Scipedia: Documents published in 2019

The Internet of Everything

Scipedia content — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 13:03:49 +0100

The Internet of Everything is the last of the three waves of the internet as discussed, the first wave being the building of the internet infrastructure with its foundations such as AOL, HP, Cisco systems; the second being the entry of social media such as Facebook and search engines such as Google and Yahoo and Googleâs Android and Appleâs IPhone. This phase started at the beginning of this century. The third phaseâwhich is a logical corollary to the secondâwould see a shift between the ownership of the internet in internet companies and the total involvement of the internet in all important aspects of our lives. The Internet of Everything (IoE) is known to be the intelligent connection of people, process, data and things while the Internet of Things (IoT) involved communications exclusively between machines. Needless to say, the internet of everything will have a bearing on air transport, with interesting ramifications for its legal aspects which will be discussed below. According to Cisco IoE is âa $19 trillion global opportunity over the next decade: Private-sector firms can create as much as $14.4 trillion of value while cities, governments and other public-sector organizations can create $4.6 trillionâ. Cisco goes on to say that â(IoT) brings together people, process, data and things to make networked connections more relevant and valuable than ever before â turning information into actions that create new capabilities, richer experiences and unprecedented economic opportunity for businesses, individuals and countriesâ.

Ruteo de vehículos escolares: caso de estudio de la Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila

Scipedia content — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 15:12:54 +0100

En este trabajo se proponen un conjunto de nuevas rutas de transporte para dar servicio a la comunidad estudiantil actual del Campus Arteaga de la Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila atendiendo a la dispersidad de los estudiantes en la zona metropolitana de Saltillo. Se analiza un caso de estudio con la información de una Facultad, considerando 380 estudiantes y 46 paradas correspondientes a las colonias de Saltillo. El problema se formula matemáticamente como un modelo lineal entero mixto, el cual es resuelto a través de un optimizador comercial. Con el modelo sólo es posible resolver a optimalidad instancias de 10 paradas y 50 estudiantes, por lo que se diseñó un algoritmo heurístico constructivo híbrido basado en el algoritmo de Clarke y Wright, en donde la factibilidad de una solución se verifica al resolver una versión simplificada del modelo matemático. Se implementan dos estrategias para reducir el tiempo de cómputo del algoritmo heurístico y se reportan las nuevas rutas propuestas, así como algunas recomendaciones para facilitar la construcción de las instancias del problema.

El Porismo de Poncelet Parte II

Scipedia content — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 15:12:47 +0100

En esta segunda parte de una serie de artículos sobre el Porismo de Poncelet se discute una prueba general del resultado utilizando herramientas de geometría algebraica. Se construyó un sitio web de libre acceso: https://sites.google.com/view/juan-garza/nigromante/poncelet para complementar el material. Se busca mostrar cómo las herramientas computacionales pueden motivar el estudio de muchas áreas de investigación de gran actualidad en matemáticas que a primera vista podrían aparentar no tener relación entre sí.

El Porismo de Poncelet Parte I

Scipedia content — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 15:12:40 +0100

En esta primer parte de una serie de artículos sobre el Porismo de Poncelet, se presentan algunas pruebas elementales de casos particulares del resultado y se propone el problema de hallar cuadriláteros bicéntricos racionales. El material está dirigido a estudiantes de geometría y cálculo elementales. Se construyó un sitio web de libre acceso: https://sites.google.com/view/juan-garza/nigromante/poncelet para ilustrar algunos ejemplos interesantes.

Algoritmo memético para el Problema del Particionado de Grafos en ejecuciones a largo plazo

Scipedia content — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 15:12:33 +0100

El problema del Particionado de Grafos (gpp—Graph Partitioning Problem) es un problema NP-Difícil cuyo objetivo es particionar los nodos de un grafo en k conjuntos de forma que se minimice el número de aristas que unen vértices localizados en diferentes conjuntos, a la vez que se cumplen restricciones relativas al tamaño de los conjuntos. En los últimos años, el desarrollo de metaheurísticas poblacionales que incorporan un control explícito de la diversidad ha permitido realizar avances significativos al tratar diversos problemas de optimización combinatoria como el problema de coloreado de grafos o el de asignación de frecuencias. A pesar de que el gpp es un problema clásico, el desarrollo de metaheurísticas poblacionales con control de diversidad para el gpp es un tema prácticamente inexplorado. Por ello, a partir de la hipótesis de que un algoritmo memético con gestión de diversidad ayudaría a mejorar el estado del arte para el gpp, se desarrollaron nuevos algoritmos que efectivamente han permitido mejorar las soluciones encontradas hasta la fecha para una gran cantidad de casos. El trabajo presentado es un resumen de la tesis que ganó el Premio Mixbaal a la mejor tesis de licenciatura en matemáticas aplicadas, en la edición del año 2019. Este premio es otorgado por la Sociedad Mexicana de Computación Científica y Sus Aplicaciones.

Calcasieu lock navigation study louisiana calcasieu lock diversion channel ship simulation report

Scipedia content — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 13:47:14 +0100

Document type: Report

Realizing multiple benefits in u s army corps of engineers usace baltimore district dredging projects through application of engineering with nature principles

Scipedia content — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 11:26:18 +0100

Document type: Report

Coastal texas region 1 ctr1 estuarine numerical modeling report

Scipedia content — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 11:22:37 +0100

Document type: Report

Improving SIEM for critical SCADA water infrastructures using machine learning

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 16:37:57 +0200

Network Control Systems (NAC) have been used in many industrial processes. They aim to reduce the human factor burden and efficiently handle the complex process and communication of those systems. Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are used in industrial, infrastructure and facility processes (e.g. manufacturing, fabrication, oil and water pipelines, building ventilation, etc.) Like other Internet of Things (IoT) implementations, SCADA systems are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, therefore, a robust anomaly detection is a major requirement. However, having an accurate anomaly detection system is not an easy task, due to the difficulty to differentiate between cyber-attacks and system internal failures (e.g. hardware failures). In this paper, we present a model that detects anomaly events in a water system controlled by SCADA. Six Machine Learning techniques have been used in building and evaluating the model. The model classifies different anomaly events including hardware failures (e.g. sensor failures), sabotage and cyber-attacks (e.g. DoS and Spoofing). Unlike other detection systems, our proposed work focuses on notifying the operator when an anomaly occurs with a probability of the event occurring. This additional information helps in accelerating the mitigation process. The model is trained and tested using a real-world dataset.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Temporalites sociales et gestion de la distance a travers les moyens de transport rapides

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 16:33:44 +0200

Cet ouvrage reprend dix contributions issues du colloque " Mobilités et temporalités " organisé aux Facultés universitaires Saint-Louis à Bruxelles en mars 2004. Cette réunion s'inscrivait dans le cadre des travaux du groupe de travail "Mobilités spatiales et fluidités sociales" de l'Association internationale des sociologues de langue française (AISLF).; L'objectif de cet article est d'éclairer comment les moyens de transport à grande vitesse contemporains - on considérera surtout le TGV - répondent aujourd'hui aux structures temporelles de la société. On s'appuiera pour cela sur la distinction de différentes constructions collectives du temps, des temps sociaux."br /"La première partie s'attachera à décrire comment le capitalisme industriel a généré un temps industriel compatible avec la conception du travail qu'il implique. On verra que ce modèle évolue mais conserve une forte pertinence au regard de certains aspects importants des structures socio-économiques contemporaines. Pourtant, cette permanence ne semble pas en mesure de rendre compte de la totalité des évolutions actuelles."br /"La seconde partie illustrera comment les comportements de déplacement à grande vitesse - on se limitera aux déplacements à motif professionnel - révèlent ainsi un certain nombre de ruptures fondamentales avec le modèle du temps industriel."br /"En troisième partie, le modèle du temps fragmenté qui viendrait peu à peu se surimposer au premier, sera alors proposé."br /"Enfin, à travers les figures de la grande vitesse comme opportunité et de la grande vitesse comme nécessité, la dernière partie présentera une lecture duale, adaptée à la double structure temporelle qui prévaudrait aujourd'hui, des modalités de gestion de la distance à travers les moyens de transport rapides.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Participatory transport planning the experience of eight european metropolitan regions

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 16:31:04 +0200

This chapter presents experience with participatory transport planning in eight European metropolitan regions: Ljubljana, Oslo, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Budapest, Rome, Porto and Barcelona. These metropolitan regions answered the questionnaire on strengths, weaknesses and needs and an in-depth questionnaire on participatory transport planning. The results were presented at a workshop, where representatives from these eight metropolitan regions shared their experience in two workshop sessions, one dealing with the key stakeholders in participatory transport planning and the other dealing with ways to get them involved. The findings show that stakeholder involvement differs between the local and regional levels. Participants engagement is greater at the local level, where measures are more concrete and less abstract. The participatory planning process takes longer than the traditional planning processes, but it can ease the implementation of the project/measure to the extent that it justifies the additional resources and time. It is of crucial importance to include all the relevant stakeholders, to provide an experienced facilitator and, above all, to include the results in the final plans and policies. Although there are differences in the participatory planning culture between the countries and regions involved, the use of participatory methods in transport planning is becoming increasingly important.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Expertise in Aviation

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 16:23:22 +0200

This chapter makes the distinction between the experience of aviation professionals, often quantified in terms of hours of flight time, or flight qualifications, and expertise, as revealed by high proficiency at aviation tasks. Very high proficiency defines the expert. Challenge results because of the difficulty in measuring such proficiency, particularly beyond the student pilot level, and in air traffic control. The chapter also reviews the literature that examines the relation between experience, differences in cognitive ability, and the expertise of aviation professionals as pertains to controlling the aircraft, navigating, and communicating, as well as pertains to non-technical skills manifest by both pilots and air traffic controllers: situation awareness, decision making, task management and crew resource management. It is concluded that experience is only loosely coupled with proficiency in these areas.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

China's High-Speed Rail Development

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 16:22:29 +0200

Over the past decade, China has built 25,000 km of dedicated high-speed railwaymore than the rest of the world combined. What can we learn from this remarkable experience? Chinas High-Speed Rail Development examines the Chinese experience to draw lessons for countries considering investing in high-speed rail. The report scrutinizes the planning and delivery mechanisms that enabled the rapid construction of the high-speed rail system. It highlights the role of long-term planning, consistent plan execution, and a joint venture structure that ensures active participation of provincial and local governments in project planning and financing. Traffic on Chinas high-speed trains has grown to 1.7 billion passengers a year. The study examines the characteristics of the markets for which high-speed rail is competitive in China. It discusses the pricing and service design considerations that go into making high-speed rail services competitive with other modes and factors such as good urban connectivity that make the service attractive to customers. One of the most remarkable aspects of the Chinese experience is the rapid pace of high-quality construction. The report looks at the role of strong capacity development within and cooperation among China Railway Corporation, rail manufacturers, universities, research institutions, laboratories, and engineering centers that allowed for rapid technological advancement and localization of technology. It describes the project delivery structures and incentives for delivering quality and timely results. Finally, the report analyzes the financial and economic sustainability of the investment in high-speed rail. It finds that a developing country can price high-speed rail services affordably and still achieve financial viability, but this requires very high passenger density. Economic viability similarly depends on high passenger density.

