Restauraci��n del medio marino en la reserva marina de Tabarca (Alicante, Espa��a): estructura y variaciones temporales de la ictiofauna asociada al arrecife artificial

El arrecife artificial de Tabarca se dise���� e instal�� principalmente con el objetivo de impedir la pesca de arrastre ilegal sobre las praderas de Posidonia oceanica. Adem��s se dise���� un arrecife alveolar experimental para estudiar sus efectos sobre la ictiofauna litoral y sus posibilidades como lugar de pesca alternativo a la flota artesanal de Tabarca. La ictiofauna asociada al arrecife artificial de Tabarca se estudi�� mediante censos visuales durante tres a��os consecutivos entre 1990 y 1992, con una frecuencia estacional. Los resultados muestran una estructura de la comunidad condicionada por el dise��o y emplazamiento de los m��dulos. La din��mica temporal manifiesta una clara diferencia seg��n consideremos el poblamiento total o s��lo el residente: el primero refleja una pauta muy fluctuante, poco predecible; el poblamiento residente muestra una tendencia hacia la estructuraci��n, con un aumento progresivo de especies sedentarias predadoras, y un incremento significativo de la biomasa. Estos resultados refuerzan las interpretaciones que dan un papel condicionante al tama��o del arrecife artificial y a su localizaci��n.

EMOCause: an easy-adaptable approach to emotion cause contexts

In this paper we present a method to automatically identify linguistic contexts which contain possible causes of emotions or emotional states from Italian newspaper articles (La Repubblica Corpus). Our methodology is based on the interplay between relevant linguistic patterns and an incremental repository of common sense knowledge on emotional states and emotion eliciting situations. Our approach has been evaluated with respect to manually annotated data. The results obtained so far are satisfying and support the validity of the methodology proposed.

What makes an ad enjoyable? Analysing advertising appeals as viewed by Portuguese consumers

Nowadays, consumers are faced with a variety of media that convey myriad advertising messages, which struggle amidst a highly competitive environment, with a view to drawing the viewers��� attention, raising awareness, creating interest and inspiring desire and, ultimately, leading to the purchase of the product/service at stake. For this, advertising professionals deliberately intertwine their selling arguments with emotionally-charged creative concepts. It is the aim of this study to analyse the impact of the main creative appeals and to identify groups of consumers based on their attitudes towards them. We have undertaken a quantitative study, by means of a survey administered to a convenience sample with a list of creative appeals, which had to be classified by the respondents according to their attitudes. Globally speaking, the preferred appeals were humour, music and animation. Nonetheless, it was possible to divide the respondents into three groups. ���Advertising fans���, the ���rationally-minded��� and the ���emotionally-minded���. This study presents some limitations, especially as to the sample used. Apart from the reduced number of respondents and lack of more widespread geographic reach, some academic qualifications were underrepresented. The results of this study offer some avenues to be explored by marketing and advertising professionals when it comes to deciding on the best creative approach to select for their advertising campaigns. Besides, this study paves the way to the development of future research on the issue of advertising appeals and its relationship with the psychographic characteristics of consumers.

An accurate distance scale to the extremely massive cluster Stephenson 2

Discoveries during the last two years have revealed the existence of a vast region of star formation close to the base of the Scutum Arm, where at least five clusters of red supergiants have been found. In order to understand the nature of this region, we need to determine accurate distances to the clusters. We present here the first results of an ongoing program to derive fundamental parameters (such as age, distance, etc.) to the massive cluster Stephenson 2 studying for the first time its main sequence stars.

An application of fuzzy logic for hardware/software partitioning in embedded systems

Hardware/Software partitioning (HSP) is a key task for embedded system co-design. The main goal of this task is to decide which components of an application are to be executed in a general purpose processor (software) and which ones, on a specific hardware, taking into account a set of restrictions expressed by metrics. In last years, several approaches have been proposed for solving the HSP problem, directed by metaheuristic algorithms. However, due to diversity of models and metrics used, the choice of the best suited algorithm is an open problem yet. This article presents the results of applying a fuzzy approach to the HSP problem. This approach is more flexible than many others due to the fact that it is possible to accept quite good solutions or to reject other ones which do not seem good. In this work we compare six metaheuristic algorithms: Random Search, Tabu Search, Simulated Annealing, Hill Climbing, Genetic Algorithm and Evolutionary Strategy. The presented model is aimed to simultaneously minimize the hardware area and the execution time. The obtained results show that Restart Hill Climbing is the best performing algorithm in most cases.

