Àlgebra i Geometria a Pietro Mengoli (1625-1686)

L'esplendor del segle XVII també va deixar caure la seva llum sobre la reina de les ciències: les matemàtiques. Un dels punts més crucials va ser la publicació el 1591 de l'obra de Viète In Artem Analyticen Isagoge. Els procediments algebraics de Viète van ser la guia per resoldre problemes geomètrics. Pietro Mengoli va utilitzar aquestes innovacions per resoldre les quadratures de les corbes.El esplendor del siglo XVII también dejo caer su halo de luz sobre la reina de las ciencias: las matemáticas. Un momento crucial fue la publicación de la obra de Viète: In Artem Analyticen Isagoge, en 1591. Los procedimientos algebraicos de Viète fueron la guía para resolver problemas geométricos. Pietro Mengoli utilizó estas innovaciones para resolver las cuadraturas de las curvas y lo deja plasmado en su libro

A Bayesian approach to robust identification: application to fault detection

In the Control Engineering field, the so-called Robust Identification techniques deal with the problem of obtaining not only a nominal model of the plant, but also an estimate of the uncertainty associated to the nominal model. Such model of uncertainty is typically characterized as a region in the parameter space or as an uncertainty band around the frequency response of the nominal model. Uncertainty models have been widely used in the design of robust controllers and, recently, their use in model-based fault detection procedures is increasing. In this later case, consistency between new measurements and the uncertainty region is checked. When an inconsistency is found, the existence of a fault is decided. There exist two main approaches to the modeling of model uncertainty: the deterministic/worst case methods and the stochastic/probabilistic methods. At present, there are a number of different methods, e.g., model error modeling, set-membership identification and non-stationary stochastic embedding. In this dissertation we summarize the main procedures and illustrate their results by means of several examples of the literature. As contribution we propose a Bayesian methodology to solve the robust identification problem. The approach is highly unifying since many robust identification techniques can be interpreted as particular cases of the Bayesian framework. Also, the methodology can deal with non-linear structures such as the ones derived from the use of observers. The obtained Bayesian uncertainty models are used to detect faults in a quadruple-tank process and in a three-bladed wind turbine

Enterprise education and its relationship to enterprising behaviours: a conceptual and methodological investigation

Enterprise education is defined by some educators as a distinctive approach to teaching with the aims of improving motivation to learning and enhancing the development of enterprising behaviours in young people (e.g. Bridges, 1992; Gibb, 1993; Harris, 1993a). However, after two decades of development, there remains a lack of empirical support to demonstrate its effectiveness, or otherwise, in achieving its aims. This is due to the problem of conceptual confusion with the political rhetoric of business imperatives and a lack of a unitary definition. Furthermore, there is a problem of finding an appropriate methodology to investigate the holistic nature of the phenomenon. In order to investigate the effectiveness of enterprise education, therefore, the problem of conceptual confusion needs to be addressed before the key concepts can be operationlised and a potential methodology explored. The Durham University Business School's model of enterprising teaching is chosen for this purpose since the relationship between 'enterprising teaching' and the development of 'enterprising behaviours' was clearly laid out in Gibb's paper (1993) and has been shared by many other models of enterprise education. Hence, the objective of this thesis is to explore the meaning of 'enterprising teaching modes' and 'enterprising behaviours' among teachers with the main focus on seeking firstly, operational definitions of the two key concepts; and secondly, an appropriate methodology to measure these concepts. An exploratory study based upon the discourse interview research method was chosen for its strength of investigating the key concepts in depth. Findings from the ten intensive case studies suggest that the DUBS' concepts were not naturally associated with political rhetoric. 'Enterprising teaching modes' were perceived to be effective in promoting a deeper level of learning, although some modes were found to be value- laden and ambiguous. When these problematic modes were removed, the concept potentially constituted an adequate construct for distinguishing an enterprising teaching tendency from a didactic one. 'Enterprising behaviours' were also perceived to constitute a unique behavioural construct. A behavioural rating methodology was demonstrated to be an appropriate measurement instrument for both concepts. Inferences were also made which suggest that enterprising teaching modes might cause the development of enterprising behaviours in students. The current research results have arguably provided a solid conceptual and methodological foundation for further empirical investigation to follow

Long-term oxygen therapy: Are we prescribing appropriately?

Long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) is the treatment proven to improve survival in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with chronic respiratory failure. It also appears to reduce the number of hospitalizations, increase effort capacity, and improve health-related quality of life. Standard LTOT criteria are related to COPD patients who have PaO2 <60 mmHg, are in a clinical stable situation, and are receiving optimal pharmacological treatment. According to LTOT guidelines, oxygen should be prescribed for at least 18 hours per day although some authors consider 24 hours would be more beneficial. The benefits of LTOT depend on correction of hypoxemia. Arterial blood gases should be measured at rest. During exercise, an effort test should be done to assure adequate SaO2. During sleep, continuous monitoring of SaO2 and PaCO2 should be performed to confirm correction of SaO2 overnight. An arterial blood gas sample should be taken at awakening to assess PaCO2 in order to prevent hypoventilation from the oxygen therapy. Several issues that need to be addressed are the use of LTOT in COPD patients with moderate hypoxemia, the efficacy of LTOT in patients who desaturate during exercise or during sleep, the optimal dosage of oxygen supplementation, LTOT compliance, and the LTOT prescription in diseases other than COPD

