Abstract: This work investigates a system that uses the reversible reaction CaCO3/CaO for energy storage. This system feeds on excess electrical energy for the endothermic decomposition of CaCO3 into CaO and CO2 (calcination). This reaction occurs in a solid-gas bed reactor that uses steam for fluidization, and the solid fraction remains in it. After the reaction, the CO2 is separated from the steam and enters a compression unit where it is pressurized before being stored at 110 bar. When an energy déficit occurs, the CO2 is expanded by a gas turbine and fed into the reactor, where exothermic absorption of CO2 on CaO takes place (carbonization). The large amounts of heat released in this process are used to generate high-pressure steam (110 bar and 520 °C), which is used in a conventional steam cycle to generate electrical power. In this way, the energy charging and discharging modes configure a cycle for the energy storage system. Thermodynamic simulations were performed in the IPSEpro process simulation software for the charging and discharging modes. For this purpose, mathematical models for the calcination and carbonation reactions were developed using the MDK module. These simulations were used to integrate over time, allowing the estimation of the progression of an entire cycle. Different cycles were evaluated for the conditions of interest, such as adding fresh CaCO3 before each cycle and different carbonation and calcination temperatures. In all cases, the production of 15 MW of electrical power was constant. In addition, the calculated data were used to determine power, thermal, and other efficiencies that facilitate system performance evaluation. Finally, the energy storage density of the system was evaluated under different conditions.

Abstract: Creativity is a critical human 21st-century skill that allows us to produce novel and valuable ideas. Creative ideas are original and make a unique contribution to any field, but also, they help to solve complex problems that humanity is continuously facing. Creativity is essential at the individual level to solve problems on the job and in daily life. At the societal level, creativity can lead to new scientific findings, new movements in art, and new inventions. Corporations and governments are frequently looking to support and encourage developing creativity as a driver for innovation to promote technological development and economic growth. Educational institutions play a crucial role in this development and in fostering creative thinking. This brief will discuss how creativity has been conceptualized and will share some strategies to foster creativity in a learning environment and the workplace. Also, it will discuss how technology impacts creativity development. La creatividad es una habilidad humana fundamental del siglo XXI que nos permite producir ideas novedosas y valiosas. Resumen: Las ideas creativas son originales y aportan una contribución única a cualquier campo, pero también ayudan a resolver problemas complejos a los que la humanidad se enfrenta continuamente. La creatividad es esencial a nivel individual para resolver problemas en el trabajo y en la vida cotidiana. A nivel social, la creatividad puede conducir a nuevos descubrimientos científicos, nuevos movimientos artísticos y nuevos inventos. Las empresas y los gobiernos buscan con frecuencia apoyar y fomentar el desarrollo de la creatividad como motor de la innovación para promover el desarrollo tecnológico y el crecimiento económico. Las instituciones educativas desempeñan un papel crucial en este desarrollo y en el fomento del pensamiento creativo. En este informe se analizará cómo se ha conceptualizado la creatividad y se compartirán algunas estrategias para fomentarla en un entorno de aprendizaje y en el lugar de trabajo. Asimismo, se analizará cómo la tecnología influye en el desarrollo de la creatividad.

Abstract: Since early 2020, the challenging conditions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic had diverse effects on the various fields of the economy worldwide. More specifically, social distancing and confinement measures to avoid contagion disrupted the regular operation of education institutions at all levels. The 2020-2025 Development Plan of the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Fachhochschule Dortmund, FH-Do) considers as an objective of high priority the diversification of their education strategy with a broader online course offer, which was accelerated by the current urging public health scenario, leading the administration to take measures directed to further elearning and Blended Learning (BL) development. This master thesis aims to propose a BL design and development framework that meets the long-term vision of the FH-Do by integrating into the university’s BL ecosystem de facto design methodologies, such as Instructional Design (ID) and User Experience (UX), all under the Agile/Lean project management (PM) methodology known as Scrumban. This is done while keeping a strict focus on learner-centered design and the pedagogical aspect by incorporating the theory of constructivism. Additionally, the proposed framework considers the long-standing e-learning industry standard known as SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) for the development of interactive BL modules, and relevant policies that regulate the operation of the FH-Do’s BL ecosystem. Besides the due literature review in connection with this research, two basic SCORM-conformant BL prototypes were developed, a series of structured interviews was conducted with students of the European Master in Project Management (EuroMPM) for its review, and unstructured interviews were held with BL Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and with the supervisors of this master thesis. The data collection process, their corresponding analysis, and results are presented in this document in connection with the proposed framework. The applicability of the present framework at the FH-Do aims to benefit the digitization of lecture contents, regardless of the program and study level. The scalable nature of the SCORM-conformant BL modules developable under this framework hold great potential pursuant to a standardized online course offer.

