Policy Coordination in an Oligopolistic Housing Market

This paper analyzes the consequences of the interaction between two different levels of government (regulators) in the development of housing policy when their decisions determine the level of competition in the housing market. The analysis discusses the implications derived from a lack of coordination between a local regulator who controls the supply of land for housing development and a central regulator who decides on housing subsidies. The results suggest that lack of coordination has significant effects on prices and supply of houses, housing developers’ profits, and buyers’ surplus.imperfect competition, housing policy coordination

Towards a comparable evaluation for VANET protocols: NS-2 experiments builder assistant and extensible test bed

Proceedings of: 9th Embedded Security in Cars Conference (ESCAR 2011), November 9 to 10, 2011, Dresden, GermanyIn order to validate an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) application or service, simulation techniques are usually employed. Nowadays, there are two problems associated to this kind of validation: the relative complexity of existing simulators and the lack of common criteria in the creation of simulation experiments. The first one makes it hard for users not familiar with a simulation tool to create and execute comprehensive experiments. The second one leads to a situation in which different proposals are validated in different scenarios, thus making it difficult to compare their performance. This work contributes on addressing both problems by proposing VanSimFM, an open-source assistant tool for creating NS-2 simulation experiments, and by defining an extensible test bed which contains a set of simulation scenarios. The test bed is intended to represent the different situations that may be found in a real vehicular environment.This work is partially supported by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion of Spain, project E-SAVE, under grant TIN2009-13461.No publicad

Entrenamiento en habilidades sociales y responsabilidad social corporativa: estudio de un caso

Este artículo evalúa la eficacia de un entrenamiento en habilidades sociales para la adquisición y mejora de destrezas de comunicación requeridas en la implantación y desarrollo de estrategias de responsabilidad social corporativa en una PYME (Pequeña y Mediana Empresa). Se utilizó un diseño cuasi-experimental con medidas pre-post de un entrenamiento en el que participaron 56 directivos y mandos intermedios de la mencionada empresa, mientras que el grupo de comparación estuvo conformado por 28 trabajadores de igual empleo en otra empresa del mismo sector productivo y composición demográfica similar. Los resultados demostraron que después del entrenamiento los participantes obtuvieron puntuaciones medias más altas que antes del mismo en una escala de adopción de la perspectiva del “otro” y en una de interés empático. Asimismo obtuvieron promedios más elevados después del entrenamiento que los obtenidos por el grupo de comparación en ambas variables así como en una medida de heteroevaluación mediante un diferencial semántico sobre empatía. Se discuten los resultados y sus implicaciones prácticas para la implantación y desarrollo de estrategias de responsabilidad social.This paper addresses the effectiveness of social skills training for the acquisition and improvement of communication skills required in the implementation and development of corporate social responsibility strategies in a SME (Small and Medium Enterprise). A quasi-experimental pre-post design was used, in which 56 senior and middle managers of such enterprise were trained (experimental group), while the comparison group was composed by 28 workers in the same job position at another company in the same productive sector and similar demographic composition. Results showed that scores of trained participants in both adoption of the other-party perspective and empathetic interest scales were higher after than before training. Their scores after training were also higher than those obtained by the comparison group in both variables as well as on an empathy heteroevaluation measure based on semantic differential. Findings and its practical implications for implementing and developing social responsibility strategies are discussed

Torremotxa (Nules, Castellón): posible atalaya de época andalusí

Presentamos unos restos arqueológicos localizados en la partida de Torremotxa (Nules, Castellón), los cuales identificamos, por su técnica constructiva, rasgos arquitectónicos y emplazamiento con una torre andalusí, a nuestro entender, clave dentro de la estructuración y control del territorio, especialmente entre los castillos de Shûn (Uixó) y Nules.We are introducing some archeological remains, located in Torremotxa Part (Nules, Castellón), which we identify by their structural technique, architectonic features and location with an andalusi tower. As we understand it is key within the urban planning and control of the territory, mainly between the Shûn (Uxó) and Nules castles

Simultaneous determination of traces of PT, PD, OS, IR, RH, AG and AU by using magnetic nanoparticles solid phase extraction coupled with ICP OES

