Transport and Combustion of Firebrands. Final Report of Grants FG-SP-114 and FG-SP-146 Vol. II

A theoretical and experimental study has been carried out on the combustion properties and flight paths of firebrands when they are carried upwards by convective currents and then forwards by the winds. The study has shown that the flight paths of firebrands can be fall decreases continuously as the firebrand burns. Several types of wind tunnels have been developed especially designed to study combustion of firebrands at their final velocity of fall. The study has also show that combustion of firebrands at constant wind speed. The influence of the initial size and initial shape of the firebrands, kind of wood and initial moisture content has been studied, as well as the influence of several types convection columns configurations. Results of these studies enable the calculation of the maximum range of possible fire spread by firebrands of given initial characteristics, once the convective currents above the fire are known as vell as the horizontal wind conditions

Which Are the Main Factors Influencing Corporate Social Responsibility Information Disclosures on Universities’Websites

Universities are now becoming more active in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Nevertheless, they do not appear to be granting the same degree of importance to the dissemination of these activities. This article analyses the voluntary corporate social responsibility information disclosed by leading USA universities. We created several indexes of corporate social responsibility information disclosure and examined main universities’ characteristics that affect corporate social responsibility disclosure by these entities. The findings obtained show that the universities are strongly committed to the dissemination of corporate social responsibility information, and that a university’s size, affiliation, public/private status and ranking position are the factors most significantly affecting its online disclosure of general corporate social responsibility information. These findings could be useful for university administrators, especially those in public universities, highlighting the importance of developing and supporting policies and incentives to promote CSR disclosure and thus attract new students and meet social expectations about the ethical behaviour of universities

Social aspects about video games

Nuestro trabajo forma parte de una investigación más extensa que trata de estudiar cuál es la opinión que los jóvenes tienen sobre los videojuegos. En este caso, exponemos los resultados obtenidos en hipótesis que dan respuesta a dos de los objetivos planteados, analizar si los videojuegos pueden ser un condicionante de que los alumnos se aíslen de las personas que les rodean y analizar la opinión que tienen los estudiantes sobre las distintas características que se atribuyen a los videojuegos. En las hipótesis analizadas intervienen como variables predictoras la creencia o no por parte de los escolares de la utilidad que ven en los videojuegos para ayudarles a relacionarse, si permanecen o no jugando con un mismo videojuego y la sociabilidad que los alumnos creen que se puede desarrollar con el uso de los videojuegos. Para ello se toman en consideración los diferentes tipos de videojuegos que utilizan los jóvenes (arcades, simulación, estrategia y de mesa), aquellas características que opinan los alumnos que hacen atractivos a los videojuegos (meta a alcanzarse, tener imágenes visuales en movimiento, recuento automático de puntos, su velocidad y su azar), la opinión que tienen los escolares de los videojuegos, etc. Los resultados nos indican la opinión de los alumnos sobre algunos aspectos socializadores que los videojuegos facilitan al interactuar con este medio.Our work is part from a big investigation that tries to study which is the opinion that pupils have about videogames. In this case, we expose the results obtained in different hypothesis that answer for two objectives: analyzing if videogames can be a condition for students to isolate from other people and analyzing the opinion that pupils have about different characteristics that are attributed to videogames. In the hypotheses to debate intervene as predictor variables if scholars believe or not in the videogames to help them to socialize, if they remain or not playing with the same videogame and the sociability that students believe that they can develop using videogames. That is why we add different variables like kind of videogames (arcade, simulation, strategy and videogames from table), diverse characteristics about videogames that students think that make them more attractive, opinion about videogames from pupils, etc. The results indicate us various opinions from scholars about videogames and their social aspects in that they make it easy to relation with this media

