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The Blocking Job Shop Scheduling Problem (BJSSP) is a variant of the classical Job Shop Scheduling Problem in which a job completed on one machine cannot be transferred to the next machine until the latter becomes available, causing the current machine to remain blocked. Numerous real-world applications have been modeled as the BJSSP, which is classified as a strongly NP-hard problem. Previous studies indicate that several proposed approaches fail to guarantee the generation of feasible solutions during the search process, thereby requiring a solution reconstruction. In this study, we propose a Genetic Algorithm (GA) designed to operate strictly within the feasible solution space of the BJSSP, where the objective function is the minimization of the makespan. Experimental results show that no specific factor levels significantly influenced the solution quality obtained by the GA across all problem sets. On the other hand, incorporating an assignment operator into the solution representation enhanced the diversity of the population. The proposed GA yields solutions that outperform some of the best-known makespan values for the Lawrence benchmark problems. The runtime of the GA ranged from 20 s for instances with 10 jobs and five machines to 600 s for instances with 30 jobs and 10 machines.

The blocking job shop problem (BJSSP) is a variant of the classical job shop problem, where a job completed on one machine cannot be transferred to the next machine until the latter becomes available, causing the current machine to remain blocked. Many real-world problems have been modeled as BJSSP. This problem is classified as strongly NP-hard. The existing literature indicates that some proposed methods fail to guarantee the generation of feasible solutions during the search process, necessitating solution reconstruction. In this study, we developed an Estimation Distribution Algorithm (EDA) designed to operate strictly within the BJSSP feasible solution space. The experiments showed that no specific levels of the factors were found to be significant in determining the quality of the solutions found by the EDA across all problem sets. On the other hand, incorporating assignment probabilities into the construction of EDA solutions facilitated diversity among the generated solutions. The runtime of the EDA for the proposed problem sets in the experiments, using the factor levels defined, ranged from 20 s for problems with 10 jobs and 5 machines to 600 s for those with 30 jobs and 10 machines. The proposed EDA begins by generating a random initial population of solutions. The makespan (Cmax) is then computed for each individual. The next generation is composed by three sets of individuals. The first group corresponds to a percentage of the best-performing individuals of the current generation. The second group is generated by using a probability distribution function derived from the structure of the selected solutions, while the remaining individuals are created randomly to enhance the algorithm’s exploratory capability. Our results demonstrate that the proposed method improves upon some of the previously best-known results in the current state of the art.

Background The impacts of multicomponent school water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) interventions on children’s health are unclear. We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial to test the effects of a school WaSH intervention on children’s malnutrition, dehydration, health literacy (HL), and handwashing (HW) in Metro Manila, Philippines. Methods The trial lasted from June 2017 to March 2018 and included children, in grades 5, 6, 7, and 10, from 15 schools. At baseline 756 children were enrolled. Seventy-eight children in two clusters were purposively assigned to the control group (CG); 13 clusters were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups: low-intensity health education (LIHE; two schools, n = 116 children), medium-intensity health education (MIHE; seven schools, n = 356 children), and high-intensity health education (HIHE; four schools, n = 206 children). The intervention consisted of health education (HE), WaSH policy workshops, provision of hygiene supplies, and WaSH facilities repairs. Outcomes were: height-for-age and body mass index-for-age Z scores (HAZ, BAZ); stunting, undernutrition, overnutrition, dehydration prevalence; HL and HW scores. We used anthropometry to measure children’s physical growth, urine test strips to measure dehydration, questionnaires to measure HL, and observation to measure HW practice. The same measurements were used during baseline and endline. We used multilevel mixed-effects logistic and linear regression models to assess intervention effects. Results None of the interventions reduced undernutrition prevalence or improved HAZ, BAZ, or overall HL scores. Low-intensity HE reduced stunting (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.95; 95% CI 0.93 to 0.96), while low- (aOR 0.57; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.96) and high-intensity HE (aOR 0.63; 95% CI 0.42 to 0.93) reduced overnutrition. Medium- (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 0.02; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.04) and high-intensity HE (aIRR 0.01; 95% CI 0.00 to 0.16) reduced severe dehydration. Medium- (aOR 3.18; 95% CI 1.34 to 7.55) and high-intensity HE (aOR 3.89; 95% CI 3.74 to 4.05) increased observed HW after using the toilet/urinal. Conclusion Increasing the intensity of HE reduced prevalence of stunting, overnutrition, and severe dehydration and increased prevalence of observed HW. Data may be relevant for school WaSH interventions in the Global South. Interventions may have been more effective if adherence was higher, exposure to interventions longer, parents/caregivers were more involved, or household WaSH was addressed. Trial registration number DRKS00021623.

