Success Factors in Peer-to-Business (P2B) Crowdlending: A Predictive Approach

Peer-to-Business (P2B) crowdlending is gaining importance among companies seeking funding. However, not all projects get the same take-up by the crowd. Thus, this study aims to determine the key factors that drive non-professional investors to choose a given loan in an online environment. To this purpose, we have analyzed 243 crowdlending campaigns on October.eu platform. We have obtained a series of variables from the analyzed loans using logistic regression. Results indicate that loan amount, loan term and overall credit rating are the key predictors of non-professional lender P2B crowdlending success. These findings may be useful for predicting whether the crowd will subscribe to a loan request or not. This information would help businesses to modify specific loan characteristics (if possible) to make their loans more attractive or could even lead companies to consider a different financial option. It could also help platforms select and adapt project parameters to secure their success

Estrategias farmacológicas en el tratamiento de la adicción por cocaína

Probablemente la cocaína está siendo consumida de forma alarmante debido en parte a la falsa idea de que no iba a producir las devastadoras consecuencias y efectos atribuidos a otras drogas de abuso. Sin embargo, su gran poder adictógeno, dificulta lograr el abandono del consumo y sí plantea graves problemas destacables y efectos secundarios potencialmente vitales.En esta adicción, destaca el polimorfismo de patología psíquica coexistente. Nos limitaremos a conceptuar el tratamiento de la propia adicción y a esquematizarlo al máximo para favorecer la mayor claridad posible, dado que existen numerosos datos, referencias bibliográficas y publicaciones sobre el tema.El progreso en el conocimiento del mecanismo de acción de la cocaína ha abierto una serie de expectativas e investigaciones en un intento de mejorar el más adecuado rendimiento de los tratamientos farmacológicos.Actualmente, el arsenal terapéutico está concebido como una herramienta para ayudar a los pacientes a mantenerse abstinentes en conjunción con otros abordajes de tipos psicoterapéuticos y sociales

Towards Distributed Model Transformations with LinTra

Performance and scalability of model transformations are becoming prominent topics in Model-Driven Engineering. In previous works we introduced LinTra, a platform for executing model transformations in parallel. LinTra is based on the Linda model of a coordination language and is intended to be used as a middleware where high-level model transformation languages are compiled. In this paper we present the initial results of our analyses on the scalability of out-place model-to-model transformation executions in LinTra when the models and the processing elements are distributed over a set of machines.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

A Linda-based Platform for the Parallel Execution of Out-place Model Transformations

Context: The performance and scalability of model transformations is gaining interest as industry is progressively adopting model-driven techniques and multicore computers are becoming commonplace. However, existing model transformation engines are mostly based on sequential and in-memory execution strategies, and thus their capabilities to transform large models in parallel and distributed environments are limited. Objective: This paper presents a solution that provides concurrency and distribution to model transformations. Method: Inspired by the concepts and principles of the Linda coordination language, and the use of data parallelism to achieve parallelization, a novel Javabased execution platform is introduced. It offers a set of core features for the parallel execution of out-place transformations that can be used as a target for high-level transformation language compilers. Results: Significant gains in performance and scalability of this platform are reported with regard to existing model transformation solutions. These results are demonstrated by running a model transformation test suite, and by its comparison against several state-of-the-art model transformation engines. Conclusion: Our Linda-based approach to the concurrent execution of model transformations can serve as a platform for their scalable and efficient implementation in parallel and distributed environments.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Linguistic competence in the European Higher Education Area from the perspective of the university lecturer. The case of Spain in the European context

Diseñar titulaciones en torno a perfiles profesionales y orientar la enseñanza hacia la adquisición de competencias son 2 de los grandes retos planteados por el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES). En este trabajo se analiza la importancia concedida por el profesorado al conocimiento de una segunda lengua en el contexto europeo en materias relativas a Organización de Empresas propias de los estudios en Administración y Dirección de Empresas (ADE) e Ingeniería. Tal estudio se realiza a través de las respuestas dadas por docentes de 20 países europeos en una encuesta on-line. Los resultados permiten concluir que el dominio de una segunda lengua es una competencia específica que los docentes consideran crítica para la formación de los universitarios de estudios en ADE e Ingeniería, aunque España se encuentra por detrás de los países de su entorno en cuanto a la percepción sobre la importancia de una segunda lengua como competencia curricular y profesional.The design of qualifications around professional profiles and steering teaching towards the acquisition of competences are 2 major challenges targeted by the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). This study analyses the importance given by teachers to knowledge of a second language in Business Organisation matters in Business Management and Administration (BMA) and Engineering studies in the European context. As its basis, the study takes answers from teaching staff in 20 European countries given in an online survey. The results lead to the conclusion that mastery of a second language is a specific competence considered by teachers to be crucial for the training of university BMA and Engineering students, although Spain is behind other countries in the region with regard to how the importance of a second language is perceived as a curricular and professional competence

