Energy systems entail a dualism: they are absolutely vital for the normal functioning of societies, but the activities related to them are threatening the stability of the natural environment where societies develop (by being the main source of greenhouse gas emissions). Therefore, energy systems need to be maintained and further expanded, whilst simultaneously reducing their negative environmental impacts. In this sense, a deeper understanding of the thermodynamic concepts behind energy use and conversion processes is needed. Exergy and useful work provide such an understanding and hence their analysis can be used as a tool for improved energy policy making, particularly when dealing with efficiency improvements. In consideration of the above, this dissertation first looks into the energy dualism, followed by the description of the conceptual framework which orientates the work. Subsequently this is applied to the analysis of Colombia as an illustrative case study, taking into account data availability and specific features of that country’s energy system, which in themselves provide special analytical interest. Finally, this dissertation discusses methodological issues and results, as well as the energy policy implications derived from the analysis, both in general/conceptual terms and in the specific case of Colombia. As a result, it was found that exergy and useful work analysis is a tool that can complement traditional energy analysis when assessing national energy systems. Exergy and useful work provide significant conceptual improvements, as well as strengthening the comprehension of the whole flow of energy through society. Furthermore, exergy and useful work analysis leads to different energy policy recommendations when compared to the traditional energy based analysis, particularly regarding energy sources for electricity generation, efficiency dilution effects and leapfrogging opportunities.

This thesis examines my theoretical research and practical experimentation performed over a period of 10 months concerning stereophonic recording arrays and the effect of Stereophonic Recording Angle (SRA) and Angular Distortion (AD), based on Williams’ research. In essence, the objective of this personal experience is to serve as a guide for any recording engineer or audio student interested in taking a closer look into stereophonic microphone arrays and its relation to the recorded stereo image. The emphasis made on the study of Stereophonic Recording Angle and Angular Distortion will provide the reader with the necessar information in order to decide which stereo microphone combination will provide the best result for any given recording situation. The research portion of this paper delivers a comprehensive approach to the fundamental physics and psychoacoustics involved in the recording and reproduction of stereophonic microphone techniques and how they relate to SRA and AD. Furthermore, the sections of analysis of the recording exercises and final recordings describe the methodology and results of hours of recorded rehearsals with several acoustic music ensembles at Middle Tennessee State University. 

The present work aims to describe and analyse the influence of the reliability and maintainability of the pump systems on the overall plant availability. The study was developed into an aliphatic solvent plant situated in Colombia and owned by the state company Ecopetrol S.A. This plant is composed of six pump systems, each one of them with parallel redundancy, working in series. The first step during the process was the identification of the dominant failure modes for these pump systems according to historical maintenance information collected during the last nine years and recorded in the CMMS of the company. For these dominant failure modes a Weibull analysis was carried out in order to determine the main parameters of the failure probability distribution function and, in this way, to build a mathematical model useful for predictions of future failures. Additionally, a maintainability model was developed based on the current repair process capability of the work shop employed by the company. By employing reliability block diagrams the reliability dependencies between components, items, units, and systems were taking into account. A general model for the whole plant unit was built and several simulations were performed using Monte Carlo techniques. The simulation results were helpful to identify the more sensitive elements for the overall plant availability and suggest some maintenance and operational actions in order to reduce plant downtime and maintenance costs.

Colombia is a privileged country with the amount of water it has, but due to the inadequate conjunction between hydric wealth and land use, we have lived in continuous tragedy, spending huge resources on ongoing reconstructions and helping the floods and landslides victims. However, floods are natural events, in many cases exacerbated by men’s actions over the territory; events to which no country is exempted, but with consequences that vary according to the characteristics of the duo people-territory and its relationships with the water bodies. This document, offers a review of the characteristics and criteria that define a river in good ecological status, and the anthropic pressures, with its impacts and effects over the water courses, deepening into the hydraulic risk, water quality and the disturbance of the natural environments. Continue presenting the “River Restoration” as a new form of river management, reasoning about the Colombian hydric problems, making emphasis on the pollution problems and disasters related to water; and suggesting solutions from the River Restoration perspective for some specific urban cases and linking this new fluvial hydraulic with the “National Police for Integral Management of the Hydric Resource”.

