El aula de paz y desarrollo de la Universidad de Burgos: luces y sombras de una experiencia de seis años

En este artículo se presenta el Aula de Paz y Desarrollo de la Universidad de Burgos, aportando en primer lugar las razones que impulsaron su creación. Tras la presentación de sus objetivos y áreas de trabajo en los ámbitos de la Educación para el Desarrollo y la Educación en la Paz, se exponen las principales actividades llevadas a cabo en los seis años de andadura que tiene dicha Aula. Al final, se analizan los puntos fuertes y débiles del trabajo realizado a los diferentes niveles y se plantean las tareas que habría que abordar en lo sucesivo; siempre pensando en realizar una aportación a la transformación de la realidad mundial de injusticia y desigualdad desde la formación de cuantas personas, de manera más o menos continuada, mantienen vínculos con el Aula de Paz y Desarrollo.This article begins presenting the reasons that stimulated the creation of the University of Burgos Seminar "Peace and Development". Its aims and areas of work will follow, as well as the main activities carried out in the six years from its beginning. To end with, strong and weak points of the seminar, besides the tasks that there would be necessary to approach from now on, will be presented. This experience wishes to contribute to the transformation of the world reality, characterized by injustice and inequality, through the education of those involved in the "Peace and Development" seminar

Invarianza factorial de una escala de autoeficacia en deportistas y no deportistas

El objetivo principal del presente estudio fue examinar la invarianza factorial de la escala de autoeficacia en el cuidado de la alimentación y salud física (ECASF) en universitarios mexicanos deportistas y no deportistas. La muestra total fue de 1.305 universitarios mexicanos (707 mujeres, 598 hombres), con una edad media de 20.46 años (DT = 1.87). Los análisis factoriales confirmatorios mostraron que una estructura de cinco factores es viable y adecuada para ambas poblaciones. Atendiendo a criterios estadísticos y sustantivos la estructura de cinco factores (ejercicio físico, cuidado de la alimentación, afrontamiento de problemas, evitación del consumo de tabaco y evitación del consumo de alcohol), ha mostrado adecuados indicadores de ajuste de fiabilidad y validez. Además, la estructura factorial, las cargas factoriales y los interceptos se consideran invariantes en las dos poblaciones estudiadas; sin embargo, existen diferencias entre las poblaciones para las medias de los factores ejercicio físico, cuidado de la alimentación, afrontamiento de problemas y evitación del consumo de tabaco. Por último, el presente estudio también confirma la validez del modelo pentadimensional propuesto en estudios anteriores. Futuras investigaciones deberían replicar estos hallazgos en poblaciones con diferentes factores culturales y personales.The aim of this study was to examine factorial invariance of the Self-efficacy in Diet and Physical Wellness Scale (ECASF) in Mexican university sportsmen and non-sportsmen. The final sample comprised 1.305 Mexican university students (707 women, 598 men), whose average age was 20.46 years (SD=1.87). Confirmatory factorial analyses showed that a five-factor scale is feasible and adequate for both populations. In accordance with statistical and substantial criteria, the five factor structure (physical exercise, nutritional care, problems confrontation, avoiding tobacco, and avoiding alcohol) displayed good indexes of fit both in terms of reliability and validity. Moreover, factorial structure and loads, as well as intercepts, were found to be invariant in both populations; however, differences were found with regard to average values of physical exercise, nutritional care, problems confrontation, and avoiding tobacco. Finally, the present study confirms the validity of a Penta dimensional model proposed in previous studies. Future research should replicate these procedures in populations with different cultural and personal characteristics.O principal objetivo deste estudo foi examinar a invariância fatorial da escala de auto-eficácia no atendimento de alimentação e saúde física (ECASF) em atletas universitários mexicanos e não-atletas. A amostra total foi de 1.305 estudantes mexicanos universitários (707 mulheres, 598 homens), com idade média de 20,46 anos (DP = 1,87). A análise factorial confirmatória mostrou que uma estrutura de cinco fator é viável e adequado para ambas as populações. Em resposta a critérios estatísticos e estrutura substantiva de cinco factores (exercício físico, cuidados de nutrição, lidar problemas, evitando o consumo de tabaco e álcool), mostrou indicadores de ajuste adequados de fiabilidade e validade. Além disso, a estrutura fatorial, cargas fatoriais e Intercepções são considerados invariante nas duas populações estudadas; no entanto, existem diferenças entre as populações para as médias de factores de exercícios físicos, cuidado da alimentação, lidar com problemas e evitando o consumo de tabaco. Finalmente, este estudo também confirma a validade do modelo de cinco dimensões propostas em estudos anteriores. Pesquisas futuras devem replicar estes hallazgos em populações com diferentes fatores culturais e pessoais