Document type: Book

Scenarios: Leapfrog, Lock-in, and Lopsided

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 16:21:05 +0200

This paper presents the details of three scenarios -- leapfrog, lock-in, and lopsided -- that describe an illustrative set of technological states. Based largely on expert interviews, the paper argues that the technology outcomes are heavily attributable to the actions (or in some cases, inaction) of policy makers and incumbents. For each scenario, the paper presents descriptive levels of technology achievement and market outcomes for the energy, transport, and water sectors. One of the central differentiating features of the three scenarios is the extent to which governments perform their roles as enabling, that is, whether the policies are designed to help or hinder innovations that improve service levels, and distributive, that is, whether the policies are designed to ensure that multiple segments of society reap the rewards of innovation. A question raised as part of that theme is how countries can avoid lock-in, or how they might become derailed into a lopsided scenario. Some institutional behavioral markers of the scenarios were identified in these discussions and are noted in the paper. It is important to recognize that multiple combinations of these behaviors can lead to a lock-in or lopsided scenario. In addition to describing the scenarios in detail, the paper discusses the rationale for their creation, along with a brief discussion on the nature of uncertainty. The paper also describes the methodology employed in the creation of the scenarios, including expert interview methods and a day-long workshop.

Document type: Book

Data gaps data incomparability and data imputation a review of poverty measurement methods for data scarce environments

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 16:02:49 +0200

This paper reviews methods that have been employed to estimate poverty in contexts where household consumption data are unavailable or missing. These contexts range from completely missing and partially missing consumption data in cross-sectional household surveys, to missing panel household data. The paper focuses on methods that aim to compare trends and dynamic patterns of poverty outcomes over time. It presents the various methods under a common framework, with pedagogical discussion on the intuition. Empirical illustrations are provided using several rounds of household survey data from Vietnam. Furthermore, the paper provides a practical guide with detailed instructions on computer programs that can be used to implement the reviewed techniques.

Document type: Book

Flexible computational pipelines for robust abstraction based control synthesis

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 15:55:00 +0200

Successfully synthesizing controllers for complex dynamical systems and specifications often requires leveraging domain knowledge as well as making difficult computational or mathematical tradeoffs. This paper presents a flexible and extensible framework for constructing robust control synthesis algorithms and applies this to the traditional abstraction-based control synthesis pipeline. It is grounded in the theory of relational interfaces and provides a principled methodology to seamlessly combine different techniques (such as dynamic precision grids, refining abstractions while synthesizing, or decomposed control predecessors) or create custom procedures to exploit an application's intrinsic structural properties. A Dubins vehicle is used as a motivating example to showcase memory and runtime improvements.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Discriminatory Laws Against Women: A Survey of the Literature

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 15:49:24 +0200

This paper reviews the empirical literature on the existence and impact of gender discriminatory laws on women's outcomes across various domains (categories) that constitute the Women in Business and the Law measure of gender inequality. The evidence to date suggests that there are significant negative consequences of legal gender discrimination on women's outcomes. However, there is considerable variation in the depth of the literature across different domains. In addition, a significant share of the evidence for certain domains is drawn from developed countries, which raises questions about its relevance for developing countries. The literature also highlights some potential unintended consequences of well-intended policy interventions to address legal gender discrimination in certain domains. The paper concludes with a discussion of the various theories relating women's legal rights to their outcomes.

Document type: Book

Exploring accessibility to employment opportunities in african cities a first benchmark

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 15:21:19 +0200

This paper presents an analysis of transit accessibility to employment for 11 African cities. The use of identical methodologies and similar data sets allows for the creation of the first benchmark to compare accessibility across urban areas in Africa through different metrics and visuals. The study shows how the spatial pattern of land use and transport systems perform in connecting people to employment opportunities in these various settings. This first comparable benchmark is achieved by overcoming two significant data hurdles that are common in many developing country cities and in Africa in particular: (i) the scarcity of information on the distribution of employment and (ii) the lack of information on transit routes and travel times. These data gaps are filled through a novel methodology to estimate the distribution of employment in urban areas (Employment Opportunity Areas) as well as a comprehensive mapping of informal transit networks. The analysis developed here can be replicated in different cities in the future. The computation of these baseline accessibility studies also opens up the possibility to assess the impacts of future transport investments and/or land use changes, through the use of counterfactual scenarios, which could assist decision makers in these cities. Finally, this analysis can serve as a demonstration that the computation of accessibility metrics is achievable, including in data scarce environments, and should be considered as a progress indicator for Sustainable Development Goal 11.2, which focuses on safe and affordable transport for all, including public transport.

Document type: Book

A new inspection robot for pipelines with bends and junctions

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 15:20:24 +0200

International audience; The application of robots for the inspection of pipelines are of greater significance in industries such as nuclear, chemical and sewage. The major problem in the design of these robots lies in the selection of a suitable locomotion principle, selection of an articulation unit that facilitates the robot to pass through pipe bends and management of cables. In this context, the design of a new bio-inspired piping inspection robot that resembles an elephant trunk has been presented. With the help of leg mechanisms and actuators, a caterpillar locomotion is used within this trunk for establishing adaptive contact points with the walls of pipeline. For the passage through bends and junctions, several case studies of existing researches have been taken into account for the design of an articulation unit. Two solutions, (i) a passive tensegrity structure and (ii) an active tensegrity structure have been proposed for the robot to pass through pipe bends and junctions. A detailed design analysis of the passive solution that uses a universal joint has been presented in this article.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Energy-Saving Technologies in Design and Construction of Residential Buildings and Industrial Facilities in the Far North

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 15:14:49 +0200

The article discusses the main problems of energy saving and special features of design, construction and operation of residential buildings and industrial structures in extreme climatic conditions of the Northern territories. The impact of permafrost, seasonal thawing of soils and low bearing capacity of thawed soils on the choice of ways of arrangement of cities and pipelines in the Northern regions of Russia have been analyzed. There have been assessed the effect of climate change and the associated natural and man-made risks in the Far North on the development of a system of measures to ensure the reliability of energy facilities and options for emergency response. The solutions allowing to increase energy-saving capabilities of buildings and to reduce expenditures at their operation have been designated. Necessity of using non-traditional and renewable energy sources has been considered.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Symmetry and affinity:Comparing borders and border-making processes in Africa

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 15:09:22 +0200

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

How to do it right a framework for biometrics supported border control

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 15:08:09 +0200

Complying with the European Union (EU) perspective on human rights goes or should go together with handling ethical, social and legal challenges arising due to the use of biometrics technology as border control technology. While there is no doubt that the biometrics technology at European borders is a valuable element of border control systems, these technologies lead to issues of fundamental rights and personal privacy, among others. This paper discusses various ethical, social and legal challenges arising due to the use of biometrics technology in border control. First, a set of specific challenges and values affected were identified and then, generic considerations related to mitigation of these issues within a framework is provided. The framework is expected to meet the emergent need for supplying interoperability among multiple information systems used for border control. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37545-4_7

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Electrification and Women's Empowerment: Evidence from Rural India

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:58:50 +0200

Electrification has been shown to accelerate opportunities for women by moving them into more productive activities, but whether improvements in economic outcomes also change gender norms and practices within the household remains unclear. This paper investigates the causal link between electricity access and women's empowerment, using a large gender-disaggregated data set on India. Empowerment is measured by women's decision-making ability, mobility, financial autonomy, reproductive freedom, and social participation. Using propensity score matching, the study finds that electrification enhances all measures of women's empowerment and is associated with an 11-percentage point increase in the overall empowerment index. Employment and education are identified as the two most important causal channels through which electrification enables empowerment.

Document type: Book

Understanding the Economic Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Policies on Shipping : What Is the State of the Art of Current Modeling Approaches?

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:57:33 +0200

The International Maritime Organization's initial strategy on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships stipulates that the international shipping sector should assess the impacts on states prior to adoption of the mitigation measures included in the strategy. This assessment should be undertaken as a matter of urgency, and disproportionately negative impacts should be assessed and addressed as appropriate. This paper aims to contribute to this discussion by reviewing the state-of-the-art research on the economic impacts of greenhouse gas mitigation measures on states, using model-based analysis. Specifically, the paper: (i) identifies four areas of economic impacts and their relationships, (ii) compiles the latest findings on the estimated magnitudes of these impacts, and (iii) presents relevant modeling approaches along with best practices for selecting and applying these approaches in impact assessments. The paper concludes that introducing greenhouse gas mitigation measures, such as carbon prices applied to bunker fuels in the range of 10 to 50 USD/ton of carbon dioxide, might increase maritime transport costs by 0.4 percent to 16 percent. However, this would only marginally increase the import prices of goods (by less than 1 percent). For transport choices, the increased cost of maritime transport induced by greenhouse gas mitigation measures might only slightly reduce the share of maritime transport, by 0.16 percent globally. Furthermore, a global carbon tax applied to all transport modes might stimulate a shift toward maritime transport from all other modes. The impacts of a carbon price in the range of 10 to 90 USD/ton of carbon dioxide on national economies are expected to be modest (-0.002 percent to -1 percent of GDP).

Document type: Book

Design, Development and Initial Validation of a Wearable Particulate Matter Monitoring Solution

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:56:10 +0200

Air pollution in one of the main problems that big cities have nowadays. Traffic congestion, heaters, industrial activities, among others produce large quantities of Particulate Matter (PM) that have harmful effects on citizens health. This paper presents the design, development and initial validation of a wearable device for the detection of PM concentration, with communication capacity via WiFi and Bluetooth Low Energy and an end user interface. The results are promising due to the high accuracy of measurements collected by the developed device. This solution is a step forward in empowering citizens to prevent being exposed to high levels of air pollution and is the beginning of what could be a macro-network of air quality sensors within a Smart City.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

The Four Step Model

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:55:07 +0200

The history of demand modeling for person travel has been dominated by the modeling approach that has come to be referred to as the four step model (FSM) (see Chapter 2). Travel, always viewed in theory as derived from the demand for activity participation, in practice has been modeled with trip-based rather than activity-based methods (as presented in Chapter 4). Trip origin-destination (O-D) rather than activity surveys form the principle database. The influence of activity characteristics decreases, and that of trip characteristics increases, as the conventional forecasting sequence proceeds. The application of this modeling approach is near universal, as in large measure are its criticisms (these inadequacies are well documented, e.g., by McNally and Recker (1986)). The current FSM might best be viewed in two stages. In the first stage, various characteristics of the traveler and the land use - activity system (and to a varying degree, the transportation system) are "evaluated, calibrated, and validated" to produce a non-equilibrated measure of travel demand (or trip tables). In the second stage, this demand is loaded onto the transportation network in a process than amounts to formal equilibration of route choice only, not of other choice dimensions such as destination, mode, time-of-day, or whether to travel at all (feedback to prior stages has often been introduced, but not in a consistent and convergent manner). Although this approach has been moderately successful in the aggregate, it has failed to perform in most relevant policy tests, whether on the demand or supply side. This chapter extends the material in Chapter 2 by providing a concise overview of the mechanics of the FSM, illustrated with a hypothetical case study. The discussion in this chapter, however, will focus on U.S. modeling practice. Transportation modeling developed as a component of the process of transportation analysis that came to be established in the U.S.A. during the era of post-war development and economic growth. Initial application of analytical methods began in the 1950s. The landmark study of Mitchell and Rapkin (1954) not only established the link of travel and activities (or land use) but called for a comprehensive framework and inquiries into travel behavior. The initial development of models of trip generation, distribution, and diversion in the early 1950s lead to the first comprehensive application of the four-step model system in the Chicago Area Transportation Study (see Weiner, 1997) with the model sandwiched by land use projection and economic evaluation. The focus was decidedly highway-oriented with new facilities being evaluated versus traffic engineering improvements. The 1960s brought federal legislation requiring "continuous, comprehensive, and cooperative" urban transportation planning, fully institutionalizing the FSM. Further legislation in the 1970s brought environmental concerns to planning and modeling, as well as the need for multimodal planning. It was recognized that the existing model system may not be appropriate for application to emerging policy concerns and, in what might be referred to as the "first travel model improvement program", a call for improved models led to research and the development of disaggregate travel demand forecasting and equilibrium assignment methods that integrated well with the FSM and have greatly directed modeling approaches for most of the last 30 years. The late 1970s brought "quick response" approaches to travel forecasting (Sosslau et al., 1978; Martin and McGuckin, 1998) and independently the start of what has grown to become the activity-based approach (see Chapter 4). The growing recognition of the misfit of the FSM and relevant policy questions in the 1980s led to the (second, but formal) Travel Model Improvement Program in 1991; much of the subsequent period has been directed at improving the state-of-thepractice relative to the conventional model while fostering research and development in new methodologies to further the state-of-the-art (see Chapter 4). The FSM is best seen as a particular application of transportation systems analysis (TSA), a framework due to Manheim (1979) and Florian et al. (1988), which positions the model well to view its strengths and weaknesses. A brief presentation of this TSA framework introduces the FSM context and leads to a discussion of problem and study area definition, model application, and data requirements. The models that are perhaps most commonly utilized in the FSM are then presented in the form of a sample application.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

