Key Production Parameters to Obtain Transparent Nanocellular PMMA

Transparent nanocellular polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) with relative density around 0.4 is produced for the first time by using the gas dissolution foaming technique. The processing conditions and the typical characteristics of the cellular structure needed to manufacture this novel material are discovered. It is proved that low saturation temperatures (−32 °C) combined with high saturation pressures (6, 10, 20 MPa) allow increasing the solubility of PMMA up to values not reached before. In particular, the highest CO2 uptake ever reported for PMMA, (i.e., 48 wt%) is found for a saturation pressure of 20 MPa and a saturation temperature of −32 °C. Due to these processing conditions, cell nucleation densities of 1016 nuclei cm−3 and cell sizes clearly below 50 nm are achieved. The nanocellular polymers obtained, with cell sizes ten times smaller than the wavelength of visible light and very homogeneous cellular structures, show a significant transparency

Nuevas formas de envejecer activamente: Calidad de Vida y Actividad Física desde una perspectiva Psicosocial

El objetivo principal de este monográfico se centra en ofrecer una visión holística y diversificada del envejecimiento activo en personas mayores que, de una u otra forma, se relacionan con la práctica de la actividad física. Los trabajos de investigación aquí recogidos suponen una representación variada de estudios de corte empírico aplicados sobres diferentes temáticas, tales como, la felicidad, el cine, la autoestima o las estrategias comunicativas, entre otras

Alteration mechanisms on the stones of the Cathedral of Granada (Spain)

Español: Se analizan los diversos mecanismos de alteración que actúan sobre los materiales pétreos usados en la Catedral de Granada. Se estudia con detalle la acción del agua, influencia antropogénica, oscilaciones térmicas, factores de incompatibilidad, movimientos sísmicos y factores de tipo biológico. Inglés: Alteration mechanisms on the stones of the Catedral of Granada, Spai

La influencia de los productos hidrofugantes en las modificaciones cromáticas del ladrillo cerámico

Se analiza la variación cromática, color y luminosidad, que sufre el soporte cerámico protegido por la incorporación de un tratamiento con productos hidrofugantes. Se propone una metodología nueva, basada en el modelo RGB donde se obtienen valores cuantificables de cada muestra cerámica mediante medición digital del color (histogramas de imagen), tomándose como base el mismo tipo de cerámica sin hidrofugar. La variación cromática está determinada por el tipo de hidrofugante y por el material de base, obteniéndose los siguientes resultados: • Todos los hidrofugantes estudiados producen variación en la tonalidad y luminosidad de la pieza. • El ladrillo rojo inglés (R) es el que presenta menor variación de luminosidad y tonalidad al ser tratado con hidrofugantes. • El hidrofugante de componente siliconatos es el que menor variación cromática produce en dos de los tres ladrillos estudiados, tostado (T) y rojo inglés (R

Knowledge-building in an environment mediated by digital technology: A case study in higher education

[EN] The advancement of technology in recent years seems to be prompting a re-ontologising of the world. Digital technology is transforming the educational spaces we inhabit, as well as our way of processing information. Although there are already numerous studies that have addressed this technological reality, only a handful have done so from a theoretical perspective. That is why we present research that seeks to reinforce the latest theoretical contributions for understanding how modern technology may be afecting the way in which knowledge is built. Based on the latest research in social constructivism, this is a qualitative study designed to contribute to the creation of a specifc theoretical framework for an onlife world. An ill-structured task and a semi-structured interview were used to observe the use of the think ing skills that enable us to build knowledge and the relationship between them. The results show that the ways of building knowledge are changing, as digital technology fosters the use of higher-order thinking skills that, furthermore, operate in a chaotic, complex, and unpredictable manner. In conclusion, this study upholds the notion that the ways of building knowledge are changing, but we still need more empirical contributions to create a generally accepted theoretical construct for explaining how we build knowledge through digital technology.Publicación en abierto financiada por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Castilla y León (BUCLE), con cargo al Programa Operativo 2014ES16RFOP009 FEDER 2014-2020 DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, Actuación:20007-CL - Apoyo Consorcio BUCLE

Equipo para mantenimiento de invernaderos multitúnel

Publication number: ES2579206 A1 (08.08.2016) Also published as: ES2579206 B2 (23.01.2017) Application number: P201500122 (06.02.2015)Equipo para mantenimiento de invernaderos multitúnel. El equipo de mantenimiento permite la realización de labores de blanqueo y limpieza de las cubiertas de invernaderos y consta de dos semiarcos dobles (A) unidos mediante una plataforma de trabajo (B) en su parte más alta de forma que se pueda adaptar a las dimensiones habituales de los invernaderos tipo multitúnel. La base de estos semiarcos dispondrá de un sistema de rodadura (C) que le permitirá al conjunto desplazarse por los canalones (D) a modo de raíl. En la parte inferior de los semiarcos irá ubicada una tubería con difusores (E), la cual será alimentada por una tubería conectada a un carrete autoenrrollable (E) que permite extender la tubería mientras el equipo se desplaza. Este carrete estará conectado a un depósito (G) situado en la base de una plataforma móvil, incluyendo un sistema de impulsión.Universidad de Almerí

Un Estudio sobre la Anomia y el Neoliberalismo: el Papel de la Desconexión Social en el Bienestar

