4,643 research outputs found
Some mathematical properties of a DEA model for the joint determination of efficiencies
No full textThis paper explores the Kuhn-Tucker conditions and convexity in a non-linear DEA model for the joint determination of efficiencies developed by Mar Molinero (1994). It is shown that the usual convexity conditions that apply to Linear Programming problems are satisfied in this case. First order Kuhn-Tucker conditions are derived and interpreted. Estimation strategies are suggested. Some empirical work is reporte
An approach to the measurement of intangible assets in public sector using scaling techniques
No full textThis paper discusses the identification and measurement of intangible assets in the public sector. A discussion of Intellectual Capital theory identifies and classifies a number of intangible assets of relevance to the Public Sector. Multidimensional Scaling and related multivariate techniques are proposed for their detection and quantification. The methodology is illustrated with a case study: the provision of council services through the Internet by Spanish municipalities. The technique identifies three intangible assets related to external structural capital: service, image and transparency. Five strategic groups reveal the different objectives, strategic use of Internet, and actions taken by the various Spanish councils
Developing “SotonSmartSkills”: A reflection on scaffolded independent learning programmes
No full textBy focussing on the physical and virtual space of a Language Resources Centre and the development of a wide set of digital literacies skills, this article discusses the SotonSmartSkills (Mar-Molinero & Lewis, 2014) programme developed at the University of Southampton, UK. Through a wide range of scaffolded courses designed to support the transition to the learner autonomy required of students in Higher Education, the programme equips students with skills, strategies, techniques and tools vital for success in their language learning (for international students) and more generally, in their academic achievement and professional life. In this paper we illustrate this initiative with the specific example of an integrated SotonSmartSkills module on our Pre-Sessional English programme
The politics of language in the Spanish-speaking world: from colonisation to globalisation
No full textSpanish is now the third most widely spoken language in the world after English and Chinese. This book traces how and why Spanish has arrived at this position, examining its role in the diverse societies where it is spoken from Europe to the Americas. Providing a comprehensive survey of language issues in the Spanish-speaking world, the book outlines the historical roots of the emergence of Spanish or Castilian as the dominant language, analyzes the situation of minority language groups, and traces the role of Spanish and its colonial heritage in Latin America. The book is structured in four sections: Spanish as a national language: conflict and hegemony Legislation and the realities of linguistic diversity Language and education The future of Spanish. Throughout the book Clare Mar-Molinero asks probing questions such as: How does language relate to power? What is its link with identity? What is the role of language in nation-building? Who decides how language is taught
Anita Molinero
No full textAnita Molinero © Johann Bouché Pillon At the end of the 1970s, at a time when minimalism and Supports/Surfaces dominated contemporary art, Anita Molinero discovered Arte povera and Art informel in a class taught by sculptor Toni Grand at the école des Beaux-Arts in Marseille, opening an avenue of research into “miserable” and “semi-permanent” forms. Anita Molinero started to explore the waste our industrial society constantly overproduces. She shares with Eva Hesse, David Hammons and Franz We..
Anita Molinero
No full textAnita Molinero © Johann Bouché Pillon A la fin des années 1970, alors que le minimalisme et Supports/Surfaces dominent l’actualité artistique, la découverte par Anita Molinero de l’Arte povera et de l’Art informel dans le cours du sculpteur Toni Grand à l’école des Beaux-Arts de Marseille ouvre la voie à ses recherches sur les formes misérables et semi-pérennes. Anita Molinero commence donc à s’intéresser aux rebuts d’une société industrielle en constante surproduction. Elle partage avec Eva ..
Selecting DEA specifications and ranking units via PCA
No full textDEA model selection is problematic. The estimated efficiency for any DMU depends on the inputs and outputs included in the model. It also depends on the number of outputs plus inputs. It is clearly important to select parsimonious specifications and to avoid as far as possible models that assign full high efficiency ratings to DMUs that operate in unusual ways (mavericks). A new method for model selection is proposed in this paper. Efficiencies are calculated for all possible DEA model specifications. The results are analysed using Principal Components Analysis. It is shown that model equivalence or dissimilarity can be easily assessed using this approach. The reasons why particular DMUs achieve a certain level of efficiency with a given model specification become clear. The methodology has the additional advantage of producing DMU rankings
Oswaldella occulta Cantero & Molinero 2018, sp. nov.
