Impact of audiovisual media on the progress of tourism within a destination

RESUMEN: Los espectadores experimentan una evolución intelectual y emocional a través de los estímulos audiovisuales. Los medios audiovisuales tienen el poder de transportar (mentalmente) al espectador, lo cual les incita a viajar al lugar que está siendo proyectado en la pantalla. Por ello, los medios audiovisuales y el turismo se han convertido en grandes aliados durante los últimos años. El resultado de este vínculo se ve reflejado en el aumento de visitantes en un destino en el que ha sido rodada una película, una serie o un anuncio de televisión. La industria turística es consciente de este nuevo fenómeno, ya que se ha convertido en una excelente estrategia promocional, tanto para atraer visitantes tras un exitoso rodaje, como para promocionar un destino como sede de rodajes. Por ello, ayuntamientos y empresas audiovisuales trabajan conjuntamente para crear proyectos que beneficien a ambas partes. El continuo crecimiento en el que se encuentra el turismo audiovisual supone una infinidad de oportunidades para aquellos destinos todavía desconocidos.ABSTRACT: Spectators experience an intelectual and emotional evolution through audiovisual stimulus. Audiovisual media have the power to (mentally) transport the spectator, which encourage them to travel to the place is being projected on the screen. For this reason, audiovisual media and tourism have become great allies in recent years. The outcome of this link is reflected in the increasing number of visitors in a destination where a film, a TV series or a TV comercial has been filmed. The tourism industry is aware of this new phenomenon since it has become an excellent promotional strategy for both attracting visitors after a filming and promoting a destination as a filming location. Because of this, councils and audiovisual companies work toguether to create projects that would benefit both sides. The continued audiovisual tourism growth means a huge amount of opportunities for those destinations still unknown.Grado en Turism

Optimizing Laser Powder Bed Fusion Parameters for IN-738LC by Response Surface Method

A method to find the optimum process parameters for manufacturing nickel-based superalloy Inconel 738LC by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology is presented. This material is known to form cracks during its processing by LPBF technology; thus, process parameters have to be optimized to get a high quality product. In this work, the objective of the optimization was to obtain samples with fewer pores and cracks. A design of experiments (DoE) technique was implemented to define the reduced set of samples. Each sample was manufactured by LPBF with a specific combination of laser power, laser scan speed, hatch distance and scan strategy parameters. Using the porosity and crack density results obtained from the DoE samples, quadratic models were fitted, which allowed identifying the optimal working point by applying the response surface method (RSM). Finally, five samples with the predicted optimal processing parameters were fabricated. The examination of these samples showed that it was possible to manufacture IN738LC samples free of cracks and with a porosity percentage below 0.1%. Therefore, it was demonstrated that RSM is suitable for obtaining optimum process parameters for IN738LC alloy manufacturing by LPBF technology.This research was funded by Elkartek programme, grant number KK-2018/00115, which is part of the Economic Development Department of the Basque Country Government

COMPASS: addressing the challenge of digital skills skilling from the regional ecosystem perspective

This is a position paper presenting the scenario and main conditionings that delimit approaching the technological and digital (re/up)skilling problem by also enhancing the role of the university as a regional ecosystem key player. This is the main objective of COMPASS, an initiative initiated to face actual challenges on the labour market related to the digital skills mismatch. COMPASS goal can be stated as the development of a regional ecosystem-based training platform and associated methodologies for effective and efficient skilling pathways. COMPASS as a guiding tool is conceived to a) guide individuals and companies to get a closer idea of the skills-gap they need to cover, as well as to b) help universities as training providers to elaborate their offer on the basis of the detected regional needs. This will definitively help to make the overall ecosystem more efficient. On the other hand, COMPASS is also conceived as a learning & training environment, in the sense of a) dynamic micro-learning environment providing easy and mobile interaction between the learners and the content and b) micro-credential system linked to the achieved skills

Influence of Minor Alloying Element Additions on the Crack Susceptibility of a Nickel Based Superalloy Manufactured by LPBF

Inconel 738LC (IN738LC) is a nickel-based superalloy specially used in the hot section components of turbine engines. One of its main drawbacks relies on the cracking susceptibility when it is manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). This paper analyzes the influence of minor alloying element concentration on cracking tendency of IN738LC superalloy manufactured by LPBF. For that objective, samples were manufactured using two powders, which presented different minor alloying elements concentration (Si, Zr and B). It was shown that the samples crack tendency was very different depending on the powder used for their manufacturing. In fact, the measured crack density value was 2.73 mm/mm2 for the samples manufactured with the powder with higher minor alloying elements concentration, while 0.25 mm/mm2 for the others. Additionally, a special emphasis has been put on elemental composition characterization in cracked grain boundaries in order to quantify possible Si or Zr enrichment. It has been also studied the differences of solidification ranges and grain structures between both samples as a consequence of different minor alloying elements concentration in order to analyze their effect on crack susceptibility. In this sense, Scheil-Gulliver simulation results have shown that samples with higher Si and Zr contents presented higher solidification range temperature. This fact, as well as an increase of the presence of high angle grain boundaries (HAGB), leaded to an increment in the crack formation during solidification. Therefore, in this research work, an understanding of the factors affecting crack phenomenon in the LPBF manufactured IN738LC was accomplished.This research was funded by the Elkartek Programme, Grant Number KK-2020/00042

Mediterranean Diet and Healthy Eating in Subjects with Prediabetes from the Mollerussa Prospective Observational Cohort Study