Given the abundance of biomass resources in the Philippines, particularly in its agricultural sector, it becomes crucial to assess these resources for their potential in bioenergy production. A key aspect of this assessment is site suitability analysis, which considers various factors such as Road accessibility, Slope of land, water bodies, Built-up Areas, constrained areas, and Banana cultivation area. Notably, Davao del Norte boasts the largest banana plantation in the country, offering ample agricultural residues. With an increasing population residing at a considerable distance from these croplands, there is an opportunity for efficient electricity utilization. Therefore, this study employs Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to develop a methodology for identifying suitable locations for biomass power plant development in Davao del Norte, Philippines. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is incorporated into the QGIS platform for the analysis. The municipality of Asuncion is the most suitable location for biomass power plant development, according to the results of this analysis.

Diarrhea, soil-transmitted helminth infection and malnutrition are leading causes of child mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To reduce the prevalence of these diseases, effective interventions for adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) should be implemented. This paper describes the design of a cluster-randomized controlled trial that will compare the efficacy of four school-based WaSH interventions for improving children’s health literacy, handwashing, and nutrition. Interventions consisted of (1) WaSH policy reinforcement; (2) low-, medium-, or high-volume health education; (3) hygiene supplies; and (4) WaSH facilities (e.g., toilets, urinals, handwashing basins) improvements. We randomly allocated school clusters from the intervention arm to one of four groups to compare with schools from the control arm. Primary outcomes were: children’s health literacy, physical growth, nutrition status, and handwashing prevalence. Secondary outcomes were: children’s self-reported health status and history of extreme hunger, satisfaction with WaSH facilities, and school restrooms’ WaSH adequacy. We will measure differences in pre- and post-intervention outcomes and compare these differences between control and intervention arms. This research protocol can be a blueprint for future school-based WaSH intervention studies to be conducted in LMICs. Study protocols were approved by the ethics committees of the University of Bonn, Germany, and the University of the Philippines Manila. This trial was retroactively registered, ID number: DRKS00021623.

El presente artículo tiene como objetivo central comprender el despliegue narrativo que ofrecen los tapices elaborados con la técnica quilt (tela sobre tela) por un grupo de mujeres del municipio de Mampuján, víctimas del conflicto armado en Colombia. También pretende evidenciar el papel mediador e intermediador que pueden jugar los tapices como objetos estéticos-artísticos de los procesos de reconstrucción de memoria histórica dentro del entramado relacional en el que son figurados, al evidenciar formas de aprehensión y representación de las lógicas relacionales que fueron planteadas por el conflicto armado en diferentes territorios de Colombia. Como unidad de análisis se eligió el tapiz Gracias por unirse alrededor de un sueño. Los referentes analíticos son la teoría del actor red de Bruno Latour y la metáfora del pliegue de Gilles Deleuze. Además, el análisis de contenido valida la conjunción de las tramas narrativas (de acuerdo con Paul Ricoeur) empleando como técnica analítica y de visualización la producción de grafos narrativos.

The collapse or evacuation of residential buildings due to not withstanding gravitational loads has caused not only loss of human lives but also economic damages. They are also a significant detriment to the engineering profession’s reputation. Therefore, it is essential for the engineering community to analyze the causes of these failures and document each case to learn from mistakes and prevent them from happening again. In recent years, construction has increased considerably in developing countries such as Colombia. Reinforced concrete construction is often preferred due to faster material supply and availability of labor compared to steel structures. With this increase in construction, work control has not been adequate, and problems have been founded in some buildings in cities such as Medellin, Cartagena, Rionegro, among others. This paper summarizes the aspects that were taken into account for the study of pathology and vulnerability of a 19-story reinforced concrete building in the municipality of Rionegro, Antioquia, which, due to the findings, had to be subsequently demolished. The analyzes carried out along with field and laboratory studies are presented. Some of the aspects found were incorrect analysis and design criteria, poor quality of materials, and poor aspects of supervision. This paper also aims to make a reflection about some bad practices and common errors that are developed in structural engineering consulting firms, as well as in the construction practice.

