Displacements Study of an Earth Fill Dam Based on High Precision Geodetic Monitoring and Numerical Modeling.

The aim of this paper is to study the behavior of an earth fill dam, analyzing the deformations determined by high precision geodetic techniques and those obtained by the Finite Element Method (FEM). A large number of control points were established around the area of the dam, and the measurements of their displacements took place during several periods. In this study, high-precision leveling and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) techniques were used to monitor vertical and horizontal displacements respectively. Seven surveys were carried out: February and July 2008, March and July 2013, August 2014, September 2015 and September 2016. Deformations were predicted, taking into account the general characteristics of an earth fill dam. A comparative evaluation of the results derived from predicted (FEM) and observed deformations shows the differences on average being 20 cm for vertical displacements, and 6 cm for horizontal displacements at the crest. These differences are probably due to the simplifications assumed during the FEM modeling process: critical sections are considered homogeneous along their longitude, and the properties of the materials were established according to the general characteristics of an earth fill dam. These characteristics were taken from the normative and similar studies in the country. This could also be due to the geodetic control points being anchored in the superficial layer of the slope when the construction of the dam was finished.

Improvement of the Prediction of Drugs Demand Using Spatial Data Mining Tools.

The continued availability of products at any store is the major issue in order to provide good customer service. If the store is a drugstore this matter reaches a greater importance, as out of stock of a drug when there is high demand causes problems and tensions in the healthcare system. There are numerous studies of the impact this issue has on patients. The lack of any drug in a pharmacy in certain seasons is very common, especially when some external factors proliferate favoring the occurrence of certain diseases. This study focuses on a particular drug consumed in the city of Jaen, southern Andalucia, Spain. Our goal is to determine in advance the Salbutamol demand. Advanced data mining techniques have been used with spatial variables. These last have a key role to generate an effective model. In this research we have used the attributes that are associated with Salbutamol demand and it has been generated a very accurate prediction model of 5.78% of mean absolute error. This is a very encouraging data considering that the consumption of this drug in Jaen varies 500% from one period to another.

An improvement in the appointment scheduling in primary health care centers using data mining.

An optimal resource management in health care centers implies the use of an appropriate timetabling scheme to schedule appointments. Timetables of health centers are usually divided into time slots whose duration is equal to time required for clinical attendance. However doctors perform a series of tasks that are not always clinical in nature: issuing prescriptions or prescribing sick leave certificates. In this sense the time spent in attending a clinical or an administrative matter is different. This last required less time to attend the patient. This study is focused in the administrative task. A predictive model is generated to provide daily information on how many patients will go to the health center for an administrative issue. The accuracy of the model is less than 4,6 % absolute error and the improvement in scheduling appointments is a time saving of 21,73 %.

Impulsive behaviors in bulimic patients: relation to general psychopathology.

OBJECTIVE: At a general level, impulsivity is related to both bulimic and general psychopathology. However, it is a complex construct, and the specific role of different forms of impulsivity in psychopathology remains to be determined. The present study of bulimic outpatients examined the association of internally and externally directed impulsive behaviors with general and bulimic psychopathology. METHODS: Thirty female bulimic outpatients completed standardized measures of bulimic attitudes/behaviors, general psychopathology and impulsive behaviors. RESULTS: While general psychopathology was associated with internally directed impulsive behaviors (e.g., self-harm), bulimic pathology was more specifically linked with externally directed impulsivity (e.g., theft; reckless driving). DISCUSSION: The results indicate that the bulimia-impulsivity link in eating disordered patients is not simply a by-product of the broader association of impulsivity with psychopathology. Therefore, bulimic pathology does not seem to be just a manifestation of general psychological disturbance. Further research is suggested to test these results and potential clinical implications are outlined.