Considerations in Determining the Cost of Measurement Uncertainty Associated with Dimensional Tolerances Verification

The verification of compliance with a design specification in manufacturing requires the use of metrological instruments to check if the magnitude associated with the design specification is or not according with tolerance range. Such instrumentation and their use during the measurement process, has associated an uncertainty of measurement whose value must be related to the value of tolerance tested. Most papers dealing jointly tolerance and measurement uncertainties are mainly focused on the establishment of a relationship uncertainty-tolerance without paying much attention to the impact from the standpoint of process cost. This paper analyzes the cost-measurement uncertainty, considering uncertainty as a productive factor in the process outcome. This is done starting from a cost-tolerance model associated with the process. By means of this model the existence of a measurement uncertainty is calculated in quantitative terms of cost and its impact on the process is analyzed.

Estimating the computational cost of logic programs

Information about the computational cost of programs is potentially useful for a variety of purposes, including selecting among different algorithms, guiding program transformations, in granularity control and mapping decisions in parallelizing compilers, and query optimization in deductive databases. Cost analysis of logic programs is complicated by nondeterminism: on the one hand, procedures can return múltiple Solutions, making it necessary to estímate the number of solutions in order to give nontrivial upper bound cost estimates; on the other hand, the possibility of failure has to be taken into account while estimating lower bounds. Here we discuss techniques to address these problems to some extent.

El modelo Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) y la adquisición de un paquete informático propietario

Este trabajo se focaliza en el estudio y análisis del modelo Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) para obtener como resultado su configuración para la ad-quisición de un paquete informático propietario. Se describe el modelo TCO y se presenta el estado del arte con los diferentes tipos de estudios existentes y aplicaciones prácticas de referencia. Una vez conocida la situación actual de las investigaciones, se crea una base de características relevantes del modelo, para a partir de ellas obtener los factores a tener en cuenta en la adquisición de un pa-quete informático propietario considerando las características específicas de este tipo de producto. A continuación se aplica el modelo a un caso concreto de adquisición de un paquete de gestión de medios de pago.

Development of low cost photovoltaic sensor for over-tree radiation assessment

The crop diseases sometimes are related to the irradiance that the crop receives. When an experiment requires the measurement of the irradiance, usually it results in an expensive data acquisition system. If it is necessary to check many test points, the use of traditional sensors will increase the cost of the experiment. By using low cost sensors based in the photovoltaic effect, it is possible to perform a precise test of irradiance with a reduced price. This work presents an experiment performed in Ademuz (Valencia, Spain) during September of 2011 to check the validity of low cost sensors based on solar cells.

Effects of diet and exercise on metabolic syndrome and the underlying factors = Efectos de la dieta y el ejercicio sobre el síndrome metabólico y sus factores

