Reflections upon the development of student´s competences through an extra curricula activity

En este artículo se presenta una reflexión sobre el Concurso Gráfica Nebrija, una actividad extraacadémica que cuenta con más de diez años de experiencia. Para cada edición, se forman equipos de trabajo de estudiantes de Publicidad y profesores, con el fin de que los profesores ayuden a los estudiantes a adquirir objetivos formativos específicos y, a la vez, supervisen la actividad de los alumnos recreando un ambiente de trabajo profesional. Con la implantación del EEES, las dinámicas y las metodologías de trabajo de ediciones anteriores se adaptaron para favorecer la adquisición de las competencias descritas en Bolonia que permiten a los estudiantes afrontar satisfactoriamente su carrera profesional. De esta manera, se ha adoptado un enfoque interdisciplinar que ha permitido incorporar a estudiantes de las titulaciones de periodismo y comunicación audiovisual.This article presents a reflection upon the use of extracurricular activities, precisely the Print Nebrija Contest, now on its 10th edition. Each edition counts on working teams of advertising students and lecturers, being lecturers’ task to supervise the acquisition of objectives and help students to carry out the activity in a real professional working context. With the EEES, the teaching methodologies and group dynamics used in early editions had to be adapted in order to allow students to acquire the new competences and skills Bologna agreements specify and to allow students to face satisfactorily their professional career. In its first editions this Contest was organised by Advertising students but, since the EEES, an interdisciplinary approach has been adopted and students from the field of Journalism and Audiovisual Communication have been incorporated

Aplicaciones y experiencias en instalaciones domóticas de viviendas y pequeños establecimientos hoteleros

In this article we present different samples of housings and small hotels, realised in Spain by Iberdrola company, with installations and equipment from “todo eléctrico’’ housings, domotically conducted. The purpose of this company is to show to Prescriptors, Promoters, Constructors and Fitters, through different visits to the buildings, the advantages that those management systems are bringing to this sector.En este artículo se presentan varios ejemplos de viviendas y pequeños hoteles, realizados en España por la empresa Iberdrola, con instalación y equipamiento de viviendas “todo eléctrico” gestionadas domóticamente. La intención de la empresa era demostrar a los Prescriptores, Promotores, Constructores e Instaladores mediante visitas a los edificios las ventajas aportadas por estos sistema de gestión en el sector

Case Study on Combined Lidar-Photometer Retrieval of Volcanic ASH Properties

We study the benefit of considering sun-/sky-photometer measurements in a microphysical lidar retrieval. Furthermore, to assess the importance of the aerosol model employed by the retrieval, we compare results obtained using a spheroid aerosol model with results using an advanced aerosol model that considers irregular particle shapes. Preliminary results are shown for the mass extinction conversion factor and the single scattering albedo during a measurement case of long-range-transported volcanic ash

How Wettability Controls Nanoprinting

Using large scale molecular dynamics simulations, we study in detail the impact of nanometer droplets of low viscosity on flat substrates versus the wettability of the solid plate. The comparison between the molecular dynamics simulations and different macroscopic models reveals that most of these models do not correspond to the simulation results at the nanoscale, in particular for the maximal contact diameter during the nanodroplet impact (D_{max}). We have developed a new model for D_{max} that is in agreement with the simulation data and also takes into account the effects of the liquid-solid wettability. We also propose a new scaling for the time required to reach the maximal contact diameter t_{max} with respect to the impact velocity, which is also in agreement with the observations. With the new model for D_{max} plus the scaling found for t_{max}, we present a master curve collapsing the evolution of the nanometer drop contact diameter during impact for different wettabilities and different impact velocities. We believe our results may help in designing better nanoprinters since they provide an estimation of the maximum impact velocities required to obtain a smooth and homogenous coverage of the surfaces without dry spots

New analytical method for determination of phthalates in wastewater by on line lc-gc-ms using the totad interface and fraction collector

