Propuesta para incorporar evaluaci��n y pruebas de usabilidad dentro de un proceso de desarrollo de software

Usability is critical to consider an interactive software system successful. Usability testing and evaluation during product development have gained wide acceptance as a strategy to improve product quality. Early introduction of usability perspectives in a product is very important in order to provide a clear visibility of the quality aspects not only for the developers, but also for the testing users as well. However, usability evaluation and testing are not commonly taken into consideration as an essential element of the software development process. Then, this paper exposes a proposal to introduce usability evaluation and testing within a software development through reuse of software artifacts. Additionally, it suggests the introduction of an auditor within the classification of actors for usability tests. It also proposes an improvement of checklists used for heuristics evaluation, adding quantitative and qualitative aspects to them

Diagn��stic en profunditat sobre la integraci�� dels i les joves de 14 i 18 anys migrats a Catalunya

La finalitat d'aquest projecte ��s aprofundir en el proc��s d'integraci�� socioeducativa de la joventut migrada a Catalunya, espec��ficament, dels i les joves entre 14 i 18 anys. Entre els resultats destaquem que els ioves tenen un concepte for��a tancat i excloent del concepte de ciutadania com a estatus , i un baix grau, de coneixement de la diversitat cultural, especialment els joves aut��ctons, tot i que tenen una actitud de reconeixement i acceptaci��, favorable a la conviv��ncia intercultural, tant al centre educatiu com al seu barri. No obstant, tenen una visi�� de la diversitat cultural i del fet migratori en clau de coexist��ncia, sense el reconeixement que suposaria un pas m��s cap a la conviv��ncia. La immigraci�� ��s vista com un col���lectiu vulnerable, amb un baix nivell econ��mic i cultural i que tamb�� ��s percebut com un problema i, fins i tot, com a causant de les dificultutats que actualment pateix i travessa el conjunt de la societat. Els joves tendeixen a relacionar-se amb el seu grup cultural, i responen de forma passiva en la comprensi�� i actuaci�� davant dels problemes i assumptes p��blics. Entre els elements que valoren per sentir-se ciutad�� t�� una especial import��ncia la llengua. Eis joves que fa m��s de 10 anys que viuen a Catalunya s��n els que tendeixen a tenir un sentiment de pertinen��a c��vica amb el lloc de resid��ncia. De fet, com mes temps porten els joves estrangers vivint al lloc d���acollida, perden import��ncia elements d���identificaci�� cultural del pa��s d���origen, per�� la religi��, les celebracions populars, l���art i la tend��ncia a formar parella s��n elements identitaris del lloc d���origen, m��s estables. Es demana una intervenci�� urgent en diversos nivells i destinades a diferents agents. Destaquem: la import��ncia d���una acollida afectiva i efectiva; potenciar espais de trobada; treballar els prejudicis; transversalitzar l���educaci�� intercultural; potenciaci�� de l���aprenentatge de la llengua catalana; formaci�� del professorat en compet��ncies interculturals.

The COSMIN checklist for evaluating the methodological quality of studies on measurement properties: a clarification of its content

Background: The COSMIN checklist (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments) was developed in an international Delphi study to evaluate the methodological quality of studies on measurement properties of health-related patient reported outcomes (HR-PROs). In this paper, we explain our choices for the design requirements and preferred statistical methods for which no evidence is available in the literature or on which the Delphi panel members had substantial discussion. Methods: The issues described in this paper are a reflection of the Delphi process in which 43 panel members participated. Results: The topics discussed are internal consistency (relevance for reflective and formative models, and distinction with unidimensionality), content validity (judging relevance and comprehensiveness), hypotheses testing as an aspect of construct validity (specificity of hypotheses), criterion validity (relevance for PROs), and responsiveness (concept and relation to validity, and (in) appropriate measures).Conclusions: We expect that this paper will contribute to a better understanding of the rationale behind the items, thereby enhancing the acceptance and use of the COSMIN checklist.