Weakly compactly generated Banach lattices

[EN] We study the different ways in which a weakly compact set can generate a Banach lattice. Among other things, it is shown that in an order continuous Banach lattice X, the existence of a weakly compact set K subset of X such that X coincides with the band generated by K implies that X is weakly compactly generated.Research partially supported by Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad and FEDER under projects MTM2014-54182-P (A. Aviles, S. Lajara and J. Rodriguez), MTM2014-57838-C2-1-P (A. J. Guirao), MTM2012-34341 (S. Lajara), MTM2012-31286 (P. Tradacete) and MTM2013-40985 (P. Tradacete). This work was also partially supported by the research projects 19275/PI/14 (A. Aviles, S. Lajara and J. Rodriguez) and 19368/PI/14 (A. J. Guirao) funded by Fundacion Seneca-Agencia de Ciencia y Tecnologia de la Region de Murcia within the framework of PC-TIRM 2011-2014. The research of P. Tradacete was also partially supported by Grupo UCM 910346.Avilés-López, A.; Guirao Sánchez, AJ.; Lajara, S.; Rodríguez Ruiz, J.; Tradacete Pérez, P. (2016). Weakly compactly generated Banach lattices. Studia Mathematica. 234(2):165-183. https://doi.org/10.4064/sm8513-5-2016S165183234

Teaching Digital Competence and Eco-Responsible Use of Technologies: Development and Validation of a Scale

The environmental impact produced by digital technologies is one of the fundamental contents to be developed by teachers of the 21st century. Different investigations raise the need to redesign education towards sustainable models and promote a critical look at digital technologies. The main objective of this manuscript is to design a valid, reliable and useful scale to measure self-perceived teacher digital competence regarding the eco-responsible use of technologies. The instrument has been designed based on a detailed analysis of the main frameworks for the development of digital competence in Europe: INTEF and DigCompEdu. A content validation process has been followed through the expert judgment method. Subsequently, its reliability and validity are estimated using structural equation modeling techniques. The results obtained guarantee the reliability and validity of the model. Therefore, the need to establish environmental teacher training plans and more awareness about the eco-responsible use of technologies is established

Optimized beam shaping assembly for a 2.1‑MeV proton‑accelerator‑based neutron source for boron neutron capture therapy

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is facing a new era where diferent projects based on accelerators instead of reactors are under development. The new facilities can be placed at hospitals and will increase the number of clinical trials. The therapeutic efect of BNCT can be improved if a optimized epithermal neutron spectrum is obtained, for which the beam shape assembly is a key ingredient. In this paper we propose an optimal beam shaping assembly suited for an afordable low energy accelerator. The beam obtained with the device proposed accomplishes all the IAEA recommendations for proton energies between 2.0 and 2.1 MeV. In addition, there is an overall improvement of the fgures of merit with respect to BNCT facilities and previous proposals of new accelerator-based facilities.Junta de Andalucía (Andalusian Regional Government, Programa Operativo FEDER Andalucia 2014–2020 under contract A-FQM-371-UGR18)University Chair “Neutrons for Medicine”: Spanish Fundación ACS, Capitán Antonio, La Kuadrilla de Iznalloz and Sonriendo se Puede GanarSpanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities - FPU grant FPU17/0230

A low-pass filter with automatic frequency tuning for a bluetooth receiver

A third-order Gm-C Chebyshev low-pass filter with high linearity and automatic frequency programmability has been designed. The filter is intended to be used as a channel-select filter for a zero-IF Bluetooth receiver. The frequency tuning scheme is simpler and has more relaxed specifications than conventional ones. The filter bandwidth is 0.5 MHz and the overall scheme dissipates 1.1 mA from a 1.8-V supply. The third-order intermodulation (IM3) distortion of the filter for a 1Vpp two-tone signal centered at 350 kHz is −67dB

Online disclosure of social responsibility information in the Spanish universities