This study analyses whether the levels of anomie and social disconnection as consequences of the perceived implementation of neoliberal economic measures have a negative influence on the well-being of individuals. The study sample consisted of 334 Spanish participants residing in the city and province of Malaga, Spain (201 women and 133 men). The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 80 years (M = 33.22, SD = 15.35). The results obtained in our research showed that anomie and social disconnection exert a serial mediation on the relationship between perceived neoliberalism and well-being. It was obtained that perceived neoliberalism had a positive effect on anomie and that anomie had a positive effect on social disengagement, while pointing to social disengagement having a negative effect on well-being. The results are interpreted from the perspective of social identity, assuming that a society as being in a state of anomie fails to satisfy important psychological needs. This anomie causes individuals to perceive themselves as more disconnected, and as such not benefiting from the potential positive effects of group membership and social identification.Este estudio analiza si los niveles de anomia y desconexión social como consecuencias de la percepción de la aplicación de medidas económicas neoliberales influyen negativamente en el bienestar de los individuos. La muestra del estudio estuvo compuesta por 334 participantes españoles residentes en la ciudad y provincia de Málaga, España (201 mujeres y 133 hombres). La edad de los participantes oscilaba entre los 18 y los 80 años (M = 33,22, DT = 15,35). Los resultados obtenidos mostraron que la anomia y la desconexión social ejercen una mediación en serie sobre la relación entre el neoliberalismo percibido y el bienestar. Se obtuvo que el neoliberalismo percibido tuvo un efecto positivo sobre la anomia y que la anomia tuvo un efecto positivo sobre la desconexión social, mientras que se señaló que la desconexión social tuvo un efecto negativo sobre el bienestar. Los resultados se interpretan desde la perspectiva de la identidad social, asumiendo que una sociedad en estado de anomia no satisface necesidades psicológicas importantes. Esta anomia hace que los individuos se perciban a sí mismos como más desconectados y, como tales, no se beneficien de los posibles efectos positivos de la pertenencia a un grupo y de la identificación social

Density-matrix Chern insulators: finite-temperature generalization of topological insulators

Thermal noise can destroy topological insulators (TI). However, we demonstrate how TIs can be made stable in dissipative systems. To that aim, we introduce the notion of band Liouvillian as the dissipative counterpart of band Hamiltonian, and show a method to evaluate the topological order of its steady state. This is based on a generalization of the Chern number valid for general mixed states (referred to as density-matrix Chern value), which witnesses topological order in a system coupled to external noise. Additionally, we study its relation with the electrical conductivity at finite temperature, which is not a topological property. Nonetheless, the density-matrix Chern value represents the part of the conductivity which is topological due to the presence of quantum mixed edge states at finite temperature. To make our formalism concrete, we apply these concepts to the two-dimensional Haldane model in the presence of thermal dissipation, but our results hold for arbitrary dimensions and density matrices

Analysis of professionals and family foster care on advantages and difficulties of visits between foster children and their biological families

Contact between a foster child and birth parents play an important role in relation to the foster child’s wellbeing. The main aim of this study is to give voice to social workers and foster families about contact visits. This research is part of a project financed by the regional government of Andalusia (Spain) (SEJ-7106) regarding contact visits in foster care. Two focus groups were organized, one with 8 social workers from four foster care agencies and another with 8 foster carers (4 were recruited through the Association of Foster Families in Andalusia and 4 through fostering agencies). Access to foster care agencies and foster families was obtained through the official Andalusian Child Protective Services (SPM). The focal groups were audio-recorded. Transcripts (of the two focus groups gave rise to primary documents for the hermeneutic unit under study. All this information was exported from an Excel database to the ATLAS.ti v7.0 software. The transcripts were examined using an inductive method of open coding in order to identify themes among participants’ responses. Results show that both groups agreed on the utility of visits to maintain the children’s attachment to their birth family, to bring a greater sense of continuity to the children’s life story, to enhance the psychological wellbeing of the foster children and to know the real situation of their birth family. In relation to the difficulties remarked in the course of the visits, one of the issues mentioned by both groups refers to a lack in the coordination among the social workers, the SPM and the foster families involved. The other issue brings together several complaints to the SPM, such as the fact of not providing information about taking decisions regarding the future of the child; the lack of support and preparation of the foster carers, the children and the birth families about visits; as well as the shortage of social workers and economic aids provided by the SPM. The conclusions of this study highlight the need to improve contact visits by developing intervention strategies targeted at all those involved (foster children, family foster care, birth family and social workers). These findings have important implications for practice.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

La Universidad tras el proceso de Bolonia: ¿una Universidad reformada o una Universidad necesitada de reforma?

[ReSumen]: El Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES) ha supuesto un cambio radical de las universidades en todos sus aspectos (sociales, políticos y económicos). Esos cambios han sido potenciados y diseñados por los poderes públicos, en buena parte al margen de los problemas e inquietudes de la Comunidad Universitaria. El resultado final es un sistema en el que se ha dado una mayor importancia a lo económico y mercantil, reduciendo quizás en exceso otros aspectos como el formativo o social. Se postula, por tanto, que la reforma de la educación superior lejos de verse culminada debe seguir adelante, debiéndose enjuiciar, entre otras cosas, el acierto de alguno de los cambios y concepciones tomadas en el EEES.[Abstract:] The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has brought about a radical change in its universities’ social, political and economic aspects. These changes have been promoted and designed by the government, largely disregarding the issues and concerns of the University Community. The end result is a system in which greater importance has been given to the economic and commercial issues, drastically reducing, perhaps, other important aspects such as the educational or social. We propose, therefore, that the reform of higher education, far from being culminated, must go ahead, but we should assess, among other things, the success of some of the changes and concepts taken in the EHEA