Non contacting corrosion method applied to the steel corrosion rate determination in different solutions and reinforced concrete specimens.

All the current techniques used to measure the metallic corrosion require contact with the metal. Particularly, in the case of reinforcement corrosion, this signifies the need to reach the bar that is embedded in the concrete, which may consequently result in the disruption of the integrity of the real structures. This paper explores the feasibility of using a new method for polarizing the reinforcement or any metal in an electrolyte, without the need of direct contact with it. The polarization is obtained through the induction of current from an external electrical field. The current runs through the electrolyte and the metal in parallel, depending on the electrode arrangement. The resulting Polarization Resistance calculated is termed as Inductive, Rp = Rpi . The Inductive is calculated by the model of resistances in parallel, which requires a separate measurement of the electrolyte ohmic resistance. In this study, solutions with several resistivities and concrete specimens with and without chlorides have been used. The results indicate that electrolytes of low resistivity mask the measurement, and consequently, Rpi could not be calculated. In electrolytes with high resistivity, such as concrete, the feasibility is found to depend on the relative values of Re and Rp

Los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible y las Grandes Empresas Españolas: Un análisis de su Compromiso a partir de su Reporte No Financiero

[EN] This paper aims to analyse the level of commitment with the SDGs of large Spanish companies based on the information published in their Non-Financial Statements and their letters from the chairman. To achieve this objective and identify potential explanatory factors, a balanced sample of 58 Spanish companies, 29 listed and 29 unlisted, in 2019 has been used. The results of this study evidence: i) the greater commitment with the SDGs of companies which are exposed in the stock markets and those which are larger; ii) the relevance of the diversity into the boards of directors, in order to integrate the largest and the widest number of interests as well as those values and principles which are intrinsically associated to women directors; and iii) the greater emphasis on those SDGs related to well-known issues by these organizations, thanks to their greater experience in non-financial reporting, publishing documents such as corporate social responsibility or sustainability reports.[ES] El presente trabajo tiene como principal objetivo evaluar el nivel de compromiso con los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) de las grandes empresas españolas a partir de la información contenida en sus Estados de Información No Financiera (EINF) y las cartas de sus presidentes e identificar los posibles factores explicativos asociados a la propia organización. Para ello se ha contado con una muestra equilibrada de 58 compañías españolas, 29 cotizadas y 29 no cotizadas, en el ejercicio 2019. Los resultados obtenidos ponen de relieve: i) la mayor preocupación que despiertan los ODS entre las empresas expuestas en los mercados bursátiles y aquellas que son de mayor tamaño; ii) la importancia de contar con consejos de administración diversos, que integren el mayor número de intereses posibles así como aquellos valores y principios que se atribuyen de forma intrínseca a las mujeres; y iii) el mayor énfasis en aquellos ODS relacionados con aquellas temáticas ya conocidas por este tipo de organizaciones, gracias a su mayor experiencia en el reporting no financiero, publicando documentos como los informes de responsabilidad social corporativa o las memorias de sostenibilidad

Active learning and generic competences in an operating systems course

The Bologna Declaration and the implementation of the European Higher Education Area are promoting the use of active learning methodologies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects obtained after applying active learning methodologies to the achievement of generic competences as well as to the academic performance. This study has been carried out at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, where these methodologies have been applied to the Operating Systems I subject of the degree in Technical Engineering in Computer Systems. The fundamental hypothesis tested was whether the implementation of active learning methodologies (cooperative learning and problem based learning) favours the achievement of certain generic competences (‘teamwork’ and ‘planning and time management’) and also whether this fact improved the academic performance of our students. The original approach of this work consists in using psychometric tests to measure the degree of acquired student’s generic competences instead of using opinion surveys, as usual. Results indicated that active learning methodologies improve the academic performance when compared to the traditional lecture/discussion method, according to the success rate obtained. These methods seem to have as well an effect on the teamwork competence (the perception of the behaviour of the other members in the group) but not on the perception of each students’ behaviour. Active learning does not produce any significant change in the generic competence ‘planning and time management’

Estudio de viabilidad financiera para la construcción de apartamentos en Agua De Dios para la empresa INGEFROST SAS

