Potential relevance of differential settlements in earthquake-induced liquefaction damage assessment

The assessment of vulnerability of buildings subjected to earthquake-induced liquefaction requires the definition of an integrated damage scale accounting both for ground motion damage and ground permanent movements, which cause rigid-body settlement and tilt of the building but also flexural demand on members due to differential settlement of pad footings. Nevertheless, most of the existing procedures for the estimation of differential settlements rely only in soil characteristics, thus neglecting the influence of building stiffness on the soil-structure interaction. In the present work, based on simplified modelling of soil-structure variability and on preliminary assumption of force distributions, representative values of members' demand due to differential settlement are proposed. A simple approach relying on the structure-to-soil stiffness ratio and the equivalent soil degradation extent under pad footings is adopted. The methodology is calibrated by means of a parametric linear analysis for a set of planar frames. Relative flexural demand due to differential settlements normalised to the seismic flexural demand are obtained. Results show that their relevance may not be very severe, thus damage assessment of differential settlements could be likely accounted separately from flexural and rigid-body demand

Chemical behavior of the Dwarf Irregular Galaxy NGC 6822. Its PN and HII region abundances

We aim to derive the chemical behavior of a significant sample of PNe and HII regions in the irregular galaxy NGC 6822 The selected objects are distributed in different zones of the galaxy. Due to the faintness of PNe and HII regions in NGC 6822, to gather spectroscopic data with large telescopes is necessary. We obtained a well suited sample of spectra by employing VLT-FORS 2 and Gemini-GMOS spectrographs. Ionic and total abundances are calculated for the objects where electron temperatures can be determined through the detection of [OIII] \lambda 4363 or/and [NII] \lambda 5755 lines. A "simple" chemical evolution model has been developed and the observed data are used to compute a model for NGC 6822 in order to infer a preliminary chemical history in this galaxy. Confident determinations of He, O, N, Ne, S and Ar abundances were derived for a sample of 11 PNe and one HII region. We confirm that the present ISM is chemically homogeneous, at least in the central 2 kpc of the galaxy, showing a value 12+log O/H = 8.06$\pm$0.04. From the abundance pattern of PNe, we identified two populations: a group of young PNe with abundances similar to HII regions and a group of older objects with abundances a factor of two lower. A couple of extreme Type I PNe were found. No third dredge-up O enrichement was detected in PNe of this galaxy. The abundance determinations allow us to discuss the chemical behavior of the present and past ISM in NGC 6822. Our preliminary chemical evolution model predicts that an important gas-mass lost occurred during the first 5.3 Gyr, that no star higher than 40 M$_\odot$ was formed, and that 1% of all 3-15 M$_\odot$ stars became binary systems progenitors to SNIa.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures and 4 tables. A&A, Accepted 13/06/200

Estudio comparado de la diversidad florística en masas de origen natural y repoblado de Pinus sylvestris L. en la Sierra de Guadarrama (Sistema Central)

The main aim of this study is to analyse the ecological consequences of reforestation with Scots pine from a botanical standpoint. We also attempt to provide valuable information to be used in forest management and restoration based upon criteria of sustainability. Using the available information, we accurately demarcated the natural and reforested woods of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the Guadarrama mountains. We designed a sampling device taking into consideration both types of populations in order to study the floristic and structural diversity thereof. This paper provides the results of a comparative study of the floristic composition of both types of forests, which would appear to indicate greater global systematic diversity of the natural pine forests and a higher degree of structural complexity.El presente estudio tiene como objetivo principal el análisis de las consecuencias ecológicas de las repoblaciones forestales de pino albar desde una perspectiva botánica. Con ello se pretende, además, aportar valiosa información que pueda servir como un elemento más de base para la gestión y restauración forestal encaminadas a alcanzar objetivos de sostenibilidad. A partir de la información existente se han delimitado con precisión las masas naturales y de origen repoblado de pino albar (Pinus sylvestris L.) en la Sierra de Guadarrama. Se ha diseñado un dispositivo de muestreo contemplando ambas situaciones con el fin de estudiar su diversidad, tanto florística como estructural. En el presente trabajo se ofrecen los resultados relativos al estudio comparado de la composición florística de los dos tipos de masas forestales, los cuales apuntan a una mayor diversidad sistemática global de los pinares naturales, así como a una mayor complejidad estructural