Predictors of political orientation among US-born Mexican Americans: cultural identification, acculturation attitudes and socioeconomic status

With each passing election, U.S. political campaigns have renewed their efforts in courting the ���Latino vote,��� yet the Latino population is not a culturally homogenous voting bloc. This study examined how cultural identifications and acculturation attitudes in U.S. born Mexican Americans interacted with socioeconomic status (SES) to predict political orientation. Individuals who held stronger Mexican identity and supported biculturalism as an acculturation strategy had a more liberal orientation, while belonging to a higher SES group and holding stronger assimilation attitudes predicted a less liberal orientation. Mexican cultural identification interacted with SES such that those who held a weaker Mexican identity, but came from a higher social class were less liberal and more moderate in their political orientation. Weak Mexican identification and higher SES also predicted weaker endorsement of bicultural acculturation attitudes, which in turn, mediated the differences in political orientation. The acceptance of one���s ethnic identity and endorsement of bicultural attitudes predicted a more liberal political orientation. In light of these findings, political candidates should be cautious in how they pander to Latino constituents���referencing the groups��� ethnic culture or customs may distance constituents who are not strongly identified with their ethnic culture.

ILS-ESP An efficient, simple, and parameter-free algorithm for solving the permutation flow-shop problem

From a managerial point of view, the more effcient, simple, and parameter-free (ESP) an algorithm is, the more likely it will be used in practice for solving real-life problems. Following this principle, an ESP algorithm for solving the Permutation Flowshop Sequencing Problem (PFSP) is proposed in this article. Using an Iterated Local Search (ILS) framework, the so-called ILS-ESP algorithm is able to compete in performance with other well-known ILS-based approaches, which are considered among the most effcient algorithms for the PFSP. However, while other similar approaches still employ several parameters that can affect their performance if not properly chosen, our algorithm does not require any particular fine-tuning process since it uses basic "common sense" rules for the local search, perturbation, and acceptance criterion stages of the ILS metaheuristic. Our approach defines a new operator for the ILS perturbation process, a new acceptance criterion based on extremely simple and transparent rules, and a biased randomization process of the initial solution to randomly generate different alternative initial solutions of similar quality -which is attained by applying a biased randomization to a classical PFSP heuristic. This diversification of the initial solution aims at avoiding poorly designed starting points and, thus, allows the methodology to take advantage of current trends in parallel and distributed computing. A set of extensive tests, based on literature benchmarks, has been carried out in order to validate our algorithm and compare it against other approaches. These tests show that our parameter-free algorithm is able to compete with state-of-the-art metaheuristics for the PFSP. Also, the experiments show that, when using parallel computing, it is possible to improve the top ILS-based metaheuristic by just incorporating to it our biased randomization process with a high-quality pseudo-random number generator.

Iterated local search

Iterated Local Search has many of the desirable features of a metaheuristic: it is simple, easy to implement, robust, and highly effective. The essential idea of Iterated Local Search lies in focusing the search not on the full space of solutions but on a smaller subspace defined by the solutions that are locally optimal for a given optimization engine. The success of Iterated Local Search lies in the biased sampling of this set of local optima. How effective this approach turns out to be depends mainly on the choice of the local search, the perturbations, and the acceptance criterion. So far, in spite of its conceptual simplicity, it has lead to a number of state-of-the-art results without the use of too much problem-specific knowledge. But with further work so that the different modules are well adapted to the problem at hand, Iterated Local Search can often become a competitive or even state of the artalgorithm. The purpose of this review is both to give a detailed description of this metaheuristic and to show where it stands in terms of performance.

Welfare of naive and sophisticated players in school choice

Two main school choice mechanisms have attracted the attention in the literature: Boston and deferred acceptance (DA). The question arises on the ex-ante welfareimplications when the game is played by participants that vary in terms of their strategicsophistication. Abdulkadiroglu, Che and Yasuda (2011) have shown that the chances ofnaive participants getting into a good school are higher under the Boston mechanism thanunder DA, and some naive participants are actually better off. In this note we show thatthese results can be extended to show that, under the veil of ignorance, i.e. students not yetknowing their utility values, all naive students may prefer to adopt the Boston mechanism.

