Application of Decision Theory methods for a Community of Madrid Soil classification case

A land classi���cation method was designed for the Community of Madrid (CM), which has lands suitable for either agriculture use or natural spaces. The process started from an extensive previous CM study that contains sets of land attributes with data for 122 types and a minimum-requirements method providing a land quality classi���cation (SQ) for each land. Borrowing some tools from Operations Research (OR) and from Decision Science, that SQ has been complemented by an additive valuation method that involves a more restricted set of 13 representative attributes analysed using Attribute Valuation Functions to obtain a quality index, QI, and by an original composite method that uses a fuzzy set procedure to obtain a combined quality index, CQI, that contains relevant information from both the SQ and the QI methods.

Normalizaci��n del an��lisis de la piedra y conservaci��n del patrimonio cultural. The Standardization of Stone Analysis and Conservation of Cultural Heritage

La normalizaci��n de los m��todos de an��lisis y de los principales aspectos relacionados con la conservaci��n de los bienes culturales ha empezado en 2004 con la creaci��n del comit�� europeo de normalizaci��n, CEN/TC 346 Conservation of Cultural Property, que tiene la responsabilidad no solamente de redactar protocolos de ensayos en laboratorio, sino tambi��n proponer las recomendaciones m��s adecuadas para designarlos de forma consensual y conservarlos de la forma m��s apropiada. Se comentan los aspectos relacionados con el origen de estas normas, el trabajo desarrollado y que muchas de ellas, aunque no est��n dirigidas espec��ficamente a la piedra, tienen en cuenta la presencia de este material en objetos arqueol��gicos, obras de arte, estructuras de f��bricas y elementos ornamentales.

Application of postprocessing techniques methods for noise reduction in cylindrical near field antenna measurements

Three different methods to reduce the noise power in the far-field pattern of an antenna when it is measured in a cylindrical near field system are presented and compared. The first one is based on a modal filtering while the other two are based on spatial filtering, either on an antenna plane or either on a cylinder of smaller radius. Simulated and measured results will be presented.

Level 2 reliability of simplified pushover methods

Pushover methods are being used as an everyday tool in engineering practice and some of them have been included in Regulatory Codes. Recently several efforts have been done trying to look at them from a probabilistic viewpoint. In this paper the authors shall present a Level 2 approach based on a probabilistic definition of the characteristic points defining the response spectra as well as a probabilistic definition of the elasto-plastic pushover curve representing the structural behavior. Comparisons with Montecarlo simulations will help to precise the accuracy of the proposed approach.

Mapping Genetic Diversity of Cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.): Application of Spatial Analysis for Conservation and Use of Plant Genetic Resources.

There is a growing call for inventories that evaluate geographic patterns in diversity of plant genetic resources maintained on farm and in species' natural populations in order to enhance their use and conservation. Such evaluations are relevant for useful tropical and subtropical tree species, as many of these species are still undomesticated, or in incipient stages of domestication and local populations can offer yet-unknown traits of high value to further domestication. For many outcrossing species, such as most trees, inbreeding depression can be an issue, and genetic diversity is important to sustain local production. Diversity is also crucial for species to adapt to environmental changes. This paper explores the possibilities of incorporating molecular marker data into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to allow visualization and better understanding of spatial patterns of genetic diversity as a key input to optimize conservation and use of plant genetic resources, based on a case study of cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.), a Neotropical fruit tree species. We present spatial analyses to (1) improve the understanding of spatial distribution of genetic diversity of cherimoya natural stands and cultivated trees in Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru based on microsatellite molecular markers (SSRs); and (2) formulate optimal conservation strategies by revealing priority areas for in situ conservation, and identifying existing diversity gaps in ex situ collections. We found high levels of allelic richness, locally common alleles and expected heterozygosity in cherimoya's putative centre of origin, southern Ecuador and northern Peru, whereas levels of diversity in southern Peru and especially in Bolivia were significantly lower. The application of GIS on a large microsatellite dataset allows a more detailed prioritization of areas for in situ conservation and targeted collection across the Andean distribution range of cherimoya than previous studies could do, i.e. at province and department level in Ecuador and Peru, respectively.

