Estimate of the willing to pay for ecological panela in Colombia: Approach from the Sustainable Consumption

Estimation of the environmental services values, represents a crucial element in the process of taking of decisions on environmental programs and policies to develop, as well as an orientation instrument for the implementation of production patterns and more sustainable consumption. From this perspective, the present study has as purpose to estimate the willing to pay (WTP) of the consumers from Bogota of ecological panela (product obtained from sugar canne in small rural factories). For this the method of Contingent Valuation was used. By means of selected stratified sampling a sample was determined by socioeconomic stratum for the city of Bogota the consumers were asked if they would be willing to pay for ecological panela, as well as topics related with their consumption behavior, like preferences, environmental, social commitment, and their socioeconomic characteristics. By means of the combination of this method of economic valuation and qualitative information this paper concluded that the consumers are willing to pay a bigger price for these panela types, especially for the powder ecological panela. A crucial conclusion is that, the existence of a direct relationship between the socioeconomic stratum and the WTP by conventional and ecological powder panela. Finally, it was determined that the commitment for the conservation and protection of the environment, when it is perceived by the consumer like an element that it guarantees the consumption of healthy and innocuous products, it represents a decisive factor in the willing to pay a bigger price for conventional and ecological powder panela.Ecological Panela, Contingent Valuation, Sustainable Consumption, Ecological Products.

Modeling and Analysis of Composite Antenna Superstrates Consisting on Grids of Loaded Wires

We study the characteristics and radiation mechanism of antenna superstrates based on closely located periodical grids of loaded wires. An explicit analytical method based on the local field approach is used to study the reflection and transmission properties of such superstrates. It is shown that as a result of proper impedance loading there exists a rather wide frequency band over which currents induced to the grids cancel each other, leading to a wide transmission maximum. In this regime radiation is produced by the magnetic dipole moments created by circulating out-of-phase currents flowing in the grids. An impedance matrix representation is derived for the superstrates, and the analytical results are validated using full-wave simulations. As a practical application example we study numerically the radiation characteristics of dipole antennas illuminating finite-size superstrates.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures. In the second version we have clarified the analysis related to the prototype, and re-desinged the prototype antenn

Least Upper Bounds of the Powers Extracted and Scattered by Bi-anisotropic Particles

The least upper bounds of the powers extracted and scattered by bi-anisotropic particles are investigated analytically. A rigorous derivation for particles having invertible polarizability tensors is presented, and the particles with singular polarizability tensors that have been reported in the literature are treated explicitly. The analysis concludes that previous upper bounds presented for isotropic particles can be extrapolated to bi-anisotropic particles. In particular, it is shown that neither nonreciprocal nor magnetoelectric coupling phenomena can further increase those upper bounds on the extracted and scattered powers. The outcomes are illustrated further with approximate circuit model examples of two dipole antennas connected via a generic lossless network.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure

Nanoporous silicon-based surface patterns fabricated by UV laser interference techniques for biological applications

The fabrication of selectively functionalized micropatterns based on nanostructured porous silicon (nanoPS) by phase mask ultraviolet laser interference is presented here. This single-step process constitutes a flexible method for the fabrication of surface patterns with tailored properties. These surface patterns consist of alternate regions of almost untransformed nanoPS and areas where nanoPS is transformed into Si nanoparticles (Si NPs) as a result of the laser irradiation process. The size of the transformed areas as well as the diameter of the Si NPs can be straightforwardly tailored by controlling the main fabrications parameters including the porosity of the nanoPS layers, the laser interference period areas, and laser fluence. The surface patterns have been found to be appropriate candidates for the development of selectively-functionalized surfaces for biological applications mainly due to the biocompatibility of the untransformed nanoPS regions.Postprint (author's final draft

Aportacions a la flora de les Serres Diàniques

Hom aporta algunes dades corològiques i ecològiques per a espècies recollides al migjorn valencià, referides especialment a les comarques de la Vall d'Albaida, el Comtat i l'Alcoià; totes elles constitueixen primera o segona referència provincial.Some chorological and ecological data on species from the southern Valencian vascular flora are reported, all of them being first or second provincial citations

On the Definition of Effective Permittivity and Permeability For Thin Composite Layers