Abstract: Important institutions, such as the World Health Organization, recommend reducing alcohol consumption by encouraging healthier drinking habits. This could be achieved, for example, by employing more effective promotion of non-alcoholic beverages. For such purposes, in this study, we assessed the role of experiential beer packaging sounds during the e-commerce experience of a nonalcoholic beer (NAB). Here, we designed two experiments. Experiment 1 evaluated the influence of different experiential beer packaging sounds on consumers’ general emotions and sensory expectations. Experiment 2 assessed how the sounds that evoked more positive results in Experiment 1 would influence emotions and sensory expectations related to a NAB digital image. The obtained results revealed that a beer bottle pouring sound helped suppress some of the negativity that is commonly associated with the experience of a NAB. Based on such findings, brands and organizations interested in more effectively promoting NAB may feel encouraged to involve beer packaging sounds as part of their virtual shopping environments.

Abstract: This paper looks at households’ financial resilience, i.e., the capability of households to recover from financial distress, and proposes as a proxying measure the logarithmic ratio of households’ financial assets and short-term liabilities. Moreover, I study three of the four main components of the financial resilience framework; namely, economic resources (covered by the financial resilience proxy), financial products and services, and financial knowledge and behavior, leaving social capital for future research. I exploit a longitudinal panel from the Wealth and Assets Survey, covering the period 2010-16. Implementing a series of Mundlak-Chamberlain correlated-random-effects panel probits and ordered probits, I analyze the effects of the financial resilience proxy on the occurrence probability of a series of financial-resilience-related events. There is evidence that this measure captures households’ financial resilience and serves as a channel to improve it. Furthermore, its effects vary across the income and wealth distributions, being more important for poorer households. Additionally, results in this paper indicate that financial literacy and acuity, including risk demand optimization and depicting healthy financial habits, were very important in contributing toward improving British households’ financial resilience. There is evidence that gender differences exist, as women were less likely than men to arrive at the end of their income period with a liquidity surplus. Particularly, public policy should promote patience, proactive actions toward creating a financial buffer, and the wise use of savings to develop further households’ financial resilience. These elements contribute in the long run to the probability of withstanding and overcoming negative financial shocks. Resumen: Este documento analiza la resiliencia financiera de los hogares, es decir, la capacidad de los hogares para recuperarse de las dificultades financieras, y propone como medida indirecta la relación logarítmica de los activos financieros y pasivos de corto plazo de los hogares. Además, se estudian tres de los cuatro componentes principales del marco de resiliencia financiera; a saber, los recursos económicos (cubiertos por la proxy de resiliencia financiera), los productos y servicios financieros, y el conocimiento y el comportamiento financiero, dejando el capital social para futuras investigaciones. Se explota un panel longitudinal de la Encuesta de Patrimonio y Activos (WAS por sus siglas en inglés), que abarca el período 2010-16. Implementando una serie de panel probits de efectos aleatorios correlacionados de Mundlak-Chamberlain y probits ordenados, analizo los efectos de la proxy de resiliencia financiera en la probabilidad de ocurrencia de una serie de eventos relacionados con la resiliencia financiera. Hay evidencia de que esta medida captura la resiliencia financiera de los hogares y sirve como un canal para mejorarla. Además, sus efectos varían según la distribución del ingreso y la riqueza, siendo más importantes para los hogares más pobres. Además, los resultados de este documento indican que la educación y agudeza financieras, incluida la optimización de la demanda de riesgo y la representación de hábitos financieros saludables, fueron muy importantes para contribuir a mejorar la resiliencia financiera de los hogares británicos. Hay evidencia de que existen diferencias de género, ya que las mujeres tuvieron una menor probabilidad que los hombres de llegar al final de su período de ingresos con un superávit de liquidez. En particular, las políticas públicas deben promover la paciencia, las acciones proactivas para crear un colchón financiero y el uso racional de los ahorros para desarrollar aún más la resiliencia financiera de los hogares. Estos elementos contribuyen en el largo plazo a la probabilidad de resistir y superar los choques financieros negativos.