There is an increasing demand for automatic, reliable and sensitive analytical methods for determining trace levels of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in environmental samples. While on line coupled liquid chromatography-gas chromatography (LC-GC) has been proof to be a powerful tool for trace-level analyses in complex matrices, the present work presents a new totally automated on line LC-GC method, using the Through Oven Transfer Adsorption Desorption (TOTAD) interface, for the analysis of four of the main phthalates, dibuthyl phthalate (DBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), in a matrix as complex as leachate. The sample is directly injected into the LC injector valve with no sample pretreatment other than simple filtration. The LC step separates the target analytes from matrix interference. Two different LC fractions are collected in a purposely designed fraction collector and then transferred to the TOTAD interface, which concentrates the analytes, totally eliminates the solvent and transfers the analytes to the GC-MS system, where the analysis is carried out. The LOD of the method varied from 0.1 µg/L (DEHP) to 1.4 µg/L (DMP), RSD for retention time below 0.14% and for absolute peak areas below 12% and linearity from 1 µg/L to 1000 µg/L (R2 > 0.99), except in the case of DEHP (linearity from 1 to 250 µg/L, R2 = 0.94). The method was applied to the analysis of the target analytes in samples collected from a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in Rosario (Argentina).Fil: Espinosa, F.J.. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; EspañaFil: Toledano, R.M.. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; EspañaFil: Andini, Juan Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; ArgentinaFil: Cortés, J.M.. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; EspañaFil: Vázquez, A.M.. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; Españ

Improvement in PWV estimation from GPS due to the absolute calibration of antenna phase center variations

Climatology of column-integrated atmospheric water vapor over Spain has been carried out by means of three techniques: soundings, sun photometers and GPS receivers. Comparing data from stations equipped with more than one of these instruments, we found that a large discontinuity occurred on November 6, 2006, in the differences between the data series from GPS receivers and those from the other two techniques. Prior to that date, the GPS data indicate a wet bias of 2–3 mm for all stations when compared with sounding or photometer data, whereas after that date this bias practically reduces to zero. The root mean square error also decreases about half of its value. On November 6, 2006, the International GNSS Service adopted an absolute calibration model for the antennas of the GPS satellites and receivers instead of the relative one. This change is expected to be an improvement, increasing the accuracy of station position determination and consequently benefiting post-processing products such as zenith total delay from which the atmospheric water vapor content is calculated

Columnar aerosol characterization over Scandinavia and Svalbard

An overview of sun photometer measurements of aerosol properties in Scandinavia and Svalbard was provided by Toledano et al. (2012) thanks to the collaborative effort of various research groups from different countries that maintain a number of observation sites in the European Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. The spatial coverage of this kind of data has remarkably improved in the last years, thanks, among other things, to projects carried out within the framework of the International Polar Year 2007-08. The data from a set of operational sun photometer sites belonging either to national or international measurement networks (AERONET, GAW-PFR) were evaluated. The direct sun observations provided spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Ångström exponent (AE), that are parameters with sufficient long-term records for a first characterization at all sites. At the AERONET sites, microphysical properties derived from inversion of sun-sky radiance data were also examined. AOD (500nm) ranged from 0.08 to 0.10 in Arctic and sub-Arctic sites whereas the aerosol load was higher in more populated areas in Southern Scandinavia (average AOD about 0.10–0.12 at 500 nm).Financial support was provided by: the Spanish CICYT (CGL2008-05939-CO3-01/CLI, CGL2009-09740 and CGL2011-13085-E); the Norwegian Research Council for POLARCAT-Norway; and the Swedish National Space Board and ESA for Norrköping and Palgrunden sites. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement Nr. 262254 [ACTRIS]

Dust mobilization and aerosol transport from West Africa to Cape Verde - a meteorological overview of SAMUM-2

The second field campaign of the SAharan Mineral dUst experiMent (SAMUM-2) was performed between 15 January and 14 February 2008 at the airport of Praia, Cape Verde, and provided valuable information to study the westward transport of Saharan dust and the mixing with biomass-burning smoke and sea-salt aerosol. Here lidar, meteorological, and particle measurements at Praia, together with operational analyses, trajectories, and satellite and synoptic station data are used to give an overview of the meteorological conditions and to place other SAMUM-2 measurements into a large-scale context. It is demonstrated that wintertime dust conditions at Cape Verde are closely related to the movement and intensification of mid-latitude high-pressure systems and the associated pressure gradients at their southern flanks. These cause dust emission over Mauritania, Mali, and Niger, and subsequent westward transport to Cape Verde within about 1–5 d. Dust emissions often peak around midday, suggesting a relation to daytime mixing of momentum from nocturnal low-level jets to the surface. The dust layer over Cape Verde is usually restricted to the lowest 1.5 km of the atmosphere. During periods with near-surface wind speeds about 5.5 ms−1, a maritime aerosol layer develops which often mixes with dust from above. On most days, the middle levels up to about 5 km additionally contain smoke that can be traced back to sources in southernWest Africa. Above this layer, clean air masses are transported to Cape Verde with the westerly flow at the southern side of the subtropical jet. The penetration of extra-tropical disturbances to low latitudes can bring troposphere-deep westerly flow and unusually clean conditions to the region