An obscured cluster associated with the H���II region RCW173

Context. The discovery of several clusters of red supergiants towards l = 24�����30�� has triggered interest in this area of the Galactic plane, where lines of sight are very complex and previous explorations of the stellar content were very preliminary. Aims. We attempt to characterise the stellar population associated with the H���ii region RCW 173 (=Sh2-60), located at, as previous studies have suggested that this population could be beyond the Sagittarius arm. Methods. We obtained UBV photometry of a stellar field to the south of the brightest part of RCW 173, as well as spectroscopy of about twenty stars in the area. We combined our new data with archival 2MASS near-infrared photometry and Spitzer/GLIMPSE imaging and photometry, to achieve a more accurate characterisation of the stellar sources and the associated cloud. Results. We find a significant population of early-type stars located at d = 3.0 kpc, in good agreement with the ���near��� dynamical distance to the H���ii region. This population should be located at the near intersection of the Scutum-Crux arm. A luminous O7���II star is likely to be the main source of ionisation. Many stars are concentrated around the bright nebulosity, where GLIMPSE images in the mid infrared show the presence of a bubble of excited material surrounding a cavity that coincides spatially with a number of B0-1���V stars. We interpret this as an emerging cluster, perhaps triggered by the nearby O7���II star. We also find a number of B-type giants. Some of them are located at approximately the same distance, and may be part of an older population in the same area, characterised by much lower reddening. A few have shorter distance moduli and are likely to be located in the Sagittarius arm. Conclusions. The line of sight in this direction is very complex. Optically visible tracers delineate two spiral arms, but seem to be absent beyond d ��� 3 kpc. Several H���ii regions in this area suggest that the Scutum-Crux arm contains thick clouds actively forming stars. All these populations are projected on top of the major stellar complex signposted by the clusters of red supergiants.

An explanatory model of academic achievement based on aptitudes, goal orientations, self-concept and learning strategies

As a result of studies examining factors involved in the learning process, various structural models have been developed to explain the direct and indirect effects that occur between the variables in these models. The objective was to evaluate a structural model of cognitive and motivational variables predicting academic achievement, including general intelligence, academic self-concept, goal orientations, effort and learning strategies. The sample comprised of 341 Spanish students in the first year of compulsory secondary education. Different tests and questionnaires were used to evaluate each variable, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was applied to contrast the relationships of the initial model. The model proposed had a satisfactory fit, and all the hypothesised relationships were significant. General intelligence was the variable most able to explain academic achievement. Also important was the direct influence of academic self-concept on achievement, goal orientations and effort, as well as the mediating ability of effort and learning strategies between academic goals and final achievement.

Evaluaci��n de necesidades y expectativas ante la construcci��n de un espacio interactivo de comunicaci��n, informaci��n y aprendizaje hist��rico-educativo

Conscientes de las posibilidades pedag��gicas, participativas y de colaboraci��n cient��fica de la Web 2.0, los autores del presente art��culo se plantean la detecci��n de las necesidades y expectativas hacia la creaci��n de una plataforma virtual delimitada por un espacio interactivo o red social para la Historia de la Educaci��n y el Patrimonio Hist��rico-educativo. Gracias a la evaluaci��n mediante un cuestionario en el que han participado un grupo de expertos docentes e investigadores de Historia de la Educaci��n, se han obtenido una serie de conclusiones a tener en cuenta respecto a determinados aspectos (conocimiento y uso, expectativas, componentes, etc.) que orientar��n la construcci��n ad hoc de dicha plataforma. Es relevante el poco conocimiento y uso de las redes sociales tanto gen��ricas como espec��ficas, as�� como otro tipo de aplicaciones web. Destaca, por otro lado, que la edad de los participantes no ha condicionado la importancia percibida sobre las capacidades de las TIC para el desarrollo en la docencia y la investigaci��n.

Ideas previas y aprendizaje significativo en la ense��anza de la Geograf��a

La primera cuesti��n que cabe preguntarse ante el t��tulo propuesto es si todav��a es necesario investigar en las ideas previas, m��s si se tiene en cuenta el elevado n��mero de trabajos realizados y publicados sobre este tema. Obviamente, la respuesta es que s��, pues se considera que la b��squeda de soluci��n a muchos de los actuales retos de la ense��anza de la Geograf��a pasa, entre otras muchas consideraciones como indica Pozo (2006), por cambiar las representaciones que profesores y alumnos tienen sobre el aprendizaje y la ense��anza.