No full textOswaldella occulta sp. nov. (Figs 7–8) Oswaldella sp. GOnzález MOlinerO & Peña CanTerO, 2015: 422, figs 15, 16P, 18H, 20H; Peña CanTerO, 2017: 60, fig. 19C. Material examined. From the type series of Oswaldella terranovae: British Antarctic Terra Nova Expedition 1910–1913, Stn 220, 3 January 1912, off Cape Adare, Ross Sea, 82 – 92 m, several stems up to 120 mm high (NHM 1929.10.28.171), one slide with hydrocladia (1929.10.28.171, labelled n° 4), and four stems up to 130 mm high (NHM 1929.10.28.172). A 57-mm-long, basally broken stem from the material with the collection number NHM 1929.10.28.172 is designated as holotype (all the remaining material is paratype). Other material examined: New Zealand Antarctic Expedition TAN0402, Stn 178, Tangaroa, 27 February 2004, 71°31’89’’–71°32’16’’S, 171°18’31’’–171°18’70’’E (Cape Adare, Ross Sea), 343–348 m (identified as Oswaldella sp. by González Molinero & Peña Cantero 2015). Description. Stems at least 130 mm high, unbranched and slightly polysiphonic basally. Stem thin, yellowbrown, divided into internodes separated by strongly marked nodes. From one to three apophyses per internode. Angle between cauline apophyses and stem c. 45°. Cauline apophyses with two axillary nematophores, each emerging through a simple hole in perisarc (Fig. 7B); no ‘mamelons’ present. Apophyses short, distinctly separated from hydrocladia. Hydrocladia much branched (Fig. 7A), with up to six third-order hydrocladia, three on each secondary hydrocladium (in one case with four tertiary hydrocladia on a secondary hydrocladium); occasionally, a short fourth-order hydrocladium was present. Tertiary hydrocladia placed lower than secondary ones. Hydrocladia divided into internodes, barely decreasing distally in size; e.g. 1000–930 µm in length and 280–270 µm in diameter under hydrotheca, in 1 st and 8th unforked internodes of secondary hydrocladium, respectively. First hydrocladial internode bifurcated (Fig. 7A), with two similar prongs, distinctly separated from first internode of secondary hydrocladia. Mesial-inferior nematophore emerging from marked swelling at proximal third of internode (Figs 7C– E, 8A) and provided with a prominent nematotheca placed on frontal side of swelling (Figs 7C–F, 8); usually nematotheca abcauline wall distinctly directed outwards. Hydrotheca placed on distal half of internode (Figs 7A, C–E, 8). Hydrotheca low, about as high as wide. Abcauline hydrothecal wall straight, directed abcaudally; length slightly increasing along hydrocladium (e.g. 210 µm in 1 st internode of secondary hydrocladium and 240 µm in 7th internode). Perisarc of hydrotheca distinctly thickened (Fig. 7C). Hydrothecal aperture circular (Fig. 7C), 210–200 µm in diameter, roughly perpendicular to longitudinal axis of internode (Figs 7D–E, 8); rim even (Figs 7C–E, 8). In frontal view, hydrotheca usually jar-shaped, with a swollen basal half and a narrower distal one, but markedly widening again at aperture, producing a sort of narrow neck with flared rim (Fig. 7C, E). Gonothecae unknown. Cnidome composed of microbasic mastigophores in two size groups: larger, range 11–15 x 3.5–4, mean 12.8 ± 1.2 x 3.8 ± 0.3 (n = 14); smaller, range 6– 7 x 2. Remarks. The material of Oswaldella occulta sp. nov. was in the material assigned to O. antarctica (Jäderholm, 1904) by Totton (1930) and later described as O. terranovae by Peña Cantero & Vervoort (1996). On two occasions a secondary hydrocladium forms a third-order hydrocladium in its first and third internodes, but not in the second one (i.e. the second internode is unforked). The species seems to have stems slightly polysiphonic only basally. Most of the stems available are deprived of the basal part and it was not possible to ascertain if they were polysiphonic. There are, however, hints indicating that the species can develop a sort of polysiphonic condition. Among the material examined, there is a stem, 105 mm high, provided with the basal part. Its first 13 mm have a few creeping stolons originating from cauline apophyses, some of them running downwards and acting as hydrorhizal stolons. In addition, some of the basally broken stems also have creeping stolons originating from cauline apophyses, although not in their most basal part. It is therefore highly likely that O. occulta sp. nov. can develop stems with a slightly polysiphonic basal part. Oswaldella occulta sp. nov. appears to have unbranched stems, although the issue is as yet unresolved. The available