A Workflow Perspective in Aviation

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:51:08 +0200

During the last three decades, aircraft cockpits have been highly automated and incrementally digitized to the point that we now talk about interactive cockpits, not because pilots interact with the mechanical part of the aircraft directly, but because they use a pointing device to interact with computer screens. More generally, computers invaded the airspace ranging from onboard aircraft to air traffic control (ATC) ground services. In terms of workflow, the elimination of the flight-engineer onboard commercial aircraft cockpits drastically transformed the way pilots flythis was done in the beginning of the 1980s. Pilots activity shifted from manual control to cognitive management of embedded systems (performing some of the tasks the flight engineer used to do). Aircraft automation considerably improved commercial aviation safety. Today, main issues come from the exponential increase of the number of aircraft in the sky. Air traffic complexity imposes drastic reengineering of air traffic workflow. ATC is shifting towards air traffic management (ATM). Same thing: moving from control to management, expanding cockpits single agent problems and solutions to air traffic multi-agent problems and solutions. The main emphasis is therefore social cognition. During the twentieth century, we automated physical systemswe now talk about cyber-physical systems (i.e., we shifted from hardware mechanical engineering issues to software cognitive problems). During the beginning of the twenty-first century, almost all systems are first ideated and designed as pieces of software, and they are transformed into tangible things. Consequently, workflow can be modeled and simulated very early during the design process and, unlike during the twentieth century, functions and therefore activities can be tested before anything is physically built. This provides great possibilities that should be operationalized and implemented. This chapter will show that the main issue has become tangibility, instead of automation. At the same time, these new possibilities provided by our emerging digital world enable a brand-new move towards more autonomous systems that need to be coordinated. We will illustrate this shift from automation towards autonomy, by providing salient examples and generic patterns of this evolution of workflow in the aviation domain.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Location, Location, Location Revisited: Evidence from Antananarivo, Madagascar

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:44:58 +0200

Understanding how land prices are determined is of particular importance for policy makers; however, there is little evidence in African countries, which are currently experiencing rapid urbanization. The paper examines the relationship between land prices and locational characteristics using data from Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. It is found that the land value gradients are relatively steep, indicating that the land and housing prices tend to overshoot in the middle of the city, pushing the poor away from the city to suburban areas. It is also found that access to transport infrastructure and services, such as minibuses, is an important determinant of land value. Not only transport connectivity, but also other factors, such as proximity to amenities and administrative centers, are found to be important. Better land management and urban transport policies are called for to promote these aspects in the city.

Document type: Book

The Role of Interactive Super-Computing in Using HPC for Urgent Decision Making

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:35:55 +0200

Technological advances are creating exciting new opportunities that have the potential to move HPC well beyond traditional computational workloads. In this paper we focus on the potential for HPC to be instrumental in responding to disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, extreme flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, winter weather conditions, and accidents. Driven by the VESTEC EU funded H2020 project, our research looks to prove HPC as a tool not only capable of simulating disasters once they have happened, but also one which is able to operate in a responsive mode, supporting disaster response teams making urgent decisions in real-time. Whilst this has the potential to revolutionise disaster response, it requires the ability to drive HPC interactively, both from the user's perspective and also based upon the arrival of data. As such interactivity is a critical component in enabling HPC to be exploited in the role of supporting disaster response teams so that urgent decision makers can make the correct decision first time, every time.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Digital Availability of Product Information for Collaborative Engineering of Spacecraft

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:32:01 +0200

In this paper, we introduce a system to collect product information from manufacturers and make it available in tools that are used for concurrent design of spacecraft. The planning of a spacecraft needs experts from different disciplines, like propulsion, power, and thermal. Since these different disciplines rely on each other there is a high need for communication between them, which is often realized by a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) process and corresponding tools. We show by comparison that the product information provided by manufacturers often does not match the information needed by MBSE tools on a syntactic or semantic level. The information from manufacturers is also currently not available in machine-readable formats. Afterwards, we present a prototype of a system that makes product information from manufacturers directly available in MBSE tools, in a machine-readable way.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Urban form and productivity what is the shape of latin american cities

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:14:52 +0200

This paper examines the linkages between urban form and city productivity, using alternative metrics for urban form and applying them to a comprehensive sample of Latin American cities. Although most of the literature has concentrated on the effects of population density (compact versus sprawling urban development), this paper seeks to assess whether different dimensions of a city's urban form, such as shape, structure, and land-use, affect its economic performance. The paper finds that the shape of the urban extent, the inner-city connectedness, and fullness have a statistically significant influence on the productivity level of the city.

Document type: Book

A qos based flow assignment for traffic engineering in software defined networks

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:10:59 +0200

In order to meet a tremendous amount of data storage requirement in next-generation wireless networks, an increasing number of cloud data centers has been deployed around the world. The underlying core networks are expected to provide the ability to store data in a dynamic and scalable computing environment. The traditional Internet Protocol (IP) has shown to be restricted due to its static architecture, which accordingly motivates the development of Software-Defined Networks (SDNs). In the SDNs, Traffic Engineering (TE) is simpler and programmable with a controller without the requirement of reconfiguration for all network devices. However, the existing TE algorithm of the SDNs rejects a number of requested flows caused by their undetermined routing paths where only flow bandwidth is considered in path determination. This paper proposes a Quality-of-Service (QoS) based Flow Assignment algorithm which enables the computation of end-to-end path for traffic flows guaranteeing the QoS requirements including bandwidth, end-to-end delay and packet loss probability. Through the Open Source Hybrid IP/SDNs platform, the proposed algorithm is validated and shown to significantly reduce flow rejection rate of up to 50% compared to the conventional approach, and therefore can be used to implement an effective DiffServ mechanism for flow allocation in the SDNs.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Job accessibility and urban transport connectivity evidence from antananarivo madagascar

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:58:40 +0200

In recent years, there has been renewed interest in access to jobs in relation to transport connectivity. In Sub-Saharan Africa, about 14 million working age people are added to the labor market every year. Ensuring sustained access to jobs seems to be a prerequisite for inclusive and robust economic growth. The paper examines the impact of public transit connectivity on access to jobs, especially focusing on wages. Using data from Antananarivo, Madagascar, it is shown that the wages earned by commuters are systematically higher than the wages earned by those who decided not to commute and are self-employed or engaged with family businesses around their neighborhood. Proximity to public transport, especially taxi-be, is important to promote people's access to jobs. It is also found that there is a substantial gender inequality in wages in the country: Women are more likely to use buses to commute, and yet, they earn less than men. In addition, the poor tend to benefit less from public transportation. Public bus services are affordable, however, the quality of the services may remain low.

Document type: Book

Regional development overview challenges adopted strategies and new initiatives

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:57:03 +0200

Despite the increasing attention in recent years to the spatial dimensions of economic development, consideration of the importance of space and the recognition that macro, aspatial perspectives can prove to be misleading are not new. Around the world, much of the disappointment with the outcomes from spatial interventions may be traced to a lack of understanding of how regional economies work. This paper reviews the challenges that the consideration of regions brings into economic analysis. This work provides an overview of some of the key methods and tools that can be used to gain a better understanding of how regional economies work. The review aims to guide practitioners and analysts in the use of tools for regional economic analysis and inform discussion of the challenges regions face and the opportunities on which they can build.

Document type: Book

Machine Learning and Text Analysis in an Artificial Intelligent System for the Training of Air Traffic Controllers

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:54:50 +0200

This chapter presents the application of new information technology in education for the training of air traffic controllers (ATCs). Machine learning, multi-criteria decision analysis, and text analysis as the methods of artificial intelligence for ATCs training have been described. The authors have made an analysis of the International Civil Aviation Organization documents for modern principles of ATCs education. The prototype of the neural network for evaluating the timeliness and correctness of the decision making by ATCs has been developed. The new theoretical and practical tasks for simulation and pre-simulation training have been obtained using expert judgment method. The methodology for sentiment analyzing the airline customers' opinions has been proposed. In addition, the examples of artificial intelligence systems and expert systems by the authors, students and colleagues from National Aviation University, Ukraine and Gdansk University of Technology, Poland have been proposed.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Exports to Jobs : Boosting the Gains from Trade in South Asia

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:51:35 +0200

South Asias economy has grown rapidly, and the region has made a significant reduction in poverty. However, the available jobs for the growing working population remain limited. Policy makers are contending with lingering concerns about jobless growth and poor job quality. Exports to Jobs: Boosting the Gains from Trade in South Asia posits that exports, could bring higher wages and better jobs to South Asia. We use a new methodology to estimate the potential impact from higher South Asian exports per worker on wages and employment. We find that increasing exports per worker would result in higher wages, mostly for the better-off groupslike the better-educated workers, men, and the more-experienced workersalthough the less-skilled and rural workers would benefit from new job opportunities outside of the informal sector. Our report shows that to spread the benefits from higher exports widely, policies are needed to raise skills and get certain groups, such as women and youth, into more and better jobs. Complementary measures include removing trade barriers and investing in infrastructure, and increasing the ability of workers to find higher-paying jobs. Together, these actions would help South Asian countries spread the gains from being closely integrated into the global economy through exporting. This book, which is the product of a partnership between the International Labour Organization and the World Bank, contributes to our understanding of the impact that growing exports can have on increasing well-being, and it bridges the gap between academic research and policy making.

Document type: Book

Flying safely by bilevel programming

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 12:58:18 +0200

International audience; Preventing aircraft from getting too close to each other is an essential element of safety of the air transportation industry, which becomes ever more important as the air traffic increases. The problem consists in enforcing a minimum distance threshold between flying aircraft, which naturally results in a bilevel formulation with a lower-level subproblem for each pair of aircraft. We propose two single-level reformulations, present a cut generation algorithm which directly solves the bilevel formulation and discuss comparative computational results.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Lifelines : The Resilient Infrastructure Opportunity

Scipedia content — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 12:54:47 +0200

From serving our most basic needs to enabling our most ambitious ventures in trade and technology, infrastructure services are essential for raising and maintaining peoples quality of life. Yet millions of people, especially in low- and middle-income countries, are facing the consequences of unreliable electricity grids, inadequate water and sanitation systems, and overstrained transport networks. Natural hazards magnify the challenges faced by these fragile systems. Building on a wide range of case studies, global empirical analyses, and modeling exercises, Lifelines lays out a framework for understanding infrastructure resiliencethe ability of infrastructure systems to function and meet users needs during and after a natural shockand it makes an economic case for building more resilient infrastructure. Lifelines concludes by identifying five obstacles to resilient infrastructure and offering concrete recommendations and specific actions that can be taken by governments, stakeholders, and the international community to improve the quality and resilience of these essential services, and thereby contribute to more resilient and prosperous societies.

