The hub continent? Immigrant networks, emigrant diasporas and FDI

This paper studies the effects of immigrant networks on the bilateral FDI of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, and, for Italy and Spain, also of the emigrant diasporas. It analyses the effects of skilled and unskilled immigrants and of networks linked to developing and developed countries. Results show that the FDIs of the UK, Germany and France are affected by the networks of skilled immigrants, while those of Italy and Spain are prompted only by the emigrant diasporas. Networks linked to OECD and non-OECD countries have similar effectsmigration, networks, skills, diasporas, FDI

The hub continent? Immigrant networks, emigrant diasporas and FDI

This paper studies the effects of immigrant networks on the bilateral FDI of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, and, for Italy and Spain, also of the emigrant diasporas. It analyses the effects of skilled and unskilled immigrants and of networks linked to developing and developed countries. Results show that the FDIs of the UK, Germany and France are affected by the networks of skilled immigrants, while those of Italy and Spain are prompted only by the emigrant diasporas. Networks linked to OECD and non-OECD countries have similar effectsmigration, networks, skills, diasporas, FDI

Migrant Business Networks and FDI

This paper studies the effects of migration on the bilateral FDI of four European countries, Germany, Italy, France and the U.K. It is based on four distinct datasets with time spans going from 1990 to 2004. It focuses on the impact on FDI of skilled and less-skilled immigrants and on the networks’ ties with the less developed countries. Results are that the effects of skilled immigrants are positive and robust for both inward and outward FDI, and that networks linked to the developing countries mostly have stronger effects on the outward FDI than those related to the developed economies.Migrant Business Networks, Skills, FDI

Instructional planning and new technologies in teacher education: the initial phase of a research project

The purpose of this work is to present the initial phase of a research project focused on the integration of technologies in the education of kindergarten and primary school student teachers through instructional planning. Firstly, we illustrate a tool designed for planning integrated learning units and describe the training path in which it was used. Secondly, we report the results of a preliminary study conducted with 96 students attending a university course that investigates two personal traits considered as prerequisites for using the tool: perceived proficiency in technology use, and opinions on the importance of each constituent element of the tool. With regard to both traits, some statistically significant variations emerged. The results obtained are an encouragement to continue the research project to verify whether the tool could be suitable to help student teachers develop an integrated planning procedure

Interplay between microstructure/morphology and the opto-electronic properties of materials for organic photovoltaics.

216 p.Esta tesis recoge un amplio marco de trabajo que incluye la relación microestructura-procesado-morfología-propiedades de un sistema modelo de alto rendimiento en fotovoltaica orgánica. En primer lugar, la tesis aborda las cuestiones críticas que rodean la microestructura de estado-solido de los distintos componentes de la capa activa y se relacionan dichas características con sus propiedades optoelectrónicas. A continuación, la disertación se centra en estudiar la composición de los dominios de polímero (donor) y aceptor en la morfología con separación de fases a escala nanométrica denominada heterounión volumétrica (HUV). Finalmente, el control preciso logrado sobre la microestructura de los componentes individuales y la elección astuta de los disolventes y aditivos de procesado, permite delinear el impacto de tales características en relación morfología-función del dispositivo de la celda solar. De esta manera, el trabajo mostrado en este documento amplía la percepción actual de la estructura en estado sólido de los polímeros de alto rendimiento y la relación entre la microestructura, la morfología, el procesamiento en solución y el transporte de cargas en los dispositivos más eficientes de la actualidad. Además, se establece que es necesario un conocimiento exhaustivo de las propiedades físicas inherentes de los materiales orgánicos y su microestructura en estado-solido, para poder desarrollar dispositivos óptimos y realizar una transición eficiente de la escala laboratorio hacia una escala industrial.Polyma

