Mejoras a las pruebas eléctricas utilizadas en la validación de ChipSets.

Proyecto de Graduación (Licenciatura en Ingeniería Electrónica). Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. Escuela de Ingeniería Electrónica, 2007.En el departamento Ingeniería del Producto específicamente en la plataforma de validación de ChipSets de la empresa Componentes Intel de Costa Rica no se contaba con la información suficiente para realizar un análisis del porqué se están dando ciertas fallas en la línea de producción, así como si la falla que se presentaba se debía a la máquina de pruebas o en causa propia de la unidad sometida a prueba. La principal consecuencia de que este problema no fuera resuelto es que se seguirían clasificando unidades en buen estado como unidades defectuosas. Además el origen de la falla sería una incógnita debido a la carencia de información necesaria. Finalmente el descartar unidades en buen estado hace que decaiga el índice de productividad del sitio, repercutiendo en la imagen y la confiabilidad por parte de la gerencia internacional. Los beneficios de la solución al problema planteado se notan en la confiabilidad sobre los resultados obtenidos en las pruebas, además de la retroalimentación que se obtenida al contar con información específica de la causa de la falla, de esta manera se permite tener mas eficiencia y se es mas certero a la hora de implementar las acciones correctivas al proceso. Para darle solución al problema se elaboraron una serie de diseños metodológicos de pruebas que cumplen con los requisitos estipulados para no afectar al producto y simultáneamente generar mayor información para el mantenimiento del módulo, así como acciones correctivas de algunas de las causas de error más comunes.Componentes Intel Costa Ric

Óscar Wilde (1854-1900): del arte por el arte a una cena con panteras.

En este artículo se intenta hacer un balance de la herencia política, humanística y estética del brillante escritor irlandés Óscar Wilde (1854-1900). El año pasado (2000) se recordaron cien años de su muerte y con este artículo el autor quiso contribuir a rescatar esa herencia invaluable de tolerancia, espíritu de sacrificio y solidaridad que se expresan en toda la obra de Wilde. Dramaturgo, ensayista, poeta, narrador y crítico, Óscar Wilde es un ejemplo de hasta donde puede llegar un hombre, un intelectual, para defender, incluso bajo amenaza de cárcel y muerte, su derecho a la libertad y a tener vida privada

Transparencia administrativa, acceso a la información y protección de datos personales: criterios para una conciliación de derechos desde la jurisprudencia del Tribunal de Justicia de la Unión Europea y la Ley 19/2013, de 9 de diciembre, de Transparencia, Acceso a la Información Pública y Buen Gobierno

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Derecho, Departamento de Derecho Público y Filosofía Jurídica. Fecha de lectura: 07-09-2017Esta tesis tiene embargado el acceso al texto completo hasta el 07-03-201

