Policy instruments to promote electro-mobilityiIn the Eu28: A comprehensive review

Despite its environmental benefits, the amount of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in use within the European Union 28 is still very limited. Poor penetration might be explained by certain factors that dissuade potential buyers. To balance these factors and promote electro-mobility, Member States have established incentives to increase demand. However, the various measures are scattered. This paper contributes to fill the gap in the literature by offering an overall view of the main measures. The authors will focus on measures to promote electro-mobility within the EU28 until 2014. After an in-depth and comprehensive review of the relevant measures, the authors conclude that the most important policy instruments to promote EVs are tax and infrastructure measures in addition to financial incentives for purchasing and supporting R&D projects. Regardless of the scarcity of EV registration data, the available information allows us to conclude that higher EV penetration levels appear in countries where the registration tax, the ownership tax, or both taxes have developed a partial green tax by including CO2 emissions in the calculation of the final invoice.Junta de Andalucía proyecto SEJ-132Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España, Cátedra de Economía de la Energía y del Medio Ambiente (Cátedra de Energía y Economía Ambiental) ECO2014-56399-RUniversidad Autónoma de Chil

Involvement of PGE2 and cyclic AMP signaling pathway in the up-regulation of COX-2and mPGES-1 expression in LPS -activated macrophages

The final version of record is available at /http://www.biochemj.org/bj

Selection of the Adequate Algorithm to Generate Plant Templates for Robust Control

[Resumen] The calculation of templates associated with plant uncertainty is one of the first steps in some control robust methodologies. This paper presents a comparative study of three classic algorithms proposed in the late 1980s and early 1990s for calculating plant templates. The results of this study can help the designer to choose the right template computation algorithm depending on the kind of plant.This research was supported by the Spanish CICYT under grants DPI2012-31303 and DPI2013-46665-C2-2-Rhttps://doi.org/10.17979/spudc.978849749808

Regulación, Supervisión y Conservadurismo Contable : la interacción de los tres pilares de Basilea II con la calidad de los resultados reportados en la banca mundial

Accounting conservatism is a quality of earnings positively associated with the strength of banking regulation and supervision and also high market discipline, but there still remains the unresolved question of the way these three pillars of Basel II interact with each other. We analyse how regulatory and supervisory regimes in the banking industry clearly interact with market discipline measures, such as listing status, ownership, market concentration and disclosure requirements between ten years before Basel II fails, drawing upon data from 14,651 bank year observations from 54 different countries. According to our findings, there is a clear correlation between the strength of the enforcement of regulation and supervision and accounting conservatism success in countries where market discipline fails. That is to say, the supervisory power reinforces the effect of listing status, ownership and concentration on conservatism whereas the capital regulatory system mitigates the effect of market discipline on conservatism. We also evidence that in a powerful regulatory system, more disclosure requirements are associated in less conservatism policies in financial entities. Strong increases in regulation, its enforcement and supervisory power introduced in the Basel III mechanism is subject to the debate posed in this paper. The quality of accounting earnings can be improved to prevent bank failures through the application of strong Pillars I and II, i.e., regulation and supervision. Having said that, market discipline still remains a key factor in achieving financial stability.El conservadurismo contable es una cualidad de las ganancias asociada positivamente con la solidez de la regulación y supervisión bancaria y también con la alta disciplina del mercado, pero aún queda la cuestión sin resolver de la forma en que estos tres pilares de Basilea II interactúan entre sí. Analizamos cómo los regímenes regulatorios y de supervisión en la industria bancaria interactúan claramente con las medidas de disciplina del mercado, como si cotizan o no, la distinta estructura de propiedad, la concentración del mercado y los requisitos de divulgación en una muestra de 14.651 observaciones de 54 países diferentes durante los diez años anteriores al fallo de Basilea II. Según nuestros hallazgos, existe una clara correlación entre la fortaleza de la regulación y la supervisión bancaria y el nivel del conservadurismo contable en países donde la disciplina de mercado es débil. Es decir, el poder de supervisión refuerza el efecto del estatus de cotización, la propiedad y la concentración sobre el conservadurismo, mientras que el sistema de regulación de capital mitiga el efecto de la disciplina de mercado sobre el conservadurismo. También evidenciamos que, en un sistema regulatorio poderoso, más requisitos de divulgación están asociados con políticas menos conservadoras en las entidades financieras. Los resultados obtenidos contribuyen al debate sobre si los fuertes incrementos en la regulación bancaria, y el mayor poder de supervisión introducidos en el mecanismo de Basilea III están justificados ante fallos en la disciplina de mercado introducida por Basilea II. La calidad del resultado contable se puede mejorar para prevenir quiebras bancarias mediante la aplicación de fuertes Pilares I y II, es decir, regulación y supervisión. Dicho esto, la disciplina del mercado sigue siendo un factor clave para lograr la estabilidad financiera, pero sigue sin ser el más relevante

