Relationship Amongst Technology Use, Work Overload, and Psychological Detachment from Work

Permanent connection to the work world as a result of new technologies raises the possibility of workday extensions and excessive workloads. The present study addresses the relationship between technology and psychological detachment from work resulting from work overload. Participants were 313 professionals from the health sector who responded to three instruments used in similar studies. Through PLS-SEM, regression and dependence analyses were developed, and through the bootstrapping method, significance of factor loadings, path coefficients and variances were examined. Results of the study corroborate a negative effect of technology use on psychological detachment from work and a positive correlation between technology and work overload. Additionally, there is a significant indirect effect of technology on psychological detachment from work as a result of work overload. Findings extend the literature related to the stressor-detachment model, and support the idea that workers who are often connected to their jobs by technological tools are less likely to reach adequate psychological detachment levels. Implications for the academic community and practitioners are discusse

BIM: a technology acceptance model in Peru

The purpose of this paper is to empirically study factors that facilitate the adoption of building information modelling (BIM) among practitioners using the unified theory of technology acceptance model (TAM). The factors identified in the TAM were examined using a quantitative approach. The empirical investigation has been conducted using a survey questionnaire. The data set has been obtained from 73 architects and engineers in Peru. Results show that Perceived Usefulness (PU) is the most important determinant of Behavioural Intention (BI), while Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) is found to have no significant effect on BI. The findings provide an excellent backdrop in the development of policy and a roadmap for BIM implementation in Peru. The original contribution and value of the paper is the use of TAM to provide empirical evidence on factors that facilitate BIM adoption in Peru

Los materiales de construcción de los clarinetes. Mapa acústico y optimización acústica del clarinete bajo

Trabajo de investigación dividido en cuatro partes. En la primera se muestran los orígenes, la morfología y los materiales con los que han sido construidos o se construyen actualmente los instrumentos de la familia del clarinete, además de mencionar aquellos materiales susceptibles de ser usados en el futuro para su fabricación. La segunda parte trata de la organología y la acústica de estos instrumentos, así como de su optimización. En tercer lugar, se elabora un mapa acústico con los doscientos ochenta y seis sonidos que se pudieron registrar con un clarinete bajo. Las fichas que constituyen el mapa acústico constan de la referencia al sonido, su digitación completa y simplificada, su oscilograma y gráfica FFT y una tabla con los valores en Hertzios y decibelios de cada uno de los ocho primeros armónicos, con referencia a su frecuencia teórica y la obtenida experimentalmente. Por último, la cuarta parte trata de sugerir alguna aplicación didáctica utilizando los datos obtenidos en el mapa acústico

A multi-dimensional analysis on how different types of innovations impact SMEs business performance

This paper examines the impact of innovation decisions on business performance for small and medium-sized enterprises based on a multi-dimensional analytical approach. With this aim, the impact of the firm’s innovation decisions (in terms of the introduction of product, process, and/or organisational innovation) on four alternative performance indicators (two financial indicators: sales increase and cost reduction; and two operational indicators: increase of productive capacity and improvement in quality) is analysed. Additionally, an array of potential moderating determinants (such as firm and entrepreneur characteristics) are controlled for. Our findings highlight the existence of positive impacts of innovation decisions on both dimensions of business performance (financial and operational), but these impacts significantly differ depending on the type of innovation and the performance indicator considered. Thus, in order to study the multifaceted effects of innovation decisions made by the firm, results point out that the relationship between innovation (product, process, or organisational) and business performance should be analysed from a multi-dimensional approach. These findings imply significant implications for the design and implementation of innovation strategies in SMEs, since these should be tailored according to the business performance sought by the firm

The effects of innovation on the decisions of exporting and/or importing in SMEs: empirical evidence in the case of Spain