Stellar over-densities in the halo: the extent of the Virgo over-density

We map the three dimensional extent of the Virgo Over-density by combining distance information from RR Lyrae variables and projected spatial information from SEKBO (Keller et al. 2008) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR6 photometry. The Virgo Over-density is seen to comprise two filaments 14.5 x 3 degrees and 10 x 3 degrees and a circular structure 3 degrees in diameter. Together the three features span 38 degrees of right ascension and declinations of +2 to -15 degrees. RR Lyrae variables place the two filamentary features at heliocentric distances of 20 and 17 kpc respectively, with projected dimensions of 5 x 1 kpc and 3 x 1 kpc.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, MNRAS accepte

Plant communities of Italy. The vegetation prodrome

The Vegetation Prodrome of Italy was promoted in 2012 by the Italian "Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea Protection", in collaboration with the "Italian Society of Botany", to provide a comprehensive and systematic catalogue and description of Italian plant communities. The Prodrome that is presented in this paper is the first full organic synthesis of the vegetation of Italy at the alliance syntaxonomic level. It fulfils several needs, the main one being a unified and comprehensive national framework that may make an important contribution to the definition of the European Vegetation Prodrome. Syntaxonomy, as well as taxonomy, is sometimes based on considerations that may in part diverge: several authors tend to favour models that are divisive or aggregative to a greater or lesser extent in terms of flora, biogeography and ecology. These different points of view stimulate the scientific debate and allow the adoption of a framework that is more widely supported. The Prodrome includes 75 classes, 2 subclasses, 175 orders, 6 suborders and 393 alliances. The classes were grouped into nine broad categories according to structural, physiognomic and synecological elements rather than to syntaxonomic criteria. The rank, full valid name, any synonymies and incorrect names are provided for each syntaxon. The short declaration highlights the physiognomy, synecology, syndynamics and distribution of the plant communities that belong to the syntaxon. The Prodrome of the Italian Vegetation is linked to the European Strategy for Biodiversity, the European Habitats Directive and the European Working Groups related to the ecosystems and their services. In addition to basic applications, the Prodrome can be used as a framework for scientific research related to the investigation of the relationships between plant communities and the environmental factors that influence their composition and distribution

COMPETENCIAS SOCIOEMOCIONALES EN EL DESARROLLO PROFESIONAL DEL MAESTRO

El principal objetivo de las universidades es educar en términos de adquisición de capacidades, habilidades, competencias y valores, con el fin último de promover el empleo.Numerosos autores han llegado a la conclusión de que la inteligencia emocional forma parte de las competencias que requieren las personas para desarrollar con éxito su labor profesional. En este trabajo se realiza una comparación de perfiles de competencias socioemocionales, mediante un análisis multivariado de la varianza, para el cual se dispuso de la opinión de una muestra de 148 maestros en ejercicio y de la medida en dichas competencias de 139 estudiantes de magisterio. Los resultados indicaron que existen diferencias en los perfiles de ambos grupos; siendo esta diferencia significativa para 11 de las 13 variables socioemocionales analizadas. Los estudiantes tienen menos desarrolladas las competencias socioemocionales que requieren según los profesionales. Parece, por tanto, necesario que desde los currícula universitarios se promueva el desarrollo de estas competencias para un desarrollo profesional eficaz. AbstractThe main purpose of universities is to educate in terms of knowledge, abilities, skills and values adquisition, with the ultimate aim of promoting employment. Many academics have concluded that intelligence is part of the social-emotional skills needed by individuals to successfully develop their professional work. In this article we undertake an analysis of socio-emotional Educación XX1. 14.2, 2011, pp. 237-260 competence profiles by means of the application of a multivariate procedure to a sample of 148 teachers in exercise and to 139 students in teacher training courses.The results of our analysis show notable differences in the profiles of both groups, the difference being highly significant in 11 of the 13 socioemotional variables analyzed. Students show a minor development of socioemotional skills required by professionals. As a main conclusion of our analysis we can state that it reveals imperative that the university curricula promotes the development of these skills in order to achieve an effective professional development