Augmented reality in the classroom of primary education

En el presente trabajo planteamos la valoración, por parte de los futuros docentes, de la realidad aumentada como recurso didáctico dentro de la Educación Primaria. La investigación la abordamos desde una metodología cuantitativa, a través del uso de un cuestionario creado ad hoc y conformado por 32 ítem que hacen referencia a determinados aspectos educativos (inclusividad, necesidades educativas especiales, procesos de e-a…). Se ha trabajado con una muestra de carácter incidental de 208 estudiantes, pertenecientes al Grado de Educación Primaria de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación de la Universidad de Córdoba. Las conclusiones nos indican que los futuros maestros, en su formación inicial, consideran la realidad aumentada como una herramienta que puede ser valiosa y relevante para el desarrollo de los currículos, así como de la educación inclusivaNeste trabalho, propomos a avaliação de futuros professores, a realidade aumentada como recurso didático no ensino primário. A abordagem de pesquisa a partir de uma metodologia quantitativa através do uso de um questionário criado ad hoc e composta por 32 itens que se referem a certos aspectos educacionais (inclusividade, necessidades educativas especiais, processos e-a ...). Ele tem trabalhado com uma amostra de 208 estudantes caráter incidental pertencente ao grau de Educação Primária, Faculdade de Ciências da Educação da Universidade de Córdoba. Os resultados indicam que os futuros professores na sua formação inicial, realidade aumentada considerado como uma ferramenta que pode ser útil e relevante para o desenvolvimento de currículos, bem como a educação inclusivaIn this paper we propose the assessment of the augmented reality by future teachers, as a teaching resource in the Primary Education stage. The research was carried out from a quantitative methodology approach, using a 32-item questionnaire that was created ad hoc and refer to specific learning aspects (inclusivity, special educational needs, teaching-learning processes…). We worked with an incidental sample of 208 students from the Primary School Teaching Degree belonging to the Faculty of Educational Sciences in the University of Cordoba. The findings indicated that future teachers in their initial training, considered the augmented reality as a valuable resource that can help improve learning processes and stimulate the development of curriculum objectives and inclusive educatio

Collaborative learning and its application through mind maps use. Educational innovation in initial teacher training

