Development And Implementation Of A Small Group Program To Foster Numeric Growth At The Fresno Spanish Seventh-Day Adventist Church

Problem The Fresno Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church has a 65 year history in the city of Fresno. From the year of 1995 until the year of 2005 when I became the pastor for this church, I realized that the numeric growth rate in this congregation had dropped significantly. I soon became aware of the urgent need for a comprehensive analysis that would enable the Fresno Spanish Church to regain its growth momentum. Method The solution and the vision to solve the problem was the development and the implementation of a small group program that would help train, equip, and mobilize church members for ministry. The research began with the study of the literature on church growth and on how to turn around declining churches. A small group program was developed and implemented with as well trained team composed of dedicated church members. The recruiting and equipping of the team leaders took six months and once equipped and organized, the program was launched for a period of one year. Results The small group program to foster numeric growth at the Fresno Spanish Church was implemented in the year of 2007. The results were outstanding. The program impacted the life of the church and the congregation experienced much success. The morale among member improved and the church experienced numerical growth. On the year the small group program was implemented, the church experienced a 300 percent growth in membership. In addition to numeric growth, different outreach ministries were established and new leaders were developed to assist in the various community church programs. Conclusion The small group program implemented in the Fresno Spanish Church to foster numeric growth, I believe, can be replicated in other churches with similar challenges,especially in those churches were its leaders have a desire to positive impact their communities with the gospel of Chris

Elliptic harbor wave model with perfectly matched layer and exterior bathymetry effects

Standard strategies for dealing with the Sommerfeld condition in elliptic mild-slope models require strong assumptions on the wave field in the region exterior to the computational domain. More precisely, constant bathymetry along (and beyond) the open boundary, and parabolic approximations–based boundary conditions are usually imposed. Generally, these restrictions require large computational domains, implying higher costs for the numerical solver. An alternative method for coastal/harbor applications is proposed here. This approach is based on a perfectly matched layer (PML) that incorporates the effects of the exterior bathymetry. The model only requires constant exterior depth in the alongshore direction, a common approach used for idealizing the exterior bathymetry in elliptic models. In opposition to standard open boundary conditions for mild-slope models, the features of the proposed PML approach include (1) completely noncollinear coastlines, (2) better representation of the real unbounded domain using two different lateral sections to define the exterior bathymetry, and (3) the generation of reliable solutions for any incoming wave direction in a small computational domain. Numerical results of synthetic tests demonstrate that solutions are not significantly perturbed when open boundaries are placed close to the area of interest. In more complex problems, this provides important performance improvements in computational time, as shown for a real application of harbor agitation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Preface

Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Modeling the kinematics of multi-axial composite laminates as a stacking of 2D TIF plies

Thermoplastic composites are widely considered in structural parts. In this paper attention is paid to sheet forming of continuous fiber laminates. In the case of unidirectional prepregs, the ply constitutive equation is modeled as a transversally isotropic fluid, that must satisfy both the fiber inextensibility as well as the fluid incompressibility. When the stacking sequence involves plies with different orientations the kinematics of each ply during the laminate deformation varies significantly through the composite thickness. In our former works we considered two different approaches when simulating the squeeze flow induced by the laminate compression, the first based on a penalty formulation and the second one based on the use of Lagrange multipliers. In the present work we propose an alternative approach that consists in modeling each ply involved in the laminate as a transversally isotropic fluid – TIF - that becomes 2D as soon as incompressibility constraint and plane stress assumption are taken into account. Thus, composites laminates can be analyzed as a stacking of 2D TIF models that could eventually interact by using adequate friction laws at the inter-ply interfaces.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Computation of bounds for anchor problems in limit analysis and decomposition techniques

Numerical techniques for the computation of strict bounds in limit analyses have been developed for more than thirty years. The efficiency of these techniques have been substantially improved in the last ten years, and have been successfully applied to academic problems, foundations and excavations. We here extend the theoretical background to problems with anchors, interface conditions, and joints. Those extensions are relevant for the analysis of retaining and anchored walls, which we study in this work. The analysis of three-dimensional domains remains as yet very scarce. From the computational standpoint, the memory requirements and CPU time are exceedingly prohibitive when mesh adaptivity is employed. For this reason, we also present here the application of decomposition techniques to the optimisation problem of limit analysis. We discuss the performance of different methodologies adopted in the literature for general optimisation problems, such as primal and dual decomposition, and suggest some strategies that are suitable for the parallelisation of large three-dimensional problems. The propo sed decomposition techniques are tested against representative problems.Peer ReviewedPreprin