An Electronic Reconfigurable Neural Architecture for Intrusion Detection

The explosive growth of the traffic in computer systems has made it clear that traditional control techniques are not adequate to provide the system users fast access to network resources and prevent unfair uses. In this paper, we present a reconfigurable digital hardware implementation of a specific neural model for intrusion detection. It uses a specific vector of characterization of the network packages (intrusion vector) which is starting from information obtained during the access intent. This vector will be treated by the system. Our approach is adaptative and to detecting these intrusions by using a complex artificial intelligence method known as multilayer perceptron. The implementation have been developed and tested into a reconfigurable hardware (FPGA) for embedded systems. Finally, the Intrusion detection system was tested in a real-world simulation to gauge its effectiveness and real-time response.

An Interdisciplinary Practical for Multimedia Engineering Students

Interdisciplinary projects in the industry typically require collaboration between professionals from various fields. However, this relationship is not generally addressed in the training offered by university programs, which often ignore this interdisciplinary approach. This paper offers an example of interdisciplinary interaction through joint laboratory activities in the curricula of two very different degree programs, i.e., Multimedia Engineering and Teacher Training in Primary Education. The programs' students formed an interdisciplinary team of multimedia engineers and trainee teachers to develop a Web product for children's cognitive development. The complexity of the task required students to engage in close and strong interdisciplinary cooperation and communication; in turn, they benefited from the synergy offered by collaborative work. The results of this paper, presented from the perspective of the multimedia engineering students, demonstrate a significant increase in their academic performance compared to the control group. This paper shows that university studies can incorporate an interdisciplinary perspective to engineering education without the need to introduce a specific course on the topic, thus avoiding further demands on the curriculum schedule.

Spectral features in isolated neutron stars induced by inhomogeneous surface temperatures

The thermal X-ray spectra of several isolated neutron stars display deviations from a pure blackbody. The accurate physical interpretation of these spectral features bears profound implications for our understanding of the atmospheric composition, magnetic field strength and topology, and equation of state of dense matter. With specific details varying from source to source, common explanations for the features have ranged from atomic transitions in the magnetized atmospheres or condensed surface, to cyclotron lines generated in a hot ionized layer near the surface. Here, we quantitatively evaluate the X-ray spectral distortions induced by inhomogeneous temperature distributions of the neutron star surface. To this aim, we explore several surface temperature distributions, we simulate their corresponding general relativistic X-ray spectra (assuming an isotropic, blackbody emission), and fit the latter with a single blackbody model. We find that, in some cases, the presence of a spurious ���spectral line��� is required at a high significance level in order to obtain statistically acceptable fits, with central energy and equivalent width similar to the values typically observed. We also perform a fit to a specific object, RX J0806.4���4123, finding several surface temperature distributions able to model the observed spectrum. The explored effect is unlikely to work in all sources with detected lines, but in some cases it can indeed be responsible for the appearance of such lines. Our results enforce the idea that surface temperature anisotropy can be an important factor that should be considered and explored also in combination with more sophisticated emission models like atmospheres.

Percepci��n de nuestros estudiantes acerca de las matem��ticas en la vida diaria

Las matem��ticas constituyen un lenguaje universal, m��s concretamente son fundamentales para la ciencia y la ingenier��a. M��s a��n, podr��amos decir que son no s��lo la base de todo conocimiento, sino tambi��n de cualquier tipo de desarrollo cient��fico y tecnol��gico. Especialmente significante resulta que la f��sica, la astronom��a o la qu��mica dependen en buena medida de ellas y que son muy ��tiles en las ciencias econ��micas y sociales o en la inform��tica. De hecho, ciencias como la filosof��a o la psicolog��a se valen de modelos matem��ticos para la resoluci��n de sus problemas. Las matem��ticas forman una ciencia l��gica y deductiva, y con tal de poder extraer informaci��n acerca de ellas es indispensable conocer los objetos que se utilizan y las herramientas necesarias para manejarlos. Ahora bien, casi de forma inconsciente la primera reacci��n cuando se habla de matem��ticas es de recelo ante una materia que para mucha gente parece incomprensible, abstracta y alejada de nuestra vida m��s cotidiana. En este sentido, este estudio explora la percepci��n que presentan nuestros estudiantes acerca de c��mo las matem��ticas interaccionan con nuestra vida cotidiana y c��mo perciben su divulgaci��n en las aulas o en el propio contexto por el que se mueven diariamente.