Application of the group portfolio in Production Management and Logistics subject: results of a pilot project

Aprovechando el proceso de adaptación al nuevo Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES) de la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), los autores del presente artículo decidieron realizar una experiencia piloto en asignaturas de la licenciatura. Dicha experiencia, consistía en la elaboración de un portafolio electrónico por grupos de alumnos. El resultado esperado es que los alumnos llevasen más al día la asignatura y se ejercitasen con problemas similares a los del examen. Se quería comprobar si el cambio metodológico repercutía en el progreso de los alumnos. El presente artículo presenta la experiencia de innovación docente implantada en la asignatura de Dirección de Producción y Logística en el curso académico 2011-2012 de cuarto curso de la Licenciatura de Administración de Empresas. Los resultados obtenidos servirán para el diseño de una asignatura de grado similar de segundo curso en el mismo centro.Taking advantage of the process of adaptation to the new European Higher Education Area (EHEA) of the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), the present paper authors decided to conduct pilot projects in Bachelor subjects. This experience consisted in the development of an electronic portfolio by groups of students. The expected outcome is that students brought up the subject and they will practice with problems similar to the test. We wanted to see if methodological change impacted on student progress. This paper presents an experience of educational innovation introduced in the Management Production and Logistics subject, in 2011-2012 academic year, in the fourth year of the Bachelor of Business Administration. The results obtained will be used for the design of a similar Degree subject in the second course in the same center

Normativa de telecontrol en zonas regables

To define the minimum quality and functional requirements for all field remote control equipment to be installed in an irrigation system it’s indispensable to have a Standard for Remote Monitoring and Control Systems. For this reason, the Normalization Organization AEN/CNT68/SC2 "Irrigation", the Secretariat of which is hold by MAGRAMA - CENTER, is preparing, in collaboration with all stakeholders in the business, a Standard which whilst not selective, it is also useful for a unique characterization of the equipment, making easier the selection of the most suitable system taking into account the needs of every irrigation system and guaranteeing its correct performance. Work is currently in progress at both an International level (ISO) and a National level to elaborate the Standard which will have four sections: Definitions, Functionality and Robustness Tests, Interoperability and Specifications.Para definir los requisitos mínimos de calidad y funcionalidad que deben tener todos los equipos de telecontrol que se instalan en campo es imprescindible que se genere una normativa en el ámbito de telecontrol. Por este motivo, desde el organismo de normalización AEN/CNT68/SC2 “Riegos” cuya Secretaría ostenta el MAGRAMA – CENTER, se está dando forma, junto con todos los implicados en el sector, a una norma que no excluya a nadie, pero que a su vez sirva para hacer una caracterización inequívoca de estos equipos, facilitando la elección del sistema más adecuado en función de las necesidades de cada regadío y asegurando su correcto funcionamiento. Actualmente se está trabajando tanto a nivel internacional (ISO) como a nivel nacional en la elaboración de dicha norma que contará con cuatro partes: Definiciones, Ensayos de funcionalidad y robustez, Interoperabilidad y Especificaciones

Estudio de la accesibilidad de la documentación científica en soporte digital (Informe final)

El estudio analiza, a partir de una prueba experimental, los problemas de accesibilidad que actualmente presenta la información científica en formato digital, más concretamente los artículos científicos en soporte digital que actualmente se pueden consultar a través de los portales de acceso a las revistas electrónicas y en los repositorios abiertos ("open access") de literatura científica. El estudio se centra en los aspectos de facilidad de uso del contenido de los documentos, sin entrar en la observación de los distintos sistemas de recuperación. Se han analizado los dos formatos más utilizados para la publicación de artículos científicos en soporte digital: HTML y PDF, estudiando la variabilidad interna que representa la presencia de sumarios o de tablas de datos internas o vinculadas. Esta investigación se ha realizado a partir del trabajo experimental con dos colectivos: sujetos ciegos y sujetos no ciegos. El primer grupo se ha concretado en 30 sujetos ciegos que han colaborado de forma voluntaria y que han sido contactados gracias a la mediación de la Fundación ONCE. El segundo grupo se ha concretado en 30 profesores del Departamento de Biblioteconomía y Documentación de la Universidad de Barcelona.Estudio subvencionado por Programa de Estudios y Análisis, convocatoria 2006. Ref: EA2006-0049 Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte Secretaría de Estado de Universidades e Investigació

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a health coaching intervention to improve the lifestyle of patients with knee osteoarthritis : cluster randomized clinical trial