Accuracy of two stress update algorithms for shear-free large deformations paths

The behavior of two stress update algorithms for shear-free large deformation paths is analyzed. The first algorithm has a truncation error of order 1. The second algorithm has a truncation error of order 2. As a consequence, the global performance of the second algorithm is clearly superior. However, for the particular case of shear-free deformation paths, the first algorithm correctly predicts null shear stresses, while the second one does not. This behavior was reported in a previous paper for an extension-rotation test. In this note a general shear-free deformation path is considered in full detail.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft

Modeling of Advanced Threat Actors: Characterization, Categorization and Detection

Tesis por compendio[ES] La información y los sistemas que la tratan son un activo a proteger para personas, organizaciones e incluso países enteros. Nuestra dependencia en las tecnologías de la información es cada día mayor, por lo que su seguridad es clave para nuestro bienestar. Los beneficios que estas tecnologías nos proporcionan son incuestionables, pero su uso también introduce riesgos que ligados a nuestra creciente dependencia de las mismas es necesario mitigar. Los actores hostiles avanzados se categorizan principalmente en grupos criminales que buscan un beneficio económico y en países cuyo objetivo es obtener superioridad en ámbitos estratégicos como el comercial o el militar. Estos actores explotan las tecnologías, y en particular el ciberespacio, para lograr sus objetivos. La presente tesis doctoral realiza aportaciones significativas a la caracterización de los actores hostiles avanzados y a la detección de sus actividades. El análisis de sus características es básico no sólo para conocer a estos actores y sus operaciones, sino para facilitar el despliegue de contramedidas que incrementen nuestra seguridad. La detección de dichas operaciones es el primer paso necesario para neutralizarlas, y por tanto para minimizar su impacto. En el ámbito de la caracterización, este trabajo profundiza en el análisis de las tácticas y técnicas de los actores. Dicho análisis siempre es necesario para una correcta detección de las actividades hostiles en el ciberespacio, pero en el caso de los actores avanzados, desde grupos criminales hasta estados, es obligatorio: sus actividades son sigilosas, ya que el éxito de las mismas se basa, en la mayor parte de casos, en no ser detectados por la víctima. En el ámbito de la detección, este trabajo identifica y justifica los requisitos clave para poder establecer una capacidad adecuada frente a los actores hostiles avanzados. Adicionalmente, proporciona las tácticas que deben ser implementadas en los Centros de Operaciones de Seguridad para optimizar sus capacidades de detección y respuesta. Debemos destacar que estas tácticas, estructuradas en forma de kill-chain, permiten no sólo dicha optimización, sino también una aproximación homogénea y estructurada común para todos los centros defensivos. En mi opinión, una de las bases de mi trabajo debe ser la aplicabilidad de los resultados. Por este motivo, el análisis de tácticas y técnicas de los actores de la amenaza está alineado con el principal marco de trabajo público para dicho análisis, MITRE ATT&CK. Los resultados y propuestas de esta investigación pueden ser directamente incluidos en dicho marco, mejorando así la caracterización de los actores hostiles y de sus actividades en el ciberespacio. Adicionalmente, las propuestas para mejorar la detección de dichas actividades son de aplicación directa tanto en los Centros de Operaciones de Seguridad actuales como en las tecnologías de detección más comunes en la industria. De esta forma, este trabajo mejora de forma significativa las capacidades de análisis y detección actuales, y por tanto mejora a su vez la neutralización de operaciones hostiles. Estas capacidades incrementan la seguridad global de todo tipo de organizaciones y, en definitiva, de nuestra sociedad.[CA] La informació i els sistemas que la tracten són un actiu a protegir per a persones, organitzacions i fins i tot països sencers. La nostra dependència en les tecnologies de la informació es cada dia major, i per aixó la nostra seguretat és clau per al nostre benestar. Els beneficis que aquestes tecnologies ens proporcionen són inqüestionables, però el seu ús també introdueix riscos que, lligats a la nostra creixent dependència de les mateixes és necessari mitigar. Els actors hostils avançats es categoritzen principalment en grups criminals que busquen un benefici econòmic i en països el objectiu dels quals és obtindre superioritat en àmbits estratègics, com ara el comercial o el militar. Aquests actors exploten les tecnologies, i en particular el ciberespai, per a aconseguir els seus objectius. La present tesi doctoral realitza aportacions significatives a la caracterització dels actors hostils avançats i a la detecció de les seves activitats. L'anàlisi de les seves característiques és bàsic no solament per a conéixer a aquests actors i les seves operacions, sinó per a facilitar el desplegament de contramesures que