Reconocimiento de objetos a partir de imágenes termográficas

La termografía es un método de inspección y diagnóstico basado en la radiación infrarroja que emiten los cuerpos. Permite medir dicha radiación a distancia y sin contacto, obteniendo un termograma o imagen termográfica, objeto de estudio de este proyecto. Todos los cuerpos que se encuentren a una cierta temperatura emiten radiación infrarroja. Sin embargo, para hacer una inspección termográfica hay que tener en cuenta la emisividad de los cuerpos, capacidad que tienen de emitir radiación, ya que ésta no sólo depende de la temperatura del cuerpo, sino también de sus características superficiales. Las herramientas necesarias para conseguir un termograma son principalmente una cámara termográfica y un software que permita su análisis. La cámara percibe la emisión infrarroja de un objeto y lo convierte en una imagen visible, originalmente monocromática. Sin embargo, después es coloreada por la propia cámara o por un software para una interpretación más fácil del termograma. Para obtener estas imágenes termográficas existen varias técnicas, que se diferencian en cómo la energía calorífica se transfiere al cuerpo. Estas técnicas se clasifican en termografía pasiva, activa y vibrotermografía. El método que se utiliza en cada caso depende de las características térmicas del cuerpo, del tipo de defecto a localizar o la resolución espacial de las imágenes, entre otros factores. Para analizar las imágenes y así obtener diagnósticos y detectar defectos, es importante la precisión. Por ello existe un procesado de las imágenes, para minimizar los efectos provocados por causas externas, mejorar la calidad de la imagen y extraer información de las inspecciones realizadas. La termografía es un método de ensayo no destructivo muy flexible y que ofrece muchas ventajas. Por esta razón el campo de aplicación es muy amplio, abarcando desde aplicaciones industriales hasta investigación y desarrollo. Vigilancia y seguridad, ahorro energético, medicina o medio ambiente, son algunos de los campos donde la termografía aportaimportantes beneficios. Este proyecto es un estudio teórico de la termografía, donde se describen detalladamente cada uno de los aspectos mencionados. Concluye con una aplicación práctica, creando una cámara infrarroja a partir de una webcam, y realizando un análisis de las imágenes obtenidas con ella. Con esto se demuestran algunas de las teorías explicadas, así como la posibilidad de reconocer objetos mediante la termografía. Thermography is a method of testing and diagnosis based on the infrared radiation emitted by bodies. It allows to measure this radiation from a distance and with no contact, getting a thermogram or thermal image, object of study of this project. All bodies that are at a certain temperature emit infrared radiation. However, making a thermographic inspection must take into account the emissivity of the body, capability of emitting radiation. This not only depends on the temperature of the body, but also on its surface characteristics. The tools needed to get a thermogram are mainly a thermal imaging camera and software that allows analysis. The camera sees the infrared emission of an object and converts it into a visible image, originally monochrome. However, after it is colored by the camera or software for easier interpretation of thermogram. To obtain these thermal images it exists various techniques, which differ in how heat energy is transferred to the body. These techniques are classified into passive thermography, active and vibrotermografy. The method used in each case depends on the thermal characteristics of the body, the type of defect to locate or spatial resolution of images, among other factors. To analyze the images and obtain diagnoses and defects, accuracy is important. Thus there is a image processing to minimize the effects caused by external causes, improving image quality and extract information from inspections. Thermography is a non-­‐destructive test method very flexible and offers many advantages. So the scope is very wide, ranging from industrial applications to research and development.Surveillance and security, energy saving, environmental or medicine are some of the areas where thermography provides significant benefits. This project is a theoretical study of thermography, which describes in detail each of these aspects. It concludes with a practical application, creating an infrared camera from a webcam, and making an analysis of the images obtained with it. This will demonstrate some of the theories explained as well as the ability to recognize objects by thermography

Doing things with words across time. Snapshots of communicative practices in and from the past

Knowing our contextualized (hi)story means being able to understand ourselves and how the world works. This kind of knowledge is key to self-awareness and self-empowerment, which also have a close connection with how we use language to communicate, to develop social interactions, to build relationships, and to project our identity. The diachronic evolution of languages is therefore a crucial part of a social being’s historical situatedness. The account of this evolution, i.e. historical linguistics, has traditionally focused on formal aspects of language as a grammatical system, investigating changes affecting or reflected in orthography, phonetics-phonology, morphology, syntax and vocabulary. More recently, however, scholarly attention has broadened its scope to include functional aspects of language use, such as strategies and conventions of communicative affordances over time, thus giving rise to historical pragmatics. In this special issue, the contributions encompass three main areas within historical pragmatics: language use in earlier periods (pragmaphilology), the development of language use (diachronic pragmatics) and causes of language change (discourse-oriented historical linguistics). In particular, the papers offer complementary insights into communicative practices, examining interactional strategies in classical languages, politeness phenomena in grammar and discourse, the evolution of discursive practices, the pragmatic use of lexemes and the teaching of sociopragmatics. Significantly, the issue presents a cross-linguistic approach, since it considers pragmatic phenomena in English, Korean, Italian, Slavonic languages, Ancient Greek and Latin, thus helping us understand how current discursive forms are in fact both unique and comparable in several languages and cultures