Background: The prevalence of osteoarthritis and knee osteoarthritis in the Spanish population is estimated at 17% and 10.2%, respectively. The clinical guidelines concur that the first line treatment for knee osteoarthritis should be non-pharmacological and include weight loss, physical activity and self-management of pain. Health Coaching has been defined as an intervention that facilitates the achievement of health improvement goals, the reduction of unhealthy lifestyles, the improvement of self-management for chronic conditions and quality of life enhancement. The aim of this study is to analyze the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of a health coaching intervention on quality of life, pain, overweight and physical activity in patients from 18 primary care centres of Barcelona with knee osteoarthritis. Methods/Design: Methodology from the Medical Research Council on developing complex interventions. Phase 1: Intervention modelling and operationalization through a qualitative, socioconstructivist study using theoretical sampling with 10 in-depth interviews to patients with knee osteoarthritis and 4 discussion groups of 8-12 primary care professionals, evaluated using a sociological discourse analysis. Phase 2: Effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and cost-utility study with a community-based randomized clinical trial. Participants: 360 patients with knee osteoarthritis (180 in each group). Randomization unit: Primary Care Centre. Intervention Group: will receive standard care plus 20-hour health coaching and follow-up sessions. Control Group: will receive standard care. Main Outcome Variable: quality of life as measured by the WOMAC index. Data Analyses: will include standardized response mean and multilevel analysis of repeated measures. Economic analysis: based on cost-effectiveness and cost-utility measures. Phase 3: Evaluation of the intervention programme with a qualitative study. Methodology as in Phase 1. Discussion: If the analyses show the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of the intervention the results can be incorporated into the clinical guidelines for the management of knee osteoarthritis in primary care

Food systems for sustainable development: Proposals for a profound four-part transformation

Evidence shows the importance of food systems for sustainable development: they are at the nexus that links food security, nutrition, and human health, the viability of ecosystems, climate change, and social justice. However, agricultural policies tend to focus on food supply, and sometimes, on mechanisms to address negative externalities. We propose an alternative. Our starting point is that agriculture and food systems' policies should be aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This calls for deep changes in comparison with the paradigms that prevailed when steering the agricultural change in the XXth century. We identify the comprehensive food systems transformation that is needed. It has four parts: first, food systems should enable all people to benefit from nutritious and healthy food. Second, they should reflect sustainable agricultural production and food value chains. Third, they should mitigate climate change and build resilience. Fourth, they should encourage a renaissance of rural territories. The implementation of the transformation relies on (i) suitable metrics to aid decision-making, (ii) synergy of policies through convergence of local and global priorities, and (iii) enhancement of development approaches that focus on territories. We build on the work of the “Milano Group,” an informal group of experts convened by the UN Secretary General in Milan in 2015. Backed by a literature review, what emerges is a strategic narrative linking climate, agriculture and food, and calling for a deep transformation of food systems at scale. This is critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. The narrative highlights the needed consistency between global actions for sustainable development and numerous local-level innovations. It emphasizes the challenge of designing differentiated paths for food systems transformation responding to local and national expectations. Scientific and operational challenges are associated with the alignment and arbitration of local action within the context of global priorities

Las políticas públicas para la integración en el empleo público de personas discapacitadas: un análisis comparado entre Alemania y España

