Dificultad en la definición de indicadores

Ponencia presentada en: Encuentro sobre la calidad en los sistemas de información, Burgos, 9-10 de julio de 2009. Taller 1: Recogida y gestión de la informació

Complex Needs or Simplistic Approaches? Homelessness Services and People with Complex Needs in Edinburgh

"This research addresses how homelessness services from the statutory and voluntary sector are working for people with complex needs in the City of Edinburgh. Using a qualitative approach, it analyses the service providers' perspectives on the concept, challenges and what works when dealing with this group of people. It also explores the opinions of a sample of service users, categorised as having complex needs, regarding the accommodation and support they are receiving. After analysing the data, it is argued that homelessness agencies do not have an appropriate cognitive nor institutional framework that facilitates an effective approach to work with people with complex needs. The lack of a sophisticated understanding that recognises the relational difficulties of individuals and the presence of structural, organisational, professional and interpersonal barriers hinder the development of positive long-term relationships which is considered as the key factor of change. For this reason, it is recommended to address a set of factors that go beyond simplistic and linear approaches and move towards complex responses in order to tackle homelessness from a broader perspective and, ultimately, achieve social inclusion." (author's abstract

Towards a Digital Assessment: Artificial Intelligence Assisted Error Analysis in ESL

The study we present here aims to explore the possibilities that new Artificial Intelligence tools offer teachers to design assessments to improve the written proficiency of students of English as a Foreign Language (the participants in this study have predominantly Spanish as their L1) in a University English Language Course with CEFR B2 objective. The group we are going to monitor is, as far as the Spanish university system is concerned, on average: more than sixty students, with diverse backgrounds and unequal proficiency in English. In such conditions, the teacher must be very attentive to meet the needs of all students/learners and, at the same time, keep track of successes and failures in the designed study plans. One of the most notable reasons for subject/class failure and dropout, in a scenario such as the one described, is the performance and time dedication to written competence (Cabrera, 2014 & López Urdaneta, 2011). Consequently, we will explore whether the union of all the theoretical baggage that underpins the linguistic and pedagogical tradition of Error Analysis, one of the most notable tools for enhancing the writing competence of English as a Foreign Language, and new intelligent technologies can provide new perspectives and strategies to effectively help learners of English as a Foreign Language to produce more appropriate written texts (more natural outputs) and, at the same time, to check whether an AI-assisted Error Analysis-based assessment produces better results in error avoidance and rule application in the collected writing samples

Numerical tool for tsunami risk assessment in the southern coast of Dominican Republic

The southern coast of Dominican Republic is a very populated region, with several important cities including Santo Domingo, its capital. Important activities are rooted in the southern coast including tourism, industry, commercial ports, and, energy facilities, among others. According to historical reports, it has been impacted by big earthquakes accompanied by tsunamis as in Azua in 1751 and recently Pedernales in 2010, but their sources are not clearly identified. The aim of the present work is to develop a numerical tool to simulate the impact in the southern coast of the Dominican Republic of tsunamis generated in the Caribbean Sea. This tool, based on the Tsunami-HySEA model from EDANYA group (University of Malaga, Spain), could be used in the framework of a Tsunami Early Warning Systems due the very short computing times when only propagation is computed or it could be used to assess inundation impact, computing inundation with a initial 5 meter resolution. Numerical results corresponding to three theoretical sources are used to test the numerical tool.This research has been partially supported by the Spanish Government Research project SIMURISK (MTM2015-70490-C2-1-R), the Junta de Andalucía research project TESELA (P11-RNM7069), and Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. The GPU and multi-GPU computations were performed at the Unit of Numerical Methods (UNM) of the Research Support Central Services (SCAI) of the University of Malaga

Modelos numérico y analítico para el diseño de laminados compuestos híbridos con capacidad de falla gradual bajo cargas de flexión

