The effects of replacement schemes on car sales: the Spanish case

This paper studies a model of car replacement designed to evaluate policies addressed to influence replacement decisions. An aggregate hazard function is computed from optimal replacement rules of heterogeneous consumers, which mimics the hump-shaped hazard function observed for the Spanish car market. The model is calibrated to evaluate quantitatively the Plan Prever, a replacement scheme introduced in Spain in 1997, finding that the positive effect of the subsidy is high in the short run but small in the long run for both sales and the average age of the stock.scrapping, replacement schemes, heterogeneous consumers

Testing Metaphorical Educational FPS Games

It is widely recognized that there is value in making use of modern Games Technology in Serious Games for educational purposes in the classroom and yet tools that enable teachers to construct such Educational Serious Games (ESGs) with minimal programming, artistic, or GT skills are not yet widely available. In this paper we investigate the feasibility of employing the FPS game genre for teaching purposes in the classroom. This is done by starting with a typical FPS game and constructing metaphorical correspondences with the desired ESG category. This mapping highlights the mentality level of FPS games and what it would take to modify them towards the level for real knowledge acquisition as in ESGs. By changing the game world rules to correspond with a classroom study area, we create a metaphorical educational FPS game. In this paper we describe two metaphorical educational FPS games and report on preliminary testing of their use in education. If testing of these metaphorical educational FPS games indicates that they would be beneficial in school classes then we intend to pursue the design of software tools and tutorials to enable teachers to develop their own metaphorical educational FPS games in two months or less

Bilepton and exotic quark mass limits in 331 models from Z -> b anti-b decay

We study the effect of new physics on the Z-decay into b anti-b pairs in the framework of 331 models. The decay Z -> b anti-b is computed at one loop level and, using previous results, we evaluate this branching fraction in the framework of 331 models. A wide range of the space parameter of the model is considered and possible deviations from the standard model predictions are explored. From precision measurements at the Z-pole we find the allowed region for MJ3, MX at 95 % CL.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure

Starting over through different learning areas

This paper aims to present a pilot study, with an action research methodology, in a campus recently created by a public university where an UpSkill: Digital Skills & Jobs program has been developed. This vocational training program is funded by the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training and is aimed at unemployed people who have at least secondary education and English language skills and who wish to obtain qualifications in the area of digital technologies. It integrates six months of intensive training in areas such as programming in several languages, cloud platform management, or low-code platform programming. However, this is a very diverse public, they can be individuals with master's, doctorate, or no higher education and even people who emigrated and now return to their country and have difficulties integrating into the labor market. Thus, two modules of transversal skills were developed, one for preparing the entry into the labor market and another for training interpersonal competencies when they are already in the organization that employed them. The two-course modules were based on an in-depth analysis and deconstruction of the concept of decent work (ILO 2019), with the purpose of developing the main axes that should be present in the active job search. The first-course module general orientation is to promote self-knowledge and skills assessment, the resources and abilities that each person possesses and that can be mobilized in the search for a job. This can enable students to make informed choices that enhance their knowledge and abilities, reconciling these guidelines with the opportunities. The second-course module invests in the development of interpersonal skills that enable students to enhance their individual abilities such as social skills (social interaction and cooperation, managing conflicts, teamwork, and communication skills). We know that any organization wants to have a team of employees that can work in full harmony, promoting a pleasant and healthy corporate space. However, the reality of teamwork and conflict management does not always correspond to such an expectation. In this context, applying conflict management strategies in the workplace becomes essential. From this experience, students evaluate their progress and we can share positive results of the evaluation of the seven groups (25 students each) formed so far and also their inclusion in the labor market that allowed them the possibility of starting over.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Chromosome instability in intergeneric hybrids of Triticum aestivum;× tritordeum (amphiploid Hordeum chilense×Triticum turgidum) with high dosage of Ph1 gene of wheat

