Electro-optical Simulation of a-Si Thin-Film-Transistor Liquid Crystal Display Pixels

An analysis of an amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display (TFT-LCD) pixel is presented. The electro-optical model combines the electrical properties of the switching element and the optical performance of a twisted nematic (TN) liquid-crystal cell.Publicad

Electro-optic system for online light transmission control of polymer-dispersed liquid crystal windows

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) are formed by micro droplets of liquid crystal embedded in a flexible matrix and sandwiched between transparent electrodes. Large area units (several square meters) can be easily prepared. Opaque, transparent, and intermediate light transmission states can be achieved by applying appropriate electric fields These features allow their use in active windows for illumination, greenhouse regulation, and privacy, both on buildings and vehicles. An electro-optic system based on a micro controlled driver was implemented for on-line control of PDLC windows. The system may self regulate daylight or may be used as remote control.Publicad

La Influencia del Consejo de Administración en la Adopción de un Código Ético: The Influence of the Board of Directors on Implementing an Ethics Code

Business ethics as a component of the corporate social responsibility, should be promoted from the Board of Directors. In this sense, the drawing up of a code of ethics would imply the formal statement of corporate principles which affect the responsibility with employees, shareholders, customers, the environment and every aspect of the society. Previous empirical evidence has emphasized the contradictory effect between the ownership of shares by directors and its effect on the shareholders’ economic interests, and a low concern with ethics issues by independent directors.In this line, this paper aims at establishing the effect of these two features of the Board of Directors on the incorporation of a ethical code for non-financial quoted Spanish companies. The finding show that the Board ownership leads to a entrenchment in the top management, by generating a divergence between owners’ and managers’ ethical interests. Faced with this situation, the presence of independent directors becomes necessary to reduce such conflicts.La ética empresarial, como uno de los componentes de la responsabilidad social corporativa, debe ser promovida desde el órgano superior de control de las organizaciones empresariales, el Consejo de Administración. En este sentido, la incorporación de un código ético supondría el establecimiento formal de los principios corporativos de la compañía que afectan a la responsabilidad con empleados, accionistas, consumidores, al entorno o a cualquier otro aspecto de la sociedad. La evidencia empírica previa pone de manifiesto efectos contradictorios entre la participación accionarial de los consejeros y su efecto sobre los intereses económicos de los accionistas, así como un reducido interés por parte de los consejeros independientes sobre temas éticos.En esta línea, el presente trabajo tiene como objetivo determinar el efecto de estas dos características del Consejo de Administración en la incorporación de un código ético por las empresas españolas no-financieras que cotizan en Bolsa. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la participación accionarial provoca un atrincheramiento de la alta dirección, provocando una divergencia entre los intereses éticos de propietarios y directivos. En esta situación, la presencia de consejeros independientes se torna necesaria para reducir tales conflictos

Delamination Study in Edge Trimming of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Plastics (BFRP)

[EN] Although there are many machining studies of carbon and glass fiber reinforced plastics, delamination and tool wear of basalt fiber reinforced plastics (BFRP) in edge trimming has not yet studied. This paper presents an end milling study of BFRP fabricated by resin transfer molding (RTM), to evaluate delamination types at the top layer of the machined edge with different cutting conditions (cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut) and fiber volume fraction (40% and 60%). This work quantifies delamination types, using a parameter Sd/L, that evaluates the delamination area (Sd) and the length (L), taking into account tool position in the yarn and movement of yarns during RTM process, which show the random nature of delamination. Delamination was present in all materials with 60% of fiber volume. High values of tool wear did not permit to machine the material due to an excessive delamination. Type II delamination was the most usual delamination type and depth of cut has influence on this type of delamination.The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding by the Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia of the Spanish government under grant DPI2013-44903-R-AR.Navarro-Mas, M.; García Manrique, JA.; Meseguer, MD.; Ordeig Fernández, IN.; Sánchez Galdón, AI. (2018). Delamination Study in Edge Trimming of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Plastics (BFRP). Materials. 11(8). doi:10.3390/ma1108141811

Targeting Environmental and Technical Parameters through Eco-Efficiency Criteria for Iberian Pig Farms in the dehesa Ecosystem

Eco-efficiency could be defined as the simultaneous ability to achieve acceptable economic results with the least possible environmental degradation. Its analysis in crop and livestock production systems has become a hot topic among politicians and scientists. Pig pasture production systems are in high commercial demand because they are associated with high quality and environmentally friendly products. This work aimed to assess the eco-efficiency of pig farms and subsequently explore the determinants of inefficiency in the dehesa ecosystem in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Farmers from 35 randomly selected farms were interviewed to obtain farm-level data. The eco-efficiency level was calculated through a joined data envelopment analysis (DEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. Subsequently, a truncated Tobit model was applied to determine factors associated with inefficiency. The results of the research revealed that Iberian pig farms are highly eco-efficient. The estimated average eco-efficiency score is 0.919 and ranges from 0.479 to 1, suggesting that the average farm could increase its value by about 8.1%. This means that the aggregate environmental pressures could be reduced by approximately this proportion (8%) while maintaining the same input level. The determinants related to social and demographic characteristics that positively affected eco-efficiency were the number of children, while years of farm activity and educational level had a negative effect. On the other hand, farm’s characteristics and the type of management, the percentage of own surface area, the percentage of livestock use, and the high proportion of pigs fattened in montanera, positively affected the eco-efficiency leve

Exercises using a touchscreen tablet application improved functional ability more than an exercise program prescribed on paper in people after surgical carpal tunnel release: a randomised trial