El objetivo del presente trabajo es realizar un estudio de factibilidad financiera, para la construcción y comercialización de vivienda sobre el predio propiedad de INGEFROST SAS. Ubicado en el casco urbano de la localidad de Agua de Dios Cundinamarca. Esta consultoría se enfoca entonces, en la viabilidad financiera que tenga este proyecto para lo cual obtendremos algunos indicadores económicos para que con la fuente propia que se tiene para iniciar el proyecto, establecer tasa de retorno, punto de equilibrio y mercado objetivo para la comercialización. En primer lugar, analizamos con qué recursos iniciales cuenta la compañía INGEFROST SAS. Para determinar si es necesario acudir a un apalancamiento financiero y por qué cuantía, luego determinar indicadores económicos y financieros para proyectar tiempo y porcentaje de retorno de la inversión

Cooperative Learning vs. Project Base Learning.

The Bologna Declaration and the implementation of the European Higher Education Area are promoting the use of active learning methodologies such as cooperative learning and project based learning. This study was motivated by the comparison of the results obtained after applying Cooperative Learning (CL) and Project Based Learning (PBL) to a subject of Computer Engineering. The fundamental hypothesis tested was whether the academic success achieved by the students of the first years was higher when CL was applied than in those cases to which PBL was applied. A practical case, by means of which the effectiveness of CL and PBL are compared, is presented in this work. This study has been carried out at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, where these mechanisms have been applied to the Operating Systems I subject from the Technical Engineering in Computer Systems degree (OSIS) and to the same subject from the Technical Engineering in Computer Management degree (OSIM). Both subjects have the same syllabus, are taught in the same year and semester and share also formative objectives. From this study we can conclude that students¿ academic performance (regarding the grades given) is greater with PBL than with CL. To be more specific, the difference is between 0.5 and 1 point for the individual tests. For the group tests, this difference is between 2.5 and 3 points. Therefore, this study refutes the fundamental hypothesis formulated at the beginning. Some of the possible interpretations of these results are referred to in this study

Protocolo de valorización de residuos en la fabricación de materiales de base cemento: sedimentos dragados como componente de hormigón autocompactante

[ES] La incorporación de los materiales procedentes del dragado como materia prima en la industria de la construcción es uno de los principales objetivos del sector, dada la creciente demanda de este tipo de materiales y la cada vez mayor escasez de los recursos procedentes del interior. La mayor parte de las investigaciones realizadas se han centrado en la reutilización de residuos industriales y de demolición, sin embargo, el uso de materiales procedentes de dragado no ha sido tan ampliamente estudiado y no se han encontrado protocolos para evaluar de forma sistemática su viabilidad como materia prima en la fabricación de materiales con base cemento. En este sentido, el principal objetivo de esta investigación es el diseño de un protocolo que permita evaluar la idoneidad de un residuo procedente de un puerto español como componente de un hormigón autocompactante (SCC). Para ello se realizará un completo análisis químico, mineralógico y granulométrico del sedimento y, una vez comprobada su idoneidad, el éxito de su inclusión como parte del SCC se estudiará mediante ensayos de durabilidad y de compatibilidad medioambiental. Estos ensayos mostrarán que las propiedades del SCC obtenido están de acuerdo con las esperadas para uno convencional fabricado con filler silíceo normal.Esta investigación formó parte del proyecto CLEAM CENIT patrocinado por el Centro Español de Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial (CDTI) dentro del programa CENIT y ha sido posible gracias al apoyo económico del CDTI y A.I.E. (Asociación de Interés Económico) CLEAM-CENIT. Mención especial a DRAGADOS, que fue el responsable de la coordinación industrial de la tarea en la que se desarrolló este trabajo. Los autores también agradecen al Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad la financiación aportada por el proyecto BIA 2011-25653 '' TELEPASSCLOR '' otorgado en el marco del Plan Nacional de I + D + iRozas, F.; Castillo Talavera, A.; Martínez Sierra, I.; Castellote Armero, M. (2018). Protocolo de valorización de residuos en la fabricación de materiales de base cemento: sedimentos dragados como componente de hormigón autocompactante. En HAC 2018. V Congreso Iberoamericano de hormigón autocompactable y hormigones especiales. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 291-300. https://doi.org/10.4995/HAC2018.2018.5637OCS29130