Document type: Book

Introduction to transit oriented development and sustainable cities economics community and methods

Scipedia content — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 09:58:33 +0200

This chapter opens the volume on transit oriented development (TOD) and sustainable cities: economics, community and methods, which provides new dimensions and a contemporary focus on sustainable transport, urban development and regeneration across a wide range of countries and levels of development. This chapter introduces TOD and identifies links between transport investment, TOD and sustainability in a historical and contemporary context. The chapter also outlines the bookâ€™s contents.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Politics and Power in Marine Spatial Planning

Scipedia content — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 09:52:24 +0200

There is growing concern that MSP is not facilitating a paradigm shift towards democratic marine management and that it may simply repackage old power dynamics in the rhetoric of participation. MSP has been advanced using the logic of 'rationality' and 'post-political' forms of planning that emphasise consensus and managerial-technological apparatuses for the governance of socio-political natural spaces. MSP has been described as the rational organization of the use of marine space. Rationality is, however, context dependent and the context of rationality is power. MSP processes are, therefore, arenas where specific and multiple instances of power manifests itself. MSP is also an inherently political (sensu Mouffee, 2005) process. Rather than acknowledging debate and dissensus, MSP is advanced as a neutral, participatory process that can develop win-win outcomes. The result is a choreographed form of governance and participation, with clearly defined roles, processes and acceptable outcomes, which renders invisible the politics of disagreement and legitimises the agendas of dominant actors. This chapter argues that to recapture its democratising potential, MSP requires explicit engagement with power and politics.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Education and training for maritime spatial planners

Scipedia content — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 09:44:49 +0200

The practice of Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) has developed substantially during the last decade, calling for more qualified professionals. Education, training, and growth capacity for MSP, however, are (still) some of the less addressed themes in MSP forums and specific learning materials, such as textbooks and practice manuals. Some teaching initiatives have nevertheless arisen at the postgraduate level for training new and specialised practitioners in the MSP field. A quick overview of such initiatives will help answer some questions concerning the path to follow for MSP education and training. This chapter presents an exploratory diagnosis based on a discussion of the basic skills needed to achieve successful professional practice. What skills are expected from a maritime spatial planner? Is a specific background required to become a maritime spatial planner? How should such professionals be trained? These questions are discussed using the visions and insights of consultants, maritime sectors, policymakers, scientists, and teachers of MSP, with experience in countries where MSP processes are already in place.

Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Implementation of a Wireless Sensor Network for Electric Light Bulb Management Using IPv6

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:32:40 +0200

In this study the results of the implementation of the wireless sensor network prototype, to manage the luminaires in homes are presented, using Iris sensors nodes, designed to work with battery for long periods of time and with limited processing capabilities. The nodes use 6LoWPAN addresses. The address conversion to IPv6 is done by a gateway. The luminaires are managed using devices connected to IPv6 network, with Android operating system. The correct functioning of the prototype is demonstrated by validating the functionalities of the management system implemented.

Fruit Quality and Post-Harvest Losses of Organic Bananas (Musa acuminata) in Ecuador

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:32:32 +0200

Ecuador is the world's first banana exporter with more than 317 million boxes per year, and contributes 26 % of agricultural GDP, generating around 2.5 million direct and indirect jobs. Ecuador produces 19 000 ha and exports 36 000 t organic bananas. Postharvest losses fluctuate between 10 and 80 %, caused by inadequate postharvest and crop management. The present study aims to determine the physical and chemical quality of organic fruit and quantify post-harvest losses. The research was carried out in the organic banana plantation located in the province of Los Ríos (Ecuador). A completely randomized block design (DBCA) was used in a 7 x 2 factorial arrangement. The factors were: 1) harvest time (February-August), and 2) quality of export fruit (1st and 2nd) with 3 repetitions. The variables studied were based on 20 clusters. From the results obtained, it follows that the physical and chemical quality of the fruit is influenced by the harvest season, since they grew and developed in different environmental conditions. In general, 82 % of the production is destined for export, since it meets the quality standards.

In Vitro Organic Control Alternatives for Dactylonectria torresensis in Blackberry (Rubus glaucus) in Ecuador

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:31:39 +0200

The following research evaluated, at laboratory level, the efficiency of fungicides of organic origin against chemical fungicides of conventional use in the control of the growth of Dactylonectria torresensis, considered a pathogen of economic importance that affects the blackberry (Rubus glaucus) in Ecuador. The objective of the study was to find natural, environmentally friendly alternatives that allow obtaining clean food for the population. For this purpose, the efficiency of conventional chemical synthesis fungicides was evaluated: Azoxystrobin, Benomil, Carbendazim, Difeconazole, Fosetyl Aluminum, Tachigaren, Propiconazole, Penconazole, Metalaxil and Thiabendazole each in doses of 100, 10 and 1 ppm, compared to the efficiency of organic synthesis fungicides: neem oil, mirtaceous extract, garlic extract, pentahydrate cupric sulfate, thyme extract, applied in doses of 100, 200, and 300 ppm. It was found that the mirtaceous extract controlled 100 % of the mycelial growth of Dactylonectria torresensis, with results similar to those obtained with Carbendazim and Azoxystrobin, it is concluded that if there is an alternative for the control of the fungus, which could be used commercially by decreasing in this way the use and harmful effects of conventional agrochemicals.

Evaluation of a wireless Broadband Network for VoIP in Huaytará

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:31:13 +0200

It consists of designing and evaluating the performance of a wireless broadband network in the province of Huaytará, for internet connectivity. It is an applied and experimental investigation where the performance parameters of the network were evaluated. The dependent variable is the capacity of the Wlan cell and the QoS parameters; and as independent variables the coverage and density of the Wlan network. It can be said that for radios up to 8 meters, the experimental client's data rate is higher than the control client's data rate, and for radios greater than 15 meters, the experimental and control client's data rates are no different. As for the QoS parameters, they are favorable for multimedia applications. The network implemented with TDM-E1 / Ethernet and IEEE 802.11n technology, has a maximum capacity per cell of 32.5 Mbps in the 2.4G band and 65 Mbps in the 5.8G band, considering minimum operating parameters of the wireless devices. Users have a 15.2 Mbps field data rate for a maximum radius of 8 meters with up to 7 wireless users connected in the cell, at 2.4 Ghz.

Effect of the filling percentage on tensile strength in 3D desktop printing for different printing patterns, using a randomized design of experiments

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:31:03 +0200

The evaluation of the tensile strength of printed parts by means of fused deposition modeling (FDM) or fused filament fabrication (FFF) is essential, since parts whose resistance does not differ significantly depending on the percentage of filling used can be obtained, optimizing the use of the material. The present work details the analysis of polylactic acid (PLA) specimens manufactured according to ASTM D 638 with different percentages for the most commonly used filling patterns (Honeycomb, Octagram, Stars, Archimedean, Hilbert and Triangles). With the help of an analysis of variance and a design of experiments with a single factor, the appropriate percentages for printing parts according to the desired filling pattern are obtained.

Facial recognition techniques using SVM: A comparative analysis

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:30:46 +0200

This paper presents a literary review of facial recognition in 2D, which plays an important role in the life of the human being in terms of safety, work activity, etc. The focus is on the results obtained by some researchers with the application of feature extraction techniques, pattern classifiers, databases and their respective percentage of efficiency obtained. The objective is to determine efficient techniques that allow an optimal 2D facial recognition process, based on the quality of databases, feature extractors and pattern classifiers.

Parametric Analysis of BFOA for Minimization Problems Using a Benchmark Function

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:30:29 +0200

This paper presents the social foraging behavior of Escherichia coli (E. Coli) bacteria based on Bacteria Foraging Optimization algorithms (BFOA) to find optimization and distributed control values. The search strategy for E. coli is very complex to express and the dynamics of the simulated chemotaxis stage in BFOA is analyzed with the help of a simple mathematical model. The methodology starts from a detailed analysis of the parameters of bacterial swimming and tumbling (C) and the probability of elimination and dispersion (Ped), then an adaptive variant of BFOA is proposed, in which the size of the chemotherapeutic step is adjusted according to the current suitability of a virtual bacterium. To evaluate the performance of the algorithm in obtaining optimal values, the resolution was applied to one of the benchmark functions, in this case the Ackley minimization function, a comparative analysis of the BFOA is then performed. The simulation results have shown the validity of the optimal values (minimum or maximum) obtained on a specific function for real world problems, with a function belonging to the benchmark group of optimization functions.

Time and yield on the sawing process of Eucalyptus globulus Labill, with circular and band saw

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:30:21 +0200

In order to determine the times and performance in the transformation process of round wood to squared wood of Eucalyptus globulus, a research was carried using circular saw (sawmill A) and circular saw more band saw (sawmill B). The sizes of the samples were 210 and 205 logs. To know the conversion time of the logs, the return-to-zero method was used and in the yield the sawn volume was related to the roll volume of the logs. The result indicate a significant behavior, whose times when processing 1.000 pt (2.36 m 3) are of 112.73 with circular saw and 167.36 minutes by means of the circular saw system plus the band saw. With yields of 27.74% in the sawmill A and 48.84% in the sawmill B, means that for each cubic meter of round wood (m3. r) processed, 117 pt and 207 st of sawn wood were obtained respectively. Finally, in the sawmill A, as the diameter of the logs increases, the yield and productivity increase. However, in the sawmill B, the yield diminishes and the productivity showed a variable behavior, due to the different number of logs evaluated by diameter class in each factory.

Thermal Analysis of heat sink with Heat Pipes for High Performance Processors

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:30:13 +0200

The objective of this document is to propose the thermal analysis of a heat dissipating device by using heat pipes containing different fluids, which are water, refrigerant R134a and methanol for the evaluation of these devices under certain design characteristics, due to the fact that at present the processors have a higher energy consumption and greater processing capacities, which causes a significant elevation of the temperature before demanding workloads. Through the use of the ANSYS simulation software, the thermal study of the device was carried out; in addition, the temperature gradient generated in it when in contact with a hot surface, which is going to be a high performance processor, demonstrating that stable temperatures can be obtained through the use of heat pipes at demanding workloads, ensuring correct operation and cooling of the processor.

Using SVG to develop web maps for people with visual disabilities

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:30:03 +0200

This paper addresses the problem of accessibility in geographical web maps. A person with disability cannot use, nowadays, a web map with the same functionality as other users do. This problem signifies a huge gap in universal usability, since a wide range of people are left out. This contravenes clearly the principles of the Web, which was created to be of the benefit of anyone in any circumstances. Some software projects have tackled this issue by providing an additional version of the program or just by not dealing with it at all. Our stance is to take a step further and integrate completely the accessibility within the user experience. Everything needed to use the web map –with or without disabilities– is deployed on the same view every user interacts with. This means that an accessible web map has been successfully developed, allowing users with disabilities to explore and navigate not in the same way, but with the same results which others benefit from. This solution opens a discussion about good ways of achieving accessibility, the implications of the current state of art in actual software development and the current awareness about this topic in the computer community.