incrementen la nostra seguretat. La detección de aquestes operacions és el primer pas necessari per a netralitzar-les, i per tant, per a minimitzar el seu impacte. En l'àmbit de la caracterització, aquest treball aprofundeix en l'anàlisi de lestàctiques i tècniques dels actors. Aquesta anàlisi sempre és necessària per a una correcta detecció de les activitats hostils en el ciberespai, però en el cas dels actors avançats, des de grups criminals fins a estats, és obligatòria: les seves activitats són sigiloses, ja que l'éxit de les mateixes es basa, en la major part de casos, en no ser detectats per la víctima. En l'àmbit de la detecció, aquest treball identifica i justifica els requisits clau per a poder establir una capacitat adequada front als actors hostils avançats. Adicionalment, proporciona les tàctiques que han de ser implementades en els Centres d'Operacions de Seguretat per a optimitzar les seves capacitats de detecció i resposta. Hem de destacar que aquestes tàctiques, estructurades en forma de kill-chain, permiteixen no només aquesta optimització, sinò tambié una aproximació homogènia i estructurada comú per a tots els centres defensius. En la meva opinio, una de les bases del meu treball ha de ser l'aplicabilitat dels resultats. Per això, l'anàlisi de táctiques i tècniques dels actors de l'amenaça està alineada amb el principal marc públic de treball per a aquesta anàlisi, MITRE ATT&CK. Els resultats i propostes d'aquesta investigació poden ser directament inclosos en aquest marc, millorant així la caracterització dels actors hostils i les seves activitats en el ciberespai. Addicionalment, les propostes per a millorar la detecció d'aquestes activitats són d'aplicació directa tant als Centres d'Operacions de Seguretat actuals com en les tecnologies de detecció més comuns de la industria. D'aquesta forma, aquest treball millora de forma significativa les capacitats d'anàlisi i detecció actuals, i per tant millora alhora la neutralització d'operacions hostils. Aquestes capacitats incrementen la seguretat global de tot tipus d'organitzacions i, en definitiva, de la nostra societat.[EN] Information and its related technologies are a critical asset to protect for people, organizations and even whole countries. Our dependency on information technologies increases every day, so their security is a key issue for our wellness. The benefits that information technologies provide are questionless, but their usage also presents risks that, linked to our growing dependency on technologies, we must mitigate. Advanced threat actors are mainly categorized in criminal gangs, with an economic goal, and countries, whose goal is to gain superiority in strategic affairs such as commercial or military ones. These actors exploit technologies, particularly cyberspace, to achieve their goals. This PhD Thesis significantly contributes to advanced threat actors' categorization and to the detection of their hostile activities. The analysis of their features is a must not only to know better these actors and their operations, but also to ease the deployment of countermeasures that increase our security. The detection of these operations is a mandatory first step to neutralize them, so to minimize their impact. Regarding characterization, this work delves into the analysis of advanced threat actors' tactics and techniques. This analysis is always required for an accurate detection of hostile activities in cyberspace, but in the particular case of advances threat actors, from criminal gangs to nation-states, it is mandatory: their activities are stealthy, as their success in most cases relies on not being detected by the target. Regarding detection, this work identifies and justifies the key requirements to establish an accurate response capability to face advanced threat actors. In addition, this work defines the tactics to be deployed in Security Operations Centers to optimize their detection and response capabilities. It is important to highlight that these tactics, with a kill-chain arrangement, allow not only this optimization, but particularly a homogeneous and structured approach, common to all defensive centers. In my opinion, one of the main bases of my work must be the applicability of its results. For this reason, the analysis of threat actors' tactics and techniques is aligned with the main public framework for this analysis, MITRE ATT&CK. The results and proposals from this research can be directly included in this framework, improving the threat actors' characterization, as well as their cyberspace activities' one. In addition, the proposals to improve these activities' detection are directly applicable both in current Security Operations Centers and in common industry technologies. In this way, I consider that this work significantly improves current analysis and detection capabilities, and at the same time it improves hostile operations' neutralization. These capabilities increase global security for all kind of organizations and, definitely, for our whole society.Villalón Huerta, A. (2023). Modeling of Advanced Threat Actors: Characterization, Categorization and Detection [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/193855Compendi