El presente escrito hace parte de los resultados hallados en la tesis “Didáctica para la comprensión en la educación física: relaciones que emergen en los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje en cuatro colegios de básica primaria Bogotá.” vinculado al programa del Doctorado en ciencias de la educación, universidad del Magdalena, Rude-Colombia. El propósito de este estudio fue interpretar y describir las relaciones epistemológicas, didácticas y metodológicas inmersas en los planes de área en el marco de la enseñanza para la comprensión. La investigación se abordó desde el enfoque cualitativo con diseño metodológico etnográfico educativo. Con respecto a las técnicas para la recolección de datos, se realizó una revisión documental en cuatro colegios de la ciudad de Bogotá. Los resultados evidenciaron pocas propuestas pedagógicas y didácticas desde la educación física que guíen los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje hacia la comprensión. A modo de conclusión, en los documentos institucionales examinados, se hallan elementos soportados en las orientaciones pedagógicas del 2010 y las recomendaciones de la Organización Mundial para la Salud [OMS], pero poco se asocian con la comprensión como propósito educativo. Lo anterior presume poco Conocimiento Didáctico de Contenido comprensivo de los docentes, lo cual puede limitar el desarrollo de las competencias en los escolares.

La presente ponencia hace parte de la investigación en desarrollo “El uso de dispositivos móviles en escolares de colegios públicos: afectaciones en los procesos de aprendizaje en la localidad de Bosa”. En este proceso investigativo se consideran las percepciones de los estudiantes de grado quinto, sexto y séptimo de tres mega colegios de la localidad séptima de Bogotá, en torno al manejo que los niños brindan a los dispositivos móviles, dentro y fuera del aula de clase. Se propone la ruta metodológica desde un enfoque cualitativo, con una aproximación al objeto de estudio de corte interpretativo, que asume un presupuesto epistemológico basado en el interaccionismo simbólico y un diseño basado en la teoría fundamentada. Se utiliza como técnica de recolección de la información el cuestionario, desde una encuesta de selección múltiple, una encuesta abierta y posteriormente un focus group. Cómo resultados en esta etapa del proceso se encuentran tres categorías desde la revisión bibliográfica, la primera categoría corresponde un bajo rendimiento escolar asociado al uso de dispositivos tecnológicos, la segunda categoría propone algunos efectos a nivel psicológico y emocional en los estudiantes de secundaria por del uso inadecuado de dispositivos móviles y la tercera categoría corresponde a la incidencia que tienen estos dispositivos en la interacción social. Por otro lado, se categorizan la respuestas desde las percepciones de los estudiantes respecto a la encuesta cerrada, se correlacionan con los hallazgos del estado del arte y se propone como parte del proceso la encuesta abierta y el focus group para generar categorías con mayor precisión. This presentation is part of the ongoing research \"The use of mobile devices in students from public schools: impacts on learning processes in the locality of Bosa.\" This investigative process considers the perceptions of fifth, sixth, and seventh-grade students from three mega-schools in the seventh locality of Bogotá, regarding how children use mobile devices, both inside and outside the classroom. The methodological route is proposed from a qualitative approach, with an interpretive perspective to the study object, assuming an epistemological approach based on symbolic interactionism and a design Grounded Theory. The questionnaire is used as a data collection technique, through a multiple-choice survey, an open survey, and later a focus group. As results, three categories are identified from the bibliographic review: the first category corresponds to low school performance associated with the use of technological devices; the second category proposes some psychological and emotional effects on high school students due to the inadequate use of mobile devices; and the third category corresponds to the incidence of these devices on social interaction. On the other hand, the responses are categorized based on the students' perceptions regarding the closed survey, correlated with the findings from the state of the art, and the open survey and focus group are proposed as part of the process to generate more precise categories. Esta apresentação faz parte da pesquisa em desenvolvimento \"O uso de dispositivos móveis em estudantes de escolas públicas: impactos nos processos de aprendizagem na localidade de Bosa\". Este processo investigativo considera as percepções de alunos do quinto, sexto e sétimo ano de três megaescolas na sétima localidade de Bogotá, sobre como as crianças lidam com dispositivos móveis, dentro e fora da sala de aula. A rota metodológica é proposta a partir de uma abordagem qualitativa, com um corte interpretativo para o objeto de estudo, assumindo um orçamento epistemológico baseado no interacionismo simbólico e um design fundamentado na teoria. O questionário é utilizado como técnica de coleta de dados, através de uma pesquisa de múltipla escolha, uma pesquisa aberta e, posteriormente, um grupo focal. Como resultados nesta etapa do processo, são identificadas três categorias a partir da revisão bibliográfica: a primeira categoria corresponde ao baixo desempenho escolar associado ao uso de dispositivos tecnológicos; a segunda categoria propõe alguns efeitos psicológicos e emocionais nos estudantes do ensino médio devido ao uso inadequado de dispositivos móveis; e a terceira categoria corresponde à incidência desses dispositivos na interação social. Por outro lado, as respostas são categorizadas com base nas percepções dos alunos em relação à pesquisa fechada, correlacionadas com as descobertas do estado da arte, e a pesquisa aberta e o grupo focal são propostos como parte do processo para gerar categorias mais precisas.