Influence of the type of spark plug in the evaluation of the performance and emissions caused in an ignition engine

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:29:54 +0200

This research was made in Cuenca at 2500 meters above sea level (masl), and it studied the influence of the use of different types of spark plugs in a spark-ignition engine on the mechanical performance of the engine, the pollutant emissions, and fuel consumption. Six types of spark plugs that are available in the national market are made of different materials, have different thermal properties, and have different electrode openings. In addition, the mechanical performance of the engines and their fuel consumption were evaluated through dynamometer testing. Moreover, the polluting emissions were measured under the static test protocol established by the NTE INEN 2203 and with an 11 km route test in urban areas and on highway based on the New European Driving Cycle. The research showed that a specific spark plug increases 16 % of the engine performance due to not only some factors such as less pollution, better cold behavior, lower fuel consumption, but also maintains the torque and power of the vehicle. In addition, this spark plug generates savings on maintenance and annual fuel consumption.

Physical and chemical properties of cacao cultivars (Theobroma cacao L.) from Ecuador and Peru

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:29:45 +0200

The objective of this work was to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of the fine National flavor cocoa beans and CCN 51 from Ecuador, as well as, ICS 6 and CCN 51 from Peru for the production of quality chocolate. They were determined, cacao bean index (g), cacao bean testa percentage, cacao bean dimensions (mm), porosity (%), fermentation index (%), whiteness index, acidity (%), pH and proximate analysis (%), using AOAC methods and the usual ones for cacao quality. According to proximate analysis: the average crude protein content for Peruvian cacao bean was 78.8 % higher, the average crude fat content for Ecuador cacao bean was 10.1% higher, the crude fiber of ICS 6 cacao bean stands out among the other cocoa beans with 7.10 ± 0.28%, other components have a degree of similarity between the two countries, so both are suitable to be worked in the production of high quality chocolate, due to its chemical and sensory attributes, generating a quality and competitive product internationally, certifying interest from other latitudes drive the export process and economic benefit for each nation.

Natural scale inhibitor based on mucilage of the cayenne leaf (Hibiscus rosa sinensis)

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:29:37 +0200

Nowadays, mineral incrustations are one of the most frequent problems in the petroleum industry; they deteriorate the production systems, causing pressure losses and, consequently, the decrease of hydrocarbon production. Based on this problem, this research was conducted with the purpose of evaluate the efficiency of a natural scale inhibitor based on the leaf mucilage of the cayenne plant (Hibiscus rosa sinensis) in synthetic and production water samples. In order to do this, the physical-chemical characterization on the water samples was carried out, as well as the mucilage previously extracted from the plant. Subsequently, the natural inhibitor was formulated and characterized at three different concentrations (2, 4 and 6 % m /V) and the efficiency of the product was evaluated in both water samples, considering three (3) different doses (55, 100 and 500 ppm) following the guidelines of the NACE standard TM0347-2007, with the result that the inhibitor of 2 % m/V was the most efficient at its highest dose. In addition, the commercial inhibitor from Halliburton Company was used for comparative purposes in a statistical analysis that indicated the absence of a significant statistical difference between the product at 2 % m / V and the commercial inhibitor.

Enterprise Architecture, an enabler of change and knowledge management

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:29:28 +0200

Organizations around the world require a sound process of change management to innovate and remain competitive over time. Change and knowledge management needs to be supported with the right tools to overcome the challenges of transformations and transitions in the business models and processes of diverse organizations. Steering boards can use enterprise architecture (EA) to implement new knowledge management initiatives in their strategic planning. EA allows companies to model the current situation (as-is models) of the organization and the desired future scenarios (to-be models) and to establish road maps to enable adequate transformations. Different frameworks exist in the market that support the management of organizations, for example: Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT), Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), quality models such as the one proposed by the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) and systems such as the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) are widely used for the management of business and information technologies (IT). However, EA is not widely used with the other mentioned tools. This paper analyzes EA as a tool for change and knowledge management and compares its functionality with other frameworks in the market. The analysis performed in this paper checks if EA can be used and is compatible with other frameworks. To answer this question, an analysis of the most important processes, good practices, perspectives and tools provided by each framework was performed.

Automatic device to manufacture paraffin rings used in the Textile Industry

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:29:19 +0200

The work consists in the design and manufacture of an automatic device that allows to continuously elaborate paraffin rings used in the different processes of the Textile Industry. Paraffin is a byproduct of petroleum and is very useful in the Textile Industry, since it helps to reduce the friction between the threads and the different guides through which it passes, reducing the presence of exaggerated tensions that cause the breakage of the threads, defects in the tissues and the paralysis of machines and processes. The device, designed and validated in its mechanical structure by means of the use of a CAD program, consists of a rotating disc on which eight molds in the form of 54 cm3 capacity rings are located, automatically spaced and controlled to be filled with paraffin liquid continuously, guaranteeing the solidification and extraction of each ring in a synchronized manner as the disc rotates. The performance was validated observing that the results of the tests of dosage, time of filling, time of transfer, solidification time and extraction time of the solidified ring contributed to the productivity of this product.

Motion simulation of a hexapod robot in virtual reality environments

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:29:10 +0200

The aim of this work is the development of an animation of a hexapod robot in virtual reality environments through the use of Unity software. The movement of the robot is 18 degrees of freedom, which are based on servo motors that are controlled by the use of a microcontroller; It also shows the processes necessary to transfer the 3D design of the hexapod robot made in the use of CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to a virtual reality environment without losing the physical characteristics of the original design. Finally, the results obtained from the simulation of movement and responses of the hexapod robot to disturbances such as roughness of the floor, uneven ground and gravity among others are presented; allowing a correct evaluation to possible designs of robots before being elaborated.

A visual analytics architecture for the analysis and understanding of software systems

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:29:00 +0200

Visual analytics facilitates the creation of knowledge to interpret trends and relationships for better decision making. However, it has not being used widely for the understanding of software systems and the change process that takes place during their development and maintenance. This occurs despite the need of project managers and developers to analyze their systems to calculate the complexity, cohesion, direct, indirect and logical coupling, detect clones, defects and bad smells, and the comparison of individual revisions. This research considers the design of an extensible and scalable architecture to incorporate new and existing methods to retrieve source code from different versioning systems, to carry out the analysis of programs in different languages, to perform the calculation of software metrics and to present the results using visual representations, incorporated as Eclipse and Visual Studio extensions. Consequently, the aim of this work is to design a visual analytics architecture for the analysis and understanding of systems in different languages and its main contributions are the specification of the design and requirements of such architecture, taking as base the lessons learned in Maleku (A. González-Torres et al., 2016).

Topological analysis using the Finite Element Method of the chassis of a competition motorcycle

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:28:51 +0200

This model presents a technical application of topological optimization, applied through the study of the behavior of the frame of a brand competition motorcycle, Honda CRF 230 model, with the aim of reducing the weight of the original component without altering its mechanical properties, and obtain a higher performance of the engine, greater maneuverability for the pilot and the reduction of manufacturing costs. This method of analysis is used to obtain the percentages of the chemical elements of a piece by the intensity of the light emitted by a spark, thereby acquiring the mechanical properties of the material. By means of the results, they are analyzed in different points of stress concentration of the frame; the conditions of the border are set to establish the simulation in the CAD model, and the application of the optimization of the structure through the use of the MEF method. Finally, the reduction of 67.6 % of the weight of the original chassis was included, with a safety factor of 1.41.

Multispectral study of tuna cultivation to determine the NDVI, CWSI and SAVI indexes from Sentinel 2A images, in Guano canton, Chimborazo province, Ecuador

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:28:42 +0200

This work evaluates the Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI), Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), and Water Stress Index (CWSI) in tuna crops, located in the Guano Canton of Chimborazo Province, Ecuador. The area of interest (AOI) included the parishes of San Andres and Guano, in which the texture of the soil was determined with the existing data in Ecuador's National Information System (SNI), a satellite image of Sentinel 2A from June 16 2018 was used. Raster functions were applied to obtain an approximate and referential mean of NDVI, the reflectance received from both the soil and the tuna crop (SAVI) and the perspiration corresponding to the water stress (CSWI) of the tuna plots. Finally, we obtained approximate and referential NDVI data with a value of 0.31, SAVI values reflecting soil and crop data, and a very low CWSI, showing that perspiration is minimal, so it can be concluded that drip irrigation is a suitable technique for increasing tuna production.

Mechatronic device for the analysis and mitigation of involuntary movements in people with Parkinson's disease

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:28:32 +0200

Considering that the Parkinson disease is a neurodegenerative, progressive and incurable pathology, and with the purpose of improving ill people life quality, the design and construction of a mechatronic device was proposed to help mitigating the involuntary movements produced by the disease. This device allows the analysis of the involuntary movements of pronosupination generated in the upper limbs using electromyographic signals produced by the muscles of the forearm and an algorithm based on artificial neural networks. To materialize the device, fast prototyping like 3D printing and the V model-based mechatronics methodology were considered. As a result of this investigation, a mechatronics device in the shape of an exoskeleton controlled by an embedded system which analyses, processes electromyographic signals and using neural networks allows tremor and involuntary movements classification produced by each patient. The system operation results are: for tremor prediction is 96.88% of success, and for the involuntary movement prediction is 100 % of success.

Optimal allocation of communications resources for energy management systems

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:28:22 +0200

This article proposes the optimal resource allocation of radio channels available in cellular networks for the transmission of data from the smart meters to information management systems. The model designed identifies and counts the subscribers of the electricity sector in a geographical area; through the kmeans algorithm the cellular radio bases are located. The optimal location of radio bases provides communication to all devices within its coverage radius. The communication channels available for data transmission are optimized using the Greedy algorithm, which set the time when smart meters must send their data through the disused communication channels.

Where to park? Architecture and implementation of an empty parking lot, automatic recognition system

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:28:13 +0200

The traffic congestion present in practically every city has, among its increasing factors, the unavailability of enough parking spaces. A typical driver invests a considerable part of the total trip time looking for a free space where to park his vehicle; in many cases, this leads to delays and the consequent discomfort due to the undesired consequences of the generated tardiness. For this problem it is possible to find partial palliative solutions, minimizing the time spent searching for parking by applying Internet of Things techniques, oriented to smart cities and buildings. This research has been focused on finding an appropriate computer architecture that will allow the implementation of a distributed system, which, thanks to the use of computer vision and machine learning techniques, detects free parking spaces inside a parking lot, and provides real time information to the driver, allowing him to go as directly as possible to a vacant parking space.

Sliding Mode Control Based on Internal Model for a Non-minimum phase Buck and Boost Converter

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:28:03 +0200

This work presents the application of different schemes to control a non-minimum phase Buck-Boost converter. Three control schemes are used. The first controller presented is a PI controller, the second one is Sliding Mode Control and the third one is a combination of two control schemes, Internal Model Control and Sliding Mode Control. The controllers are designed from a Right-Half Plane Zero (RHPZ) reduced order model. The RHPZ model is converted, using Taylor approximation, in a First Order Plus Dead Time (FOPDT) model and after that, the controllers are obtained. The performance of the SMC-IMC is compared against to a PI controller and a SMC. The simulation results show that SMC-IMC improves the converter response, reducing the chattering and presenting better robustness for load changes

Analysis of the use of micro DC/DC converters focused on the maximum extraction of energy in photovoltaic farm

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:27:52 +0200

This work presents an extended study of the work published in the magazine INCISCOS 2018 titled “Improving of the Photovoltaic High Power Plant Generation Using DC/DC Micro Converters”, and intented to increase the amount of electrical energy generation of a Photovoltaic Plant located in Salinas, Imbabura Province, Ecuador through the implementation of DC/DC converters in the solar panel arrays and tracking techniques of the maximum power point. The results show that the insertion of the DC/DC converters in the system causes an increase in the amount of active power. The system is analiced in variation of solar radiation or changes in the ambient temperature as well.