Accuracy of two stress update algorithms for shear-free large deformations paths

The behavior of two stress update algorithms for shear-free large deformation paths is analyzed. The first algorithm has a truncation error of order 1. The second algorithm has a truncation error of order 2. As a consequence, the global performance of the second algorithm is clearly superior. However, for the particular case of shear-free deformation paths, the first algorithm correctly predicts null shear stresses, while the second one does not. This behavior was reported in a previous paper for an extension-rotation test. In this note a general shear-free deformation path is considered in full detail

Deim-based pgd for multi-parametric nonlinear model reduction

A new technique for efficiently solving parametric nonlinear reduced order models in the Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD) framework is presented here. This technique is based on the Discrete Empirical Interpolation Method (DEIM)[1], and thus the nonlinear term is interpolated using the reduced basis instead of being fully evaluated. The DEIM has already been demonstrated to provide satisfactory results in terms of computational complexity decrease when combined with the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD). However, in the POD case the reduced basis is a posteriori known as it comes from several pre-computed snapshots. On the contrary, the PGD is an a priori model reduction method. This makes the DEIM-PGD coupling rather delicate, because different choices are possible as it is analyzed in this work

Diagnóstico de situación actual del Proceso de Producción de Encurtidos en la Fábrica de Alimentos La Matagalpa para la implementación de las Buenas Prácticas de Manufactura (BPM), Departamento de Matagalpa, en el II semestre de 2014

El presente trabajo se realizó en la ciudad de Matagalpa en la Fábrica de Alimentos la Matagalpa (Encurtidos), durante el período del II semestre del 2014, el estudio consistió en realizar un diagnóstico de la situación actual del proceso de producción de encurtidos para la implementación de las Buenas Prácticas de Manufactura. El propósito de esta investigación fue examinar a profundidad todos los aspectos sobre las Buenas Prácticas de Manufactura (BPM) aplicadas en la manipulación de alimentos dentro de la fábrica La Matagalpa, teniendo como base los criterios establecidos en el reglamento técnico centroamericano de las Buenas Prácticas de Manufactura para las fábricas de alimentos procesados. En el estudio se abordan los principales temas como: Edificio (alrededores y ubicación, condiciones de las instalaciones físicas, de las instalaciones sanitarias, el manejo y disposición de desechos líquidos y sólidos, la limpieza y desinfección, control de plagas), Los Equipos y Utensilios, El personal (capacitación, prácticas higiénicas y control de salud), El Control en el Proceso y en la Producción (materia prima, operaciones de manufactura, envasado, documentación y registro) y El Almacén y Distribución. Las técnicas utilizadas para la recolección de información fueron: 1. Entrevista a la Gerente de Producción. 2. Encuestas a los operarios la muestra fue de un 100%. 3. Aplicación de la ficha de inspección de las Buenas Prácticas de Manufactura para fábricas de alimentos procesados. Todo esto para medir los indicadores planteados. Mediante el diagnóstico aplicado, la empresa obtuvo una puntuación de 68pts de 100pts de acuerdo a la ficha de inspección de las Buenas Prácticas de Manufactura, lo cual demuestra que está en condiciones deficientes, y que deberá aplicar acciones correctivas en los puntos más débiles detectados. Por lo cual se recomienda aplicar las correcciones indicadas, las cuales harán que la empresa tenga un proceso que garantice en mayor medida la inocuidad y calidad de sus producto