The direct analysis of these target analytes is very limited being essential sample pre-treatment techniques and the use of very sensitive instrumental techniques to carry out determinations. The inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry shows a poor sensitivity because the concentration of some elements in environmental samples is below the detection limit of ICP OES. To solve this problem, preconcentration separation procedures have been proposed, minimizing the spectral and matrix interferences. Thus, enrichment is a very important issue for achievement of low detection limits [1-4]. In this study, a chelating resin 1,5 bis (di 2 pyridil) methylene thiocarbonohydrazide bonded to iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (DPTH-MNPs) were synthesized. These magnetic nanoparticles were employed as a solid phase extraction (SPE) adsorbent for the separation and concentration of trace amounts of 7 elements (Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, Ir, Rh and Os) from environmental water samples. The main aim of this work was to develop a precise and accurate method for the simultaneous determination of the maximum possible number of elements by using this new absorbent and a multimode sample introduction system (MSIS). The MSIS acts as a system for the generation, separation and introduction of chemical vapours (CVG) and also as an introduction system for sample aerosols, in a simultaneous form, into an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer. The on-line SPE-CVG-ICP-OES system developed was applied in the determination of the aforementioned metals in natural water samples (sea water, estuarine, lake and river water), with the least demanding and simple sample preparation procedure. The developed method was validated by analysing natural water certified reference materials (TMDA 54.4 fortified lake waters and SRM 1643e, trace elements in water; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NIST-2557 autocatalyst). Sea water, tap water and well water samples collected from Malaga (Spain) were also analysed. The procedure has been demonstrated to be fast, easy, automatic, selective and economical, and the sensitivity was good. The main advantage of DPTH-MNPs is its very good stability and resistance because chemisorption of chelating molecules on the surface of solid supports provides immobility, mechanical stability and insolubility. The precision (RSD), accuracy (by standard addition or recovery) and limit of detection (LOD) were used to evaluate the characteristics of the procedure. Furthermore, the proposed method was applied in the simultaneous determination of the 7 elements mentioned above with a sample throughput of about 13 h-1, thereby, reducing the time of analysis and the volume of reagents and sample required. References [1] M. Tuzen, M. Soylak, D. Citak, H.S. Ferreira, M.G.A. Korn, M.A. Bezerra, A pre-concentration system for determination of copper and nickel in water and food samples employing flame atomic absorption spectrometry, Journal of Haz-ardous Materials 162 (2009) 1041–1045. [2] Y. Cui, X. Chang, Y. Zhai, X. Zhu, H. Zheng, N. Lian, ICP-AES determination of trace elements after preconcentrated with p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde-modified nanometer SiO2 from sample solution, Microchem. J. 83 (2006) 35–41. [3] P. Liang, B. Hu, Z. Jiang, Y. Qin, T. Peng, Nanometer-sized titanium dioxide micro-column on-line preconcentration of La, Y, Yb, Eu, Dy and their determination by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, J. Anal. Atom. Spectrom. 16 (2001) 863–866. [4] B. Feist, B. Mikula, K. Pytlakowska, B. Puzio, F. Buhl, Determination of heavy metals by ICP-OES and F-AAS after preconcentration with 2,2-bipyridyl and erythrosine, J. Hazard. Mater. 152 (2008) 1122–1129.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Modelo de procedimiento sancionador electrónico aplicado al control del tráfico vehicular

RECSI 2010. XI Reunión Española sobre Criptología y Seguridad de la Información, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, España, 7-10 Septiembre 2010El incumplimiento de las leyes origina la imposición de sanciones. Una buena gestión de las sanciones se convierte en un factor clave para que éstas sean eficaces. Por este motivo, se han producido impulsos legislativos que persiguen el desarrollo electrónico de los procedimientos. No obstante, hasta el momento no se ha propuesto la realización electrónica del procedimiento sancionador completo en el ámbito del control del tráfico vehicular. En este trabajo se propone un modelo para la implantación del procedimiento sancionador electrónico en dicho contexto, mejorando la capacidad de participación de los ciudadanos interesados en el mismo. Particularmente y por las implicaciones legales del procedimiento, se abordan en detalle los aspectos de seguridad necesarios.Este trabajo ha sido parcialmente financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), dentro del Plan Nac. de Investigación Científica, Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica 2008-2011, contrato TIN2009-13461 (proy. E-SAVE).Publicad

Overview of security issues in Vehicular ad-hoc networks

Vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs) are a promising communication scenario. Several new applications are envisioned, which will improve traffic management and safety. Nevertheless, those applications have stringent security requirements, as they affect road traffic safety. Moreover, VANETs face several security threats. As VANETs present some unique features (e.g. high mobility of nodes, geographic extension, etc.) traditional security mechanisms are not always suitable. Because of that, a plethora of research contributions have been presented so far. This chapter aims to describe and analyze the most representative VANET security developments

Witness-based evidence generation in Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks

7th Conference Embebedd Security in Cars: ESCAR 2009, Düsseldorf, Germany, Nov. 24-25, 2009Vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs) are a novel communication scenario. They allow vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications. New services are envisioned through these networks affecting road traffic safety. Current proposals are based on sharing each vehicle´s perceptions about their own environment. Nevertheless, it is also possible for a vehicle to know the status of their neighbours in a given moment. Thus, a vehicle can obtain from their neighbours their perceptions about its status. Neighbours then become witnesses. Sometimes it is necessary to prove a vehicle´s behavior in a given moment (e.g. accident dispute, speeding fines, etc.). As own sensors can be tampered with, having testimonies from witnesses can contribute to have a reliable source of information. In this work a protocol to obtain such testimonies and generate digital evidences is proposed. A security analysis is performed to verify the accomplishment of evidence generation requirements.Publicad

CERTILOC: Implementation of a spatial-temporal certification service compatible with several localization technologies

The Third International Conference on Availability, Reliability and Security: ARES 2008 (March 4-7, 2008, Barcelona, Spain)Recently researchers are being encouraged to address security and privacy requirements for location information. This work contributes to this area by presenting CERTILOC, a prototype of a spatialtemporal certification service that is interoperable with representative localization technologies (GSM Cell-ID and GPS). Our work is completed with a broad threat analysis on spatial-temporal certification services and an exposition of legal considerations that can be made if used in work scenarios.Publicad

Strain typing of Zygosaccharomyces yeast species using a single molecular method based on polymorphism of the intergenic spacer region (IGS)

Unlike previously reported methods that need a combination of several typing techniques, we have 22 developed a single method for strain typing of the Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Z. mellis and Z. rouxii spoilage 23 species. Strains belonging to other species have also been included for comparison. We have demonstrated 24 that the IGS-PCR RFLP method has a high discriminative power. Considering the three endonucleases used in 25 this work, we have obtained a variability of 100% for Z. mellis and Z. rouxii strains and up to 70% for Z.bailii. 26 We have also detected two misidentified Z. mellis strains (CBS 711 and CBS 7412) which have RFLP patterns 27 with a set of bands characteristic of Z. rouxii strains. Sequencing of 26S rDNA D1/D2 domains and the 5.8-ITS 28 rDNA region confirmed these strains as Z. rouxii. The method also groups three certified hybrid strains of 29 Zygosaccharomyces in a separate cluster