Parallel robot prototype driven by four cables: experimental results

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:27:42 +0200

Parallel cable robots are a special class of parallel robots which are formed by replacing rigid links with cables. Due to the characteristics provided by the cables, like low inertia and greater range of motion, this type of robots can perform a wide range of applications such as: moving cameras from one place to another in sporting events, motoring industry and mainly in rehabilitation of limbs. However, due to the unilateral property of cables, keeping them tensioned becomes a great challenge. This article describes the construction of a parallel robot driven by four cables with the aim to draw three figures through the study of the kinematic and dynamic model considering the redundancy, i.e., more cables than degrees of freedom, in order to avoid those cables that require more tension during the motion of the end-effector.

Optimal PMU placement considering N-1contingencies constraints in electrical power systems

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:27:32 +0200

The measurement of electrical parameters through phasor measurement units in the power systems is fundamental, since the obtained data is used to estimate the state of its operation. In the present investigation the problem arises for the optimal deployment of phasor measurement units regarding restrictions of observability, redundancy and N-1 contingencies. Unit minimization considers the output of a transmission line or the failure of a phasor measurement unit and guarantees 100 % observability of the power system; For the optimization mixed integer linear programming was used. The proposed algorithm was tested with the IEEE test models of 9, 14, 30 and 118 nodes.

Optimization of the dark chocolate formulation from the mixture of cocoa beans and cocoa content by applying surface response method

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:27:24 +0200

This research sought to optimize the mix of Peruvian cocoa beans and the cocoa content for the dark chocolate formulation, having as an optimization criterion the improvement of the physical properties of chocolate: color, particle size, rheological properties and texture, applying the response surface methodology. It was found that the optimal formulation presented a mixture of cocoa beans of 10 parts of CCN 51 plus 90 parts of ICS 6, dark chocolate at 70 % cocoa content, 29.6 % sugar and 0.4 % lecithin. Finally, the validation of physical properties reached 91.6 % on average.

Incidence of the use of extra gasoline and mixing to the 5 % with anhydrous ethanol in the microfilters of the multipoint injectors

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:27:16 +0200

The purpose of the study was to analyze the deposits in injectors with fuel mixture of 87 octane with percentages of anhydrous ethanol at 5 %, and 87 octane gasoline. The experimental phase was carried out in two ignition engine vehicles at a test height of 2810 msnm when traveling, each one, a distance of 3000 km inside the Metropolitan District of Quito. Two methods were applied: Stereoscopy or Vision for the analysis of the microfilters of the injectors, and the semiquantitative chemical analysis Scanning Electron Microscopy for the samples of the residues originated in the filters. In the case of Stereoscopy, in both vehicles, a reduction of clogging of the filters occurred when using gasoline with 5 % anhydrous ethanol. The Scanning Electron Microscopy allowed to conclude that there is a greater presence of the sulfur element with 4 % in the residues when using gasoline with 5 % ethanol, unlike 1 % in the waste when 87 octane gasoline is applied.

Use of the naranjilla (Solanum quitoense Lam.) variety INIAP Quitoense-2009 to obtain a carbonated beverage

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:27:06 +0200

A carbonated beverage was made with natural naranjilla pulp (INIAP Quitoense 2009 variety). Combinations were made with three pulp concentrations (15, 20, 25 %), three concentrations of the natural sweetener stevia (10, 12, 14 %) and water, registering variables of soluble solids, pH and titratable acidity. The best formulation was determined by analysis of variance, Tukey test at 5 % and acceptance by sensory analysis. Subsequently, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 % stabilizer (gum arabic) and the same parameters and sedimentation height were measured. Results were analyzed statistically. For carbonation, the most stable beverage was pasteurized and bottled in 350 mL amber glass bottles and 1.8 g of solid CO2 (dry ice) was added. The container was sealed and sensory tests were after 24 hours to determine the acceptance of the carbonated beverage. The most acceptable formulation was: 25 % pulp, 10 % sweetener, 0.5 % stabilizer, 0.1 % sodium benzoate, 0.05 % citric acid, 0.5 % solid CO2 and water. The naranjilla pulp can be used in the elaboration of a carbonated beverage, since it fulfills the Ecuadorian regulations.

Obtaining and Characterization of a Quinoa Protein Hydrolyzate (Chenopodium quinoa willd)

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:26:56 +0200

The present research focused on obtaining a hydrolyzate from a quinoa protein concentrate (isoelectric precipitation method), while the hydrolyzate was achieved with the application of papain enzyme in different concentrations and temperature. The nutritional and functional properties were evaluated in the hydrolyzate, establishing the fact that application of enzyme at a concentration of 0.159 AU/g and pH 6.5 allowed to reach a hydrolysis rate of 13 %, a protein content of 73.41 g/100 g, digestibility rate of 87.75 %, and an amino acid profile within the standard requirements established for children, according to FAO. The functional properties of the hydrolyzate reflected an index of dispersibility of 83.71 %, protein solubility of 85.35 %, foaming capacity of 125 % volume at pH 10, water retention capacity of 0.33 g/g protein and oil holding capacity of 0.56 g/g protein. These values show the potential of the protein hydrolyzate in the elaboration of food formulas for diets with special regimes or as an ingredient in the food industry.

Variations of the water quality of the Carrizal River in Manabi

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:26:48 +0200

The objective of this work is to determine the physical-chemical variations in the water quality of Carrizal River (Manabí), in 21 sampling stations, covering an area of 51 km. Seven points were sampled in (i) the microbasin, 5 points in (ii) La Esperanza reservoir and 9 points in (iii) the sub-basin of Carrizal river. Samples were taken according to an experimental design of random blocks with factorial arrangement, and according to the results we show a correlation between the parameters and the different geographical positions monitored. Thus, we calculate a new water quality index called hardness index, which relates the alkalinity, oxide-reduction potential, hardness, conductivity, suspended solids, and total solids. According to this index, it is evident that, the concentration of minerals of calcium, magnesium, sulphates and carbonates, increased along with the concentration of solids in the water, as well as the REDOX potential and electrical conductivity, increased from the upper basin to the lower basin of Carrizal river. This correlation between physical-chemical parameters of the water and the different geographical positions monitored is probably influenced by anthropogenic activities.

Typical meteorological year based on the precipitation of Nanegalito and Pacto-Ecuador

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:26:39 +0200

The typical meteorological year (TMY) based on daily rainfall data was calculated in the parish of Nanegalito; 12 years were considered, from 2004 to 2015, including both years. For the establishment of the TMY, the Finkelstein-Schafer (FS) statistical equation was chosen, together with the calculation of the cumulative distribution function for each month of each year considered. The weighted sum, calculated from the FS values, was used to finally choose the months that best represent the climatic characteristics of the period analyzed by applying the root mean square deviation (RMSD). Once these values were obtained, the TMY of Nanegalito was estimated based on the precipitation. The determination of Nanegalito TMY may be useful for the management of several processes, in this and other surrounding parishes, as an example, Pacto, such as irrigation planning in crops, analysis in drought risk scenarios, and if other variables are analyzed in the future, they could serve as tools for the study of possible renewable energies.

3D printing technologies: FDM and Polyjet evaluations in the manufacture of automobile auto parts

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:26:27 +0200

The objective of the study was to evaluate the 3D printing technologies made by Molded Deposition Modeling (FDM) and PolyJet from mechanical tests with Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA) and VeroWhitePlus RGD 835 materials, for the selection of the material and adequate technology in the manufacture of air ducts applied to automotive auto parts. To achieve the objective, mechanical tensile tests were carried out on specimens manufactured by both technologies, according to ASTM D638-14 for tensile tests and for bending tests according to ASTM 790; To evaluate the behavior of air flow in the pipeline, the air duct used in the Toyota Stout 2200 pick-up truck modeled by the Ansys Student software was selected as the case study. The results showed that the VeroWhitePlus RDG 835 material used in the construction of the duct by means of the PolyJet technology presented the best results with a yield strength of 4.7 MPa and a maximum bending stress of 28 MPa.

Determination of the physicochemical quality of bee honey sold in Quito and comparison with artificial honey

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:25:58 +0200

The quality of 27 bee honey samples commercialized in the southern markets of Quito was evaluated by performing the physicochemical analyses required by the quality standard of the Ecuadorian Service for Standarization NTE INEN 1572-1988. The results were compared with the same type of analyses performed on a sample of artificial honey. The methods used for each analytical determination were: AOAC 962.37 for density, AOAC 962.19 for humidity, AOAC 52.729 for acidity, AOAC 945.79 for insoluble solids, AOAC 920.181 for ash, AOAC 980.23 for hydroxymethylfurfural, AOAC 958.09 for diastase and the Luff-Schoorl method for the determination of sugars. With the exception of one sample that did not comply the maximum value of the content parameter of hydroxymethylfurfural, and three samples that did not comply with the percentage of reducing sugars, all the samples of bee honey met the requirements of the national standard, although they showed results with significant differences in several parameters among different brands. As for the comparison between bee honey and artificial honey, there was a significant difference in the content of insoluble solids in water, reducing sugars, sucrose and hydroxymethylfurfural, and the activity of diastase.

Sustainable management for the production of biofungicides and strengthening of the Venezuelan agricultural bio-inputs sector

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:24:22 +0200

The purpose of this work was the design of a management proposal for the production of biofungicides, based on international standards related to quality, environment and safety, and occupational health, aiming at strengthening the Venezuelan agricultural bio-inputs sector, in the production of excellent quality products obtained under sustainable production schemes. A diagnosis was made to establish the conformities of the current management of the laboratories dedicated to this activity with the provisions in the standards, besides of a situational diagnosis for the adoption of the proposal. It is an applied investigation, of field and level of descriptive study; the data were collected between April-September 2018 using the survey and structured observation as techniques, and the questionnaire and checklists as instruments. A sustainable management model was generated to promote the adequacy of the organization's task and being, with the duty to be, constituting an input to lay the foundations that propitiate the national and international recognition of the laboratories and platform, to ensure compliance with the requirements of the registration process, mainly in relation to quality assurance, safety conditions of the production process, required documentation and evaluation of the product.

Physical chemical evaluation of pitahaya fruit (Selenicereus megalanthus) in different development stages

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:24:03 +0200

In this research, physical and chemical changes that occur during growth and ripening of pitahaya fruit were assessed. Using the color chart of yellow pitahaya (NTC-3554), fruits were collected in the six stages of ripening (0 dark green to 6 completely yellow) to evaluate the weight of the fruit; while for the variables pulp and skin percentage, pulp firmness (N), soluble solids (ºBrix), pH, acidity (%) and sensory evaluation of flavor and appearance, fruits were only taken in two states (0 and 6). Percentage of skin decreased from 55.93 to 33.40 %, whereas that pulp increased from 44.07 to 66.60 % among state 0 and 6, respectively. Fruit in the state 6 showed lower pulp firmness (6.20 N) and titulable acidity (0.14 %), and higher soluble solids content (20.74 %) and pH (4.86). On the other hand, in terms of sensory test, both states (0 and 6) were accepted by the consumer due to the high percentage of soluble solids.