Introducción. El número de personas que padecen síndrome metabólico ha incrementado a nivel mundial durante las últimas dos décadas. Existen numerosos estudios que tratan de comparar prevalencias según los diferentes criterios y estimaciones del riesgo metabólico. De ellos se puede concluir que el principal hallazgo ha sido recalcar la necesidad de una definición estándar universal. A pesar de estas discrepancias no hay lugar a duda sobre el problema de salud pública que esto conlleva. Se necesitan medidas y estrategias urgentes para prevenir y controlar esta emergente epidemia global y para ello se debe prestar especial atención a los cambios en el estilo de vida, fundamentalmente dieta y ejercicio. A pesar de todo, existe a día de hoy una importante controversia sobre el tipo de ejercicio más efectivo y su combinación con la dieta para conseguir mejoras en la salud. Objetivos. Estudiar los índices de riesgo metabólico empleados en la literatura científica y las terapias basadas en dieta y ejercicio para el tratamiento de los factores del síndrome metabólico en adultos con sobrepeso. Diseño de investigación. Los datos empleados en el análisis de esta tesis son, primeramente un estudio piloto, y posteriormente parte del estudio “Programas de Nutrición y Actividad Física para el tratamiento de la obesidad” (PRONAF). El estudio PRONAF es un proyecto consistente en un estudio clínico sobre programas de nutrición y actividad física para el sobrepeso y la obesidad, desarrollado en España durante varios años de intervenciones. Fue diseñado, en parte, para tratar de comparar protocolos de entrenamiento de resistencia, cargas y combinado en igualdad de volumen e intensidad, con el objetivo de evaluar su impacto en los factores de riesgo y la prevalencia del síndrome metabólico en personas con sobrepeso y obesidad. El diseño experimental es un control aleatorio y el protocolo incluye 3 modos de ejercicio (entrenamiento de resistencia, con cargas y combinado) y restricción dietética sobre diversas variables determinantes del estado de salud. Las principales variables para la investigación que comprende esta tesis fueron: actividad física habitual, marcadores de grasa corporal, niveles de insulina, glucosa, triglicéridos, colesterol total, colesterol HDL, colesterol LDL, presión arterial y parámetros relacionados con el ejercicio. Conclusiones. A) Los índices de riesgo metabólico estudiados presentan resultados contradictorios en relación al riesgo metabólico en un individuo, dependiendo de los métodos matemáticos empleados para el cálculo y de las variables introducidas, tanto en mujeres sanas como en adultos en sobrepeso. B) El protocolo de entrenamiento combinado (de cargas y de resistencia) junto con la dieta equilibrada propuesto en este estudio fue la mejor estrategia para la mejora del riesgo de síndrome metabólico en adultos con sobrepeso. C) Los protocolos de entrenamiento supervisado de resistencia, con cargas y combinado junto con la restricción nutricional, no obtuvieron mejoras sobre el perfil lipídico, más allá de los cambios conseguidos con el protocolo de dieta y recomendaciones generales de actividad física habitual en clínica, en adultos con sobrepeso. Background. Over the past two decades, a striking increase in the number of people with the MetS worldwide has taken place. Many studies compare prevalences using different criteria and metabolic risk estimation formulas, and perhaps their main achievement is to reinforce the need for a standardized international definition. Although these discrepancies, there is no doubt it is a public health problem. There is urgent need for strategies to prevent and manage the emerging global epidemic, special consideration should be given to behavioral and lifestyle, mainly diet and exercise. However, there is still controversy about the most effective type of exercise and diet combination to achieve improvements. Objectives. To study the metabolic risk scores used in the literature and the diet and exercise therapies for the treatment of the MetS factors in overweight adults. Research design. The data used in the analysis was collected firstly in a pilot study and lately, as a part of the “Programas de Nutrición y Actividad física para el tratamiento de la obesidad” study (PRONAF). The PRONAF Study is a clinical research project in nutrition and physical activity programs for overweight and obesity, carried out in Spain (2008-2011). Was designed, in part, to attempt to match the volume and intensity of endurance, strength and combined training protocols in order to evaluate their impact on risk factors and MetS prevalence in overweight and obese people. The design and protocol included three exercise modes (endurance, strength and combined training) and diet restriction, in a randomized controlled trial concerning diverse health status variables. The main variables under investigation were habitual physical activity, markers of body fat, fasting serum levels of insulin, glucose, triglycerides, total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, blood pressure and diet and exercise parameters. Main outcomes. A) The metabolic risk scores studied presented contradictory results in relation to the metabolic risk of an individual, depending on the mathematical method used and the variables included, both in healthy women and overweight adults. B) The protocol proposed for combination of strength and endurance training combined with a balance diet was the optimal strategy for the improvement of MetS risk in overweight adults. C) The intervention program of endurance, strength or combined supervised training protocol with diet restriction did not achieved further improvements in lipid profile than a habitual clinical practice protocol including dietary advice and standard physical activity recommendations, in overweight adults.

Influence of the application of Jasmonic Acid and Benzoic Acid on Watermelon fruit quality.

In watermelon crops in Southeastern Spain, important thermal differences appear during the first stages of plant development that can affect them. This work shows the effect of applying jasmonic acid and benzoic acid (JA+BA), inductors of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and induced systemic resistance (ISR), respectively, on fruit quality parameters from a crop in a greenhouse in Southeastern Spain, where crops face a remarkable abiotic stress. We assessed two treatments of JA+BA, T1 (500+500 ppm), T2 (2000+2000 ppm) and a control test using an experimental design of randomized blocks with four replications. The results obtained for the parameters assessed (ºBrix, flesh firmness, rind thickness, polar and equatorial diameter) did not show statistically significant differences. The results showed that there was no metabolic cost in the plants when applying the assessed treatments of JA+BA.

Effect of the application of jasmonic acid and benzoic acid on grafted watermelons yield under greenhouse conditions in the southeast of Spain for mitigation of stress

One of the main problems of watermelon crops in Sou theast Spain is the thermal difference because of c limatic conditions that appear during the first stages of the crop. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of inducing the systemic acq uired resistance (SAR) and the induced systemic resistance (ISR) through the application of jasmonic ac id (JA) and benzoic acid (BA), respectively, to counter the abiotic stress. We assessed two treatments of JA and BA, T1 (500 mg·kg-1 + 500 mg·kg -1 ) and T 2 (2000 mg·kg -1 + 2000 mg·kg -1), as well as a control test using an experimental design of randomized blocks with four replications. The results obtained for kg·m -2, fruits/m², kg/plant and fruits/plant did not show statistically significant differences. However, we obtained statistically sig nificant differences in the average fruit weight co mpared with the control test in the two experiments carried out in 2009 and 2010. The results showed that there was no metabolic cost in the plants when applying the assessed treatments of JA and BA.