Computer simulation of random parckings for self-similar particle size distributions in soil and granular materials: porosity and pore size distribution

A 2D computer simulation method of random packings is applied to sets of particles generated by a self-similar uniparametric model for particle size distributions (PSDs) in granular media. The parameter p which controls the model is the proportion of mass of particles corresponding to the left half of the normalized size interval [0,1]. First the influence on the total porosity of the parameter p is analyzed and interpreted. It is shown that such parameter, and the fractal exponent of the associated power scaling, are efficient packing parameters, but this last one is not in the way predicted in a former published work addressing an analogous research in artificial granular materials. The total porosity reaches the minimum value for p = 0.6. Limited information on the pore size distribution is obtained from the packing simulations and by means of morphological analysis methods. Results show that the range of pore sizes increases for decreasing values of p showing also different shape in the volume pore size distribution. Further research including simulations with a greater number of particles and image resolution are required to obtain finer results on the hierarchical structure of pore space.

A study of data analysis techniques. Application to personal data analysis in the context of social networks

En los ��ltimos a��os la sociedad est�� experimentando una serie de cambios. Uno de estos cambios es la datificaci��n (���datafication��� en ingl��s). Este t��rmino puede ser definido como la transformaci��n sistem��tica de aspectos de la vida cotidiana de las personas en datos procesados por ordenadores. Cada d��a, a cada minuto y a cada segundo, cada vez que alguien emplea un dispositivo digital,hay datos siendo guardados en alg��n lugar. Se puede tratar del contenido de un correo electr��nico pero tambi��n puede ser el n��mero de pasos que esa persona ha caminado o su historial m��dico. El simple almacenamiento de datos no proporciona un valor a��adido por si solo. Para extraer conocimiento de los datos, y por tanto darles un valor, se requiere del an��lisis de datos. La ciencia de los datos junto con el an��lisis de datos se est�� volviendo cada vez m��s popular. Hoy en d��a, se pueden encontrar millones de web APIs estad��sticas; estas APIs ofrecen la posibilidad de analizar tendencias o sentimientos presentes en las redes sociales o en internet en general. Una de las redes sociales m��s populares, Twitter, es p��blica. Cada mensaje, o tweet, publicado puede ser visto por cualquier persona en el mundo, siempre y cuando posea una conexi��n a internet. Esto hace de Twitter un medio interesante a la hora de analizar h��bitos sociales o perfiles de consumo. Es en este contexto en que se engloba este proyecto. Este trabajo, combinando el an��lisis estad��stico de datos y el an��lisis de contenido, trata de extraer conocimiento de tweets p��blicos de Twitter. En particular tratar�� de establecer si el g��nero es un factor influyente en las relaciones entre usuarios de Twitter. Para ello, se analizar�� una base de datos que contiene casi 2.000 tweets. En primer lugar se determinar�� el g��nero de los usuarios mediante web APIs. En segundo lugar se emplear�� el contraste de hip��tesis para saber si el g��nero influye en los usuarios a la hora de relacionarse con otros usuarios. Finalmente se construir�� un modelo estad��stico para predecir el comportamiento de los usuarios de Twitter en relaci��n a su g��nero.

Analytical study of the thermal behaviour and stability of a small satellite

In this work the thermal analysis of a small satellite orbiting around the Earth has been approached by direct integration of the heat balance equations of a two-node reduced model, obtaining a linearized second order ODE problem, similar in form to the classical case of the forced vibration of a damped system. As the thermal loads (solar radiation, albedo, etc.) are harmonic, the problem is solved by means of Fourier analysis methods. Research on that field can be directly applied to the analysis of thermal problems and the results obtained are satisfactory. Working on the frequency domain streamlines the analysis, simplifies the study and facilitates the experimental testing. The transfer functions are obtained for the two-node case but the study can be extended to an n-node model.

Mies van der Rohe's Illinois Institute of Technology: Analysis and History of a Compositive Development = El IIT de Mies van der Rohe: an��lisis e historia de un proceso compositivo