Demografía de Especies Maderables de la Península de Osa

Proyecto de investigación (Código 5402-1401-8401) Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. Escuela de Ingeniería Forestal. Centro de Investigación en Integración Bosque; Universidad de Costa Rica. Escuela de Biología, 2010This project is supported by 20 years of research and previous projects that have been carried out in the Osa Peninsula by researchers at the TEC Forestry School, all with the common interest of generating baseline information for the management of the forests in the Osa Peninsula. The main objective was to “determine the population demographics of the most intensively harvested merchantable tree species in the Osa Peninsula”. Three research sites within the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve were selected. Within each site four 1-ha permanent plots were established during the “Forest Management Alternatives” project conducted in 1990 and 1993 (Castillo, 1990, Cordero, 1990). Demographic parameters are presented for five merchantable species in the Osa Peninsula (Peltogyne purpuea, Caryocar costaricense, Copaifera camibar, Qualea polychroma y Aspidosperma spruceanum). Growth rate, mortality and recruitment for early and late successional species were determined using data collected in three censuses within the permanent plots. Additionally, demographic matrices were built to predict the size of the populations in 45 years and the effect of selectively logging 50% of all trees was determined for a 15-year cutting cycle which is the norm for management plans usually approved by the Osa Conservation Area. Predictions of tree demographics after harvestings in which 50% of all trees are selectively logged every 15 years show a rapid decrease in the late successional species in the short term (<30 years), and would also cause depletion of important merchantable species in all successional stages due to the low recruitment of advanced regeneration. Particularly, this negatively affects P. purpurea, C. costaricense y C. Camibar and results show that this management regime could cause the local extinction of these species. On the contrary, A. spruceanum and Q. poylchroma were observed to recover more quickly after harvestings and this is due to their higher growth rates and their population structure. Overall, it is recommended that the current Forestry Law should be modified to decrease the extraction rate of these tree species. Thus, cutting cycles should be extended and harvesting intensities should be modified in order to increase the time period in between harvestings. This analysis was based on several silvicultural treatments implemented in the simulations, which are based on three different silvicultural systems (Cordero and Howard, 1990; Castillo, 1991). 1. Improved traditional system: it is the traditional harvesting method of felling and skidding. The planning of forestry operations can thus reduce damage to the forest. Because of this, directional felling should be practiced to reduce the amount of damage to standing trees, the forest floor and extracted logs. During the skidding process, the machinery should remain in the skid trails and all logs must be extracted by using cables (i.e. winched) in order to reduce road distance and the damaged cause by machinery in the forest. 2. Skidding with oxen: the oxen are equipped with chains and a skidding wooden frame. The damaged cause by machinery in the forest is thus reduced. 3. Traditional skidding system with tractors: most common method employed in the country which is highly damaging to the forest, and without prior planning can cause great deterioration of the ecosystem. From the above described skidding methods the different silvicultural systems are derived: Oxen skidding method (SACB), Improved traditional system (SATM), Traditional skidding system with tractors (SATT) and Improved skidding method with oxen and tractors. Regarding tree density (N/ha), there is a tendency to increase with time, which suggests a recovery of the forest after harvestings. In primary forests tree density was 435,6 trees/ha. Tree density also varied from 350 trees/ha in the SATT treatment to 435 trees/ha in the SACB treatment, with a difference between treatments of 85 trees/ha. Nonetheless, 15 years after the first harvesting tree density changed to 520 trees/ha in the SACB and 569 trees/ha in the SABT treatment, reducing the difference between treatments by 50%. There is an increase in the basal area (m2 /ha) 15 years after the harvesting, although values similar to those in primary forests have not been reached yet. In primary forests the average basal area was 30,12 m2 /ha and, specifically for 2007 it was 29,43 m2 /ha. Basal area (m2 /ha) was high regardless of its decrease due to the silvicultural treatments, and when compared with other humid forests this site ranks high. For example, in Northern Costa Rica primary forests have been reported to present 23,8 m2 /ha, and in logged forests it may ranged from 17 to 21,2 m2 /ha. In the development curve analysis, it is important to notice the problem with the abundance of individuals according to their DBH distribution. Not all species reach the canopy or are very abundant so the strategies for their survival/permanence change. In this way, the development curves vary dramatically and are related to the autoecology of the species, which are in turn affected by forest management practices. Tree growth is influenced by many factors, nonetheless, when forests are being assessed for forest management the degree of disturbance caused by the harvestings becomes an important factor since it modifies the standing vegetation and this is tailored according to the particular growth rates of the species. In these experiments, current annual growth (ICA) was 2,88- 3,21 cm/year and the highest current annual growth value of 3,1 cm/year was reported for the most severe treatment. For a 12-year period, and related to the silvicultural treatments implemented, certain tendencies in species’ behaviors have been observed: current annual growth tends to be greater in the 30-39,9 cm at DBH and the 50-59,9 cm at DBH categories, but then decreases considerably in larger categories; this trend is clear in all four treatments. The species with the highest diameter increment by treatment are: Vochysia ferruginea with 15,58 mm/year in treatment 1, Vochysia allenii with 18,17 mm/year, and 12,72 mm/year in treatments 2 and 4, respectively, and Tachigali versicolor with 13,3 mm/year in treatment 2. The proceeding demonstrates these species’ potential for growth. Growth rates are high, Vocyhsia alleni was shown to have the highest growth rate at 12,53 mm/year. This highlights the 12-year growth interval considered in this analysis, which is highly significant. Other equally important within this forest are: Brosium utile, Qualea polychroma, Simarouba amara, Symphonia globurifera, Tapirira myriantha and Vochysia megalophylla were present in all four treatments and present high current annual growth rates. At the other extreme, 67 species are only found in one of the treatments and demonstrate current annual growth rates of 5mm per year. This demonstrates the high variability in terms of growth rates that exists within tropical forests. Growth curves of species with high importance or economic values are presented. These species are Qualea polychroma, Peltogyne purpurea, Calophyllum brasiliense, Carapa nicaraguensis, Brosimun utile, Symphonia globulifera. Species in different genera but with similar ecological charactgeristics were grouped: Vochysia (V. allenii, V, ferruginea, V. guatemalensis, V. megalophyla), Virola (V. koschny, V. sebifera), and at the family level: Sapotaceae (géneros Pouteria, Elaeoluma, Micropholis, Manilkara), and lastly the shade-intolerant and fast-growing species: Trattinnicka aspera, Laetia procera, Apeiba membranaceae, Cecropia obtusifolia, C. insignis, Jacaratia spinosa, Casearia arborea, Jacaranda caucana, and Castilla tunu. All of these present the typical hyperbole curve in their distributions. With respect to mortality among treatments, results indicate that treatment III SATT presented the highest mortality rates, and treatment IV SABT presented the highest recruitment rates. The current tendency is where disturbances were greater mortality was high. Ecological guilds are used in grouping species presenting similar autoecological characteristics in relation to their shade-tolerance. From a silvicultural perspective, this classification allows to assess forest growth after the treatments by means of DBH growth. From the disturbance viewpoint, treatment 4 was the most severe, and it is to be expected that shade-intolerant species present the highest current annual growth rates. This was confirmed and for the fast-growing shade-intolerant species and the pioneer species which attained 4,22 – 4,29 mm/year of DBH growth per year, respectively. It was also observed that the shade-intolerant group presents the highest current annual growth in all treatments, which was also to be expected. An important objective in this project was to translate demographic information into practical recommendations for extraction rates and harvesting methods for the study species. Being able to monitor species for 17 years provides very valuable information that sheds light on the ecology of the tree species, on their growth rates, and silviculturally by studying their response to different silvicultural regimes. This information together is useful when designing sustainable forestry practices for the forests in the Osa Peninsula. After the publication of the Standards for Sustainable Natural Forest Management, according to the Executive Decree 34559-MINAE, published in the Gaceta 115 on June 16th, 2008, the use of the Practices Code and the Manual of Procedures is enforced thereon. This decree demands the application of reference values for two very important variables: basal area (m2 /ha) and the ranges of absence/presence of species according to their ecological guild. Because this decree enforces its implementation in the country, data from two very specific sites was used to establish these guidelines: Northern Costa Rica and the area of influence of FUNDECOR (Foundation for the Development of the Central Cordillera), and there are differences in the variables discussed here between sites. To have more specific parameters of forest dynamics in this region, the Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) has planned to generate new reference values for this region, and for this reason this study’s results become very valuable, because it provides up to date information which has been requested to the researchers working in the area by ACOSA. Given the importance of this request, the dissemination of the findings in this study can be readily distributed and incorporated into the different government sectors. Meetings were carried out between the ACOSA officials and the researchers, with the objective of designing a strategy that could be submitted to the National Commission of Sustainable Forestry in order to modify the current Executive Decree 34559-MINAE. This project’s results suggest that the reference values set by the Executive Decree 34559-MINAE are small compared to the values reported in the Osa Peninsula’s forests. This represents a disadvantage for these forests because they are harvestable according to the decree. This is mainly due to the fact that the Peninsula’s forests are more productive than most forests in the country.Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. Universidad De Costa Rica. Programa Conjunto INBio-SINAC con fondos del Banco Mundial-Proyecto Desarrollo de Recursos de la Biodiversidad