Validação do Inventário de Ideação Delirante (PDI-21) para a População Portuguesa

Introdução: As abordagens dimensionais equacionam os delírios como situando-se num continuum com as crenças diárias, não estando circunscritos apenas à população clínica e podendo também ser encontrados na população geral. Devido à conceptualização multifacetada dos delírios, a análise das dimensões de desconforto, preocupação e convicção podem ser mais reveladoras do que o conteúdo da crença por si só, pelo que uma avaliação que incorpore estas dimensões é fundamental. Uma revisão de estudos mostrou uma lacuna de instrumentos para avaliar a ideação delirante na população geral, não existindo, no nosso conhecimento, nenhuma versão para a população portuguesa. Objetivos: Tradução, adaptação e estudo das propriedades psicométricas do Inventário de Ideação Delirante (PDI-21) para a população Portuguesa, com o intuito de avaliar a multidimensionalidade da ideação delirante na comunidade. Metodologia: A amostra é constituída por 249 adultos da população geral, com idades compreendidas entre 18 e 65 anos. Além do PDI-21, foi utilizado o Inventário de Sintomas Psicopatológicos (BSI), a subescala de Desejabilidade Social (DS) do Inventário de Personalidade de Eysenck – Forma Revista (EPQ-R) e o Instrumento de Avaliação da Qualidade de Vida da Organização Mundial de Saúde (WHOQOL-Bref). Resultados: A versão portuguesa do PDI-21 apresentou propriedades psicométricas adequadas no que respeita à sua consistência interna e estabilidade temporal. Demonstrou correlações positivas significativas com os sintomas psicopatológicos e associações negativas com a desejabilidade social e com a qualidade de vida, confirmando a sua validade convergente e divergente. A análise fatorial exploratória sugeriu a escala dicotómica do PDI ser constituída por um único fator. Por último, a análise da frequência de ideias delirantes (respostas positivas) para o total da amostra e em função do género revelou taxas de prevalência muito semelhantes às encontradas em estudos prévios. Discussão: A versão portuguesa do PDI-21 é caracterizada por propriedades psicométricas adequadas, podendo ser utilizada para avaliar a ideação delirante na população geral. Estudos futuros são necessários no sentido de replicar este estudo em populações mais jovens, bem como, comparar os resultados com uma amostra clínica. / Introduction: The dimensional approaches equate the delusions as placing themselves in a continuum with the daily beliefs, not being limited to the clinical population and it can also be found in the general population. Due to the delusions multifaceted conceptualization, the analysis of the dimensions of distress, preoccupation and conviction may be more revealing than the content of the belief by itself, whereby an evaluation that incorporates these dimensions is fundamental. A revision of studies has shown a gap of instruments to assess delusional ideation in the general population, not existing to our knowledge any version for the portuguese population. Objective: Translation, adaptation and study of the psychometric properties of the PDI-21 for the portuguese population, with the aim of assessing the multidimensionality of the delusional ideation in the community. Methods: The sample consists of 249 adults from the general population, with ages between 18 and 65 years. Beyond the PDI-21, the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the Social Desirability (SD) scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life – Bref (WHOQOL-Bref) were also used. Results: The portuguese version of the PDI-21 has shown good psychometric properties regarding its internal consistency and temporal stability. It demonstrated significant positive correlations with the psychopathological symptoms and negative associations with social desirability and with the quality of life, confirming its divergent and convergent validity. The exploratory factor analysis suggested the dichotomous scale of the PDI be constituted by one only factor. Lastly, the analysis of the frequency of delusional ideas (positive responses) for the total of the sample and on the basis of gender has revealed prevalence rates very similar to the ones found in previous studies. Discussion: The portuguese version of the PDI-21 is characterized by adequate psychometric properties, it can be used to assess the delusional ideation in the general population. Future studies are necessary in an effort to replicate this study in younger populations, as well as, compare results with a clinical sample