Fee-for-service (FFS) payment system has been criticized for affecting quality of care, contributing to the fragmentation of health care, and for rising costs of health care systems. Alternative payment plans (APP) have been introduced as options to the traditional FFS. Despite a link between payment methods and behaviour of physicians has been established, there is a lack of evidence about the impact of payment systems on well-being (motivation and daily distress) of physicians. This dissertation explored the impact of APP on physicians’ perceptions of professional equity and daily distress. The following questions guided this dissertation: 1) Does professional equity perceived by physicians vary among practitioners paid by FFS, APP, or blended alternatives? 2) Is the payment method associated with daily distress of medical practitioners? and 3) Are levels of professional equity, daily distress, and career satisfaction of physicians different by gender and payment methods? In 2011, Physicians practicing in the Saskatoon Health Region, the largest health authority of Saskatchewan, Canada, completed a questionnaire evaluating their perceptions of professional equity and daily distress. In total, 382 (48.1%) physicians participated in the study. Response bias was tested and found to be negligible. The study identified that physicians paid by APP perceived higher professional equity (fair economic rewards and appropriate recognition) in comparison to those paid by FFS. Particularly, family practitioners (FPs) paid by APP perceived higher professional equity than those FPs paid by FFS. The payment method was identified as a factor associated with distress; lower levels of daily distress were predicted among physicians paid by APP who see high proportions of patients with complex conditions. Notwithstanding, female physicians had poorer well-being indicators and the impact of APP on professional equity was only distinguished among males. A potential unequal impact of APP must be recognized between female and male physicians.

Education policies in the last years have focused on access and at less extent quality of education. In the case of Colombia, and particularly in the city of Bogotá, they have also been characterized by their targeting nature, assigning scarce resources to students from low socio economic backgrounds in public schools. This study questions at what extent such policies can contribute to reduce social exclusion in the presence of a highly segmented society. It suggests that this kind of policies have contributed to raise accessibility and quality to education. However, they have failed in two ways: First, by their nature, they have strengthened a polarized or segmented education system, eroding social cohesion. Secondly, they have diverted attention from other non educational factors such as differentials in social capital that contribute to reproduce the unequal structures of society and thus generate social exclusion.

¿Es posible perdonar crímenes de lesa humanidad? Una respuesta a dicha pregunta sólo se puede alcanzar una vez se haya aclarado suficientemente el concepto de perdón y su relación con la justicia y el orden jurídico. Para ello la tesis explora las connotaciones religiosas del perdón, más exactamente el contexto judeocristiano del que proviene. De esta manera se busca una comprensión alternativa a la propuesta por Derrida según la cual el perdón es, en rigor, imposible. La tesis comienza por hacer un análisis de las teorías de Walter Benjamin acerca de la violencia y su relación con la ley. El resultado demuestra que todo orden jurídico es esencialmente violento desde su fundación, y por ende la figura de ‘crímenes de lesa humanidad’ forma parte de esta esfera de la violencia. Se explora la figura del mandamiento como alternativa a la ley penal. Posteriormente se exploran metáforas del perdón (perdón y olvido, poner la otra mejilla), para pasar luego a una relectura del evangelio según san Mateo, y así plantear una posible comprensión del perdón más allá de los límites de la soberanía y el ejercicio del poder. En este punto se recurre a la idea de ‘democracia por venir’ en la que el perdón aparece bajo una perspectiva mesiánica, sin la cual parece no hacer sentido. De esta manera se pretende restituir el fenómeno del perdón dentro de la tradición judeocristiana de la que proviene.

Resumen: The following project intends to give a short duration album showing how to take South American Andean music into a different level, this task is approached in different ways. By the use of elements from rock and electronic music used to enrich the traditional Andean tunes, in addition to that, some exploration and experimentation with the instruments of the region is being held in order to get new sounds out of them, as well as new ways of mixing and panning them. También pueden ser consultados los mp3 que acompañaron la realización de esta tesis: Arriba quemando el sol -- Senderos Fiesta de San Benito -- Senderos La Partida -- Senderos Ocaso -- Senderos La Palomita -- Senderos

