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Comparison of spatial interpolation methods for the estimation of solar potential in Castilla y León
No full textComunicación presentada en: XII Congreso Nacional y III Internacional de Ingeniería Termodinámica (12 CNIT), June 19- July 1, Madrid (Spain)Solar radiation is one of the most relevant and influential climatic variables in the interactions of the Earth System, as it is a determining factor for the development of many processes and disciplines in different fields such as agriculture, transport, architectural design, or renewable energies. Among renewable energies, one of the most representative is solar energy. Many countries, such as Spain, have a high potential for photovoltaic energy production. For some years now, research has been carried out on designing and implementing these systems in an integrated way to maximise their use. The spatio-temporal distribution of Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) and other variables derived from it, such as Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR), provide valuable information as it can be used, among other things, to estimate plant growth or to prevent environmental or biological risks.The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science & Innovation under the I+D+i state program “Challenges Research Projects” (Ref. RTI2018-098900-B-I00). Elena Garrachón-Gómez thanks financial support provided by Junta de Castilla y León (Programa Operativo de Empleo Juvenil, Fondo Social Europeo e Iniciativa de Empleo Juvenil)
Analysis of low-cost sensors for solar illuminance measurement
No full textComunicación presentada en: XII Congreso Nacional y III Internacional de Ingeniería Termodinámica (12 CNIT), June 19- July 1, Madrid (Spain)Energy efficiency is one of the biggest concerns nowadays. During the last months, a drastic increase of the electrical energy prices has been seen. The main causes are two: the strong revaluation of natural gas on international markets and the rise of the CO2 emission market prices. Therefore, reducing dependence on fossil fuels is a matter of urgency. The reduction of electricity consumption would help in following this direction. The use of natural illumination in buildings could play a vital role for decreasing the energy dependency, hence it is essential to measure the solar illuminance. Professional sensors cost hundreds of euros. This work compares several illuminance sensors for Internet of Things (IoT) projects against a professional one. The former ones cost just a few euros. The results show good precision and regular accuracy.The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science & Innovation under the I+D +i state program “Challenges Research Projects” (Ref. RTI2018-098900-B-I00). Diego Granados-López thanks grant PIRTU Program, ORDEN EDU/556/2019, for financial support
Stigma towards mental health in higher education. The case of students at the University of Burgos
No full textEl persistente estigma social hacia las personas con problemas de salud mental provoca la exclusión del colectivo. El frecuente estigma en las universidades requiere de evaluación para, posteriormente, poder establecer estrategias de educación y desarrollar intervenciones acordes a las necesidades manifestadas. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo evaluar los niveles de estigma del estudiantado de la Universidad de Burgos (UBU) hacia las personas con problemas de salud mental, a través de la aplicación del Cuestionario de Actitudes de la Comunidad hacia las personas con Enfermedad Mental (CAMI) compuesto de 4 factores: Autoritarismo, Benevolencia, Restricción Social e Ideología de la Salud Mental en la Comunidad. Con el propósito de describir el estigma de este grupo en un momento concreto se lleva a cabo una investigación educativa cuantitativa mediante un diseño transeccional. La muestra está conformada por 268 estudiantes. Los resultados hallados muestran que diferentes variables sociodemográficas (sexo, edad, nivel de estudios y contacto con personas con enfermedad mental) condicionan el estigma de los estudiantes universitarios de la UBU. En conclusión, el contacto con personas con problemas de salud mental reduce el estigma pero, este grupo de estudiantes universitarios posee elevadas actitudes estigmatizantes hacia el colectivo. Es necesario diseñar intervenciones educativas destinadas a población universitaria con el fin de reducir la discriminación y la exclusión que sufren las personas con problemas de salud mental.The persistent social stigma towards people with mental health problems causes the exclusion of the group. The frequent stigma in universities requires evaluation in order to subsequently establish educational strategies and develop interventions accordingto the needs expressed. This research aims to evaluate the levels of stigma of the student population at the University of Burgos (UBU) towards people with mental health problems, through the application of the Community Attitudes towards mental Illness(CAMI) composed of 4 factors: Authoritarianism, Benevolence, Social Restriction and Ideology of Mental Health in the Community. With the purpose of describing the stigma of this group at a specific time, a quantitative educational research is carried out using a cross-sectional design. The sample is made up of 268 students. The results show that different sociodemographic variables (sex, age, level of studies and contact with people with mental illness) condition the stigma of university students at UBU. In conclusion, contact with people with mental health problems reduces stigma, but this group of university students has high stigmatizing attitudes towards the collective. It is necessary to design educational interventions for the university population in order to reduce the discrimination and exclusion experienced by people with mental health problems
Impact of different nebulisation systems on patient comfort in bronchiolitis: a randomised controlled cross-over trial
No full textObjective: To test the hypothesis that greater comfort is achieved using a nebuliser integrated into a high-flow nasal cannula (nebulisation system integrated in high-flow nasal cannula (NHF)) than using a jet nebuliser (JN), and to explore differences in analgesia requirement and the possibility of feeding during nebulisation.