In somatic cells of intergencric hybrids Truicum uestirum (mono-isosomic 5BL, 2n=6x=4f)x trinordum 12n = 6x = 42, amphiploid Hordeum clulense x Triticum turgidnm)it was observed that high dosage of the long arm of 5B induced chromosome instability in hybrids 2n=42, in hybrids 2n=41 with only one dose of 5BL from the normal 5B genome of the teteaploed wheat, all cells have consistently 2n=41 chromosomes and no rmal 5B genome of the tetraploid wheat all cells have consistently 2n=41 plant differenttation in plants with 2n=42 which carry three doses of 5BL (one isochromosome 5BL and one 5B chromosome)most of the metaphase cells had 2n=42 chromosomes. However other cells in a reasonable frequency varying from 19% to 40% carried from 2n=6 to 2n=44. and showed marked desturbances in all phases of the cell cycle leading to final failure in plant development. It is suggested that the Ph1 geng of wheat. Located on 5BL regulates chromosome stability in the somatic cells of those hybrids

Proteolytic Cleavage of a Spectrin-Related Protein by Calcium-Dependent Protease in Neurospora crassa

To investigate the functional significance of a cytoskeletal spectrin-like protein, we studied its localization pattern in Neurospora crassa and sought the answer to whether it is a substrate for another apically localized protein, the calcium-dependent protease (CDP II). Immunoblots of crude extracts from exponentially growing mycelia, separated by one- and two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using antichicken α/β-spectrin antibodies, revealed a single band of approximately relative mass (Mr) 100 kDa with an isoeletric point (pI) in the range of 6.5 to 7.0. Despite rigorous efforts, we could not confirm the presence of an Mr 240- to 220-kDa spectrin-like protein in N. crassa. The immunofluorescence- and immunogold-labeling Mr 100-kDa protein showed its predominance along the plasma membrane of the conidia during the swelling phase of germination. In contrast, in the germ tubes and the growing hyphae, the localization was polarized and concentrated mainly in the apical region. The in vitro proteolysis experiments showed that indeed this protein is a preferred substrate of CDP II which is, as mentioned previously, also localized in the apical regions of the hyphae. These results indicate a putative functional relationship between these two proteins (spectrin-like protein and CDP II) in the dynamics of tip growt

Constraints on unparticle physics from the gttˉgt\bar t anomalous coupling

We study the impact of unparticle physics to the chromomagnetic dipole moment (CMDM) of the top quark. We compute the effect induced by unparticle operators of scalar and vector nature coupled to fermions on the CMDM. We find that this dipole moment is sensitive to the scale dimensions $d_u$ of the unparticle and the new couplings of the respective effective operators. Using the bounds imposed on the CMDM by low-energy precision and Tevatron measurements we derive indirect limits on the unparticle parameter space. In particular, we find that the scalar-unparticle operator contribution fulfills both constraints for most of the unparticle parameter space, while the low-energy precision bound on the CMDM excludes a vector-unparticle contribution for low values of respective scale dimension $d_u$.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Uma tipologia de igrejas nos Açores. Uma particularidade de fachada na ilha de São Miguel e o estudo do seu sistema de proporção, nos séculos XVIII e XIX

O estudo apresentado neste artigo mostra uma investigação em Arquitetura Religiosa dos Açores, especificamente nas igrejas católicas paroquiais e não paroquiais, construídas durante os séculos XVIII e XIX, evidenciando a existência de uma tipologia de planta, nas igrejas das ilhas dos Açores, de matriz de referente clássica e chã. E particularmente uma tipologia de fachada principal nas igrejas da ilha de São Miguel, de matriz de referente clássica e chã e ornamentação de referente barroca. Com base num conjunto de desenhos técnicos de quatro igrejas da ilha de São Miguel, resultantes da informação recolhida nos arquivos regionais e nacionais, pretendemos estabelecer uma leitura cruzada com o intuito de entender os seus sistemas métricos e proporcionais. Ainda que cada edifício, em análise, não apresente as mesmas medidas planimétricas e altimétricas foi possível encontrar um sistema rítmico dos traçados das fachadas, mais concretamente no corpo principal da fachada.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Limits on excited tau leptons masses from leptonic tau decays

We study the effects induced by excited leptons on the leptonic tau decay at one loop level. Using a general effective lagrangian approach to describe the couplings of the excited leptons, we compute their contributions to the leptonic decays and use the current experimental values of the branching ratios to put limits on the mass of excited states and the substructure scale.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.