El presente trabajo describe el estudio reciente de los laminados de materiales compuestos híbridos sujetos a cargas de flexión, para luego usar este conocimiento en la creación de herramientas analíticas y numéricas que asisten el diseño de laminados híbridos con capacidad de falla gradual en un ensayo de flexión a cuatro puntos. Estas herramientas son inicialmente verificadas usando datos experimentales de laminados en los cuales se logró obtener falla gradual, pero la naturaleza de la falla y los mecanismos por los cuales se da, requieren un mayor entendimiento. El modelo en el cual se basa la herramienta analítica consiste en una adaptación de la solución analítica para ensayos de flexión a cuatro puntos en el cual el material es sometido a grandes deformaciones en combinación con la teoría clásica de laminados y mecánica de la fractura. Por otra parte, el modelo numérico utiliza elementos cohesivos para modelar tanto el daño intralaminar como el interlaminar, usando las propiedades de la resina para definir el comportamiento cohesivo interlaminar y usando una distribución de resistencias intralaminares según el modelo estadístico de Weibull. Una vez verificados los modelos, estos son usados para diseñar nuevos laminados híbridos optimizados, que reducen la cantidad de láminas ultradelgadas y por lo tanto, el número total de láminas requeridas para un mismo espesor, esto a su vez implica una posible reducción en el costo de fabricación y el tiempo de manufactura. Además, un laminado estándar (laminado no hibridado) es fabricado con fines comparativos; los ensayos en estos nuevos laminados validan la capacidad predictiva de ambas herramientas en casos falla gradual y falla repentina, tanto en laminados híbridos como estándar; y demuestran que es posible conseguir laminados híbridos con capacidad de falla gradual a un menor costo.The present work describes the recent studies on hybrid composite laminates under bending loads; then, this knowledge is used to create analytical and numerical tools that assist the design of hybrid layups which can fail gradually in a four-point bending test. These tools are initially verified using experimental data from layups where such a gradual failure was achieved, but the nature of the failure process and failure mechanisms need additional study. The analytical tool is based on modifications from the analytical solution of large deflections of a beam in a four-point bending test together with the classical laminate and fracture mechanics theories. On the other hand, the numerical model is set using cohesive elements to model intralaminar as well as interlaminar damage, where the interlaminar strength is based on resin properties and the intralaminar strength is set based on Weibull statistical distribution. Once the models were verified, they are used to design new optimised hybrid layups that reduce the number of thin-plies required and therefore, the total amount of plies required for the same layup thickness; these imply a potential decrease in the cost of the layup and the time to be manufactured. One non-hybrid layup was also manufactured for baseline comparison, testing results on all these new layups exhibited the expected failure sequence and failure mechanisms; validating the accuracy of the tools to predict brittle and gradual failure in hybrid and standard composites; besides, it shows that it is possible to obtain hybrid layups with gradual failure capabilities using other configurations.Royal Academy of EngineeringNovel Hybrid Composites to improve structural performance of a Compact Electric Utility Vehicles ChassisLínea de Investigación: Modelamiento de falla en materiales compuestos híbridosMaestrí

Mitología clásica, didáctica e Internet

Las nuevas tecnologías han modificado el modo tradicional de abordar la enseñanza de la mitología clásica. En este artículo reseñamos las mejores páginas web sobre mitología grecorromana y tratamos de establecer una tipología de las mismas, con vistas a sus posibles aplicaciones didácticas.The traditional way of teaching classical mythology has been modified by the New Technologies. In this paper we review the best websites concerning Greek and Roman mythology and try to define a typology of them, with a view to search their didactic applications

Fuzzy Decision-Support System for Safeguarding Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage

In the current world economic situation, the maintenance of built heritage has been limited due to a lack of funds and accurate tools for proper management and implementation of these actions. However, in specific local areas, the maintenance and conservation of historical and cultural heritage have become an investment opportunity. In this sense, in this study, a new tool is proposed, for the estimation of the functional service life of heritage buildings in a local region (city of Seville, South Spain). This tool is developed in Art-Risk research project and consists of a free software to evaluate decisions in regional policies, planning and management of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, considering physical, environmental, economic and social resources. This tool provides a ranking of priority of intervention among case studies belonging to a particular urban context. This information is particularly relevant for the stakeholders responsible for the management of maintenance plans in built heritage

Mathematical Modeling of the Mojave Solar Plants

Competitiveness of solar energy is one of current main research topics. Overall efficiency of solar plants can be improved by using advanced control strategies. To design and tuning properly advanced control strategies, a mathematical model of the plant is needed. The model has to fulfill two important points: (1) It has to reproduce accurately the dynamics of the real system; and (2) since the model is used to test advanced control strategies, its computational burden has to be as low as possible. This trade-off is essential to optimize the tuning process of the controller and minimize the commissioning time. In this paper, the modeling of the large-scale commercial solar trough plants Mojave Beta and Mojave Alpha is presented. These two models were used to test advanced control strategies to operate the plants.Comisión Europea OCONTSOLAR 78905

Effects of foliar fertilization of a biostimulant obtained from chicken feathers on maize yield

Due to the important contribution that it makes to human nutrition, maize is one of the most widely-consumed cereals in the world. There is, therefore, high demand for fertilizers that will maintain maize production at both high yield and quality levels. The objective of this work was to study the effect of foliar fertilization using a biostimulant, obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis from chicken feathers, on the productivity and quality of maize crops (Zea mays, L. cv PR32W86 Pioneer), located in Trujillanos (Extremadura, Spain), over two consecutive seasons. Foliar biostimulant/biofertilizer was applied three times each season and at two rates (3.6 and 7.2 l ha−1). At the higher rate and for both seasons, foliar fertilization significantly increased the leaf concentrations of macro- and micronutrients, while grain protein content and yield increased by 26% and 14%. These results suggest that the foliar use of this biostimulant could be of great interest to the farmer for improving both maize crop yield and quality.Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad CTM2015-64354-C3-1-RMinisterio de Economia y Competitividad CTM2015-64354-C3-3-RJunta de Andalucía RNM-2011-788