Characterization of the tensile properties of an Epoxy-Carbon laminated composite used in the development of a single-seater Formula SAE type

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:23:54 +0200

This article presents the analysis of the tensile properties of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite used in the manufacture of the single-seater for Formula SAE competition. Composites were manufactured from pre-pregs with different fiber orientations by a vacuum curing process. The effect of the fiber orientation on the strength and rigidity of the formulated composites was evaluated. The tensile specimens were instrumented with biaxial extensometers in order to obtain a real record of the deformation and subsequent determination of the Young's modulus. The experimental results were compared with the analytical results obtained from the Classical Laminate Theory using specialized software. A microscopic analysis of the fractured region of the specimens was also developed to evaluate the effect of the manufacturing process. The set of information generated from the experimental and analytical results provides an understanding of the anisotropy of Epoxy-Carbon fiber composites that will allow design decisions to be made in future developments within the Formula SAE project.

Wireless charging system for static electric vehicles

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:23:46 +0200

The use of electric vehicles expands slowly due to many problems; one of them is charging the car using cable, a method known as plug-in. A technological alternative that can replace cables is the system of energy transfer by electromagnetic induction; for the moment this energy transfer is low power compared to the cable system. The objective of this research project is to demonstrate that the induction charging system is totally feasible for a parked vehicle. It uses a source coil located on the floor of the parking lot, and a pickup coil located in the frame of the car. This paper experimentally demonstrates how the power of transfer varies when the distances between the two coils vary too; three alternatives are considered: coils with cores of air, coils with common iron core and coils with separated iron cores. The measurements are made in a prototype formed by two coils separated by a distance d and provided with a scale of measurement in millimeters. Finally, the behavior of the transferred energy is evaluated according to the distance between coils and the three magnetic core alternatives

Modeling and simulation of plastic deformation of Aluminium ASTM A1200 during mechanical conformed process

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:23:37 +0200

The research evaluates the behavior of a material when a plastic deformation occurs. The document describes the analytical process, finite elements and integrate process in order to develop shaped piece plan. Stress analysis and section variation were analyzed during the stuffing process. In the experimental part, the mechanical characteristics of the aluminum ASTM A1200 were determined (Yield strength was 214 MPa). The shaping process was carried out in a 5 tons press with pneumatic device. Several tests were executed with different depths in order to compare thicknesses with the physical model simulation. The maximum error was 3.67 % at 15 mm depth and the minimum of 0.24 % with the total depth. Respect to the efforts generated during the conforming, the maximum and minimum errors were 10.9 % and 2.18 % respectively.

Model to estimate the effort required by automation of business processes

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:23:26 +0200

The development of software products has significantly impacted the business world, which has left behind its functional approach and has pledged resources into the quality modeling of its business processes. Numerous studies dedicated to measure indicators, such as quality, complexity and ease of modification, taking into account the constant organizational changes, have resulted in the definition of different metrics, which have mostly been selected, by analogy, with software metrics. In this work, a statistical model that allows the prediction of the effort required in the automation of business processes is defined, taking as a starting point its graphic representation. Metrics related to business process models are proposed in order to study their behavior and influence on the estimation of effort. A base of cases of business process models with their respective effort values was built. The processing of data was carried out from statistical techniques, obtaining a prediction model that is able to explain 99.5 % of the represented cases. A computer application was developed for the interpretation of the different output formats of tools that allow modeling business processes and the implementation of the obtained predictive model.

Reduction of the Probability of Occurrence of Differential Pressure Sticking Through the Use of Diesel on Water Based Drilling Fluids

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:23:08 +0200

The drilling campaign on Pad C of the Tiputini Field, located on the Oriente Basin, Ecuador, started with the first exploratory well TPTC-002. Pressure tests performed on the M1 sandstone of the Napo Formation determined that the average reservoir pressure (Pr) was 1921 psi. Ten months later, Pr averaged 846 psi. This increased the risk of differential pressure sticking, event that indeed occurred while drilling the well TPTC-016. By using the “Bow-Tie” methodology as a predictive tool to analyze risks, and taking into account the preliminary studies that describe this phenomena, a solution was found for stablishing an additional barrier with the use of diesel on the water-based drilling fluid. Diesel was used in order to extend the ‘half value time’ and to decrease the friction coefficient between the mud cake and pipe.

Development and innovation of electronic systems in an automobile: a review

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:22:50 +0200

This article presents a study of the technological advances in the electronic part of an automobile, based on an analysis of the technical, economic, productive and environmental specifications considered in the design, development and innovation of components of a vehicle that meet the requirements of the automotive companies. It systematically explains the idea and content of the innovation systems implemented in vehicles in recent years, in the electrical-electronic part, after several studies carried out by scientists, researchers and innovation analysts in the field of automotive electronics. The transformations occurred in the last years in the electrical-electronic part of a vehicle are discussed and a comparative analysis of the modifications and / or improvements in the characteristics of the automotive systems is elaborated, in order to comply with the existing regulations regarding energy consumption. , performance, waste treatment, comfort, safety, among others. The introduction of new sensors, control units and actuators, related to microelectronics, telematics and multimedia to vehicles, provides profound changes in the design, production, operation and diagnosis of a car, which have been gradually implemented in the systems of brakes , transmission, steering, safety, comfort and engine.

Assessment of the value chain of Peruvian cacao (Theobroma cacao l.)

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:22:21 +0200

The main objective of the research was to determine the deficiencies of the current situation of the Peruvian cocoa value chain and pose an integral improvement in its proposals through the competitive factors in question. In order to achieve it, these tools were used: the analysis of the value chain and the analysis of Porter's competitive diamond. The analysis of the value chain allowed a complete ‘photograph’ of those who have participated, how, with what interests and their interrelations, allowing to visualize the needs and potential of the different actors for individual and joint improvement. In the analysis of Porter's competitive diamond, the components of the cocoa sector were interrelated. The improvements in the value chain were: the result of the linkage of the strategy, the structure and the rivalry between the companies of the sector, the condition of the factors, the conditions of the demand, and the related and support sectors or cluster, which are activities linked between the companies involved in a cocoa sector; all of them fundamental to achieve competitive advantage; that will reduce the gap of the different links turned into competitive factors, to give rise to the development of capacities and to generate exportable supply of cocoa in different niche markets, which, to date, is around 100 000 tons. The operations of agricultural production, post-harvest and transformation requires substantial improvements to avoid non-quality costs and the low retribution of the value of cocoa to the farmer. From the problems encountered, a set of strategic guidelines is derived in the short, medium and long term, projecting a competitive chain for the future, such as positioning by ‘differentiation’, aimed at producing fine cocoa or aroma cocoa, organic cocoa and innovation in products with Peruvian cocoa.

Economic valuation of the limnetic service of Magdalena-Atillo lake - Riobamba Ecuador

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 15:22:01 +0200

The present paper is a proposal of socio-economic sustainability of the water resource of the Magdalena lagoon in the Atillo lake complex of the Sangay National Park in the province of Chimborazo, by means of the indirect method of travel costs. In this study, spatial indicators of hydric situation are established and homogeneous units are established with GIS techniques, in order to find the optimal distance to apply the concentric circle methodology in the use of the econometric tool of travel costs. According to the image analysis, it can be concluded that the lake is in retreat; however, it still has limnimetric limits that are still stable. Because of this, it is proposed to limit the number of visits to the area to less than 300 per month and cost opportunity is proposed, for socio-economic sustainability, from the homogeneous units, where the price is considered by estimating the market price, the result being equal to the cost of the trip + Cost of travel time, based on the average stay time that does not exceed one day for the support of the ecosystem

Bioremediation of hydrocarbons in wastewater with mixed culture of microorganisms: case car washers Puyango

Scipedia content — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 13:59:04 +0200

Wastewater from car washers and lubricators contain high levels of hydrocarbons. These are discharged into the public sewer system without proper treatment and not complying with the regulations. In this study was evaluated the process of bioremediation of total hydrocarbons in Puyango’s wastewater, using bioaugmentation treatment, which means, applying hydrocarbons-degrading microorganisms. First, a characterization of the wastewater was carried out, and the content of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and the flow rate was determined for seven days. A mixture of bacteria: Acinetobacter sp., Pseudomonas sp. y Mycobacterium sp was applied in solid form (80 g tablet) with a minimum concentration of 4 x 108 CFU / ml soluble in water, using 2 tablets during 30 days of treatment. The concentration of the TPH was determined weekly, plotting the temporal variation and quantifying the % of removal. The results indicate that the technique of bioaugmentation was effective (p = 0.003) in the removal of the TPH, obtaining percentages above 86 %. The time of greatest removal of TPH was obtained in the third week of treatment with 92 %. In addition, COD removals were obtained –40 %, Oils and fats - 50%, Surfactants –43 % thus fulfilling the current regulations for discharge to the public sewer system for the TPH.

Studygrammers: Learning influencers

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:30:22 +0200

Present learning ecologies are diverse and change quickly, which demands a similar observation of the phenomenon. This paper is focused on the youth emerging informal learning communities and the study’s object is to discover and characterize a new figure in this landscape, the Studygrammer. With surveys (N=256), focus groups carried out through the Philips 66 technique and analyze with Atlas ti software (thematic analysis) we analyze: practices of academic social media use amongst Communication students and apart of the institutional enviroment, plus their opinions regarding the #Studygram community, #Studygrammer profiles from different degrees are also analyzed. Main results help us to concrete a definition for Studygrammer: a student that performs a mentoring (coach-leader) role amongst peers using Instagram, not only sharing notes (highly performed) but also tips, inspiration and experiences. They have the DNA of an influencer using the same visual code and monetizating their practices but the academic goal adds some peculiarities: the visual code works as lingua franca between different knowledge areas (students of a certain degree follow studygrammers which study different degrees, because they are also interested on the know-how learning process) and in the followers’ adhesion criteria we find more rational than emotional reasons.

UNESCO’s Media and Information Literacy curriculum for teachers from the perspective of Structural Considerations of Information

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:30:13 +0200

The discipline Structural Considerations of Information explores the interests underlying communicational dynamics and information strategies, as well as the ways in which they correlate with messages. Considering this knowledge to be key in Communication Education, and having confirmed its close relationship with the dimensions of media competence, its presence is analyzed in the Media and Information Literacy (MIL) curriculum for teachers, whose training is crucial for the success of the process, developed by UNESCO, an organization that is a global referent in the field. A semantic content analysis reveals, from a quantitative perspective, a strong presence of thematic areas covered by the Structural Considerations of Information subject within the competencies and contents of the curriculum. However, at a qualitative level, there are fundamental weaknesses in its relationship with the structural approach to information. This occurs when the critical spirit of the text declines, starting with a definition of the media as sources of reliable information. The ubiquity of disinformation, and the key role played by stakeholders’ knowledge, as well as the development of critical thinking to address it requires an update of this curriculum–the present review contributes to this development– highlighting the current necessity to address it from a structural vantage that fosters critical citizenship and a democratic process.

Self-perception about emerging digital skills in Higher Education students

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:30:03 +0200

The current labor market demands new qualities and knowledge from the recent graduates of universities. This has been called ‘21st century digital skills’ and there is not enough research on the self-perception of students in this regard. The objective of this research was to measure student self-perception about their own 21st century digital skills related to the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in Higher Education. A questionnaire was generated and applied to 356 students with the stratified random sampling technique. A principal component analysis was carried out, supported by adequate values of the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient and the Bartlett sphericity test. The data indicate that the students use digital technology in academic projects, primarily; they have a lot of skill when using ICT for information management, to develop critical thinking and to solve problems, as well as to manage mobile devices. However, their self-perception in the use of ICT in teaching classes is low. The results suggest that the students do not believe that the use of ICT in the classroom is useful to develop this kind of emerging digital skills. Instead, they think that carrying out academic projects does strengthen the acquisition and development of such skills in relation to the use of ICT.