Design: Randomised cross-over trial.
Setting: Paediatric intensive care unit.
Patients: Children aged <24 months diagnosed with bronchiolitis between November 2016 and May 2017.
Interventions: Nebulisations using NHF and JN.
Main outcome measures: COMFORT–Behaviour Scale (CBS) and Numerical Rating Comfort Scale (NRSc) were used to measure comfort, and Numerical Rating Satisfaction Scale (NRSs) was used to assess satisfaction before, during and after nebulisation. Other variables included feeding, analgesia, need for being held and respiratory and heart rates.
Results: Thirty-three children with 233 nebulisations were included in the study. The median age was 3.0 (IQR 2–9) months. Comfort and satisfaction were greater with NHF than with JN. The median staff-recorded CBS, NRSc and NRSs scores for NHF versus JN were 13 (IQR 9–15) vs 17 (IQR 13–23), 8 (IQR 7–0) vs 7 (IQR 4–8), and 4 (IQR 3–4) vs 2 (IQR 2–3), respectively; and caregiver-recorded scores were 12 (IQR 10–15) vs 19 (IQR 13–24), 9 (IQR 7–10) vs 4 (IQR 1–6), and 4 (IQR 3–4) vs 2 (IQR 1–3), respectively (p<0.001). Children who received NHF had lower cardiac and respiratory rates, needed to be held less often during therapy and required less analgesia (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Nebulisation through NHF appears to be a better alternative to JN in terms of comfort and satisfaction as well as making feeding possible during nebulisation.This study was supported by Fundación Ernesto Sánchez Villares (FESV) (01/2017), and Aerogen (Philips) provided nebulisers free of charge. The opinions, results and conclusions reported in this paper are those of the authors and are independent of funding sources. No endorsement by FESV is intended or inferred
A Novel Technique Using Planar Area and Ground Shadows Calculated from UAV RGB Imagery to Estimate Pistachio Tree (Pistacia vera L.) Canopy Volume
No full textInterest in pistachios has increased in recent years due to their healthy nutritional profile and high profitability. In pistachio trees, as in other woody crops, the volume of the canopy is a key factor that affects the pistachio crop load, water requirements, and quality. However, canopy/crown monitoring is time-consuming and labor-intensive, as it is traditionally carried out by measuring tree dimensions in the field. Therefore, methods for rapid tree canopy characterization are needed for providing accurate information that can be used for management decisions. The present study focuses on developing a new, fast, and low-cost technique, based on two main steps, for estimating the canopy volume in pistachio trees. The first step is based on adequately planning the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) flight according to light conditions and segmenting the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) imagery using machine learning methods. The second step is based on measuring vegetation planar area and ground shadows using two methodological approaches: a pixel-based classification approach and an OBIA (object-based image analysis) approach. The results show statistically significant linear relationships (p 0.8 (pixel-based classification) and R2 > 0.9 (OBIA). The proposed methodologies show potential benefits for accurately monitoring the vegetation of the trees. Moreover, the method is compatible with other remote sensing techniques, usually performed at solar noon, so UAV operators can plan a flexible working day. Further research is needed to verify whether these results can be extrapolated to other woody crops.This work was supported by the project CDTI (IDI-20200822) and FEADER funds
Development and validation of the SUCCESS instrument: Towards a valid and reliable measure of expectancies of success in school science
No full textResearch on factors affecting enrolments in science-related studies has constantly struggled with poorly conceptualized and developed measurement instruments. After discussing theoretical and psychometric properties pitfalls of the most relevant measures used in the Spanish science education literature, this study reports on the development and initial validation of an instrument rooted in the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation, named SUCCESS. Content validity was established using a panel of experts, and item readability and interpretation was confirmed through cognitive interviews with the target sample. Besides, exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 6-item unidimensional scale of satisfactory construct and convergent validity. Finally, Cronbach α and item-total r provided acceptable evidence for internal consistency reliability, which supports its use in exploratory studies. This promising instrument can be used to advance research on factors affecting enrollments in science education careers from the early stages of the educational system.This study was funded by the 2017–2021 edition of the University of Burgos PhD research fellowship granted to the first author. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
Perceived Difficulty of School Science and Cost Appraisals: a Valuable Relationship for the STEM Pipeline?