Bone Metabolism in Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Case-control Study

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the hair follicles. The aim of this case-control study was to assess whether HS is associated with disturbances in trabecular bone score, bone mineral density, bone remodelling markers, and calciotropic hormones. A total of 81 patients and 79 controls of similar age and sex were included. Demographic, anthropometric, laboratory data, trabecular bone score, bone mineral density, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), serum amino-terminal pro-peptide of type 1 collagen (PINP), and C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX) concentrations were assessed in both groups. Patients with HS had lower serum 25OHD levels than controls, and approximately 62% of them had vitamin D deficiency. Serum PINP was increased and CTX was decreased in patients with HS. Fully adjusted trabecular bone score values were lower in patients with HS compared with controls. Adjusted lumbar bone mineral density was similar in HS and controls, whilst total hip bone mineral density was lower in patients with HS. There were no statistical differences regarding disease severity in terms of 25OHD, serum turnover markers, bone mineral density, or trabecular bone score values. This study shows that patients with HS have lower trabecular bone score and total hip bone mineral density values than population-based controls. In addition, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is high in subjects with HS

Prospective clinical and DaT-SPECT imaging in premotor LRRK2 G2019S-associated Parkinson disease

Objective: To assess the value of baseline clinical and imaging biomarkers in a cohort of asymptomatic LRRK2 G2019S carriers for predicting conversion to Parkinson disease (PD) at 4 years. Methods: Thirty-two asymptomatic carriers of LRRK2 G2019S mutation underwent baseline and 4-year evaluation including clinical examination (Unified Parkinson?s Disease Rating Scale, part III, olfaction University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test [UPSIT]) and dopamine transporter (DaT) SPECT (123I-ioflupane). Visual and semiquantitative analysis of images was performed. The specific striatal binding ratio was calculated (striatal region of interest [ROI] 2 occipital ROI/ occipital ROI). Results: Three carriers, asymptomatic at baseline, had converted to PD at 4-year evaluation. Twenty-three participants were fully evaluated. PD converters had lower striatal DaT binding at baseline than nonconverters (p 50.002). A baseline scan with a ratio of bilateral striatal uptake below 1 predicted conversion to PD within the 4-year period with high sensitivity and specificity (area under the curve 1; p 5 0.006). The slope of DaT binding decline between the 2 scans was similar in PD converters and nonconverters. Age-adjusted UPSIT score at baseline and at 4 years was similar in both groups. Conclusions: Semiquantitative DaT-SPECT could be used to predict early conversion to PD in asymptomatic carriers of the LRRK2 G2019S mutation. Rate of conversion to PD at 4 years in this cohort aged ;64 years was 12%. The slope of DaT binding decline on DaT-SPECT imaging seems to be similar across different stages of the premotor perio

Serum Homocysteine Levels in Patients with Retinal Vein Occlusion in a Spanish Population

Purpose Our aim was a) to compare serum Hcy levels in patients with RVO and population-based controls, and b) to evaluate whether hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for RVO. Patients and methods Prospective case-control study of all patients diagnosed with RVO at a tertiary-care hospital, and age-and sex-matched controls taking part in a population-based prospective cohort in the same geographic area. Differences in serum Hcy between both groups were analyzed by a general linear model adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, tobacco use and alcohol intake. Besides, we tested the relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia (> 15 µmol/L) and RVO, by a stepwise logistic regression analysis. Results RVO patients (n = 85) had a higher prevalence of hypertension (p = 0.002), diabetes (p = 0.008), and dyslipidemia (p = 0.04) than controls (n = 82). Adjusted median Hcy levels were higher in RVO patients (p < 0.0001). Adjusted OR for hyperhomocysteinemia were 4.4 (95% CI, 2.0-9.3; p < 0.0001) in the overall sample, and 2.6 (95% CI, 1.04-6.6; p = 0.04) and 6.1 (95% CI, 1.7-21.6; p = 0.005) for men and women, respectively. Conclusion Patients with RVO have higher serum Hcy levels than age- and sex-matched population-based controls. Hyperhomocysteinemia seems to be a risk factor for RVO, independent of age, BMI, GFR and classical vascular risk factors