The Illinois Institute of Technology (iit) campus, Chicago, by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, is often considered as a transitional work, usually acknowledged as significant for the reorientation of his professional career after he emigrated to the United States. Moreover, its favorable recognition today is somehow indicative of its relevance as a model for urban intervention in the contemporary American city and for contemporary city planning in general, not to mention the profound impact that it had on the cityscape of Chicago. However, today we know it was rather the result of a close collaboration between he and Ludwig Hilberseimer ���later on, to be completed with Alfred Caldwell��� who merged their personal ideas and expertise in the design for the first time. In addition to this, when one tries to locate the design within its own historical context and evaluate the sources of its approach to it, some contradictions arise. The major impact of the images produced by Mies to promote its realization ���widely disseminated in most contemporary architectural periodicals��� probably outshined the particular circumstances in which the design was conceived. In fact, it would never be materialized as originally presented, but it was, instead, continuously reworked according to land availability in the site ���a circumstance often ignored by subsequent architectural critic, that enthusiastically praised the design even before it was fully completed. One of the main consequences of looking at iit from such a standpoint is that, when historically contextualized, one can appreciate that, due to the urban scale of its implementation process, the design had to face a complex reality very different to that initially planned by the architect, often far from his actual possibilities of intervention. Such approach is in contradiction with the common description of the design as a ���tabula rasa��� that allegedly would have been formulated on the basis of a full denial of its context. On the contrary, the ever-changing circumstances of the design motivated a necessary re-interpretation of the relation between its executed fragments, in order to keep the original identity of the whole in an ever-changing context. This situation implied a continuous transformation of the design by means of a steady re-composition of its elements: as the number of completed buildings increased in its successive stages, their relation to their site-specific context changed, in a very particular process that these lines try to delineate. Requiring decades to be erected, neither of its authors would ever see the design finished as planned, partially because of the difficulties in acquiring the extension of land that it required. Considering the study of this process as able to provide a valuable gateway to understand the urban discourse that the architects entailed, the aim of these lines is to analyze the problems that the iit campus design had to face. As a starting point, a relationship between practice and theory in the activity of the authors implied in iit campus design has been assumed. Far from being interrupted during World War ii, strong historical evidence can be found to infer that both were developed in parallel. Consequently, the historical sequence of the preserved testimonies has been put into context, as well as their transformation while Mies remained in charge for the campus Master Plan. Notably, when seen from this perspective, some ideas already expressed during his previous European practice were still present during the design process. Particularly, Mies's particular understanding of certain architectural concepts ��� such as those of ���order��� and ���structure������can be traced paralleling the theories about urban planning from his collaborators, a fact that possibly facilitated the campus successful development. The study of the way these ideas were actually redeveloped and modified in the American urban context, added to the specific process of the implementation of iit campus design, sheds a new light for a critical interpretation of the reasons that made it possible, and of the actual responsibility of Mies's collaborators in its overall development and final completion. RESUMEN El campus del Illinois Institute of Technology (iit) de Chicago, obra del arquitecto Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, es a menudo considerado como una obra de transici��n que, por lo general, ha venido siendo reconocida como relevante para la reorientaci��n de su carrera profesional posterior a su exilio en los Estados Unidos. El reconocimiento del que goza el proyecto es indicativo, de alg��n modo, de su importancia como modelo para la intervenci��n urbana en la ciudad norteamericana contempor��nea y el planeamiento de la ciudad contempor��nea en general, sin olvidar el profundo impacto que ha tenido sobre el paisaje urbano de Chicago. Sin embargo, hoy sabemos que el resultado se benefici�� de su estrecha colaboraci��n con Ludwig Hilberseimer y se completar��a m��s tarde con la de Alfred Caldwell, quienes unieron sus ideas y experiencia profesional en el proyecto por primera vez. Asimismo, cuando se intenta ubicar el proyecto dentro de su propio contexto hist��rico y evaluar los criterios de su manera de abordarlo, surgen algunas contradicciones. El considerable impacto de las im��genes producidas por Mies para impulsar su ejecuci��n ���ampliamente difundidas en la mayor��a de publicaciones de arquitectura de la ��poca��� probablemente eclips�� las particulares circunstancias en las que el proyecto fue concebido. De hecho, nunca lleg�� a materializarse tal y como fue inicialmente presentado. Por contra, fue reelaborado de manera continua, de acuerdo a la disponibilidad de suelo en el emplazamiento; una circunstancia a menudo ignorada por la cr��tica posterior, que elogi�� con entusiasmo el proyecto antes siquiera de que fuese terminado. Una de las principales consecuencias de contemplar el iit desde semejante punto de vista es que, una vez contextualizada hist��ricamente su puesta en obra, se puede apreciar que el arquitecto tuvo que enfrentarse a una compleja realidad urbana muy diferente a la inicialmente prevista ���probablemente debido a la escala del proyecto��� a menudo lejos de sus posibilidades reales de intervenci��n. Este enfoque contradice la descripci��n habitual del proyecto como una ���tabula rasa���, que supuestamente se habr��a formulado sobre la base de una negaci��n completa de su contexto. Por el contrario, las circunstancias cambiantes del proyecto obligaron una necesaria reinterpretaci��n de la relaci��n entre sus frag mentos ejecutados, con el fin de mantener la identidad original del conjunto en un contexto en constante cambio. Esta situaci��n implic�� una continua transformaci��n del proyecto por medio de una permanente re-composici��n de sus elementos: seg��n se incrementaba el n��mero de edificios construidos en las etapas sucesivas de desarrollo del conjunto, variaba su relaci��n con el contexto espec��fico en que se emplazaban, en un proceso muy particular que estas l��neas tratan de perfilar. Al necesitar d��cadas para ser levantado, ninguno de sus autores ver��a el conjunto terminado seg��n lo planificado, en parte debido a las dificultades para la adquisici��n de la extensi��n de suelo que demandaba. Asumiendo que el estudio de este proceso es capaz de proporcionar una valiosa puerta de entrada para elucidar el discurso urbano asumido por los Mies, el objetivo de estas l��neas es analizar los problemas a los que el proyecto del campus del iit tuvo que enfrentarse. Como punto de partida, se ha supuesto una relaci��n entre la pr��ctica y la teor��a en la actividad de los autores implicados en el proyecto del campus del iit. Lejos de interrumpirse durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, existen evidencias hist��ricas s��lidas para deducir que ambas vertientes se desarrollaron en paralelo. En consecuencia, se ha contextualizado la secuencia hist��rica de los testimonios conservados, as�� como su transformaci��n durante el periodo en que Mies estuvo a cargo del Plan General del campus. Significativamente, al ser contempladas bajo esta perspectiva, algunas ideas ya expresadas durante su pr��ctica europea anterior resultan a��n presentes durante la redacci��n del proyecto. En concreto, se puede trazar un paralelismo entre la comprensi��n particular de Mies de ciertos conceptos arquitect��nicos ���como los de ���orden��� y ���estructura������ y las teor��as sobre el urbanismo de sus colaboradores, hecho que posiblemente facilit�� el exitoso desarrollo del proyecto. El estudio de la manera en que estas ideas fueron reelaboradas y modificadas en el contexto urbano estadounidense, sumado al proceso espec��fico de su aplicaci��n en el proyecto del campus del iit, arroja una nueva luz para una interpretaci��n cr��tica tanto de las razones que lo hicieron posible, como del papel real que los colaboradores de Mies tuvieron en su desarrollo y ejecuci��n final.