We aimed to assess differences in dietary patterns (i.e., Mediterranean diet and healthy eating indexes) between participants with prediabetes and those with normal glucose tolerance. Secondarily, we analyzed factors related to prediabetes and dietary patterns. This was a cross-sectional study design. From a sample of 594 participants recruited in the Mollerussa study cohort, a total of 535 participants (216 with prediabetes and 319 with normal glucose tolerance) were included. The alternate Mediterranean Diet score (aMED) and the alternate Healthy Eating Index (aHEI) were calculated. Bivariable and multivariable analyses were performed. There was no difference in the mean aMED and aHEI scores between groups (3.2 (1.8) in the normoglycemic group and 3.4 (1.8) in the prediabetes group, p = 0.164 for the aMED and 38.6 (7.3) in the normoglycemic group and 38.7 (6.7) in the prediabetes group, p = 0.877 for the aHEI, respectively). Nevertheless, women had a higher mean of aMED and aHEI scores in the prediabetes group (3.7 (1.9), p = 0.001 and 40.5 (6.9), p < 0.001, respectively); moreover, they had a higher mean of aHEI in the group with normoglycemia (39.8 (6.6); p = 0.001). No differences were observed in daily food intake between both study groups; consistent with this finding, we did not find major differences in nutrient intake between groups. In the multivariable analyses, the aMED and aHEI were not associated with prediabetes (odds ratio (OR): 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.75–1.87; p = 0.460 and OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 0.83–2.10; p = 0.246, respectively); however, age (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02–1.05; p < 0.001), dyslipidemia (OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.27–3.22; p = 0.003) and body mass index (BMI) (OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.05–1.14; p < 0.001) were positively associated with prediabetes. Physical activity was associated with a lower frequency of prediabetes (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.31–0.72; p = 0.001). In conclusion, subjects with prediabetes did not show a different dietary pattern compared with a normal glucose tolerance group. However, further research is needed on this issue

Prognostic factors in Spanish COVID-19 patients: A case series from Barcelona

Background In addition to the lack of COVID-19 diagnostic tests for the whole Spanish population, the current strategy is to identify the disease early to limit contagion in the community. Aim To determine clinical factors of a poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19 infection. Design and setting Descriptive, observational, retrospective study in three primary healthcare centres with an assigned population of 100,000. Method Examination of the medical records of patients with COVID-19 infections confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. Logistic multivariate regression models adjusted for age and sex were constructed to analyse independent predictive factors associated with death, ICU admission and hospitalization. Results We included 322 patients (mean age 56.7 years, 50% female, 115 (35.7%) aged 65 years): 123 (38.2) were health workers (doctors, nurses, auxiliaries). Predictors of ICU admission or death were greater age (OR = 1.05; 95%CI = 1.03 to 1.07), male sex (OR = 2.94; 95%CI = 1.55 to 5.82), autoimmune disease (OR = 2.82; 95%CI = 1.00 to 7.84), bilateral pulmonary infiltrates (OR = 2.86; 95%CI = 1.41 to 6.13), elevated lactate-dehydrogenase (OR = 2.85; 95%CI = 1.28 to 6.90), elevated D-dimer (OR = 2.85; 95%CI = 1.22 to 6.98) and elevated C-reactive protein (OR = 2.38; 95%CI = 1.22 to 4.68). Myalgia or arthralgia (OR = 0.31; 95%CI = 0.12 to 0.70) was protective factor against ICU admission and death. Predictors of hospitalization were chills (OR = 5.66; 95%CI = 1.68 to 23.49), fever (OR = 3.33; 95%CI = 1.89 to 5.96), dyspnoea (OR = 2.92; 95%CI = 1.62 to 5.42), depression (OR = 6.06; 95%CI = 1.54 to 40.42), lymphopenia (OR = 3.48; 95%CI = 1.67 to 7.40) and elevated C-reactive protein (OR = 3.27; 95%CI = 1.59 to 7.18). Anosmia (OR = 0.42; 95%CI = 0.19 to 0.90) was the only significant protective factor for hospitalization after adjusting for age and sex. Conclusion Determining the clinical, biological and radiological characteristics of patients with suspected COVID-19 infection will be key to early treatment and isolation and the tracing of contacts

Prevalence, clinical features and risk assessment of pre-diabetes in Spain: the prospective Mollerussa cohort study

Purpose The Mollerussa prospective cohort was created to study pre-diabetes in a population-based sample from the primary care setting in the semirural area of Pla d'Urgell in Catalonia (Spain). The aims of the study were to assess the prevalence of pre-diabetes in our population, the likelihood to develop overt diabetes over time and to identify risk factors associated with the progression of the condition. Participants The cohort includes 594 subjects randomly selected between March 2011 and July 2014 from our primary care population, who were older than 25 years, consented to participate and did not have a recorded diagnosis of diabetes. Findings to date At baseline, we performed a clinical interview to collect demographic, clinical and lifestyle (including a nutritional survey) characteristics; carotid ultrasound imaging to assess subclinical cardiovascular disease was also performed, and a blood sample was collected, with an overall <5% rate of missing data. An additional blood draw was performed 12 months after initial recruitment to reassess laboratory results in patients initially identified as having pre-diabetes, with an 89.6% retention rate. Several studies investigating various hypotheses are currently ongoing. Future plans All subjects recruited during the cohort creation will be followed long-term through annual extraction of data from health records stored in the electronic Clinical station in Primary Care database. The Mollerussa cohort will thus be a sound population-based sample for multiple future research projects to generate insights into the epidemiology and natural history of pre-diabetes in Spain