Bullying and cyberbullying in LGBT adolescents: Prevalence and effects on mental health

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:29:53 +0200

Bullying and cyberbullying have negative consequences on adolescents’ mental health. The study had two objectives: 1) to analyze possible differences in sexual orientation (heterosexual and non-heterosexual) in the percentage of victims and aggressors of bullying/cyberbullying, as well as the amount of aggressive behavior suffered and carried out; 2) to compare the mental health of adolescent heterosexual and non-heterosexual victims, aggressors, cybervictims, and cyberaggressors. Participants included 1,748 adolescents from the Basque Country, aged between 13 and 17 years (52.6% girls, 47.4% boys), 12.5% non-heterosexuals, 87.5% heterosexuals, who completed 4 assessment instruments. A descriptive and comparative cross-sectional methodology was used. The results confirm that: 1) the percentage of victims and cybervictims was significantly higher in non-heterosexuals, but the percentage of heterosexual and non-heterosexual aggressors and cyberaggressors was similar; 2) non-heterosexual victims and cybervictims had suffered significantly more aggressive bullying/cyberbullying; 3) non-heterosexual victims and aggressors of bullying exhibited significantly more depression, social anxiety, and psychopathological symptoms (somatization, obsession-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity…) than heterosexuals; 4) non-heterosexual cybervictims and cyberaggressors displayed more depression and more psychopathological symptoms, but no differences were found in social anxiety. The importance of intervening from the family, school, and society to reduce bullying/cyberbullying and enhance respect for sexual diversity is discussed.

Positive or negative communication in social activism

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:29:43 +0200

This study analyses the role of communication in social activism from models that surpass the mere emotional reaction, prior belief reinforcement or brand identification. This paper tests the hypothesis that a message focused on the cause (and its results) will motivate a previously sensitized audience depending on their interactions with source favorability. The methodology is based on the design of a bifactor experimental action result study 2 (failure versus success) x 2 valences (favorable versus unfavorable source) with the participation of 297 people who are pro-avoidance of evictions. The results allow us to infer that the messages from sources hostile to the cause that report negative results have the potential to emotionally and behaviorally motivate activists to a greater extent than messages with more positive results from favorable sources. The conclusions point to the dialogue between social injustice frames and pro-cause action emotions as a way to increase social mobilization. The theoretical and empirical implications of these findings are discussed in the present-day context of social media prevalence.

Learning ecologies in online students with disabilities

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:29:35 +0200

E-Learning environments are enhancing both their functionalities and the quality of the resources provided, thus simplifying the creation of learning ecologies adapted for students with disabilities. The number of students with disabilities enrolled in online courses is so small, and their impairments are so specific that it becomes difficult to quantify and identify which specific actions should be taken to support them. This work contributes to scientific literature with two key aspects: 1) It identifies which barriers these students encounter, and which tools they use to create learning ecologies adapted to their impairments; 2) It also presents the results from a case study in which 161 students with recognised disabilities evaluate the efficiency and ease of use of an online learning environment in higher education studies. The work presented in this paper highlights the need to provide multimedia elements with subtitles, text transcriptions, and the option to be downloadable and editable so that the student can adapt them to their needs and learning style.

The ecology of resilience learning in ubiquitous environments to adverse situations

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:29:26 +0200

Primary education in Mexico is facing a growing set of challenges that the government has tried to counteract through the use of communication technologies (ICT) in formal education. While these efforts provide support for students and educators, there remains a need for a renewed and contextualized awareness that will re-conceptualize the adverse experiences of students and the importance of resilience in the context of the learning environment. The objective of this document is to give an account of the learning acquired by nine telesecondary students in a rural area of Hidalgo and the student’s benefits of building awareness about the ecology of learning. The paper highlights the process of re-envisioning their experiences that emerged from the various points of views shared in discussion. The study was triangulated by quantitative and qualitative phenomenological and hermeneutical analyses. It was organized into three stages and employed a survey, semi-structured interviews, focus groups and use of the Google-Classroom platform. The hermeneutical analysis of autobiographies and the use of technological resources enhanced the personal analysis of the experiences of the participants. These experiences generated learning that may often be invisible in formal education but can empower critical thinking, collaboration and autonomy of students to become aware of their learning and the scope of their social contribution.

Mirroring learning ecologies of outstanding teachers to integrate ICTs in the classroom

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:29:18 +0200

This paper presents an exploratory study to examine the practices of outstanding primary school teachers in their professional development for ICT integration in teaching and learning, as a means of understanding how their learning ecologies develop and function. Outstanding teachers in the context of this study are teachers who innovate pedagogically and who are influential in the community, having successfully developed their learning ecology. Using a qualitative approach, we explore the concept of learning ecologies as a driver for innovation in the professional development of teachers, using a carefully selected sample of nine outstanding teachers. Drawing from in-depth interviews, specific coding and NVIVO analysis, our results show that these teachers develop organized systems for activities, relationships and resource usage and production, which can be characterized as the components of their professional learning ecology, to continuously keep up to date. We also identified some characteristics of teachers that perform outstandingly and factors that potentially facilitate or hinder their learning ecology development. Further research in the field will enable an improved understanding of the professional learning ecologies of school teachers and support future interventions and recommendations for professional development through the cultivation of emerging professional learning ecologies.

Personalised learning networks in the university blended learning context

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:29:07 +0200

In researching student learning experience in Higher Education, a dearth of studies has investigated cognitive, social, and material dimensions simultaneously with the same population. From an ecological perspective of learning, this study examined the interrelatedness amongst key elements in these dimensions of 365 undergraduates’ personalised learning networks. Data were collected from questionnaires, learning analytics, and course marks to measure these elements in the blended learning experience and academic performance. Students reported qualitatively different cognitive engagement between an understanding and a reproducing learning orientation towards learning, which when combined with their choices of collaboration, generated five qualitatively different patterns of collaboration. The results revealed that students had an understanding learning orientation and chose to collaborate with students of similar learning orientation tended to have more successful blended learning experience. Their personalised learning networks were characterized by self-reported adoption of deep approaches to face-to-face and online learning; positive perceptions of the integration between online environment and the course design; the way they collaborated and positioned themselves in their collaborative networks; and they were more engaged with online learning activities in the course. The study had significant implications to inform theory development in learning ecology research and to guide curriculum design, teaching, and learning.

Digital learning ecologies and professional development of university professors

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:28:58 +0200

This study analyses the extent to which faculty use the technological resources that make up their Learning Ecologies to encourage their teacher professional development. The interest of this research is the growing impact of Learning Ecologies as a framework to examine the multiple learning opportunities provided by the complex digital landscape. Global data referred to the use of technological resources grouped in three dimensions (Access, Search and Information Management resources, Creation and Content Editing resources, and Interaction and Communication resources) has been identified. In addition, the influence of different variables such as gender, age, years of teaching experience and the branch of knowledge were also examined. The methodology used has been quantitative through a survey. The sample consisted of 1,652 faculty belonging to 50 Spanish universities. To meet the aim of the study, descriptive and inferential analysis (ANOVA) were carried out. On the one hand, it is noted a moderate use of technological resources for professional development and, on the other hand, significant differences are observed on all variables analysed. The results warn of the need to promote, both at individual and institutional level, more enriched Learning Ecologies, in such a way that each teacher can take better advantage of the learning opportunities, provided by the networked society.

Study of the academic production on communication in Spain and Latin America

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:28:49 +0200

This paper approaches the state of academic production in communication confined to the Hispanic sphere, namely, Spain and Latin America, during the period extending between 2013 and 2017. As in previous meta-research, the aim here is to highlight potential shortcomings in the discipline, both theoretically and methodologically. From an instrumental standpoint, a systematic, objective and quantitative content analysis was implemented on a probabilistic sample of 1,548 articles from the seven main journals in the field, all indexed in the first quartiles of the SJR-Scopus ranking. Aside from the percentage report for each variable, two-stage cluster analyses were performed twice to identify statistically significant publication patterns. As far as the results are concerned, it is worth highlighting the empirical nature of the studies, generally relying on quantitative methodologies, although no specific theoretical corpora are referenced. On the other hand, and although social networks and ICTs have gained a notable prominence, traditional media continue to be, collectively, the most prominent in communication research. Finally, the challenges of the field seem to revolve around two axes: providing studies with methodological robustness and, above all, with the theoretical background necessary to confront, with guarantees, the understanding of the liquid communicative manifestations that flow, at great speed, from the Information Society.

Effectiveness of MOOCs for teachers in safe ICT use training

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:28:39 +0200

Despite the efforts made, there is still an alarming difference between the digital competence that teachers have and the one they should have in order to develop their students' digital competence. The lack of teacher training in safe and responsible use of ICT is a special cause for concern. Online courses in MOOC format meet all the required conditions to offer a possible solution to the unavoidable and urgent need for initial and in-service teacher training in this area of digital competence. However, there is currently no evidence in the literature on the effectiveness of these courses for this purpose. This study examines the instructional effectiveness of courses in MOOC format for teacher training in the safe and responsible use of ICT by analysing three different official courses. The courses were analysed using three different methods: a questionnaire to measure participants’ perceptions, pre-tests and post-tests to measure the knowledge acquired, and LORI (Learning Object Review Instrument) to measure the quality of digital educational resources created by the participants. The results suggest that online courses in MOOC format are an effective way to train teachers in the safe and responsible use of ICT, and that these courses can enable the development of digital competence in the area of content creation.

Safe and inclusive educational apps: Digital protection from an ethical and critical perspective

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:28:30 +0200

The mediated use of technology fosters learning from early childhood and is a potential resource for inclusive education. Nevertheless, the huge range of options and exposure to interactive digital content, which is often online, also implies a series of risks. The definition of protection underlying the current strategies to protect children is inadequate as it only extends to reducing children's exposure to harmful content. This study proposes the expansion of this definition. Through systematic observation of 200 apps within the Catalan sphere for children under 8 years of age and principal component analysis, the results support a multidimensional conceptualisation of protection which, instead of being restricted to the potential risks, also considers aspects related to the educational and inclusive potential of digital resources. Five factors are suggested in order to select these resources and contribute to the digital competence of teachers and students. The first factor concerns the use of protection mechanisms and the existence of external interference, the second factor indicates the presence of adaptation tools; the exposure to stereotypes corresponds to the third factor and the last two consider the previous knowledge required and the verbal component of the apps. Finally, the scope of the suggested definition and its limitations as a guide for future analysis will be discussed.

Online political participation of young people in Mexico, Spain and Chile

Scipedia content — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:28:20 +0200

Digital media are present in all areas of society, even configured as a new space for political socialization. This is especially applicable in the case of young people due to their high use of new technologies, as they are also trained with the necessary skills to do so. In this context, social networks have prompted the emergence of a new type of political participation: which takes place online. Therefore, this study delves into the relationship between the socialization that occurs in the network, digital skills and political participation online and offline. A quantitative survey-based methodology was used with university students from three Ibero-American countries: Mexico, Spain and Chile. The fieldwork was conducted between the months of December 2017 and June 2018. The results obtained show that young people consume mainly digital media, which does not prevent them from being critical with the quality they deserve. In this sense, the political participation actions in which they are involved are mostly developed in the network, thus participating to a lesser extent offline. Therefore, young people enter the world of politics through the consumption of information on the Internet, which favors a subsequent online political participation.