This paper analyses the involvement of small firms in international trade activities by identifying the comprehensive impact of innovation. Specifically, we study how innovation introduced by these firms determines entrepreneurial decision-making process regarding whether to engage in exporting and/or importing. Moreover, we account for several innovation outputs (product, process, and organisational/managerial innovation) when estimating the potentially interrelated decisions of whether to export and/or import. Results confirm the simultaneity of firms’ exporting and importing decisions and consequently these two decisions should be estimated together when analysing the influence incurred by the introduction of alternative types of innovation on said decisions. Furthermore, findings show complementarity between types of innovation to be relevant in explaining export and import decisions made by SMEs. Specifically, cumulative effects as a result of combining product and process innovation, as well as of product, process and organisational innovation, are highly significant in explaining export decisions, while in the case of imports, the combination of product and organisational innovation is shown to be significant. These findings lead to major policy and managerial implications regarding the promotion of SMEs’ participation in international trade flows through alternative innovation strategies

Sequential vs simultaneous schelling models: experimental evidence

This work shows the results of experiments where subjects play the Schelling's spatial proximity model (1969, 1971a), in which choices are made sequentially, and a variation of it where the decision-making is simultaneous. The results of the sequential experiments are identical to Schelling's prediction: subjects finish in a segregated equilibrium. Likewise, in the variant of simultaneous decision the same result is reached: segregation. Subjects’ heterogeneity generates a series of focal points in the first round; the subjects in order to locate themselves use these focal points immediately, and as a result, the segregation takes place again.Financial support from the MCI (SEJ2006-11510/ECON, SEJ2007-62081/ECON, ECO2008-04576/ECON and ECO2008-06395-05-03), Junta de Andalucia Excelencia (P07.SEJ.02547) and Instituto de la Mujer (2008.031) is gratefully acknowledged

El tráfico marítimo de contenedores: Valencia en la red portuaria mundial

Los procesos de globalización y liberalización de la economía internacional están provocando un fuerte incremento del transporte marítimo debido a la fragmentación del comercio, que crece de forma muy rápida tanto en el intercambio de bienes finales como en el de los componentes que sirven para su fabricación. Los puertos son la pieza clave en este tipo de comercio global, especialmente en lo que se refiere a la organización logística y el acceso a los mercados de producción y de consumo. Este modelo lleva consigo la adopción de modos de transporte más ágiles, baratos y seguros, como son los contenedores y los buques especializados en su carga, así como la construcción de instalaciones portuarias: terminales específicas, muelles de mayor calado, grúas gigantescas, vías de acceso y zonas de actividades logísticas, en definitiva, mayor espacio, que se consigue ganando terreno al mar y ocupando nuevos terrenos en los propios entornos portuarios. Nunca como hasta ahora la actividad portuaria había provocado tantos cambios en el espacio litoral

Caracterización, fenología e interés apícola del romeral valenciano con pebrella (Helianthemo-Thymetum piperellae) en las provincias de Alicante y Valencia.

SANc¡íis, E.; J. B. Peaís & R. CURRÁs. 1992. Caracterización, fenologia e interés apicola del romeral valenciano con pebrella (Helianthemo-Thymetum piperellae) en las provincias de Alicanle y Valencia. Bat Complutensis t7: 99-115 Se exponen las características del romeral valenciano con pebrella (l-lelianthemoThymetum piperellae) en las provincias de Alicante y Valencia Se analiza la fenología de las especies que componen la comunidad y se diferencia la floración a lo largo del año para las plantas con flores poliniferas y nectaríferas.SANc¡íis, E.; J. B. Peaís & R. CURRÁs. 1992. Caracterización, fenologia e interés apicola del romeral valenciano con pebrella (Helianthemo-Thymetum piperellae) en las provincias de Alicanle y Valencia. Bat Complutensis t7: 99-115 Se exponen las características del romeral valenciano con pebrella (l-lelianthemoThymetum piperellae) en las provincias de Alicante y Valencia Se analiza la fenología de las especies que componen la comunidad y se diferencia la floración a lo largo del año para las plantas con flores poliniferas y nectaríferas

Monitorización cardíaca tras ESUS; Monitor externo vs Monitor implantable.