material, however, points to the unbranched condition. The species seems to develop colonies with tuft appearance, with several unbranched stems growing together. In the available material there are some stems apparently branched, but the ‘branches’ are actually new stems. The ‘branching’ is associated with those parts of the stem with creeping stolons originating from cauline apophyses mentioned above. The new stems originate from those stolons, and in all cases they begin with an intermediate internode deprived of cauline apophyses, followed by a normal series of hydrocladia-bearing internodes provided with cauline apophyses. Only in one occasion a secondary stem/branch was observed, developing from a basally and distally broken, 90-mm-high stem. Apart from a basal new stem, with intermediate internode, originating from stolons as explained above, there is a distal stem/branch originating directly from the stem through a hole in the perisarc, not from a stolon. This secondary stem differs from the new stems in being composed of a normal series of hydrocladia-bearing internodes provided with cauline apophyses (i.e. there is no basal intermediate internode). Among the species of the genus, Oswaldella occulta sp. nov. is morphologically closer to O. tottoni in the presence of a low hydrotheca, its position on the distal half of internode, and in the number of axillary nematophores in the cauline apophyses. However, they are clearly distinguishable in several important features. The stem is divided into internodes by strongly marked nodes in Oswaldella occulta sp. nov., whereas there is no stem division in O. tottoni; nodes are only occasionally present (cf. Peña Cantero & Vervoort 1996: 139). The degree of hydrocladial branching is also different: hydrocladia are much branched in Oswaldella occulta sp. nov., with up to six third-order hydrocladia, but only bifurcated in O. tottoni, with only two secondary hydrocladia, which, in addition, bend inwards. Another important difference concerns the separation between the prongs of the first branched hydrocladial internode and the second-order hydrocladia. In Oswaldella occulta sp. nov. there is always a distinct node between the prongs and the first internode of the secondary hydrocladia (Fig. 7A), whereas in O. tottoni one, or both, of the prongs are frequently fused with the first internode of the second-order hydrocladia (Fig. 6A, see also Fig. 2a in Peña Cantero & Vervoort 1996). In O. tottoni, as it was characterized by Peña Cantero & Vervoort (1996), the first hydrocladial internode, the branched one, lacks mesial inferior nematophore (cf. Fig. 6B, see also Fig. 2a–b in Peña Cantero & Vervoort 1996 and Fig. 12A, C in Peña Cantero et al. 1997); we can also confirm this observation, although occasionally that nematophore was present (Fig. 6A). Another important difference is related to the position of the mesial inferior nematotheca, which is located at the most external point of the infrathecal swelling and its abcauline wall is distinctly directed outwards in Oswaldella occulta sp. nov. (Fig. 7C–F), whereas in O. tottoni, and the remaining species of the genus with infrathecal swelling, it is located on the upper side and its abcauline wall is not directed abcaudally. Oswaldella tottoni and Oswaldella occulta sp. nov. also differ in the shape of the hydrotheca. Both species have low hydrothecae, but in O. tottoni the diameter of the hydrotheca increases from the base to the top (Fig. 6C), whereas in Oswaldella occulta sp. nov. the hydrotheca has a swollen basal half and a narrower distal one, although markedly widening again at aperture, producing a sort of narrow neck with flared rim (Fig. 7C, E). Oswaldella occulta sp. nov. also has distinctly thicker perisarc (compare Fig. 6C to Fig. 7C), which gives it a slight stony appearance. By the absence of ‘mamelons’ and the presence of two axillary nematophores on the cauline apophyses, Oswaldella occulta sp. nov. is also similar to O. bifurca (Hartlaub, 1904), O. billardi Briggs, 1938, O. encarnae Peña Cantero, Svoboda & Vervoort, 1997, O. erratum Peña Cantero & Vervoort, 1997, O. incognita Peña Cantero, Svoboda & Vervoort, 1997 and O. rigida Peña Cantero, Svoboda & Vervoort, 1997. Of these species, only O. bifurca and O. encarnae have a low hydrotheca, the remaining species have an elongate hydrotheca, being easily distinguished from O. occulta sp. nov. Oswaldella bifurca differs from O. occulta sp. nov. by the shape of the