Abstract: This research aims to create non-hurricane non-tornadic maps of extreme wind speeds for the mean recurrence intervals MRIs 700, 1700, and 3000 years, covering the Colombian territory. For infrastructure design, these maps are combined with existing hurricane wind speed studies, to be used as input loads due to wind. For each station with non-thunderstorm wind speeds time histories in the input data, following (Pintar, Simiu, Lombardo, & Levitan, 2015), extreme wind speeds corresponding to each MRI are calculated using a Peaks Over Threshold Poisson Process POT-PP extreme value model, then wind velocities with the same MRI are spatially interpolated to generate continuous maps for the whole study area. The annual exceedance probability for all velocity values in 700, 1700 and 3000 years MRIs output maps are respectively 1/700, 1/1700 and 1/3000. Regarding input data, not only time series of field measurements from IDEAM methodological stations are used, but also postprocessed information coming from the Integrated Surface Database ISD, and ERA5 forecast reanalysis data. This condition demanded a comparison of the different data sources, in order to verify the feasibility in the use of ISD and ERA5, this is downscaling support. The result of the comparison showed little similarity between the different sources, but taking into account that complete and adequate measured data from IDEAM was not available. Before to apply POT-PP, ISD and IDEAM data sources were standardized to meet the requirement of three seconds (3-s) wind gust speed, ten (10) meters anemometer height, and terrain open space condition. Due to the limitation in the classification of thunderstorm and non-thunderstorm data, it was not possible to take real advantage of POT-PP method, which was limited/restricted from non-homogeneous to homogeneous and from nonstationary to stationary, being equivalent to use the most common POT - generalized Pareto approach. Non-hurricane maps were created for data sources ISD and ERA5, using Kriging as spatial interpolation method. After the integration with previous hurricane studies, the results of ERA5 showed the most reliable final maps, despite limitations in the input data to guarantee downscaling support. ISD final map showed very high wind values, which are unlikely. These shortcomings may be corrected when complete IDEAM data-source and storm data classification are available. A complete R tool was implemented to solve the whole process, which is based in copyrighted code for declustering and thresholding generously given by Dr Adam L. Pintar adam.pin [email protected] - NIST, U.S Department of Commerce. Resumen: Esta investigación tiene como objetivo la creación de mapas de velocidades de viento extremo (no-huracán, no tornado) para los periodos de retorno 700, 1700 y 3000 años, cubriendo todo el territorio colombiano. Estos mapas se combinaron con estudios sobre velocidades de viento de huracanes para ser usados como cargas de viento para diseño de infraestructura. Para cada estación en los datos de entrada con historias de tiempo de velocidades de viento tipo ""no tormenta"", siguiendo (Pintar, Simiu, Lombardo, & Levitan, 2015), se calcularon velocidades extremas de viento correspondientes a cada periodo de retorno, usando un modelo de valores extremos de picos sobre el umbral - proceso de Poisson (POT-PP), para posteriormente interpolar velocidades de viento con el mismo periodo de retorno y generar mapas continuos para toda el área de estudio. La probabilidad de excedencia anual para todos los mapas resultantes con valores de velocidad de 700, 1700 y 3000 años, son 1/700, 1/1700 y 1/3000 respectivamente. En relación con los datos de entrada, no solamente se usaron las series de tiempo de los datos de campo del IDEAM, pero también datos de la base de datos ISD (Integrated Surface Database) y datos de reanálisis de ERA5, sin embargo, los resultados finales se basaron solamente en ERA5.

Resumen: Lo que se conoce de la obra de Pierre Jeanneret se debe, en gran parte, a los trabajos realizados en asociación con Le Corbusier. A pesar de la cantidad de investigaciones sobre la figura del maestro moderno, se ha prestado poca atención a la importancia de P. Jeanneret dentro del Atelier 35 rue de Sèvres. Mucho más enigmáticos son los proyectos de P. Jeanneret después de la separación de Le Corbusier. Su obra dejó una profunda investigación sobre la vivienda y el espacio doméstico, puesto que la vivienda fue para P. Jeanneret su principal fascinación como arquitecto. Por lo tanto, el presente artículo quiere reflexionar sobre las temáticas y proyectos desarrollados por Pierre Jeanneret, desde su labor en el Atelier 35 rue de Sèvres, pasando por los proyectos de vivienda prefabricada desarrollados durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, para llegar a su último periodo en Europa con su reflexión sobre el carácter local de la residencia, para finalmente terminar con su trabajo en Chandigarh, la nueva capital punjabi en India. Abstract: What is known of Pierre Jeanneret’s opera is mostly related to the work done in association with Le Corbusier. However, despite the amount of research on the figure of the modern Master, there is little attention on the importance of P. Jeanneret within the Atelier 35 rue de Sèvres. Even more enigmatic is the work of P. Jeanneret after the separation. Since housing was P. Jeanneret’s main fascination as an architect, such work consisted in profound research – and left insightful observations – on housing and domestic space. This article wants to reflect on the themes and projects developed by Pierre Jeanneret, starting from his work in the Atelier 35 rue de Sèvres and from the prefabricated housing projects developed during the Second World War, moving through the period in Europe, with his reflection on the local character of the residence, and ending with his work in Chandigarh, the new Punjabi capital in India.