Anthropometric profile and prevalence of overweight and obesity in Costa Rican urban population (aged 20-65 years old) by sex group: results from the Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health

Introduction: obesity is a disease that greatly affects the region of the Americas. This condition implies an increase risk of developing serious health outcomes such as cardiometabolic disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. The prevalence of excess weight in Costa Rica was 59.7 % and 77.3 % in women aged 20 to 44 years old and 45 to 65 years old respectively, and 62,4 % in men aged 20-65 years old, in the period of 2008-2009, however, it is unknown how this condition was evolved. Objective: to describe the anthropometric profile and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Costa Rican urban population according to sociodemographic characteristics and level of physical activity. Materials and methods: a representative sample of the urban population was selected between November 2014 and May 2015, comprising 677 people between 20 and 65 years old. Measures of height, weight, and waist and neck circumference were measured and the prevalence of obesity, abdominal and cervical obesity was determined, according to the cut-off points established for each indicator. Results: the prevalence of excess weight (overweight and obesity) was 68.5 % among urban Costa Rican population, being higher for women (73.8 %), and for those participants over 35 years old (82.2 %). A 70.3 % of the population presented abdominal obesity and 46,8 % cervical obesity. Conclusions: in Costa Rica, the prevalence of obesity found is high compared to other regions of the world and has increased in relation to the National Nutrition Survey 2008-2009. The approach to obesity must be prioritized in order to prevent the development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and thus reduce the impact of these diseases on the health of the individual and the economic costs of health care.Introducción: la obesidad es una enfermedad que afecta en gran medida a la región de las Américas. Esta condición implica un aumento de la morbimortalidad y el riesgo de enfermedades crónicas, como las enfermedades cardiovasculares, diabetes tipo 2 y algunos tipos de cáncer. La prevalencia de exceso de peso en Costa Rica fue del 59,7 % y del 77,3 % en mujeres de 20 a 44 años y de 45 a 65 años, respectivamente, y del 62,4 % en hombres de 20-65 años en el periodo 2008-2009; sin embargo, se desconoce cómo ha evolucionado esta condición en la última década. Objetivo: describir el perfil antropométrico y la prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad en la población urbana costarricense según características sociodemográficas y nivel de actividad física. Métodos: entre noviembre de 2014 y mayo de 2015 se seleccionó una muestra representativa de la población urbana, conformada por 677 personas entre 20 y 65 años de edad. Se realizaron mediciones de talla, peso, circunferencia de cintura y cuello y se determinó la prevalencia de obesidad y la obesidad abdominal y cervical, según los puntos de corte establecidos para los respectivos indicadores. Resultados: se encontró una prevalencia de exceso de peso (sobrepeso y obesidad) del 68,5 % en la población urbana costarricense, mayor en las mujeres que en los hombres (73,8 %), y en las personas mayores de 35 años (82,2 %). Además, el 70,3 % de la población presentó obesidad abdominal y el 46,8 % presentó una circunferencia de cuello aumentada. Conclusiones: en Costa Rica, la prevalencia de obesidad encontrada es notablemente superior respecto a otras regiones del mundo y se ha incrementado en relación a la Encuesta Nacional de Nutrición 2008-2009, por lo que su abordaje se hace prioritario con el fin de prevenir la incidencia y prevalencia de enfermedades cardiovasculares y metabólicas y así disminuir su impacto, tanto para la salud del individuo como en los costes implicados en su atención.Coca Cola Company///Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica///Costa RicaLife Science Institute///Estados UnidosUCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Salud::Facultad de Medicina::Escuela de Medicin