Solving engineering models using hyperbolic matrix functions

In this paper a method for computing hyperbolic matrix functions based on Hermite matrix polynomial expansions is outlined. Hermite series truncation together with Paterson-Stockmeyer method allow to compute the hyperbolic matrix cosine efficiently. A theoretical estimate for the optimal value of its parameters is obtained. An efficient and highly-accurate Hermite algorithm and a MATLAB implementation have been developed. The MATLAB implementation has been compared with the MATLAB function funm on matrices of different dimensions, obtaining lower execution time and higher accuracy in most cases. To do this we used an NVIDIA Tesla K20 GPGPU card, the CUDA environment and MATLAB. With this implementation we get much better performance for large scale problems. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.This work has been supported by Spanish Ministerio de Educacion TIN2014-59294-P.Defez Candel, E.; Sastre, J.; Ibáñez González, JJ.; Peinado Pinilla, J. (2016). Solving engineering models using hyperbolic matrix functions. Applied Mathematical Modelling. 40(4):2837-2844. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apm.2015.09.050S2837284440

Distributed formation control for autonomous robots

This thesis addresses several theoretical and practical problems related to formation-control of autonomous robots. Formation-control aims to simultaneously accomplish the tasks of forming a desired shape by the robots and controlling their coordinated collective motion. This kind of robot performance is a cornerstone in the emerging field of swarm robotics, in particular with applications in precision agriculture, coverage of sport/art events, communication networks, area surveillance or vehicle platooning for energy efficiency and many others. One of the most important outcomes of this thesis is that the provided algorithms are completely distributed. This means that there is no central unit commanding the robots, but they have their own intelligence which allows them to make their own decisions based only on the local information. A distributed scheme entails a striking feature about the scalability and maintenance of a team of robots. Moreover, we also address the scenario of having wrongly calibrated sensors, which has a profound impact in the performance of the robots. The provided algorithms make the robots robust against such a practical and very common problem in real applications

Responses to increasing exercise upon reaching the anaerobic threshold, and their control by the central nervous system

Sistema nervioso y ejercici

Could secondary flows make possible the cross-strait transport of passive floating organisms in the Strait of Gibraltar?

The Gibraltar Strait suffers an unprecedented invasion of the alien alga Rugulopteryx okamurae of North Pacific origin. Seemingly, algae first settled in the south shore around year 2015, probably following commercial exchanges with French ports, but there is no certainty that algae first colonized the south shore and then spread to the north one. The opposite could well have happened. Whatever the case, it spread with amazing rapidity over the whole area. Human-mediated vectors (algae attached to ship hulls or fishing nets) can be behind the spread from the shore initially settled to the opposite one. But secondary cross-strait flows within frictional Ekman boundary layers associated to the large along-strait velocity typical of this region could also have propitiated the connection without human intervention. Historical currentmeter profiles collected in the Strait show an intermediate layer of north-going cross-strait velocity near the interface of the mean baroclinic exchange, and an overlying surface layer of southward velocity, whose lower part overlaps the interfacial zone. The first one would facilitate south-to-north transport of algal fragments (or any other neutrally buoyant material) able to settle near the interface depth, while the second one would do the opposite. Cross-strait currents at this depth are of few cm/s, which implies crossing times of several days in low-illuminated conditions. Living organisms must be able to overcome these demanding conditions of darkness and maintain good photosynthetic activity after such period for a successful colonization. Rugulopteryx okamurae can do it.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar CEIMAR