Microbial profiling of a suppressiveness-induced agricultural soil amended with composted almond shells lead to isolation of new biocontrol agents

Vida et al., 2016. Microbial profiling of a suppressiveness-induced agricultural soil amended with composted almond shells lead to isolation of new biocontrol agents. Biological and integrated control of plant pathogens IOBC-WPRS Bulletin Vol. 117, 2016 pp. 140-143This study focused on the microbial profile present in an agricultural soil that becomes suppressive after the application of composted almond shells (AS) as organic amendments. The role of microbes in the suppression of Rosellinia necatrix, the causative agent of avocado white root rot, was determined after heat-treatment and complementation experiments with different types of soil. Bacterial and fungal profiles based on the 16S rRNA gene and ITS sequencing, the soil under the influence of composted almond shells revealed an increase in Proteobacteria and Ascomycota groups, as well as a reduction in Acidobacteria and Xylariales (where R. necatrix is allocated). Complementary to these findings, functional analysis by GeoChip 4.6 confirmed the improvement of a group of specific probes included in the “soil benefit” category was present only in AS-amended soils, corresponding to specific microorganisms previously described as potential biocontrol agents, such as Pseudomonas spp., Burkholderia spp. or Actinobacteria. Based in such data, a model for the microbial-based suppressiveness is proposed and further isolation of representative microorganisms were performed.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Morfología macroscópica de alteración de la piedra de la Catedral de Guadix/España

Los principales factores de alteración que afectan a la catedral de Guadix son de origen natural, fundamentalmente térmico e hidráulico, por sus grandes oscilaciones de temperatura en verano y por la frecuencia de heladas en invierno, y por la lluvias. Los litotipos empleados son principalmente calcarenitas de porosidad media y calizas algo más compactas, procedentes de canteras de la zona, y mármoles. Los mecanismos de alteración correspondientes son los de dilatación térmica diferencial originados por los saltos térmicos, en especial en las piedras más compactas, los de incremento de volumen en capilares e intersticios, sobre todo por heladicidad, y los de disolución. Los indicadores de alteración más graves son las fisuras y fragmentaciones que afectan a los elementos más labrados y que han llevado al estado de ruina a la mayor parte de los elementos más aireados como los pináculos.The main factors of deterioration that affect the Cathedral of Guadix are of a natural origin, basically thermic and hidraulic, due to its great oscillations in temperature in Summer, the frecuency of frosts in Winter and the rains. The lithotypes employed are mainly calcarenite of mean porosite and slightly more compact limestones from the quarries in the área, and marbles. The corresponding deterioration mecanisms are those of diferential thermic dilatations caused by thermic jumps, especially in the more compact stones, those of increase in volume in capillaries and interstices, especially by freezing, and those of dissolution. The most serious deterioration indicators are fissures and spalling that affect the most carved elements and which have taken the greater part of the most aerated elements such as the pinnacles to a state fo ruin

Morfología macroscópica de alteración de la piedra de la Catedral de Almería/España