ntroducción: El ESUS, conocido por ictus embólico de origen indeterminado, engloba alrededor del 25% de los ictus estudiados en una planta de Neurología. El adecuado estudio e investigación clínica de estos eventos es fundamental para una correcta prevención secundaria, de cara a evitar nuevos eventos con el tratamiento médico farmacológico adecuado. A día de hoy, tras llegar al diagnóstico de ESUS, es necesaria la búsqueda activa de una posible FA oculta, y para ello tenemos armas diagnósticas como los monitores holter implantables o los monitores holter externos. Partiendo de esta base, queremos estudiar cual es la comparativa entre ambas pruebas diagnósticas de cara a la rentabilidad en la detección de Fibrilación Auricular oculta. Diseño del estudio: Se trata de un ensayo clínico aleatorizado con grupo control en el que estudiaremos a pacientes ingresados en nuestro Hospital en el que se haya llegado a diagnóstico de ESUS tras descartar otras causas, y dividiremos a los pacientes en dos grupos, la mitad serán monitorizados durante 1 año mediante monitor implantable y la otra mitad será monitorizada mediante un monitor externo durante 1 mes con posteriores ECGs seriados. Además, dividiremos a la muestra en varios subgrupos en función de características clínico-radiológicas y analizaremos la proporción de FAs detectadas y la rentabilidad económica de ambos estudios. Resultados: Compararemos las tasas de detección de FA obtenidas en ambos grupos y analizaremos la rentabilidad de ambas técnicas diagnósticas en cuanto a las tasas de detección y la rentabilidad económica de las pruebas teniendo en cuenta factores clínicos y radiológicos de los pacientes estudiados.Background: ESUS, known as embolic stroke of undetermined origin, encompasses around 25% of strokes studied in a Neurology ward. The proper study and clinical research for the prevention of these events is essential for a correct secondary, in order to avoid new events with the appropriate pharmacological medical treatment. Today, after reaching the diagnosis of ESUS, an active search for a possible hidden atrial fibrillation is necessary, and for this we have diagnostic weapons such as implantable Holter monitors or external Holter monitors. Starting from this base, we want to study the comparison between both diagnostic tests in terms of profitability in the detection of occult Atrial Fibrillation. Study desing: The study will consist of a randomized clinical trial with a control group in which we will study patients admitted to our Hospital in which a diagnosis of ESUS has been reached after ruling out other causes, and we will divide the patients into two groups, half will be monitored during 1 year with an implantable monitor and the other half will be monitored with an external monitor for 1 month with subsequent serial ECGs. In addition, we will divide the sample into several subgroups based on clinical-radiological characteristics and we will analyze the proportion of AF detected and the economic profitability of both studies. Outcomes: We will compare the rates of Atrial Fibrillation obtained in both groups and we will analyze the profitability of both diagnostic techniques in terms of detection rates and the economic profitability of the tests, taking into account clinical and radiological factors of the patients studied

New optimal controller tuning method for an AVR system using a simplified Ant Colony Optimization with a new constrained Nelder-Mead algorithm

[EN] In this paper, an optimal gain tuning method for PID controllers is proposed using a novel combination of a simplified Ant Colony Optimization algorithm and Nelder¿Mead method (ACO-NM) including a new procedure to constrain NM. To address Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller tuning for the Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) system, this paper presents a meta-analysis of the literature on PID parameter sets solving the AVR problem. The investigation confirms that the proposed ACO-NM obtains better or equivalent PID solutions and exhibits higher computational efficiency than previously published methods. The proposed ACO-NM application is extended to realistic conditions by considering robustness to AVR process parameters, control signal saturation and noisy measurements as well as tuning a two-degree-of-freedom PID controller (2DOF-PID). For this type of PID, a new objective function is also proposed to manage control signal constraints. Finally, real time control experiments confirm the performance of the proposed 2DOF-PIDs in quasi-real conditions. Furthermore, the efficiency of the algorithm is confirmed by comparing its results to other optimization algorithms and NM combinations using benchmark functions.This work was supported by the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, the Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements Program from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and by the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (Spain), project DPI2015-71443-R. It was also supported by the Bourse Mobilite Etudiante from Ministere de l'Education du Quebec, the CEMF Claudette MacKay-Lassonde Graduate Engineering Ambassador Award and the SWAAC Bourseau merite pour etudiantes de cycles superieurs.Blondin, MJ.; Sanchís Saez, J.; Sicard, P.; Herrero Durá, JM. (2018). New optimal controller tuning method for an AVR system using a simplified Ant Colony Optimization with a new constrained Nelder-Mead algorithm. Applied Soft Computing. 62:216-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asoc.2017.10.007S2162296