Improving QPF by blending techniques at the Meteorological Service of Catalonia

The current operational very short-term and short-term quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) at the Meteorological Service of Catalonia (SMC) is made by three different methodologies: Advection of the radar reflectivity field (ADV), Identification, tracking and forecasting of convective structures (CST) and numerical weather prediction (NWP) models using observational data assimilation (radar, satellite, etc.). These precipitation forecasts have different characteristics, lead time and spatial resolutions. The objective of this study is to combine these methods in order to obtain a single and optimized QPF at each lead time. This combination (blending) of the radar forecast (ADV and CST) and precipitation forecast from NWP model is carried out by means of different methodologies according to the prediction horizon. Firstly, in order to take advantage of the rainfall location and intensity from radar observations, a phase correction technique is applied to the NWP output to derive an additional corrected forecast (MCO). To select the best precipitation estimation in the first and second hour (t+1 h and t+2 h), the information from radar advection (ADV) and the corrected outputs from the model (MCO) are mixed by using different weights, which vary dynamically, according to indexes that quantify the quality of these predictions. This procedure has the ability to integrate the skill of rainfall location and patterns that are given by the advection of radar reflectivity field with the capacity of generating new precipitation areas from the NWP models. From the third hour (t+3 h), as radar-based forecasting has generally low skills, only the quantitative precipitation forecast from model is used. This blending of different sources of prediction is verified for different types of episodes (convective, moderately convective and stratiform) to obtain a robust methodology for implementing it in an operational and dynamic way.

Imatge i ús dels serveis d'informació en els alumnes de l'Escola Universitària de Biblioteconomia i Documentació Jordi Rubió i Balaguer (II)

Aquesta és la segona part de l'article aparegut en el número 20 d'ítem. En aquella es presentaven les conclusions de l'estudi realitzat sobre els hàbits en l'ús dels serveis d'informació dels alumnes de primer de l'Escola del curs Í996-Í997. En aquesta segona es pretén veure quin és el punt de vista dels alumnes de segon i tercer curs, per tal d'analitzar els canvis soferts a mesura que van aprofundint en el coneixement dels centres i veure fins a quin punt aquests canvis poden atribuir-se al procés currícular dels alumnes.

Imatge i ús dels serveis d'informació en els alumnes de l'Escola Universitària Jordi Rubió i Balaguer de Biblioteconomia i Documentació

Es pretén mostrar quins són els hàbits informatius dels alumnes de l'Escola com també la imatge que tenen sobre la professió bibliotecària en el moment d'iniciar els seus estudis universitaris i de quina manera aquesta opinió es modifica a mesura que la seva vida acadèmica avança.

Dades sobre la incorporació laboral de les darreres promocions de diplomats de l'Escola "Jordi Rubió i Balguer"

Resultats d'un estudi sobre la integració en el mercat de treball dels diplomats en Biblioteconomia i Documentació de l'Escola de Barcelona de les promocions de 1988 a 1992. Hi destaca el baix índex d'atur i l'ocupació majoritària en biblioteques universitàries i especialitzades.

The evolution of recent research on Catalan literature through the production of PhD theses: a bibliometric and social network analysis

Introduction. This paper studies the situation of research on Catalan literature between 1976 and 2003 by carrying out a bibliometric and social network analysis of PhD theses defended in Spain. It has a dual aim: to present interesting results for the discipline and to demonstrate the methodological efficacy of scientometric tools in the humanities, a field in which they are often neglected due to the difficulty of gathering data. Method. The analysis was performed on 151 records obtained from the TESEO database of PhD theses. The quantitative estimates include the use of the UCINET and Pajek software packages. Authority control was performed on the records. Analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample and the distribution of responses to each question. Sex differences on key questions were analysed using the Chi-squared test. Results. The value of the figures obtained is demonstrated. The information obtained on the topic and the periods studied in the theses, and on the actors involved (doctoral students, thesis supervisors and members of defence committees), provide important insights into the mechanisms of humanities disciplines. The main research tendencies of Catalan literature are identified. It is observed that the composition of members of the thesis defence committees follows Lotka's Law. Conclusions. Bibliometric analysis and social network analysis may be especially useful in the humanities and in other fields which are lacking in scientometric data in comparison with the experimental sciences.

A citation analysis of Catalan literary studies (1974-2003): towards a bibliometrics of humanities studies in minority languages

A citation analysis was carried out on the most important research journals in the field of Catalan literature between 1974 and 2003. The indicators and qualitative parameters obtained show the value of performing citation analysis in cultural and linguistic areas that are poorly covered by the A&HCI. Catalan literature shows a similar pattern to that of humanities in general, but it could still be in a stage of consolidation because too little work has as yet been published.