Abstract: The Colombian Navy currently has a deficit of logistical vessels to support other maritime and landbased units. Through the Naval Development Plan 2042, the Navy’s objective is to acquire, among other objectives, one multipurpose vessel or Landing Platform Dock and four logistic ships. This study aims to apply the MCDA methodology for selecting a logistic ship within the alternatives presented by the Chief of Naval Planning. In developing this study, a Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) model has been made for the Colombian Navy. The Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique (SMART) has been applied to select the most optimal logistic vessel according to the considerations and specifications provided by the Navy. Four alternatives of different designs and companies were assessed in this study: KERSHIP B2M, FASSMER MPV 70 MKII, DAMEN Logistic Support Vessel LSV 6513 and BCC 6012 (Cargo and cabotage vessel) from COTECMAR shipyard. Our main idea was to break down the overall problem into smaller parts, focusing on them separately. The SMART model was structured in a step-by-step procedure described in an easy-to-follow and user-friendly manner. Six fundamental objectives were identified and assessed by experts. The decision-maker then assessed the main attributes resulted from the expert’s evaluation. The decision-maker preferences were identified for the following criteria: cost, operational capabilities, and support capacity to determine the most preferred alternative. The results suggest that the B2M and BCC 6012 were the most preferred alternative, lying on the efficient frontier. Through sensitivity analysis, the decision-maker was supported to assess how efficient the vessel selection is and thus achieve an optimal choice within the alternatives. The results indicate that MCDA and SMART can support decision-makers in analysing, structuring, and interpreting priorities in a decision-making process. The main output of this thesis has been the implementation of a decision model to assist decision-making in selecting a logistics vessel for the Navy.

Resumen: El artículo afirma que el efecto principal de la transformación producida por los medios digitales en comparación con los medios de producción y distribución en masa es desnudar las falencias del sistema de conocimiento humano con su paradojicidad inmanente. En otras palabras, no existe certeza alguna para afirmar la existencia de un evento más allá de lo que se percibe directamente por el sujeto. A través del caso de la crisis actual de Venezuela, se señala la manera en que las paradojas toman forma. Esto se debe a la reducción de la desigualdad en la producción y distribución entre el productor y receptor inherente a los medios de masa. Las paradojas se reflejan, primero, en la imposibilidad de construir una línea común de tiempo. Es decir, no existe garantía epistemológica para afirmar un presente común. Existen solo presentes fragmentados para un individuo o un pequeño grupo de personas. No existen los presentes comunes y experimentados al mismo tiempo de los medios de masa. Además, a través de los medios digitales se presentan paradojas espaciales. Cercanía ya es un concepto difuso del cual no se puede aseverar validez absoluta. Estas paradojas han permitido la relativización de la crisis y sus consecuencias sobre la población venezolana. El texto, asimismo, señala las posibles consecuencias para los sujetos y las reacciones que pueden tomar estos frente a las paradojas que se les presentan.

Abstract: Sexual reproduction depends on the transmission of exactly one copy of each chromosome by the maternal and paternal gametes. This is accomplished during meiosis when diploid progenitors undergo two consecutive rounds of chromosome segregation following a single round of DNA replication. In most organisms, this relies on the establishment of bivalent chromosomes consisting of replicated parental homologues physically linked at sites of meiotic recombination. In female mammals, bivalents are formed during fetal development when the lifetime stock of primordial-stage oocytes is established. However, they are not resolved until shortly before ovulation. Extending this period beyond ~35 years results in a dramatic increase in embryo aneuploidy. Depletion of the lifetime stock of oocytes during ageing culminates in menopause. Our previous studies indicate that Rec8-containing cohesin complexes also become depleted from oocyte chromosomes during female ageing. Consistent with cohesin’s role in maintaining chromosome structure, depletion of Rec8 is associated with destabilisation of bivalents chromosomes. Nevertheless, the mechanisms and timing of cohesin depletion remain unknown. Here, I investigated the possibility that age-related cohesion depletion is a consequence of leaky inhibition of the protease separase, which cleaves Rec8 during anaphase. I found that oocyte-specific deletion of separase did not prevent depletion of oocyte cohesin during female ageing. I, therefore, conclude that age-related depletion occurs by a separaseindependent mechanism. I next investigated the timing, during oogenesis, at which cohesin loss occurs. I found that cohesin is predominantly lost at the primordial stage before oocytes are recruited for growth. In addition, using an oocyte-specific deletion of Pten, I determined that this occurs independently of the decline in the ovarian stock of primordial-stage oocytes. Together, these results indicate that age-related cohesin depletion occurs at the primordial stage by a separase-independent mechanism. Other possible of mechanisms of cohesin depletion include protein damage and/or agerelated deterioration of chromatin structure. From a clinical perspective, my work suggests that “rejuvenation’ of fertility by activating the residual pool of primordial oocytes is unlikely to be successful in older women.