Question: In people who have undergone surgical carpal tunnel release, do sensorimotor-based exercises performed on the touchscreen of a tablet device improve outcomes more than a conventional home exercise program prescribed on paper? Design: Randomised, parallel-group trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding, and intention-to-treat analysis. Participants: Fifty participants within 10 days of surgical carpal tunnel release. Intervention: Each participant was prescribed a 4-week home exercise program. Participants in the experimental group received the ReHand tablet application, which administered and monitored exercises via the touchscreen. The control group was prescribed a home exercise program on paper, as is usual practice in the public hospital system. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was functional ability of the hand, reported using the shortened form of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were grip strength, pain intensity measured on a 10-cm visual analogue scale, and dexterity measured with the Nine-Hole Peg Test. Outcomes were measured by a blinded assessor at baseline and at the end of the 4-week intervention period. Results: At Week 4, functional ability improved significantly more in the experimental group than the control group (MD –21, 95% CI –33 to –9) on the QuickDASH score (0 to 100). Although the mean estimates of effect on the secondary outcome also all favoured the experimental group, none reached statistical significance: grip strength (MD 5.6 kg, 95% CI –0.5 to 11.7), pain (MD –1.4 cm, 95% CI –2.9 to 0.1), and dexterity (MD –1.3 seconds, 95% CI –3.7 to 1.1). Conclusion: Use of the ReHand tablet application for early rehabilitation after carpal tunnel release is more effective in the recovery of functional ability than a conventional home exercise program. It remains unclear whether there are any benefits in grip strength, pain or dexterity. Trial registration: ACTRN12618001887268

Nueva aportación a la obra de Pedro de Ybarra en Extremadura: la iglesia parroquial de Miajadas

Descripción y análisis arquitectónicos del templo parroquial de Santiago, en Miajadas (provincia de Cáceres), obra renacentista de Pedro de Ybarra.Description and architectural analysis of the parish church of Santiago, in Miajadas (province of Cáceres), work of the Renaissance by Pedro de Ybarra

Algas aerofíticas epipélicas del marjal de Pego-Oliva, este de la Península Ibérica

Aerophytic epipelic algae from Marjal Pego-Oliva, eastern Iberian Peninsula Palabras clave: Algas aerofíticas, marjales, Vaucheria, Botrydium, Península Ibérica. Key words: Aerophytic algae, saltmarsh, Vaucheria, Botrydium, Península Ibéric

Satélite de altar resolución espacial en la determinación de la fracción de cabida cubierta en sistemas adehesados

La dehesa es un ecosistema de creación humana a partir del bosque de encinas primitivas en el que se han aclarando los árboles y controlado el estrato arbustivo para que se estabilice el pastizal. Su densidad arbórea es muy variable y depende del tratamiento recibido a lo largo de los años. La obtención de la densidad de cobertura arbórea de dicho sistema se calcula mediante la Fracción de Cabida Cubierta (FCC), medida que relaciona la superficie cubierta por la copa del árbol respecto del resto de superficie. En comparación a las imágenes utilizadas actualmente para la obtención de la FCC como ortofotografías o vuelos fotogramétricos, las imágenes satélite de alta resolución espacial ofrecen suficiente detalle espacial para poder aislar la copa de los árboles del entorno, unido a la multiespectralidad de los datos que permite su correcta caracterización espectral. El objetivo de este trabajo fue desarrollar una metodología con imágenes pan-sharpened QuickBird que, a partir del análisis espectral de los árboles, generó imágenes en formato binario árbol-no árbol mediante técnicas de combinación de bandas para la obtención de la FCC. Los resultados obtenidos fueron satisfactorios al obtener fiabilidades mayores del 90% en la determinación de las copas de los árboles en la mayoría de los análisis realizados.The dehesa is an ecosystem developed from primitive oak forest where trees have been clarified and the shrub layer controlled to stabilize the pasture. The tree density is very variable and depends on the treatment received over the years. This density can be calculated by the Canopy Cover Fraction (CCF), a measure that relates the area covered by the trees over the other surface. Satellite imagery of high spatial resolution provide enough spatial detail to isolate the treetops from the environment, and enough multispectral data to allow the correct spectral characterization. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology with QuickBird pan-sharpened imagery for obtaining the CCF based on a spectral analysis of trees and a binary reclassification (tree- no tree) of each band. The results were satisfactory with accuracies greater than 90% in the discrimination of trees in most of the analysis

Online Wind-Atlas Databases and GIS Tool Integration for Wind Resource Assessment: A Spanish Case Study

Renewable energy sources are becoming increasingly integrated into the electricity-generation sector, being eco-friendly solutions, decreasing global warming, and improving the energy transition process. Among the different renewables, wind energy is considered a mature, clean, renewable, and inexhaustible technology as well, becoming one of the main resources in a sustainable framework. Aiming to evaluate the wind resource, scientific contributions have mostly presented a common basis: historical data campaigns of the wind resource mainly considering wind speed—including the module, direction, standard deviation, etc. However, online wind-atlas databases are becoming tools widely used for both wind-resource assessment and optimal wind-power locations. Under this framework, this study analyzed and compared such online wind data sources and their integration with GIS tools for optimal wind-resource-assessment purposes. The proposed methodology identified the corresponding wind-atlas databases directly on their websites and indirectly through the wind data used in relevant contributions about the optimal location of wind sites. Our contribution to the scientific community is thus the review and comparison of these atlas databases for reducing the barrier to access wind data—including GIS-tool-integration analysis. The limitations raised by civil societies, particularly regarding environmental and bird concerns, were not included in this study. Nevertheless, the authors are aware of these concerns and limitations. A Spanish case study was also included in this work, comparing both estimated and collected wind-atlas databases in terms of wind-resource assessment.2021-2