Prediction of Housing Location Price by a Multivariate Spatial Method: Cokriging

Cokriging is a multivariate spatial method to estimate spatial correlated variables. This method allows spatial estimations to be made and interpolated maps of house price to be created. These maps are interesting for appraisers, real estate companies, and bureaus because they provide an overview of location prices. Kriging uses one variable of interest (house price) to make estimates at unsampled locations, and cokriging uses the variable of interest and auxiliary correlated variables. In this paper, housing location price is estimated using kriging methods, isotopic data cokriging, and heterotopic data cokriging methods. The results of these methods are then compared.

Creative and knowledge economies and their linkages with other economic sectors. An analysis for the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona (MRB)

The increase in the last decades of the weight of the creative industries and knowledge-intensive sectors (KIS) in the economies of metropolitan areas is transforming the dynamics of urban development, for access of these sectors to agglomeration economies, such as skilled labor and good communication infrastructures. Polycentrism is helping in such a process. In this paper the interactions of the KIS with other economic sectors are analyzed in order to know the relationship between levels of economic dependence of economic sectors and their spatial patterns. In doing so, the input-output matrix of Catalonia, where is located the MRB, is analysed by means of multidimensional scaling techniques and compared to the geographical distance among sectors. Results suggest a little correlation between economic dependence and geographic distance from the different economic sectors, and a high correlation factor was found when considered in isolation of the KIS. This phenomenon could be the result of great economic dependence of all economic sectors to the KIS, which are located mostly in the center of all relations of the region's economy; consequently, KIS are localized geographically around the whole territory, although, more concentrated than others sectors.

Car Sequencing Problem con flotas de vehículos especiales. Presentación

Car Sequencing Problem con demanda parcial incierta. Robustez en una multi-secuencia de vehículos mixtos.Partiendo del Car Sequencing Problem (CSP), introducimos el concepto demanda parcial incierta a través de la incorporación de Flotas de vehículos especiales en un plan de demanda. Tras resaltar las peculiaridades de una Flota y establecer las hipótesis de trabajo, proponemos un modelo de programación lineal entera mixta orientado a satisfacer el máximo número de restricciones CSP. Posteriormente, introducimos el concepto multi-secuencia de producción y proponemos funciones para medir su robustez. La versión robusta del CSP considera un conjunto de escenarios de la demanda para las Flotas y presenta funciones que miden el exceso sobre el requerimiento estándar de las opciones del CSP en planes de demanda, opciones concretas y ciclos de fabricación. Dichas funciones pueden emplearse como función objetivo en problemas de optimización y como métricas ante una muli-secuencia de producción concreta.Preprin

CFD model-based analysis and experimental assessment of key design parameters for an integrated unglazed metallic thermal collector façade

Active façade systems incorporating solar thermal collectors currently offer very promising energetic solutions. From among the available systems, a simple solution is the unglazed heat collector for potential integration in low-temperature applications. However, when adopting system definitions, the modification of some design parameters and their impact has to be fully understood. In this study, the case of an unglazed collector integrated into a sandwich panel is assessed and a specific analysis is performed for a proper assessment of the influence of key design parameters. Based on that case study of the real built system, a CFD model is developed and validated and a parametric assessment is then performed, by altering the configurations of both the panel and the hydraulic circuit. In this way, the potential of each measure to harness solar energy can be evaluated and each parameter with its different level of impact can be highlighted, to identify those of higher relevance. A characterization of the real solution completes the study, by providing the efficiency curves and the total energy collected during the experimental campaign. The maximum estimate of the efficiency of a 6 m2 façade was within a range between 0.47 and 0.34 and the heat loss factor was between 4.8 and 7.5. The case study exercises reveal the real energy efficiency and solar production patterns. There was also an opportunity to consider significant improvements to increase the output of the active façade. The main conclusions concerned the different criteria that improved the definition of the system and greater comprehension of alternative designs that may be integrated in the underlying concept.The authors are grateful to the Basque Government for fundingthis research through projects IT781-13 and IT1314-19 and to allthose involved in the different stages for their guidance andinvaluable help.The authors would also like to thank all those companies andresearchers participating in the BASSE project for their stronginvolvement during that research. Results from BASSE project haveinspired present research. The BASSE project received funding fromthe European Union, RFCS Program, Research Fund for Coal and Steel project Building Active Steel Skin (BASSE, Grant Agreement noRFSR-CT-2013-00026

Endogenous Unions Formation

This paper analyzes the process of endogenous union formation in the context of a sequential bargaining model between a firm and several unions and tries to explain why workers may be represented by several unions of different sizes. We show that the equilibrium number of unions and their relative size depend on workers' attitudes toward the risk of unemployment and union configuration is independent of labor productivity.endogenous union formation, constant relative risk aversion, sequential bargaining, monopoly union

Latindex: A tool to extend the dissemination of scientific publications and to improve their quality assessment

La necessitat d'un instrument per conèixer la situació de les publicacions científiques a l'Amèrica Llatina i el Carib, per a la seva posterior classificació i avaluació, va impulsar la creació de Latindex. Malgrat la tasca complexa i difícil per engegar el projecte, els seus impulsors, de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México estaven convençuts de la utilitat de la seva idea i van comptar amb la col·laboració d'investigadors responsables de publicacions que podrien participar en el projecte. Avui, Latindex és una eina de gran difusió, un portal de portals, amb prop de 25.000 revistes de l'Amèrica Llatina, el Carib, Espanya i Portugal. És alhora un directori i un catàleg, ofereix enllaços a revistes electròniques, i serveix com un magatzem d'informació sobre productes i serveis d'utilitat editorial i inclou una guia per a publicacions. A més, els criteris Latindex són un marc de referència per a l'autoavaluació i l'actualització de les revistes per part dels seus responsables, així com per a la incorporació d'aquestes revistes al sistema Latindex.The need for a tool to determine the status of scientific publications in Latin America and the Caribbean, their subsequent classification, and their evaluation gave rise to Latindex. Despite the complex and difficult work needed to launch this project, its designers at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) were convinced of the usefulness of their idea and they benefited from the cooperation of researchers in charge of potential member publications. Today, Latindex is a widely spread tool, a portal of portals, with nearly 25,000 journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, and Portugal. It is both a directory and a catalogue, offers links to electronic journals, serves as a warehouse of information on products and services useful for editorial work, and includes a publication guide. Moreover, the Latindex criteria are a frame of reference for the self-evaluation and updating of journals by their officers, as well as for the incorporation of these publications into the Latindex system