área de empaque, entre otros gastos que se presentaron. Todo esto afecto las utilidades netas de la empresa en el año 2012 y 2013, por ende su rentabilidad financiera es afectado específicamente los dos últimos años. El cual con esta investigación se pretende dar sugerencias a la gerencia de la empresa vinagre S.A para que le permita tomar mejores decisiones administrativas y así evitar este tipo de problemáticas en un futuro. Palabras claves: finanzas, razones financieras, herramientas financieras, análisis financier

Use of a new enrichment nanosorbent for speciation of mercury by FI-CV-ICP-MS

Mercury is one of the most toxic environmental pollutants and its effects on human and ecosystem health are well known. All mercury species are toxic, with organic mercury compounds generally being more toxic than inorganic species. Chromatography techniques (GC, HPLC) coupled to element specific detectors, are able to separate mercury species in order to elucidate mercury transformation and transport processes where the determination of all mercury species is desirable. However, in practice, especially in sampling campaigns for sea water analysis where a large number of samples are collected over a longer period of time, a combination of methods is usually applied to accurately determine the most toxic mercury species. These include non-chromatographic methods based on the different chemical and/or physical behavior of the mercury species. These non-chromatographic methods can be less time consuming, more cost effective and available, and present competitive limits of detection. Especially when mercury could vapor (CV) generation technique is employed, which reduces salt effect on the analytical signal and improve the sensibility. Among non-chromatographic methods, solid phase extraction and microextraction (SPE and SPME) which is becoming increasingly popular for sample preparation in organic analysis, found its way to speciation analysis of organometals. SPE/SPME is the most popular sample preconcentration method for its simplicity, high enrichment factor, low or no consumption of organic solvents and feasibly to be automated. On the other hand, the exploration of new materials, especially nanometer sized materials, as the support phase is another active research area in SPE/SPME for mercury determination. The use of nanoparticles leads to higher extraction capacity/efficiency and rapid dynamics of extraction originated from the higher surface area to volume ratio and short diffusion route. In this work, a new enrichment nanosorbent functionalized with 1,5 bis (2-pyridyl) methylene thiocarbohidrazide was synthesized and characterized. From the study of its adsorption capacity toward metal ions, Hg2+ was observed to be one of the most retained 173.1 µmol g-1 at pH 5. Thus, a flow injection solid phase extraction and cold vapor generation method for its determination and speciation based on the use of this new chelating nanosorbent was optimized. The method developed has showed to be useful for the automatic pre-concentration and sequential speciation of mercury and methylmercury in environmental and biological samples. The system was based on chelating retention of the analytes onto a mini-column filled with the new nanosorbent and their sequential elution by using two different eluents, 0.2 % HCl for CH3Hg+ and 0.1 % thiourea in 0.5 % HCl for Hg2+. The determination was performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Under the optimum conditions and 120 s preconcentration time, the enrichment factors were 4.7 and 11.0; the detection limits (3σ) were 0.002 and 0.004 µg L-1; the determination limits (10σ) were 0.011 and 0.024 µg L-1; and the precisions (calculated for 10 replicate determinations at a 2 µg L-1 standard of both species) were 2.8 and 2.6 % (RSD); for CH3Hg+ and Hg2+, respectively. Linear calibration graphs were obtained for both species from the determination limits to at least 70 µg L-1. For the quality control of the analytical performance and the validation of the newly developed method, the analysis of two certified samples, LGC 6016 estuarine water and SRM 2976 mussel tissue were addressed. The results showed good agreement with the certified values. The method was successfully applied to the speciation of mercury in sea-water samples collected in the Málaga Bay.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

La internacionalización lingüística en la educación superior: un estudio sobre la existencia de políticas lingüísticas y titulaciones bilingües en las universidades españolas

The process of internationalization at university has become one of the objectives in the strategic plans of these institutions in Spain. During the last two decades this objective has included the offer of studies in English as a means of furthering the international profile of universities. This interest has led to two alternative models ideated to achieve this goal. That is, on the one hand, the motivation to increase the number of credits taught through English may have originated in the Faculties or Schools, stemming from highly motivated groups of teachers; whereas, on the other, the university as a global institution may have opted for designing an educational policy aiming at expanding this particular proposal. However, we can observe that there is a lack of identification in scientific literature of the presence of global language policies at the university level, and of the general tendencies in the offer of credits in a foreign language. In this paper, we will try to cover this gap by reviewing the current situation of Spanish universities with regards to the delineation of language policies in general and in particular regarding the implementation of bilingual degrees.El proceso de internacionalización de las universidades ha sido uno de los objetivos recurrentes en los planes estratégicos de las instituciones universitarias y, desde hace algunos años particularmente, este proceso ha desembocado en el interés por ofertar estudios en inglés como un medio para fomentar el perfil internacional de las universidades. Este interés ha dado lugar a dos modelos diferentes para conseguir este objetivo. Así, el incremento del número de créditos ofertados en inglés puede haber nacido directamente en los propios centros y facultades a partir de grupos de profesores altamente motivados, mientras que, por otro lado, han sido las propias universidades quienes de forma global han optado por diseñar políticas educativas encaminadas a aumentar esta oferta docente. Sin embargo, se puede observar una escasez de estudios relacionados con la presencia de políticas lingüística globales a nivel universitario y con las tendencias en la implantación de estudios bilingües. En este artículo intentaremos cubrir esta carencia mediante la revisión dela situación actual de las universidades españolas con respecto al diseño de políticas lingüísticas en general y en particular las encaminadas a la implantación de grados bilingües

Spatial Interpolation contribution to noise maps uncertainty

Noise maps results are usually presented as contour graphs or isophone curves, which describe the sound levels as functions of spatial location. These maps are added to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), allowing sound level evaluation as a function of the continuous coordinates x and y, for a given height above ground. Although the outcome of the system is a continuous variable, the calculations that allow its evaluation are obtained in discrete points that form a calculation grid, which is created by the application of spatial sampling techniques. Using spatial interpolation tools, values are assigned to the locations in which measures or calculations have not been performed. The application of sampling and interpolation techniques (the type of grid, its density, the interpolation algorithms…) contributes to the uncertainty of the results. This paper describes a calculation method to quantify the uncertainty associated to the spatial sampling and interpolation process. We also propose a revision of the classical meaning of noise mapping uncertainty, taking into account the final application of the results

Room flanking sound transmission assessment using a vibration probe

Most of airborne sound insulation test are performed according to certification standards, and only deal with sound pressure as a variable to estimate insulation. Besides, standards are aimed to provide direct path insulation, so one gets no idea regarding flanking paths. Without data from every path involved in sound transmission, a proper insulation designing stage can became mistaken and unfinished

Influence of temperature and time on the Eu3+ reaction with synthetic Na-Mica-n (n = 2 and 4)

Bentonite is accepted as the best clay material for the engineered barrier of Deep Geological Repositories (DGRs). The performance of clay as the main component of the engineered barrier in the DGR has been intensively studied and the structure of the selected clay mineral play a crucial role. In this sense, a new family of synthetic swelling silicates, Na-Mica-n, with tuned layer charge (n) values between 2.0 and 4.0 per unit cell has recently been synthesized and a general synthetic method has been reported. These swelling high-charge micas could be highly valuable for the decontamination of harmful cations. The ability of these micas to immobilize Eu3+ under subcritical conditions has been probed. The adsorption was in both non-specific sites (cation exchange mechanism) and specific sites (chemical reaction or surface defects adsorption). Moreover, its adsorption capacity, under the same conditions is higher than in saponite and far superior to the bentonites.Junta de Andalucía P12-FQM-567European Union 29178