342 research outputs found
A Service based Development Environment on Web 2.0 Platforms
Governments are investing on the IT adoption and promoting the socalled e-economies as a way to improve competitive advantages. One of the main government’s actions is to provide internet access to the most part of the population, people and organisations. Internet provides the required support for connecting organizations, people and geographically distributed developments teams. Software developments are tightly related to the availability of tools and platforms needed for products developments. Internet is becoming the most widely used platform. Software forges such as SourceForge provide an integrated tools environment gathering a set of tools that are suited for each development with a low cost. In this paper we propose an innovating approach based on Web2.0, services and a method engineering approach for software developments. This approach represents one of the possible usages of the internet of the future
Virtual Learning Environments In Faculties Of Education In Spain: Changes On Student Attitude
This paper presents some results of a R+D project entitled “e-Learning system for Practical Training of University students in Education Faculties (ForELearn)”, developed in Spain by the Universidad de Granada and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education. In a first phase, through the use of AulaWeb Learning Management System, a set of adaptations and improvements of this software application have been done for the design and development of an experimental course of Practicum supervision. Next, the implementation of this course by means of a group of face to face and online seminars provides experimental data for the analysis and discussion about the point of view of users (preservice teachers) that have tracked their practice supervision with AulaWeb
Evolution along the sequence of S0 Hubble types induced by dry minor mergers. II - Bulge-disk coupling in the photometric relations through merger-induced internal secular evolution
Galaxy mergers are considered as questionable mechanisms for the evolution of
lenticular galaxies (S0's), on the basis that even minor ones induce structural
changes that are difficult to reconcile with the strong bulge-disk coupling
observed in the photometric scaling relations of S0's. We check if the
evolution induced onto S0's by dry intermediate and minor mergers can reproduce
their photometric scaling relations, analysing the bulge-disk decompositions of
the merger simulations presented in Eliche-Moral et al. (2012). The mergers
induce an evolution in the photometric planes compatible with the data of S0's,
even in those ones indicating a strong bulge-disk coupling. The mergers drive
the formation of the observed photometric relation in some cases, whereas they
induce a slight dispersion compatible with data in others. Therefore, this
evolutionary mechanism tends to preserve these scaling relations. In those
photometric planes where the morphological types segregate, the mergers always
induce evolution towards the region populated by S0's. The structural coupling
of the bulge and the disk is preserved or reinforced because the mergers
trigger internal secular processes in the primary disk that induce significant
bulge growth, even although these models do not induce bars. Intermediate and
minor mergers can thus be considered as plausible mechanisms for the evolution
of S0's attending to their photometric scaling relations, as they can preserve
and even strengthen any pre-existing structural bulge-disk coupling, triggering
significant internal secular evolution (even in the absence of bars or
dissipational effects). This means that it may be difficult to isolate the
effects of pure internal secular evolution from those of the merger-driven one
in present-day early-type disks (abridged).Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 13 pages, 8
figures. Definitive version after proofs. Added references and corrected
typo
Trajectory optimization for exposure to minimal electromagnetic pollution using genetic algorithms approach: A case study
Low-frequency electromagnetic pollution associated with electricity supplies and electrical appliances creates broad and specific challenges. Among them, knowing the values of this pollution in urban areas to prevent long exposure in the daily life human beings is rising in today's information society.
This paper presents a comprehensive approach for, first, mapping electromagnetic pollution of complete urban areas and, second, based on the former data, the trajectories planning of commuting with minimal electromagnetic exposure.
In the first stage, the proposed approach reduces the number of necessary measurements for the pollution mapping, estimating their value by optimizing functional criteria using genetic algorithms (GAs) and considering the superposition effect of different sources.
In the second stage, a combination of a specifically designed search space and GA as optimization algorithm makes it possible to determine an optimized trajectory that represents a balanced solution between distance and exposure to magnetic fields.
The results verify the obtaining of a complete mapping with less error, between 1% and 2.5%, in power lines and medium/low voltage (MV/LV) substations, respectively. The proposed approach obtains optimized trajectories for different types of commuting (pedestrians, bikers, and vehicles), and it can be integrated into mobile applications.
Finally, the method was tested on an actual urban area in Malaga (Spain).Financing for open access position: University of Malaga / CBUA
VIM-Klebsiella oxytoca outbreak in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. This time it wasn't the drain
Objective:We describe an outbreak of VIM-carbapenemase-K. oxytoca (VIM-Kox) in a NICU Study design: Prospective Epidemiological Surveillance: a) Systematically (weekly screening cultures) or on admission, if the patient had a history of previous colonization by VIM-Kox. b) Clinical cultures, done if infection was suspected. c) Other possible microorganism sources were investigated: their mothers (rectal microbiota), milk packages and preparation apparata in the lactodietary section, echocardiagram transductors, cribs, the sinks (faucets and drains), washing bowls, etc.Molecular typing was performed using the DiversiLab (bioMérieux) system on all VIM-Kox isolated from environment or patients (one by neonate). Results:We identified 20 VIM-Kox cases, the most only presented colonization, but 4 showed infection. Three of the ten sinks (drains) in our NICU, were positive for VIM-Kox. Another four drains harbored P.aeruginosa, S. maltophilia and/or Enterobacter sp.Nevertheless the VIM-Kox bacteria in the sinks (drains) were not the same as those in the patients, who showed three different strains Conclusions:- A VIM-Kox colonization or infection outbreak in a NICU is described.-Rather than environment, not even drains, the source of the outbreak was other patients.-The outbreak was relatively brief, as a result of the rapidness with which appropriate measures were taken and followed
Intensive cultivation of kiwifruit alters the detrital foodweb and accelerates soil C and N losses
The detrital food web plays an important role in the functioning of agro-ecosystems due to their positive effect on organic matter transformations and nutrient supply to the growing crops, however, the activities of the organisms involved are strongly influenced by agricultural practices. In NW Spain, commercial Hayward kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa) is intensively produced using conventional techniques (CONV), however, more sustainable methods, such as integrated (INT) and organic (ORG), have been increasingly adopted to decrease the negative impacts on the environment. We investigated the effects of these agricultural managements on earthworm abundance and functional diversity as well as microbial biomass and enzyme activity and evaluated the potential implications for nutrient retention and runoff in kiwifruit orchards. Our results showed that the CONV soils significantly contained fewer earthworms (ca. 80% less individuals than the INT and ORG systems), with their communities being mainly dominated by small epigeics, but a higher microbial biomass (0.53 ± 0.06 mg C g-1 dw soil compared to 37% more CO2, and five times more DIN) than from the less intensively managed soils. In contrast, the INT and ORG systems sustained a more complex and functionally diverse soil food web that lead to higher soil C and N retention. Therefore, agriculture management (i.e., intensive vs. less intensive) and its effects on the structure of the below-ground communities (i.e., microorganisms plus surface detritivores vs. deep burrowers plus geophagous forms) determine the nutrient sink/source function of these agro-ecosystems. These findings highlight the importance of including the contribution of soil biota to soil processes when optimizing fertilization loads and mitigating environmental impacts of agricultural practices.Xunta de Galicia | Ref. 10 PXIB 310 142 PRMinisterio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte | Ref. AP2009-203
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