Measuring and Promoting (R&D) Expenditure in Manufacturing Companies of High-Tech Healthcare Products in the Dominican Republic

Globally, R&D is recognized as an important driver of economic and social progress. In 2013, the Dominican Republic invested only 0.3% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in R&D expenditure, which is a level of investment equivalent to half the Latin American average. The globalization process has allowed many corporations to internationalize their value chain including R&D activities, which represents an extraordinary opportunity for a developing country as the Dominican Republic to attract FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) as a way to increase innovation process related to R&D activities. This research project investigates whether R&D expenses have an effect on the profit, revenue, and productivity for companies of high-tech healthcare products in the Dominican Republic, and why some of these companies do not invest more in R&D inside the country. The research adopted a mixed methods approach by using quantitative research (survey and content analysis) and qualitative research (interviews). The results suggest that companies surveyed concentrate their main R&D programs outside the country due to lack in quality and the capacity through government or academic institutes to engage in complex R&D activities required by these firms. As a result, the companies surveyed only perform process innovation and product testing in their manufacturing facilities. Also, cooperation among (company-university-government) in the innovation system has become ineffective. In this sense, it is necessary a strong effort from all stakeholders involved in innovation policy to lift the quality and magnitude of R&D spending in the Dominican Republic, as a way to increase nation’s competitiveness and innovation

Visualización y talento matemático: una experiencia docente

Un debate abierto en educación matemática estudia qué relación existe entre visualización y talento matemático. En este artículo describimos una experiencia con alumnos con talento matemático, encaminada a observar la visualización durante la realización de actividades geométricas y a analizar algunas de las dimensiones de la visualización que ponen en juego este tipo de alumnos

Spontaneous Symmetry Breakdown in non-relativistic Quantum Mechanics

The advantages and disadvantages of some pedagogical non-relativistic quantum-mechanical models, used to illustrate spontaneous symmetry breakdown, are discussed. A simple quantum-mechanical toy model (a spinor on the line, subject to a magnetostatic interaction) is presented, that exhibits the spontaneous breakdown of an internal symmetry.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1111.1213. Equations (30) and (31) have been corrected. Other minor correction

El poder de las naciones en la Unión Europea

En este trabajo se definen algoritmos, basados en funciones generatrices, para calcular el índice de poder de Banzhaf en juegos simples de votación ponderada y en juegos de doble y triple mayoría. La utilización de funciones generatrices permite un cálculo exacto del índice de Banzhaf con una reducción sensible de la complejidad temporal. Además se calculan los índices de Banzhaf para las reglas de decisión, aprobadas en la cumbre de Niza, que se utilizan en la Unión Europea ampliada a 25 países. Finalmente, se demuestra que los sistemas de triple mayoría adoptados son equivalentes en la práctica a juegos de mayoría simple o doble, porque la cuota de población exigida para aprobar una decisión no cambia el índice de Banzhaf de los países de la Unión Europea ampliada.Juegos de votación; índice de Banzhaf; Unión Europea

Jornada sobre el derecho de asilo y la persecución por motivos de género

Jornada organizada por el Grupo de Investigación “Centro de Estudios e Investigación para la Igualdad de Género” de la Universidad de Alcalá (CEIG), y con el aval de la Asociación de Constitucionalistas de España, en el marco del Proyecto de investigación “El derecho de asilo y la persecución por motivos de género en el Derecho europeo y español” (Ref. CCG2013/HUM-003) financiado por el Vicerrectorado de Investigación y Transferencia de la Universidad de Alcalá [Ayudas para la realización de Proyectos para potenciar la creación y consolidación de Grupos de Investigación (Convocatoria 2013)]Se resumen las ponencias presentadas a la Jornada de Estudio sobre “El derecho de asilo y la persecución por motivos de género”, celebrada el 7 de noviembre de 2014 en la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Alcal