El Tractament de les actituds en el context escolar

Consultable des del TDXTítol obtingut de la portada digitalitzadaLa recerca que es presenta esdevé una proposta de teoria aplicada a com treballar els continguts actitudinals dins els centres escolars de primària. La seva intencionalitat ha estat la d'ajudar a aconseguir que el professorat reflexioni sobre la importància que tenen les actituds en la formació de les persones i la seva repercussió social, així com la d'aportar reflexions, plantejaments, instruments i recursos que l'ajudin en la seva tasca docent envers les actituds. Aquestes intencions són les que s'han plasmat en la proposta de tractament actitudinal que inclou també una exemplificació de com treballar unes actituds determinades -les no sexistes-. La proposta parteix de quatre premisses: a) un model curricular que demana l'autonomia del centre, la introducció del context tant en l'estructura com en el contingut curricular i el diàleg compartit de l'equip de professorat, així com contemplar tant el currículum com l'organització escolar com a camps coordinats de treball actitudinal o dur a terme un tractament conscient, explícit, intencionat, planificat i globalitzat de les actituds, b) un model d'educació moral i cívica basat en l'autonomia de l'individu, la participació social crítica i constructiva, i l'assumpció dels valors democràtics, c) un bloc d'actituds i valors generals com a primer referent de les actituds, d) un tractament educatiu de les actituds basat en el treball del coneixement, el judici, la implicació afectiva, la pressa de decisions i l'acció conscient i explícita de l'alumnat. El treball s'estructura en dues parts: la primera, de caire teòric, aporta elements per a una comprensió àmplia del concepte d'actitud i de les seves implicacions en la personalitat de l'individu i en les relacions socials. S'hi inclou també quines són les característiques de l'ensenyament i de l'aprenentatge actitudinal, centrades, posteriorment, en l'escola, així com una anàlisi del que diuen les administracions educatives (el MEC i la Generalitat de Catalunya) sobre valors i actituds, a fi de tenir una visió de quina és la seva postura envers aquests continguts i de quina manera aquesta afecta les escoles. La segona, és la part central del treball. A partir de l'especificació del model curricular on s'emmarca la proposta, així com del model d'educació civicomoral que la sustenta i de la proposta d'un bloc d'actituds i valors generals com a punt de partida d'objectius i continguts que es pretenen treballar, s'hi exposa una proposta de tractament de les actituds a l'escola, que abraça tant el camp curricular com l'institucional del centre escolar. Com a exemplificació, s'inclou a continuació una proposta d'intervenció didàctica referida a unes actituds determinades: les actituds no sexistes. Es tanca aquesta segona part amb la validació de la proposta de tractament de les actituds no sexistes per part de persones expertes en el camp de la didàctica. La intencionalitat de la validació ha estat la de dotar la tesi d'obertura exterior i la d'aportar-hi el parer d'experts i expertes en la temàtica sobre l'exemplificació de la proposta de tractament actitudinal que es fa.This research turns into a proposal of applied theory on how the attitudes are employed at the school centres of elementary education. Its aim has been to help to achieve that the teachers takes into account the importance of the attitudes in the upbringing and their social repercussion, as well as to provide thinkings, approaches, tools and resources that help them in their educational task with regard to the attitudes. These intentions are those that have formed of the proposal of treatment actitudinal that includes also an exemplification of how work the non-sexist attitudes. This proposal departs from four premises a) A curricular model asking for the autonomy of the centre, the introduction of the context both in the structure and in the curricular contents and the shared dialogue of the team of teachers, as well as to contemplate both the curriculum and the school organization as coordinated fields of attitudinal work or to take to end a conscious, explicit, meaningful, planned treatment included of the attitudes b) A model of moral and civic education based on the autonomy of individual, the critical and constructive social participation and the assumption of the democratic values, c) A group of attitudes and general values like the first modal of the attitude, d) An educational handling of the attitudes based on the work of the knowledge, the judgment, the affective implication, the take of decisions and the conscious and explicit action of the pupils. This research is constructed in two parts. The first part, of theoretical character, tries to contribute elements for a wide comprehension of the concept of attitude and of its implications in the personality of the individual and in the social relations. There are included also the characteristics of the education and the learning attitudinal, centred, later, on the school, as well as an analysis of what the educational administrations (MEC Generalitat de Catalunya) say on values and attitudes, in order to have a vision of which it is his position with regard to these contents and of what way this position concerns the schools. The second one is the central part of the work. Starting from the specification of the curricular model in that the proposal take place, as well as from the civic and ethic education model that sustains this proposal and from the offer of a group of attitudes and general values as starting point of aims and contents that one tries to work, there is exposed an offer of handing of attitudes in the school that includes so much the field curricular as the institutional one of the school centre. As exemplification, there is included a proposal of didactic intervention referred to a on kind of attitudes: the non-sexist attitudes. This second part ends with the validation of the proposal of handling of the not sexist attitudes on the part of persons expert in the field of the didactics. The aim of this validation has been to provide the thesis with an exterior survey and with the experts' opinion on the exemplification of the offer of attitudinal handling