Los mapas mentales constituyen una estrategia de aprendizaje que contribuye al desarrollo integral del alumnado a través de la utilización de todo el cerebro en el procesamiento de la información. Las metodologías aplicables a los mapas mentales son muy diversas, pudiéndose abordar desde una vertiente tanto individual como grupal. En este estudio, nos centramos en la utilización del mapa mental a través de un aprendizaje colaborativo, mediante la puesta en marcha de dinámicas grupales con las que se pretenden reflejar el pensamiento de todos los componentes del grupo y potenciar el desarrollo de relaciones interpersonales positivas entre los mismos. La investigación la abordamos desde una metodología cuantitativa, a través del uso de un cuestionario de 11 items, tipo Likert, con una escala que comprende los valores 1 (Nada) y 4 (Mucho) sobre la experiencia de aprendizaje vivida con mapas mentales. Se ha trabajado con una muestra de 140 estudiantes pertenecientes al Primer Curso de la titulación de Grado de Maestro especialidad en Educación Primaria, durante el curso académico 2011/2012. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la interacción entre los componentes del grupo, así como los grupos entre sí, a través del empleo del mapa mental como recurso que refleja el pensamiento, mejora del clima positivo de aula y permite el logro de la comprensión, organización y memorización comprensiva de los contenidos trabajados con relativa facilidad. Por consiguiente, son considerados como una herramienta que puede resultar de gran utilidad en su labor como futuros docentes.Mind maps are a learning strategy that contributes to students’ comprehensive development since they require the use of the whole brain when it comes to processing information. The methodologies underlying mind maps are very different, and can be approached from individual or group perspectives. In this study, we focus on the use of mind maps in collaborative learning. We put forward a series of group dynamics aimed both at illustrating each group members’ thoughts and at enhancing positive interpersonal relationships among them. The research was conducted in line with a quantitative methodology through the use of an 11-item Likert questionnaire which addresses students’ learning experience when using mind maps. We studied a sample of 140 students from the first year of the Primary Education Degree during the academic year 2011-2012. The results obtained show that interaction triggered by using mind maps, both among members within the same group and the different groups, enhances students’ positive thinking and improves their understanding, organization and comprehensive memorization of contents studied in class. In conclusion, mind maps could be considered as a very useful tool for future teachers

An open source framework based on Kafka-ML for Distributed DNN inference over the Cloud-to-Things continuum

The current dependency of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems on Cloud computing implies higher transmission latency and bandwidth consumption. Moreover, it challenges the real-time monitoring of physical objects, e.g., the Internet of Things (IoT). Edge systems bring computing closer to end devices and support time-sensitive applications. However, Edge systems struggle with state-of-the-art Deep Neural Networks (DNN) due to computational resource limitations. This paper proposes a technology framework that combines the Edge-Cloud architecture concept with BranchyNet advantages to support fault-tolerant and low-latency AI predictions. The implementation and evaluation of this framework allow assessing the benefits of running Distributed DNN (DDNN) in the Cloud-to-Things continuum. Compared to a Cloud-only deployment, the results obtained show an improvement of 45.34% in the response time. Furthermore, this proposal presents an extension for Kafka-ML that reduces rigidness over the Cloud-to-Things continuum managing and deploying DDNN

Problematic Relationships with Smartphones of Spanish and Colombian University Students

The presence of smartphones in the lives of the population in general, and of youth in particular, is evident, and is derived from elements such as the diversity of prices as well as the ease of access of all the resources that can be reached through the internet. With the use of a descriptive approach using a quantitative poll, the objective of the present study was to discover the opinions of university students in Spain and Colombia about smartphone use, as well as the consequences of its use, and if this use could derive into so-called problematic smartphone use (PSU). For gathering the information, the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale (MPPUSA) was utilized, with a sample size n = 4009. The main result reached was that the model obtained is structured around six factors that determined the elements in light of PSU. The initial conclusion found was that the model applied can be utilized with Colombian students, with young Spanish women and students in the macro area of Social Sciences, the ones who had problematic behavior with the devices, as compared to the Health Sciences students who did not have it

Plan estratégico para McDonald's

El presente trabajo de investigación tiene por finalidad formular un plan estratégico que permita lograr los objetivos del negocio y direccionar las acciones que habiliten las capacidades necesarias para que McDonald’s siga creciendo, liderando el mercado de comida rápida y, a su vez, sea una empresa sostenible -económica, social y ambientalmente-, en los siguientes años. Para lograr las estrategias se han definido un conjunto de planes funcionales, con iniciativas específicas, destinadas a la transformación de las estrategias en acciones concretas. Los planes abarcan el marketing y ventas, las operaciones, los recursos humanos, la responsabilidad social empresarial y los aspectos financieros