hydrotheca, which has a frontally depressed aperture, and its position on the basal half of the internode. Oswaldella encarnae clearly differs by the unbranched hydrocladia, the position of the hydrotheca on the middle of the internode, and the size and shape of the hydrotheca, which has an abcaudally directed aperture. The material described as Oswaldella sp. by González Molinero & Peña Cantero (2015) likely belongs to O. occulta sp. nov. It is morphologically alike and was also collected off Cape Adare. González Molinero & Peña Cantero (2015) indicated that Oswaldella sp. has usually bifurcated hydrocladia with two secondary hydrocladia, although a third-order hydrocladium was not uncommon. A re-examination of the material has allowed us to put into evidence, despite the low number of hydrocladia left, that the presence of two third-order hydrocladia (one on each secondary hydrocladium) is quite common; on one occasion even two tertiary hydrocladia on the same secondary hydrocladium were observed, which indicates a likely higher degree of hydrocladial branching. The material of Owaldella sp. also shares with Oswaldella occulta sp. nov. the division of the stem into internodes, the presence of two axillary nematophores on the cauline apophyses, the position of the hydrotheca on the distal half of internode, the size and shape of the hydrotheca, and the relatively large mesial inferior nematotheca. Distribution. Oswaldella occulta sp. nov. is currently considered endemic to the Ross Sea. Etymology. The species name occulta comes from the Latin occultus, meaning hidden, concealed, and refers to the fact that the species was hidden among material of O. terranovae and was not noticed by Totton (1930) when he first studied this material.Published as part of Cantero, A. L. Peña & Molinero, A. González, 2018, On several species of Oswaldella Stechow, 1919 (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa), including the description of a new species, pp. 397-414 in Zootaxa 4457 (3) on pages 407-412, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4457.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/145789
Profiling, developing, and assessing effective strategies for managing learning and behaviour
No full textA structured observational protocol aimed at recording and profiling interaction strategies between teachers and pupils is developed in this paper. The principles on which the protocol is based are described. It was piloted at a junior school following an OFSTED inspection with the aim of collecting systematic data on teacher-pupil interaction. This was needed in order to assess the effectiveness of behaviour management strategies. The success of the project lead to the protocol being used by educational psychologists at other schools. Out-reach teachers at a special school for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties were trained in the use the protocol to support teachers managing pupils in mainstream schools. The assessment of the approach was made with the help of multidimensional scaling and associated multivariate statistical techniques
Deconstruyendo la paz liberal en África Subsahariana
No full textEl número incluye a su vez, un review-essay realizado por Yoan Molinero sobre las
obras El sueño liberal en África Subsahariana. Debates y controversias sobre la construcción
de la paz, editado por Itziar Ruiz-Giménez, y State and Societal Challenges in the Horn of
Africa. Conflict and processes of state formation, reconfiguration and disintegration, editado
por Alexandra Magnolia, ambos publicados en 2013. En este review, titulado “Deconstruyendo
la paz liberal en África Subsahariana”, el autor analiza el despliegue del proyecto liberal en
África, centrado en la construcción del estado liberal y las contradicciones que éste plantea.
Por medio del análisis de un libro que trata de la construcción de la paz en el continente
y otro centrado en un caso paradigmático como es el Cuerno de África, Yoan Molinero
muestra cómo gran parte de los problemas que el proyecto liberal suscita en África, incluidos
conflictos como los que asolan gran parte del Cuerno de África, provienen de los errores
y contradicciones propios de este proyecto, tales como diagnósticos equivocados sobre el
origen de la conflictividad, el carácter exógeno y la “iliberalidad” del proyecto de la paz liberal,
la implementación de un determinado modelo de estado, etcPeer reviewe
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