Actividad física, autoconcepto físico y bienestar psicológico en estudiantes universitarias mexicanas

El objetivo principal del presente estudio fue examinar el efecto de la práctica regular de actividad física y el autoconcepto físico sobre la percepción de bienestar psicológico en estudiantes universitarias mexicanas mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales. Un total de 532 mujeres universitarias mexicanas de 18-26 años de edad cumplimentaron el Cuestionario Internacional de Actividad Física, el Cuestionario de Autoconcepto Físico Modificado y las Escalas de Bienestar Psicológico. Los resultados del modelo de ecuaciones estructurales mostraron que la práctica de actividad física, a través de la competencia motora atractivo físico, tiene un efecto indirecto positivo sobre la percepción de bienestar psicológico en la dimensión de autoaceptación y ésta a su vez ejerce un efecto directo positivo sobre el crecimiento personal. El modelo propuesto obtiene un ajuste satisfactorio, explicando el 43% de la varianza en la percepción de bienestar psicológico en la dimensión de crecimiento personal (variable criterio).The main purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of regular physical activity and physical self-concept on the perception of psychological well-being in women Mexican university students using structural equation modeling. A total of 532 women Mexican university students aged 18-26 years old completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Modified Questionnaire of Physical Self concept and Psychological Well-Being Scales. The results of the structural equation modeling showed that the practice of physical activity, through motor competency-physical attractiveness, has an indirect positive effect on the perception of psychological well-being in the dimension of self-acceptance and this in turn has a direct positive effect on personal growth. The proposed model obtains a satisfactory fit, accounting for 43% of the variance in perception of psychological well-being in the dimension of personal growth (variable criteria).O objetivo principal do presente estudo foi examinar o efeito da prática regular de atividade física e o autoconceito físico sobre a perceção de bem-estar psicológico em estudantes universitárias mexicanas mediante um modelo de equaciones estruturais. Um total de 532 mulheres universitárias mexicanas de 18-26 anos de idade preencherem o Questionário Internacional de Atividade Física, o Questionário de Autoconceito Físico Modificado e as Escalas de Bem-estar Psicológico. Os resultados do modelo de equaciones estruturais mostraram que a prática de atividade física, a través da competência motora-atrativo físico, tem um efeito indireto positivo sobre a perceção de bem-estar psicológico nas dimensões de autoaceitação e esta por sua vez exerce um efeito direto positivo sobre o crescimento pessoal. O modelo proposto obtém um ajuste satisfatório, explicando o 43% da variância na perceção de bem-estar psicológico na dimensão de crescimento pessoal (variável critério)

Fast Taylor polynomial evaluation for the computation of the matrix cosine

[EN] In this work we introduce a new method to compute the matrix cosine. It is based on recent new matrix polynomial evaluation methods for the Taylor approximation and a mixed forward and backward error analysis. The matrix polynomial evaluation methods allow to evaluate the Taylor polynomial approximation of the matrix cosine function more efficiently than using Paterson-Stockmeyer method. A sequential Matlab implementation of the new algorithm is provided, giving better efficiency and accuracy than state-of-the-art algorithms. Moreover, we provide an implementation in Matlab that can use NVIDIA CPUs easily and efficiently. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.This work has been partially supported by Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grants TIN2014-59294-P, and TIN2017-89314-P.Sastre, J.; Ibáñez González, JJ.; Alonso-Jordá, P.; Peinado Pinilla, J.; Defez Candel, E. (2019). Fast Taylor polynomial evaluation for the computation of the matrix cosine. Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics. 354:641-650. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cam.2018.12.041S64165035