Non-stationary job search when jobs are not forever: A structural estimation

This paper considers a job search model where the environment is notstationary along the unemployment spell and where jobs do not lastforever. Under this circumstance, reservation wages can be lower thanwithout separations, as in a stationary environment, but they can alsobe initially higher because of the non-stationarity of the model. Moreover,the time-dependence of reservation wages is stronger than with noseparations. The model is estimated structurally using Spanish data forthe period 1985-1996. The main finding is that, although the decrease inreservation wages is the main determinant of the change in the exit ratefrom unemployment for the first four months, later on the only effect comesfrom the job offer arrival rate, given that acceptance probabilities areroughly equal to one.

Fuerza prensil de la mano asociada al grado de autonom��a y riesgo de ca��da en ancianos

Objetivo: Determinaci��n de la fuerza de prensi��n de la mano como indicador de la capacidad funcional y grado de autonom��a para actividades cotidianas en personas de la tercera edad. Dise��o: Se realiz�� un estudio observacional de dise��o transversal. Emplazamiento: Medio comunitario. Centros c��vicos, centros culturales y residencias de la tercera edad de la comarca del Bages (Barcelona). 2 Participantes: Se estudi�� a 61 personas, 40 mujeres y 21 hombres, con un rango de edad comprendido entre los 65 y 90 a��os, quienes no presentaban afecciones invalidantes graves. Se solicit�� su colaboraci��n y aceptaci��n voluntaria tras informar del objetivo del estudio. Mediciones principales: El grado de autonom��a funcional se valor�� mediante el test de Barthel y el test de Lawton-Brody, y el riesgo de ca��da mediante el test de Tinetti. La fuerza muscular m��xima voluntaria (FMMV) se determin�� mediante el test de prensi��n de la mano (handgrip). Resultados: Los hombres mostraron una correlaci��n positiva y estad��sticamente significativa (p=0.001) entre la fuerza prensil de la mano y el grado de autonom��a funcional y el menor riesgo de ca��da (p=0.037). Dicha correlaci��n no fue observada en las mujeres respecto al grado de autonom��a (p=0.232) y fue escasa para el riesgo de ca��da (p=0.048). Conclusiones: El test de handgrip es una herramienta potencialmente ��til para estimar la autonom��a funcional e instrumental y el riesgo de ca��das, especialmente en varones que sobrepasan los 65 a��os.

Implantaci��n de la ISO 14001 en una planta de tratamiento de veh��culos fuera de uso (VFU)

Nos hemos propuesto implantar la ISO 14001 en un centro autorizado de tratamiento de veh��culos fuera de uso, denominado Recycling Gand��a, S.L., con el fin de que dicho centro pueda obtener una ventaja competitiva, respecto de otros centros ubicados pr��ximamente, dada la fuerte competencia existente. Con la implantaci��n de un Sistema de Gesti��n Medioambiental y m��s concretamente la ISO 14001, se puede conseguir una mejora de la imagen de la empresa, un ahorro de costes, se pueden mejorar las relaciones con la Administraci��n e incluso con las entidades financieras, se puede contribuir a la motivaci��n de los trabajadores, se asegura el cumplimiento de la legislaci��n ambiental. La actividad que nos ocupa, se dedica a la recepci��n y descontaminaci��n de veh��culos al final de su vida ��til, reutilizando piezas o componentes de recambio., Los objetivos del presente trabajo van a ser fundamentalmente, el implantar el Manual de Gesti��n Ambiental en la planta de tratamiento de veh��culos fuera de uso y el describir todos los procedimientos gen��ricos a seguir. Como conclusiones de este trabajo, tendremos las auditor��as con las no conformidades detectadas, as�� como el compromiso adquirido en todos los niveles y departamentos de la empresa, lo cual se traducir�� en una mejor satisfacci��n de los clientes y por tanto un aumento en el n��mero de veh��culos a tratar.

Inaugural adress: The concept of biostratigraphy: the view point of a stratigrapher

Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen. My presence here is due to accidental circumstances and I must confess that I feel a little embarassed by the fact Both your scientific quality and the worlwide acceptance of the results achieved by you in your research fields make me prudent and, to a certain extent, cautious.