The problem of definition of effective material parameters (permittivity and permeability) for composite layers containing only one-two parallel arrays of complex-shaped inclusions is discussed. Such structures are of high importance for the design of novel metamaterials, where the realizable layers quite often have only one or two layers of particles across the sample thickness. Effective parameters which describe the averaged induced polarizations are introduced. As an explicit example, we develop an analytical model suitable for calculation of the effective material parameters $\epsilon_{\rm{eff}}$ and $\mu_{\rm{eff}}$ for double arrays of electrically small electrically polarizable scatterers. Electric and magnetic dipole moments induced in the structure and the corresponding reflection and transmission coefficients are calculated using the local field approach for the normal plane-wave incidence, and effective parameters are introduced through the averaged fields and polarizations. In the absence of losses both material parameters are purely real and satisfy the Kramers-Kronig relations and the second law of thermodynamics. We compare the analytical results to the simulated and experimental results available in the literature. The physical meaning of the introduced parameters is discussed in detail.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

VIDIX - Detección Visual de Intrusos en Redes de Datos

La dependencia en las TIC como uno de los pilares fundamentales para el desarrollo social, económico y militar, junto a la tendencia acentuada en el número de redes y servicios conectados a Internet, generan un incremento considerable en los niveles de riesgo de seguridad asociados a los datos y servicios de TI. Los atacantes encuentran en este tipo de escenario un gran abanico de oportunidades para alcanzar sus objetivos debido a la gran diversidad y complejidad de los sistemas intervinientes los cuales son inexorablemente sujeto de vulnerabilidades. Las consecuencias de un ataque exitoso incluyen entre otros, interrupción de servicios, robo o alteración de información, etc., lo que en algunos casos puede derivar en verdaderas situaciones de crisis con gran impacto. El escenario descripto presenta un contexto altamente desafiante para los analistas de seguridad involucrados en los diferentes procesos involucrados en la gestión de incidentes de seguridad debido a la gran cantidad y diversidad de datos a procesar, y de herramientas, procesos y conocimiento necesarios para resolver la problemática de manera eficaz y eficiente. Para avanzar en una solución al problema se plantea el desarrollo de un sistema de representación gráfica basado en técnicas de análisis visual y fusión de datos que permita alcanzar un estado de comprensión de que es lo que esta sucediendo a nivel de seguridad. A este estado de comprensión de todos los componentes y variables intervinientes se lo conoce como Conocimiento de la Situación (CS). El proceso de CS resulta fundamental como soporte de toma de decisiones para diferentes áreas de aplicación como por ejemplo para el control aéreo, el manejo de crisis, etc. En este caso se utilizará el CS con el objetivo de optimizar el proceso de comando y control en el contexto de seguridad de la información.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

BMS for Permit Vehicle Routing in Spain

The papers shows the main works developed in Spain for the construction of a Bridge Management System (BMS) to manage the vehicle permits over the bridges of the socalled Strategic Spanish Highway Network, i.e., the most important National highways. This network is owned by the National Government. The different construction times and particularities of the bridge sites results in a large number of different bridge types both in longitudinal (simple supported beam, continuous beam, frame, arch, etc.) and cross-sectional (precast I beams or spread box beams, concrete slabs, box-girder, etc.) configurations. Most of the bridges are quite new and very well documented, but also a huge number of older bridges are present whose data (design drawings, material strength, etc.) is not available. The work is summarized in a Bridge Management System (BMS) installed on a PC computer that in a quick and automatic way performs the structural analysis of the bridges crossed by a defined special permit and compares the results with the maximum allowable actions over the bridge. The final result is the authorization or no authorization. In the paper are discussed the theoretical background used, the design philosophy and the implementation of such a system in Spain. The criteria and methodology may be extrapolated to similar cases in other countries. After some time in operation, the software developed has been shown as a useful tool to assist in the decision-making process for the bridge engineers of the Road Directorate in Spain.Peer Reviewe

Electromagnetic bandgap antennas and components for microwave and (Sub)millimeter wave applications

This paper reviews the primary application areas of electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) technology at microwave and (sub)millimeter wave frequencies. Examples of EBG configurations in the microwave region include array antennas, high precision GPS, mobile telephony, wearable antennas and diplexing antennas. In the submillimeter wave region a 500 GHz dipole configuration and a novel heterodyne mixer is shown for the first time. Some emphasis is also placed on EBG waveguides and filters. As most fundamental components will be available in EBG technology, a fully integrated receiver could be developed in order to take full advantage of this technology. True integration of passive and active components can now begin to materialise using EBG technology

Experimentel ADS-B based surveillance

This paper describes an ADS-B implementation in air-to-air and ground based experimental surveillance within a prototype ATM system. The relations between airborne and ground systems related to surveillance are detailed, and the prototype surveillance systems and their algorithms described. Their performance is analysed, based both on simulated and real data