De la isla de Menorca a las costas sur y este de Inglaterra: an��lisis del prototipo de torre Martello = From the island of Minorca to the south and east coasts of England: analysis of the prototype of the Martello tower

Esta tesis doctoral desarrolla una investigaci��n original sobre las torres defensivas de Menorca y las torres Martello de las costas sur y este de Inglaterra. Con respecto a las torres menorquinas, se distinguen las de Alcaufar y Punta Prima, construidas por ingenieros militares espa��oles, en 1786; de las levantadas por el ej��rcito brit��nico durante su ��ltimo periodo de dominaci��n de la isla, entre 1798 y 1802. Estos ingenieros reales brit��nicos construyen las torres Martello en las costas inglesas, entre 1805 y 1812; y otras, semejantes a ellas, en el resto de su Imperio, hasta mediados del siglo XIX. La falta de estudios que relacionen las torres defensivas de Menorca y las Martello inglesas dentro del marco disciplinario de la construcci��n, ha constituido la justificaci��n de esta investigaci��n. La hip��tesis de trabajo plantea un objetivo principal: el estudio y an��lisis comparativo entre ellas, que se desarrolla en varios niveles de an��lisis: morfol��gico, f��sico-constructivo, de visibilidades; pero tambi��n territorial, hist��rico y poliorc��tico. Esta tesis cuestiona, en consecuencia, la idea tradicionalmente aceptada de que las torres Martello tomaran la torre de Mortella, en C��rcega, o cualquiera de las denominadas torres "preMartello", como referencia para crear su prototipo. La metodolog��a empleada combina los trabajos de gabinete con una intensa labor de campo, en la que se documentaron cincuenta y siete torres, catorce en Menorca y cuarenta y tres en Inglaterra. Se han redactado sus correspondientes fichas de datos, que incluyen aspectos generales - morfol��gicos y constructivos -, as�� como documentaci��n fotogr��fica. Se han elaborado los levantamientos morfol��gicos de siete de estas torres, aquellas que por sus particularidades constructivas, o bien representan un determinado tipo de torre, o bien se distinguen del resto. Del mismo modo, se han desarrollado los levantamientos f��sico-constructivos y la caracterizaci��n de materiales de las cuatro torres m��s relevantes para este estudio: las menorquinas Alcaufar y Punta Prima, y las torres 24 y C, que ejemplifican, respectivamente, las levantadas en las costas sur y este de Inglaterra. El sistem��tico m��todo de trabajo llevado a cabo ha favorecido la investigaci��n y ha ayudado a obtener conclusiones que verifican la hip��tesis planteada en la tesis y cumplen los objetivos establecidos al comienzo de la misma. ABSTRACT This doctoral thesis develops an original research on the defensive towers of Minorca, and the Martello towers on the south and east coasts of England. Regarding the Minorcan towers, Alcaufar and Punta Prima, built by the Spanish military engineers in 1786, must be distinguished from those erected by the British Army during its last period of domination of the island between 1798 and 1802. These Royal Engineers build the Martello towers on the English coasts between 1805 and 1812; and others, similar to them, in the rest of their Empire until the middle of the 19th century. The lack of studies linking these Minorcan and English towers, within the disciplinary framework of construction, has been the justification for this research. The hypothesis poses a main goal: the study and comparative analysis of them, which takes place at several levels of analysis: morphological, constructive, of visibilities; but also territorial, historical and poliorcetic. Consequently, this thesis questions the traditionally accepted notion that the Martello towers took the Corsican Mortella Tower, or any of the so-called ���preMartello��� towers as a reference to create their prototype. The methodology combines the cabinet works with significant fieldwork, in which fifty seven towers were documented, fourteen in Minorca and forty three in England. The corresponding data sheets were drafted including general aspects - morphological and constructive-, and photographic documentation. Morphological survey plans were developed for seven of these towers due to their construction peculiarities, which either denote a specific type of tower or makes it stand out from the rest. Likewise, constructive survey plans and material characterisation sheets of the four more relevant towers in this study were developed: the Minorcan Alcaufar and Punta Prima, and towers 24 and C, both respectively exemplifying those built on the south and east coasts of England. The systematic method of work encouraged the research and helped to draw conclusions that both confirm the hypothesis raised in the thesis and meet the objectives established at the beginning of it.