Les edicions i traduccions del tractat de vampirisme de Calmet

El llibre més famós sobre vampirs de no ficció és sens dubte les Dissertations de Calmet. Des de la seva primera edició el 1746, s'han publicat vint-i-una edicions completes en diferents llengües, si s¿exclouen les quatre originals que amb esmenes i addicions va escriure Calmet en vida. Cal ressaltar l'existència de nou edicions en alemany. El present article proporciona una revisió sintètica de totes les edicions.

Head-to-head comparison of length of stay, patients' outcome and satisfaction in Switzerland before and after SwissDRG-Implementation in 2012 in 2012: an observational study in two tertiary university centers.

On 1 January 2012 Swiss Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG), a new uniform payment system for in-patients was introduced in Switzerland with the intention to replace a "cost-based" with a "case-based" reimbursement system to increase efficiency. With the introduction of the new payment system we aim to answer questions raised regarding length of stay as well as patients' outcome and satisfaction. This is a prospective, two-centre observational cohort study with data from University Hospital Basel and the Cantonal Hospital Aarau, Switzerland, from January to June 2011 and 2012, respectively. Consecutive in-patients with the main diagnosis of either community-acquired pneumonia, exacerbation of COPD, acute heart failure or hip fracture were included. A questionnaire survey was sent out after discharge investigating changes before and after SwissDRG implementation. Our primary endpoint was LOS. Of 1,983 eligible patients 841 returned the questionnaire and were included into the analysis (429 in 2011, 412 in 2012). The median age was 76.7 years (50.8% male). Patients in the two years were well balanced in regard to main diagnoses and co-morbidities. Mean LOS in the overall patient population was 10.0 days and comparable between the 2011 cohort and the 2012 cohort (9.7 vs 10.3; p = 0.43). Overall satisfaction with care changed only slightly after introduction of SwissDRG and remained high (89.0% vs 87.8%; p = 0.429). Investigating the influence of the implementation of SwissDRG in 2012 regarding LOS patients' outcome and satisfaction, we found no significant changes. However, we observed some noteworthy trends, which should be monitored closely.

Consensus 2012 sur le diagnostic et le traitement des patients atteints de démence en Suisse [Consensus 2012--diagnosis and treatment of patients with dementia in Switzerland].

The 2012 Swiss consensus paper on diagnosis and management of patients suffering from dementia resulted from the work of an expert panel who met on March 23d to 25th in Luzem. Based on a literature review, panel members wrote a first draft that was subsequently circulated among multiple dementia experts in Switzerland. After adaptation and revisions according to comments, all consulted dementia specialists and panel members fully endorse the consensus content. The conference was financed by the Swiss Alzheimer Forum.

Archivar Internet

Cada día millones de usuarios vuelcan sus conocimientos y experiencias en internet. Este flujo imparable de información, verdadera memoria histórica del presente, no está siendo objeto de ningún tratamiento específico, y al finalizar su vigencia desaparece o es sustituido sin más. Este artículo reflexiona sobre los peligros que corre la documentación que circula por internet desde un punto de vista archivístico, y sobre las dificultades técnicas que entraña su conservación. A continuación analiza los principales proyectos que se han puesto en marcha con la finalidad de acumular un fondo documental de internet para su conservación permanente.

Segundo forum internacional sobre la gestión de los documentos electrónicos

El pasado mes de octubre tuvo lugar en Bruselas el segundo DLM-Forum on electronic records, que bajo el título ¿European citizens and electronic information: the memory of the information society¿ reunió a más de 400 expertos internacionales en la gestión de los documentos informáticos con valores administrativos e históricos. Durante los días 18 y 19 el centro de conferencias Charlemagne de Bruselas acogió las sesiones plenarias y las distintas comunicaciones presentadas en las reuniones paralelas.

Una nueva concepción de la función del archivo en la Administración. La experiencia del Arxiu Central Administratiu del Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya

A pesar de que todavía se suele identificar al archivero con el profesional que se dedica exclusivamente a la clasificación, descripción y difusión de los documentos históricos o, como mucho, de aquellos que ya han acabado su función administrativa, esta concepción no se corresponde con el trabajo que actualmente desarrolla un número cada vez mayor de expertos.

Gestión de los documentos digitales: estrategias para su conservación

La voluntad de conservar de forma permanente los documentos digitales ha estado presente desde los primeros tiempos de la revolución informática. Sin embargo, han sido pocas las experiencias de crear archivos digitales, debido principalmente a la dificultad para encontrar soluciones técnicas a los problemas de obsolescencia, al alto coste económico y a la ausencia de instituciones que asuman esta responsabilidad. Este artículo analiza las estrategias de conservación aplicadas hasta el momento, y reflexiona sobre los planteamientos metodológicos que han inspirado las mismas, las tendencias actuales y su viabilidad futura. A continuación expone las dos opciones para identificar el documento digital y establecer sus límites, operación previa a la aplicación de cualquier estrategia de conservación. Finalmente describe cómo se puede facilitar esta identificación aplicando metodologías de evaluación y selección propias de la archivística, y propone las reglas de evaluación documental como la herramienta fundamental que permite definir una política de conservación de los documentos digitales.