Jornada sobre el derecho de asilo y la persecución por motivos de género

Jornada organizada por el Grupo de Investigación “Centro de Estudios e Investigación para la Igualdad de Género” de la Universidad de Alcalá (CEIG), y con el aval de la Asociación de Constitucionalistas de España, en el marco del Proyecto de investigación “El derecho de asilo y la persecución por motivos de género en el Derecho europeo y español” (Ref. CCG2013/HUM-003) financiado por el Vicerrectorado de Investigación y Transferencia de la Universidad de Alcalá [Ayudas para la realización de Proyectos para potenciar la creación y consolidación de Grupos de Investigación (Convocatoria 2013)]Se resumen las ponencias presentadas a la Jornada de Estudio sobre “El derecho de asilo y la persecución por motivos de género”, celebrada el 7 de noviembre de 2014 en la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Alcal

Estudio del efecto fotocrómico que presentan los vidriados opacificados por esfena

White glazes opacified by sphene, based on the system SiO2-CaO-TiO2, are an alternative to the glazes in which the opacifying phase is zircon. However, it has been observed that this type of glaze displays photochromism (reversible change of colour after exposure to a light source), involving the appearance of a yellowish shade after the glaze has been subjected to sunlight for several hours, which then disappears after a few days. This effect has led to limited use of this type of glaze. In this study, a method of quantifying the photochromic effect by means of a UV light source is established. The microstructural characterisation of glazes with a pronounced tendency to display a photochromic effect has allowed the possible causes of the photochromic effect to be determined. Finally, a series of tests have been conducted that show that the photochromic effect is related to the impurities present in the glaze, as well as to the type and quantity of crystalline phases contained in the glaz

Combined method of flow-reduced dump load for frequency control of an autonomous micro-hydropower in AC microgrids

Nowadays, microgrids (MGs) play a crucial role in modern power systems due to possibility of integrating renewable energies into grid-connected or islanded power systems. The Load Frequency Control (LFC) is an issue of paramount importance to ensure MGs reliable and safe operation. Specifically, in AC MGs, primary frequency control of each energy source can be guaranteed in order to integrate other energy sources. This paper proposes a micro-hydro frequency control scheme, combining the control of a reduced dump load and the nozzle flow control of Pelton turbines operating in autonomous regime. Some works have reported the integration of dump load and flow control methods, but they did not reduce the dump load value and adjust the nozzle flow linearly to the power value demanded by users, causing the inefficient use of water. Simulation results were obtained in Matlab®/Simulink® using models obtained from previous research and proven by means of experimental studies. The simulation of the proposed scheme shows that the frequency control in this plant is done in correspondence with the Cuban NC62-04 norm of power energy quality. In addition, it is possible to increase energy efficiency by reducing the value of the resistive dump load by up to 7.5% in a case study. The validation result shows a 60% reduction of overshoot and settling time of frequency temporal behavior of the autonomous micro-hydro.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

UV-A activation of peroxymonosulfate for the removal of micropollutants from secondary treated wastewater

The occurrence of micropollutants (MPs) in the aquatic environment poses a threat to the environment and to the human health. The application of sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs) to eliminate these contaminants has attracted attention in recent years. In this work, the simultaneous degradation of 20 multi-class MPs (classified into 5 main categories, namely antibiotics, beta-blockers, other pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and herbicides) was evaluated for the first time in secondary treated wastewater, by activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) with UV-A radiation, without any pH adjustment or iron addition. The optimal PMS concentration to remove the spiked target MPs (100 mu g L-1) from wastewater was 0.1 mM, leading to an average degradation of 80% after 60 min, with most of the elimination occurring during the first 5 min. Synergies between radiation and the oxidant were demonstrated and quantified, with an average extent of synergy of 69.1%. The optimized treatment was then tested using non-spiked wastewater, in which 12 out of the 20 target contaminants were detected. Among these, 7 were degraded at some extent, varying from 10.7% (acetamiprid) to 94.4% (ofloxacin), the lower removals being attributed to the quite inferior ratio of MPs to natural organic matter. Phytotoxicity tests carried out with the wastewater before and after photo-activated PMS oxidation revealed a decrease in the toxicity and that the plants were able to grow in the presence of the treated water. Therefore, despite the low degradation rates obtained for some MPs, the treatment effectively reduces the toxicity of the matrix, making the water safer for reuse