Who has a repeat abortion? Identifying women at risk of repeated terminations of pregnancy : analysis of routinely collected health care data

Peer reviewed

Gene discovery in the wood-forming tissues of poplar: Analysis of 5,692 expressed sequence tags

A rapidly growing area of genome research is the generation of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) in which large numbers of randomly selected cDNA clones are partially sequenced. The collection of ESTs reflects the level and complexity of gene expression in the sampled tissue. To date, the majority of plant ESTs are from nonwoody plants such as Arabidopsis, Brassica, maize, and rice. Here, we present a large-scale production of ESTs from the wood-forming tissues of two poplars, Populus tremula L. �� tremuloides Michx. and Populus trichocarpa ���Trichobel.��� The 5,692 ESTs analyzed represented a total of 3,719 unique transcripts for the two cDNA libraries. Putative functions could be assigned to 2,245 of these transcripts that corresponded to 820 protein functions. Of specific interest to forest biotechnology are the 4% of ESTs involved in various processes of cell wall formation, such as lignin and cellulose synthesis, 5% similar to developmental regulators and members of known signal transduction pathways, and 2% involved in hormone biosynthesis. An additional 12% of the ESTs showed no significant similarity to any other DNA or protein sequences in existing databases. The absence of these sequences from public databases may indicate a specific role for these proteins in wood formation. The cDNA libraries and the accompanying database are valuable resources for forest research directed toward understanding the genetic control of wood formation and future endeavors to modify wood and fiber properties for industrial use.

Dynamics of Gene Expression Revealed by Comparison of Serial Analysis of Gene Expression Transcript Profiles from Yeast Grown on Two Different Carbon SourcesD���

We describe a genome-wide characterization of mRNA transcript levels in yeast grown on the fatty acid oleate, determined using Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE). Comparison of this SAGE library with that reported for glucose grown cells revealed the dramatic adaptive response of yeast to a change in carbon source. A major fraction (>20%) of the 15,000 mRNA molecules in a yeast cell comprised differentially expressed transcripts, which were derived from only 2% of the total number of ���6300 yeast genes. Most of the mRNAs that were differentially expressed code for enzymes or for other proteins participating in metabolism (e.g., metabolite transporters). In oleate-grown cells, this was exemplified by the huge increase of mRNAs encoding the peroxisomal ��-oxidation enzymes required for degradation of fatty acids. The data provide evidence for the existence of redox shuttles across organellar membranes that involve peroxisomal, cytoplasmic, and mitochondrial enzymes. We also analyzed the mRNA profile of a mutant strain with deletions of the PIP2 and OAF1 genes, encoding transcription factors required for induction of genes encoding peroxisomal proteins. Induction of genes under the immediate control of these factors was abolished; other genes were up-regulated, indicating an adaptive response to the changed metabolism imposed by the genetic impairment. We describe a statistical method for analysis of data obtained by SAGE.