No full textThe lack of students interested in pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related careers calls for studies that identify variables affecting their career decisions. By drawing on recent conceptualizations of the cost domain first introduced in the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivations, this study investigated whether the perceived difficulty of school science predicted and affected elementary school students (N = 245) task effort and loss of valued alternatives experienced while engaging in a science-related course. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that students’ perceived difficulty significantly predicted levels of cost experienced when studying science. Likewise, multi-factor ANOVAs revealed that students perceiving school science as a difficult subject reported significantly higher levels of task effort and loss of valued alternatives related to studying science. These findings suggest that the attitudinal dimensions of perceived difficulty play a promising role in the development of cost in science, which has valuable implications for repairing the leaky STEM pipeline.This investigation was conducted under the Ph.D. research fellowship Resolución de 19 de mayo de 2017 del Vicerrector de Investigación y Transferencia del Conocimiento para financiar contratos predoctorales de la Universidad de Burgos [Resolution of 19 May 2017 of the Vice-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer to finance Ph.D. research fellowships at the University of Burgos], granted to the author of this study
Siderurgical mortars in Spain: rehabilitation opportunities and an overview of progress
No full textTrabajo presentado en: 9th Euro-American Congress on Construction Pathology, Rehabilitation Technology and Heritage Management, REHABEND 2022. En Granada, durante los días 13-16 de septiembre de 2022In the present paper, waste products from the steel-making industry are reused as fine raw material in rehabilitation mortars for construction works. Two cement mixes are evaluated: masonry mortars and structural mortars. The study is focused on two steel-making by-products: electric arc furnace slag and ladle furnace slag. The mortar design proposed here incorporates the former in partial substitution of fine aggregates (sand) and the ladle furnace slag in partial substitution of Portland cement and, in some cases, as aggregate (filler). Several partial substitutions of mortar binders/aggregates were prepared which yielded different mixes: 8 masonry mortars whose compressive strengths were below 20 MPa and 12 structural mortars whose compressive strengths were over 50 MPa. At the lab scale, various physical and chemical tests were performed on batches in both the fresh and the hardened state (densities, spreading, mechanical strength, porosity and weathering studies). Our results fully support the use of these siderurgical mortars for architectural (non-structural) rehabilitation purposes and in structural refurbishments for strengthening reinforced concrete elements.This research work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Universities, MICINN, AEI, EU, ERDF and NextGenerationEU [grant numbers PID2020-113837RB-I00; 10.13039/501100011033; TED2021-129715B-I00]; the Junta de Castilla y León (Regional Government) and ERDF [grant number UIC-231]; and the University of Burgos [grant number SUCONS, Y135.GI]
Study of Clayey Soils Stabilized with Ladle Furnace Slag as Alternative Binder for Use in Road Works
No full textComunicación oral virtual presentada en: The 7th International Conference on Building Materials and Construction (ICBMC), celebrada de forma online en Singapur en marzo de 2022.Steelmaking industry generates a large volume of by-products that not always can be reintroduced into production processes, such as the steelmaking process itself or the production of cement. This is the case of ladle furnace slag (LFS), whose potential use is limited and usually ends up in landfill. This work investigates the feasibility of using LFS as binder for clayey soils stabilization in substitution of lime. The main parameters evaluated are plasticity index, California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS). The results show that the strength behavior of the mixtures is remarkable, obtaining increases in the CBR index between 8-14 times above unmodified clays. The mechanical performance base on UCS results show improvements of 85 % relative to natural soils three days after mixing. Moreover, if the curing time is up to 90 days, the UCS doubles or triples its value. Depending on the chemical composition of the soils, the performances of the mixtures are different, but in all cases the results are positive and encourage further research for the incorporation of ladle furnace slag as stabilizing agent.This research work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Universities, MICINN, AEI, EU, ERDF and NextGenerationEU [grant numbers PID2020-113837RB-I00; 10.13039/501100011033; TED2021-129715B-I00]; the Junta de Castilla y León (Regional Government) and ERDF [grant number UIC-231]; and the University of Burgos [grant number SUCONS, Y135.GI]