Los vientos reinantes en la zona, asociados a una importante humedad ascendente, son los principales factores naturales de alteración que afectan a la Catedral de Almería. Pueden señalarse como factores antropogénicos de alteración ciertas desafortunadas labores de mantenimiento llevadas a cabo, así como, aunque con carácter episódico, los bombardeos y ametrallamientos sufridos por el edificio durante la guerra civil. El único litotipo empleado en la construcción es una caliza dolomítica de elevada porosidad procedente de canteras próximas a la ciudad. Los principales mecanismos de alteración son los de incremento de volumen en capilares e intersticios, ligados a la presencia de sales, y los de disolución, dada la solubilidad de las sales de magnesio de constitución, que pueden producir la desdolomitización de la piedra. Esto conduce a unos indicadores de alteración con una morfología típica consistente en huecos en todas sus manifestaciones: picados, alveolizaciones y cavernas. La mayor degradación se da en las partes altas y bajas del edificio, allí donde los factores viento y humedad, respectivamente, son más intensos. La alteración antropogénica también toma, casi irónicamente, la forma de huecos, como los impactos de balas y obuses de la fachada Sur y las regolas practicadas para cables eléctricos en todo el edificio. Diversas restauraciones han introducido tensiones en los materiales que han conducido a decohesiones en diversos grados (desagregaciones, disgregaciones y arenizaciones) en el interior del templo y en el claustro. El edificio se encuentra en un estado de alteración de cierta significación que esencialmente afecta a la estética del mismo. La velocidad del proceso degradativo observada en ciertas áreas del mismo, en particular en las restauradas, reclama actuaciones urgentes para su mantenimiento.The prevailing winds in the área, associated with an important rising damp are the main natural factors of deterioration that affect the Cathedral of Almería. Certain unfortunate maintenance Jobs carried out as well as the bombardments and machine-gunning on the building during the Civil War can be indicated as anthropogenical factors of deterioration. The only lithotype used in the construction is a dolomitic limestone of high porosity from quarries near the city. The increase in volume in capillaries and interstices, related whith the presence of salts, and the dissolution, due to the great solubility of the natural magnesium salts which can produce dedolomitization of the stone, are the main deterioration mechanisms. This leads to indicators of deterioration with a typical morphology consisting of openings in all its manifestations (pitting, alveolar erosions and craters) especially on the high and low parts of the building where the wind and humidity, respectively, are more intense. The anthropogenical deterioration also has the shape of openings, such as the impact of bullets and obuses on the Southern fagade and the grooves made for electric cables throughout the building. Diverse restorations have introduced tensions in the materials which have led to decohesions at different degrees (disaggregations, disintegrations and grain disgregations) in the interior of the temple and cloister

Morfología macroscópica de alteración de la piedra de la Catedral de Sevilla/España

El litotipo mayoritariamente empleado en la construcción de la Catedral de Sevilla es la calcarenita del Puerto de Santa María seguida de la caliza de Espera. El factor extrínseco de alteración primordial es la contaminación atmosférica, principalmente óxidos de azufre y humos, en ambiente húmedo. De ambos factores, piedra porosa de naturaleza carbonatada y medio ambiente ácido, puede deducirse que el principal mecanismo de alteración es el ataque químico y se ha encontrado que los indicadores de alteración más importantes son los depósitos y las arenizaciones. En una valoración a grosso modo puede decirse que la piedra de uso estructural se encuentra bien conservada en su mayor parte, y la ornamental degradada en un 80 %. La mitad de las cresterías se encuentran en estado de ruina y un 20 % de los remates han sido retirados o habrán de serlo próximamenteThe lithotype mainly used in the construction of the Cathedral of Seville is the calcarenite from Puerto de Santa f\/laria followed by the limestone from Espera. The primordial extrinsecal factor of deterioration is the atmospherical contamination, mainly sulphur oxides and smoke, within a humid environment. From both factors, the porose stone of a carbonated nature and the acid environment, we can deduce that the principal mechanism of deterioration is the chemical attack; the most important indicators of deterioration that have been found are the deposits and arenizations. In a "grosso modo" valoration we can say that the stone of structural employment is well conserved in its majority while the ornamental stone is degraded at 80 %. Half the cresting is in a state of ruin and 20 % of the tips have been removed or will have to be in the near future

Morfología macroscópica de alteración acelerada de algunos materiales pétreos de monumentos de Andalucía/España

Varios litotipos utilizados en diversos monumentos andaluces han sido sometidos a experiencias de laboratorio de cristalización de sales y en atmósferas controladas. Los indicadores de alteración que aparecen son justificados desde el punto de vista del tipo de experiencia y del litotipo, y comparados con aquéllos encontrados en los monumentos. De especial significación es la experiencia de capilaridad con ventilación forzada, de diseño sencillo y original, con la que se reproducen las tipleas descamaciones de los mármoles de la Catedral de Cádiz.Several lithotypes used in diverse Andalusian monuments have undergone laboratory experiments of salt crystallization and within controlled environments. The indicators of deterioration that appear are justified from the point of view of the type of experiment and the lithotype, and compared with those found in the monuments. The capillarity with forced ventilation experiment, with an original and simple design, is of special signification. With wich the typical desquamations in the marbles of the Cathedral of Cádiz are reproduced