Las políticas públicas para la integración en el empleo público de personas discapacitadas: un análisis comparado entre Alemania y EspañaEl objetivo de este trabajo es explorar la situación de las personas con discapacidad en relación con el empleo público. Para ello se abordará la cuestión desde el punto de vista de las políticas públicas, llevando a cabo un análisis comparado de España y Alemania. El trabajo se estructura por tanto en dos grandes ejes, cada uno destinado al estudio independiente de los países expuestos, para acabar con una evaluación común de las carencias de la perspectiva adoptada hacia los discapacitados y su empleabilidad en el sector público de manera general. En el caso de nuestro país, el estudio parte de la realidad del empleo abierto en cifras, para permitir dar una imagen inicial que facilite la comprensión de lo propuesto. Una vez sentadas las bases, se centra en la labor legislativa llevada a cabo tanto a escala estatal como desde la perspectiva de las Comunidades Autónomas y los Entes locales, dejando patente las diferencias entre los niveles territoriales de nuestro país. En lo que al empleo público respecta, resulta relevante para el estudio hacer hincapié en los principios de mérito y capacidad y el principio de igualdad y como estos se han conjugado a la hora de poner en práctica medidas de discriminación positiva. Para ello resulta vital el estudio de la jurisprudencia y de las posiciones doctrinales mayoritarias. Será objeto de análisis y crítica el sistema de cupo de reserva, medida estrella del modelo y el concepto de ajustes razonables, ambos claves para la comprensión de la política pública en materia de empleo público para las personas con discapacidad en nuestro país. Para finalizar el análisis del caso español se hará una evaluación crítica de las medidas existentes y se propondrán otras nuevas a la luz de los datos sobre tasas de ocupación. Estas propuestas abarcan el empleo como un proceso complejo, consistente de varias fases más allá del acceso y hará hincapié en otros sectores fundamentales para el desarrollo profesional como es la educación. En el caso de Alemania, el análisis contará con una estructura similar: partiendo del análisis de los datos estadísticos para continuar con un estudio legislativo del Sozialgesetzbuch y las medidas llevadas a cabo por el Estado alemán para incentivar la contratación de las personas con discapacidad en sus organismos, desde la imposición de sanciones hasta el establecimiento de estrictas obligaciones para los empleadores. Una vez sentadas las bases mi propósito es analizar las diferencias básicas entre los modelos, para valorar como ambos sistemas, pese a partir del sistema de cupo como eje central, orientan sus políticas en una dirección u otra. El propósito último es aprender de la experiencia comparada para poder aportar propuestas de calidad al sistema actual que rige en nuestro país. La reflexión final girará en torno a las deficiencias de ambos modelos, carencias comunes que hacen del sistema una estructura incompleta. Para ello es fundamental hacer mención a la definición de discapacidad como tal y subrayar la labor de las llamadas “empresas públicas de inserción laboral” de países de nuestro entorno como Suecia o Inglaterra.The main aim of this study is exploring the situation of disabled people in relation with the civil service regime. The issue will be analysed from the point of view of public policies, with the focus on a comparative perspective on the differences between Spain and Germany. The project will be structured in two main blocks, each one of them focused specifically in the independent study of the situation in the mentioned countries, to finish with a common evaluation of the deficiencies found in the measures put into practice in the employment in the public sector of people with disabilities. In the case of our country, the study will start with a brief overview of the current situation using facts and figures, to offer a clear image that enables the understanding of the proposed measures. Once the main assumptions have been explained, the focus will be on the legislative action taken place by both the central state government and the autonomous communities and local entities, underlining the differences between the different territorial levels. In relation with employment in the public sector, the merit and capability criteria as well as the principle of equality will be a vital part of the study, as well as the analysis of how both have been combined when putting into practice measures of public discrimination. In order to do so the study of jurisprudence is vital. The quota system, key measure of the model, as well as the concept of reasonable adaptations, will be object of analysis and constructive criticism. To finish the study of the Spanish case the project will end will a critical evaluation of the existing measures and the proposal of new ones given the figures on employment rates provides. These measures will consider employment as a complex process, with different phases that go beyond the access to the labor market and will make reference to other areas vital in the development of a complete labor experience such as education. In the case of Germany, the analysis will count with a similar structure: starting with the analysis of facts and figures to focus on a legislative study of the Sozialgesetzbuch and the measures put into practice by the German state to encourage the employment of disabled people in its organisms, from a sanction regime to the establishment of strict obligations for employers. Once the bases have been explored, the main objective is comparing the differences between both models, taking into account their quota system base, to evaluate both regimes. The ultimate aim is learning by using a comparative methodology to offer quality proposals that allow us to build a better system in our country. The final thought will revolve around the deficiencies of both models, common working grounds whose point of convergence is a better definition of the term disability and the underlining of the role played by the so called “public companies of labor insertion in countries such as Sweden or England

Sustainable asphalt mixtures by partial replacement of fine aggregates with low-grade magnesium carbonate by-product

The utilisation of large quantities of raw materials for asphalt mixtures manufacturing, such as aggregates, is an environmental issue that must be addressed. This concern has led to valorising waste and by-products as more sustainable alternative raw materials. This research is aimed at evaluating the use of a low-grade magnesium carbonate (LG-MC) by-product as a partial replacement of fine aggregates and as a filler of asphalt mixtures. A mechanical analysis has been performed studying the effect of this by-product on the moisture sensitivity, cracking resistance and cohesion loss resistance of asphalt mixtures. Cracking resistance was assessed under different temperatures (20, 5 and -5 ºC) and conditions (unconditioned and aged). Results indicated that moisture sensitivity and cohesion loss resistance of asphalt mixtures with LG-MC by-product were not affected, obtaining similar results to those of the reference mixture. A protective effect in the mixture cracking resistance was observed using LG-MC. At low temperatures or after ageing, this by-product tends to maintain ductility to a greater extent. The study indicates that LG-MC is suitable as a partial substitute for the fine fraction of aggregates, as well as for the total amount of filler in asphalt mixtures manufacturing for road pavements