A las universidades se les está exigiendo que incorporen principios de responsabilidad social (RS) en todas sus actuaciones. La aplicación de la RS en el ámbito de la educación superior implica identificar las expectativas de los diferentes grupos de interés, establecer mecanismos de diálogo con estos y mejorar la transparencia informativa. El objetivo de este artículo es estudiar si la transparencia informativa en temas de RS está adquiriendo un papel esencial en las políticas de comunicación online de las universidades para satisfacer las necesidades de información de los grupos de interés. También analizamos si existen diferencias entre las universidades según su carácter público o privado, según su prestigio y su calidad académica, así como entre aquellas universidades que ofrecen niveles altos de comunicación de información en Internet. Para el cumplimiento del objetivo del artículo, se propone un modelo de evaluación mediante la creación de una serie de índices que analizan los principales aspectos tanto del contenido como de la forma y contexto en que se produce la divulgación de RS. Teniendo presente el contexto de reformas del sistema universitario español, este modelo se aplica a las universidades españolas públicas y privadas. Utilizamos test paramétricos y no paramétricos para contrastar las hipótesis planteadas respecto a las variables que caracterizan a las universidades y que podrían tener incidencia en sus niveles de divulgación online de la información de RS. Los resultados indican que las universidades españolas están poco comprometidas con la divulgación online de información de RS. No se observa homogeneidad en los comportamientos en función del carácter público o privado de la universidad ni tampoco entre las universidades de mayor prestigio y calidad académica, homogeneidad que sí parece concurrir entre las que tienen una mayor visibilidad en Internet.Universities are being asked to adopt the principles of social responsibility (SR) in all their actions. The application of SR to the field of higher education involves identifying the expectations of different stakeholders, establishing mechanisms for dialogue with them and improving information transparency. The aim of this paper is to consider whether information transparency on issues of SR is gaining a vital role in universities’ online communication policies with a view to meeting stakeholders’ information needs. Another question is whether there are differences between public and private universities, universities enjoying different levels of prestige, universities offering different levels of academic quality and universities making large quantities of information available on the Internet. An evaluation model is proposed that creates a series of indices that examine major aspects of SR disclosure content, form and context. Bearing in mind the current Spanish context, one of university system reforms, this model is applied to public and private Spanish universities. Parametric and nonparametric tests are applied to hypotheses raised in relation to university attributes that might have an impact on online SR information disclosure levels. The findings show that Spanish universities are not committed to online SR disclosure. In addition, no homogeneous behavior is found among public or private universities, among the more-prestigious institutions or among the universities recognised as offering higher academic quality. Nonetheless, homogeneity does seem to exist among those universities that have higher Internet visibility.Esta investigación se llevó a cabo con el apoyo financiero de la Junta de Andalucía (España), Departamento de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa (Proyecto de Investigación n.º P11-SEJ-7700). Años 2012-2014

Aperiodic two-layer energy management system for community microgrids based on blockchain strategy

Regulatory changes in different countries regarding self-consumption and growing public concern about the environment are encouraging the establishment of community microgrids. These community microgrids integrate a large number of small-scale distributed energy resources and offers a solution to enhance power system reliability and resilience. This work proposes a geographically-based split of the community microgrids into clusters of members that tend to have similar consumption and generation profiles, mimicking the most typical layout of cities. Assuming a community microgrid divided into clusters, a two-layer architecture is developed to facilitate the greater penetration of distributed energy resources in an efficient way. The first layer, referred as the market layer, is responsible for creating local energy markets with the aim of maximising the economic benefits for community microgrid members. The second layer is responsible for the network reconfiguration, which is based on the energy balance within each cluster. This layer complies with the IEC 61850 communication standard, in order to control commercial sectionalizing and tie switches. This allows the community microgrid network to be reconfigured to minimise energy exchanges with the main grid, without requiring interaction with the distributed system operator. To implement this two-layer energy management strategy, an aperiodic market approach based on Blockchain technology, and the additional functionality offered by Smart Contracts is adopted. This embraces the concept of energy communities since it decentralizes the control and eliminates intermediaries. The use of aperiodic control techniques helps to overcome the challenges of using Blockchain technology in terms of storage, computational requirements and member privacy. The scalability and modularity of the Smart Contract-based system allow each cluster of members to be designed by tailoring the system to their specific needs. The implementation of this strategy is based on low-cost off-the-shelf devices, such as Raspberry Pi 4 Model B boards, which operate as Blockchain nodes of community microgrid members. Finally, the strategy has been validated by emulating two use cases based on the IEEE 123-node system network model highlighting the benefits of the proposal.Comunidad de Madri