Emotions Detection based on a Single-electrode EEG Device

The study of emotions using multiple channels of EEG represents a widespread practice in the field of research related to brain computer interfaces (Brain Computer Interfaces). To date, few studies have been reported in the literature with a reduced number of channels, which when used in the detection of emotions present results that are less accurate than the rest. To detect emotions using an EEG channel and the data obtained is useful for classifying emotions with an accuracy comparable to studies in which there is a high number of channels, is of particular interest in this research framework. This article uses the Neurosky Maindwave device; which has a single electrode to acquire the EEG signal, Matlab software and IBM SPSS Modeler; which process and classify the signals respectively. The accuracy obtained in the detection of emotions in relation to the economic resources of the hardware dedicated to the acquisition of EEG signal is remarkable

Dinámica del crecimiento del bosque húmedo tropical, 19 años después de la cosecha bajo cuatro sistemas de aprovechamiento forestal en la Península de Osa, Costa Rica.

ArtículoWithin the project “Monitoring of forest ecosystems to strengthen conservation strategies and forest use: a contribution to Costa Rica carbon neutral initiative”, the dynamic growth of the tropical rainforest was studied, nineteen years after harvest under four systems of forest use. Through the measurement of all trees (d ≥ 10 cm), three revenue sites were botanically identified in the Peninsula de Osa (Estero Guerra, Dos Brazos de Río Rincón and Los Mogos). Four permanent sampling parcels (PPM) of 1 HA were installed in 1990. At that time and subsequently, fifteen and nineteen years later (2007 and 2011, respectively), the status of the primary forest was examined after applying four logging systems: oxen harvesting system (SACB), improved harvesting system (SATM), traditional harvesting system (SATT) and oxen-tractor system (SABT). The analysis of the forest dynamic was made based on growth, mortality, recruitment and replacement rate. The current annual increment (ICA) average for the period under review ranged from 2,47 to 3,56 mm / year. Statistical analysis showed that the ICA value has a normal distribution and homoscedasticity and the analysis of variance indicated no significant differences between the ICA of each logging system (p = 0,3410). The average mortality rate of the four logging systems is 1,301%, the recruitment rate is 1,869%. The annual turnover rate is 0,569%. Statistical analysis found that mortality; recruitment and replacement rates show a normal distribution and homoscedasticity. On the other hand, analysis of variance showed that differences between the different logging systems are not significant (mortality: P = 0,2412; recruitment: p = 0,0675; parts: p = 0,1159). Paired t tests showed that the mortality and recruitment rates are statistically the same within each logging (SACB: p = 0,4992; SATM: p = 0,9238; SATT: p = 0,9080; SABT: p = 0,8065), confirming the dynamic equilibrium of the forests under study.Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica

Experiencias intergeneracionales en torno a la promoción de la salud en Costa Rica

A continuación se exponen los resultados de una experiencia intergeneracional que fomentó la Asociación Gerontológica Costarricense (AGECO) y la Escuela de Enfermería (EE) de la Universidad de Costa Rica, durante el 2003 y el 2004. El objetivo de este proyecto interinstitucional estaba dirigido a promover la salud en el proceso de envejecimiento mediante el fomento de los saberes de los estudiantes y las personas adultas mayores