Vacancy-driven ordering in a two-dimensional binary alloy

Domain growth in a system with nonconserved order parameter is studied. We simulate the usual Ising model for binary alloys with concentration 0.5 on a two-dimensional square lattice by Monte Carlo techniques. Measurements of the energy, jump-acceptance ratio, and order parameters are performed. Dynamics based on the diffusion of a single vacancy in the system gives a growth law faster than the usual Allen-Cahn law. Allowing vacancy jumps to next-nearest-neighbor sites is essential to prevent vacancy trapping in the ordered regions. By measuring local order parameters we show that the vacancy prefers to be in the disordered regions (domain boundaries). This naturally concentrates the atomic jumps in the domain boundaries, accelerating the growth compared with the usual exchange mechanism that causes jumps to be homogeneously distributed on the lattice.

Closure of the Monte Carlo dynamical equation in the spherical Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model

We study the analytical solution of the Monte Carlo dynamics in the spherical Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model using the technique of the generating function. Explicit solutions for one-time observables (like the energy) and two-time observables (like the correlation and response function) are obtained. We show that the crucial quantity which governs the dynamics is the acceptance rate. At zero temperature, an adiabatic approximation reveals that the relaxational behavior of the model corresponds to that of a single harmonic oscillator with an effective renormalized mass.

Les llic��ncies de Creative Commons a l'Estat espanyol

[eng] The Creative Commons project in Spain has its beginnings in early 2003, but until one year ago it was not possible to access licenses adapted to Spanish legislation on intellectual property. In addition to this effort of adaptation, other activities have been carried out -centred especially on the dissemination and explanation of the licensing system- and the level of acceptance has been quite positive. This article covers the history of the project and provides an explanation of the licenses and a description of some of the initiatives that this legal system is carrying out.

Diagn��stic en profunditat sobre la integraci�� dels i les joves de 14 a 18 anys migrats a Catalunya

[cat] La finalitat d���aquest projecte ��s aprofundir en el proc��s d���integraci�� socioeducativa de la joventut migrada a Catalunya, espec��ficament, dels i les joves entre 14 i 18 anys. Entre els resultats destaquem que els joves tenen un concepte for��a tancat i excloent del concepte de ciutadania com a estatus, i un baix grau de coneixement de la diversitat cultural, especialment els joves aut��ctons; tot i que tenen una actitud de reconeixement i acceptaci��, favorable a la conviv��ncia intercultural, tant al centre educatiu com al seu barri. No obstant, tenen una visi�� de la diversitat cultural i del fet migratori en clau de coexist��ncia, sense el reconeixement que suposaria un pas m��s per a la conviv��ncia. La immigraci�� ��s vista com un col��lectiu vulnerable, amb un baix nivell econ��mic i cultural i que tamb�� ��s percebut com un problema i, fins i tot, com a causant de les dificultats que actualment pateix i travessa el conjunt de la societat. Els joves tendeixen a relacionar-se amb el seu grup cultural, i responen de forma passiva en la comprensi�� i actuaci�� davant dels problemes i assumptes p��blics. Entre els elements que valoren per sentir-se ciutad�� t�� una especial import��ncia la llengua. Els joves que fa m��s de 10 anys que viuen a Catalunya s��n els que tendeixen a tenir un sentiment de pertinen��a c��vica amb el lloc de resid��ncia. De fet, com m��s temps porten els joves estrangers vivint al lloc d���acollida, perden import��ncia elements d���identificaci�� cultural del pa��s d���origen, per�� la religi��, les celebracions populars, l���art i la tend��ncia a formar parella s��n elements identitaris del lloc d���origen, m��s estables. Es demana una intervenci�� urgent en diversos nivells i destinades a diferents agents. Destaquem: -La import��ncia d���una acollida afectiva i efectiva, -Potenciar espais de trobada, -Treballar els prejudicis, -Transversalitzar l���educaci�� intercultural, - Potenciaci�� de l���aprenentatge de la llengua catalana, -Formaci�� del professorat en compet��ncies interculturals.