Un examen de la validez externa del Stat (Sternberg Triarchic Abilities Test)

The aim of our investigation is to check the external and predictable validity of the STAT. To do we carried out the test of multiple correlation and drop between the marks obtained in the STAT, the ones in the «g» of Cattell and an external guideline: the academic perfomance in a subsample of pupils (n= 595) of the 5th and 6th years of Primary Education chosen at random. The results of these correlative and predictable tests demonstrate that: 1) The STAT seems to be linked to a greater extent with the academic performance than the factor «g» of Cattell is; 2) the analytical and practical subtests of the STAT have a greater connection with the performance; and 3) however, the creative subtest is connected to a lesser extent with the performance.El objetivo de nuestra investigación es comprobar la validez externa de tipo predictivo del STAT (Sternberg Triarchic Abilities Test). Para ello llevamos a cabo análisis de correlación y de regresión múltiple entre las puntuaciones obtenidas en el STAT, las conseguidas en el «g» de Cattell y un criterio externo: el rendimiento académico, en una submuestra de alumnos (n= 595) de 5º y 6º de E.G.B. elegida al azar. Los resultados de dichos análisis correlacionales y predictivos, evidencian que: 1) el STAT parece estar comprometido con el rendimiento académico en mayor medida que lo está el factor «g» de Cattell; 2) son la subpruebas analítica y práctica del STAT, las que tienen una mayor relación con el rendimiento; y 3) sin embargo, la subprueba creativa está menos relacionada con el rendimiento

Assessment of ventilation rates inside educational buildings in Southwestern Europe: Analysis of implemented strategic measures

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has highlighted the need to ensure good indoor air quality. Public buildings (educational buildings in particular) have come under the spotlight because students, teachers and staff spend long periods of the day indoors. This study presents a measurement campaign for the assessment of ventilation rate (VR) and ventilation strategies in educational buildings in Southwestern Europe, Portugal and Spain. A representative sample of the teaching spaces of the Azurém Campus (Guimarães, Portugal) and the Fuentenueva Campus (Granada, Spain) have been analyzed. Natural ventilation is the predominant ventilation strategy in these spaces, being the most common strategy in educational buildings in Europe. VR was estimated under different configurations, using the CO2 decay method. Subsequently, the CO2 concentration was estimated according to occupancy and the probability of infection risk was calculated using the Wells-Riley equation. The obtained VR varied between 2.9 and 20.1 air change per hour (ACH) for natural cross ventilation, 2.0 to 5.1 ACH for single-sided ventilation and 1.8 to 3.5 for mechanically ventilated classrooms. Large differences in CO2 concentrations were verified, depending on the analyzed ventilation strategy, ranging from 475 to 3903 ppm for the different scenarios. However, the probability of risk was less than 1% in almost all of the classrooms analyzed. The results obtained from the measurement campaign showed that the selection of an appropriate ventilation strategy can provide sufficient air renewal and maintain a low risk of infection. Ventilation strategies need to be reconsidered as a consequence of the health emergency arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.Antonio J. Aguilar Aguilera and María Luisa de la Hoz Torres wish to thank the support of the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades of Spain under an FPU grant. This work has been supported by the Consejo General de la Arquitectura T´ecnica (CGATE), the “Junta de Andalucía” (Spain) under project B-TEP-362-UGR18 and the State Research Agency (SRA) of Spain and European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) under project PID2019-108761RB-I00. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada / CBUA

Thickness dependence of critical temperature in Mo/Au bilayers

We report on the sensitivity of the superconducting critical temperature (TC) to layer thickness, as well as on TC reproducibility in Mo/Au bilayers. Resistivity measurements on samples with a fixed Au thickness (dAu) and Mo thickness (dMo) ranging from 50 to 250 nm, and with a fixed dMo and different dAu thickness are shown. Experimental data are discussed in the framework of Martinis model, whose application to samples with dAu above their coherence length is analysed in detail. Results show a good coupling between normal and superconducting layers and excellent TC reproducibility, allowing to accurately correlate Mo layer thickness and bilayer TC