Application of Particle Induced X-ray Emision (PIXE) technique to the non-destructive characterization of a burial-sample object (S.I. a.C.) coming from an archaeological excavation (formerly Hospital de las Cinco Llagas, Sevilla)

En el presente trabajo se ha realizado la caracterización de una pieza de ajuar funerario del Siglo I d.C. (anillo con pieza incrustada y grabada), encontrado en una excavación arqueológica en el antiguo Hospital de las Cinco Llagas de Sevilla, de la que inicialmente se desconocía su naturaleza cerámica o vítrea, utilizando las posibilidades que brindan una serie de técnicas instrumentales no destructivas ampliamente conocidas, como son microscopía óptica convencional, MEB-EDX, DRX y FRX. En este caso concreto se ha aplicado, además, la técnica de Emisión de Rayos X inducidos por partículas (Particle Induced X-ray Emision, PIXE). Dicha técnica permite extraer información de la composición química de una muestra para un análisis rápido de múltiples elementos traza. El estudio de esta interesante pieza pone de manifiesto la extrema calidad y precisión de la talla de las figuras o motivos, en particular algunos de ellos (garza y palma) a pesar del tamaño reducido de la misma, con efectos de relieve en el tallado del material aprovechando su propia constitución. El análisis de fases por DRX indica que la única fase cristalina constituyente del material es cuarzo y puede considerarse la pieza estudiada como una gema: cuarzo azul. La composición química de la gema determinada por FRX ha permitido comprobar que además de los elementos mayoritarios (Si y O), existen otros minoritarios, como son Ca y Fe (< 1,5 %), Na y Al (próximos al 0,3 %); otros elementos como Cl, K y P aparecen en porcentajes similares (0.2-0,25 %), además de Mg y S en porcentajes inferiores (ca. 0,08 %). Sin embargo, la aplicación de la técnica PIXE basada en haces de iones ha permitido determinar la presencia de Ti y V en la gema, lo que explicaría su coloración azul. Estos elementos deben encontrarse en forma iónica formando parte de la estructura cristalina del cuarzo. En consecuencia, esta técnica no destructiva permite encontrar una diferencia química importante entre zonas de una misma pieza, que no se aprecian mediante la aplicación de técnicas convencionales, con la ventaja añadida de utilizar directamente el objeto del análisis.In this work, a non-destructive characterization of a burial-sample object dated S.I. a.C. (ring with an incrusted material) coming from an archaeological excavation (former Hospital de las Cinco Llagas, Sevilla) has been carried out. The glass or ceramic nature of this sample was unknown. Several non-destructive techniques have been applied: optical microscopy, SEM-EDX, XRD and XRF. In this particular case, the technique Particle Induced X-ray Emision (PIXE) has been also applied. PIXE allows to obtain a fast information concerning chemical composition of trace elements using the object directly. The study of this interesting object indicates the extreme quality and accurance of the engrave observed on its surface, for instance a long-legged bird and a palm leaf despite their reduced size. Relief effects have been observed in the engrave using the own constitution of this particular material. The XRD phase analysis demonstrates that crystalline quartz as single phase constitutes the incrusted material of the ring considered as a gem: blue quartz. The chemical composition obtained from XRF analysis confirm the XRD result, with Si and O as main elements, although there are minoritary elements such as Ca and Fe (< 1,5 %), Na and Al (ca. 0,3 %). Other elements, such as Cl, K and P were detected in similar percentages (0.2-0,25 %), besides Mg and S (less than 0,08 %). However, the application of the PIXE technique based on ion beam analysis to this material allowed to demonstrate the presence of Ti and V, probably as ions in the quartz crystal structure which constitutes the gem. This experimental fact would then explain the blue colour observed in the gem. Consequently, PIXE as a non-destructive technique allows to find an important chemical difference between zones of the same object. There are some advantages, first of all that these chemical differences can not be accurately observed using other conventional techniques and secondly, the analysis is performed directly on the object, which is very interesting in studies on glass and ceramics samples of the Cultural Heritage.Junta de Andalucía TEP 20