Résumé: Le sujet de recherche en Master 2 présenté dans le projet de mémoire ci-dessous, fait allusion à l’identification et l’analyse de La structure et le contenu de la Twittersphère politique colombienne afin de connaître ses particularités et ses différences avec l’espace public traditionnel, et par conséquent de pouvoir identifier un seul espace public politique pour le pays sud-américain. Nous allons donc parler d’un projet de recherche dont le but est de connaître la manière dont Twitter devient un outil d’échange d’idées et d’arguments politiques, dans une société où la participation de tous les citoyens est importante à l’heure de construire la démocratie. Dans ce projet de mémoire de Master 2, nous allons étudier le cas de messages politiques publiés sur Twitter afin de comparer ce qui se passe sur le réseau social numérique et les médias traditionnels comme la télévision et la presse au niveau politique, ainsi que la structure des acteurs qui y participent, et le contenu qu’ils produisent. Tout cela en utilisant les nouvelles technologies de l’information et de la communication afin de savoir si elles peuvent élargir l’espace public traditionnel, traiter des sujets très divers et rassembler la réalité politique d’une société. Dans un premier temps, ce projet parlera de la communication politique qui dans certains cas a été appelée communication publique et qui est définie comme celle qui s’adresse aux membres d’une société aux caractéristiques particulières.Nous pouvons remarquer que dans toutes les sociétés du monde, il y a une relation directe entre les gouvernements et les hommes politiques avec leurs citoyens; afin de les informer de leurs décisions, politiques et projets, ainsi que pour donner la parole à la population pour contribuer au bon fonctionnement de la démocratie. Il y a une différence entre la communication politique, électorale et gouvernementale qui est exprimée ultérieurement dans le projet de recherche afin de bien définir le sujet traité. La Communication politique est fondée sur l’argument d’être un pont entre les citoyens et leur gouvernement et les hommes politiques.Elle est la deuxième étape de la communication publique et cherche à informer sur les fonctions, les actions et les stratégies des cadres directifs (élus ou candidats) en relation avec les pouvoirs publics, services publics et promouvoir les politiques de l’Etat. Néanmoins, il est important de souligner que ces dernières années la présence d’Internet comme stratégie de communication et d’information, a bouleversé les échanges et les contenus entre les membres d’une société commune. Il est aussi pertinent de parler de la relation entre la politique et la communication, ainsi que de faire une comparaison entre les pratiques de communication politique et les différentes positions de pouvoir qui sont conçues dans cet espace public. Pour cela, il faudra parler de sujets tels que l’information, l’exercice du pouvoir, la participation des citoyens et les processus d’élection. Ainsi, il est indispensable de savoir ce qu’est l’espace public pour trouver des problématiques intéressantes à étudier. Dans un deuxième temps, il est important de dire que la communication et les activités politiques se produisent dans des espaces que nous pouvons appeler : les espaces publics, c’est-à-dire, des lieux physiques ou normatifs où se produisent les échanges argumentatifs, les prises de parole et des décisions de nos sociétés modernes et démocratiques; par exemple, les médias comme la télévision et ses débats politiques, la presse, la radio, et plus récemment Internet comme support de communication et d’information, qui permet l’échange de propos sur des sujets variés comme la politique et l’interaction des acteurs multiples de la société. C’est pour cette raison que nous avons identifié l’importance d’Internet comme espace public pour la diffusion des contenus communicatifs à caractère politique, et surtout la pertinence des réseaux sociaux numériques comme Twitter dans la vie politique d’un pays. Compte tenu de ce qui précède, il est important de dire que ce travail est focalisé sur l’identification et l’analyse de la structure et du contenu de la communication politique colombienne dans la Twittersphère, afin de connaître qui sont ses acteurs les plus importants, les relations qu’il y a entre eux, les hiérarchies qu’y s’y dressent, les contenus qu’y s’y partagent et d’autres dynamiques permettant de faire une caractérisation de la communication politique qui s’établit dans les médias traditionnels et sur le réseau social Twitter comme espace alternatif, afin de trouver une seule réalité politique du pays, sachant que se sont produites les élections législatives et présidentielles pendant le premier semestre de 2014, mais que nous avons étudié exclusivement pour ce travail les élections législatives. Resumen: La red social Twitter se ha convertido en un espacio público alternativo que tiene como característica principal las interacciones virtuales entre miembros desconocidos de una sociedad, es por esta razón que este proyecto de investigación buscó identificar y analizar la estructura y el contenido del espacio público digital presente en esta plataforma de microblogging, con el fin de compararla con el espacio público político tradicional en Colombia. Este proyecto de investigación basó su marco teórico en tres ejes temáticos: la comunicación política, el espacio público y las redes sociales digitales, utilizando una metodología tradicional para analizar los contenidos presentes en la prensa y la televisión, al igual que una metodología digitalizada para analizar la cartografía web presente en las conversaciones digitales producidas en Twitter. La mezcla metodológica, así como temática logró identificar estructuras y contenidos tradicionales, al igual que espacios y comunidades netamente virtuales que no son fácilmente evidenciables en el espacio público de una sociedad como la colombiana. Este trabajo logró identificar que en Colombia el espacio público está dominado aún por las estructuras y los medios tradicionales, sin embargo existe un público que utiliza los soportes digitales como las redes sociales, para crear contrapeso a los poderes hegemónicos tradicionales del país. Cabe resaltar, que los cambios sociales y políticos no se fundamentan exclusivamente en la visibilización que proveen los medios sociales, sino que los electores deben hacer uso de su derecho al voto, puesto que a pesar que la comunicación sea el fundamento de la democracia, el voto es el que la valida y las redes sociales como Twitter no son aún generalizadas en todas las esferas de la sociedad.

This research is based on systems theory, to cover the concept of management information systems, and then understand the quality assurance system of higher education in Colombia, the multicampus institutional accreditation processes, with the purpose of determining the articulation that exists between the Management lnformation System of the Libre University and the High Quality Accreditation Guidelines of CNA and establish the appropriate conclusions and recommendations to guarantee this correspondence.