University of Cienfuegos

Accurate energy forecasting is critical for the financial and environmental sustainability of the hospitality sector, particularly in energy-intensive subtropical climates. This research addresses a significant gap by conducting a comprehensive, comparative analysis of six machine learning algorithms-Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Random Forest (RF), XGBoost, Radial Basis Function (RBF), Autoencoder, and Decision Trees-to predict the hourly energy consumption of a hotel in Cuba. We significantly enhance predictive performance through a novel hybrid ensemble scheme, integrating voting, stacking, and blending techniques. Furthermore, this study pioneers a long-term forecasting methodology by utilizing a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model to project the hotel's energy demand over a 50-year horizon, providing the strategic insight necessary for evaluating major retrofits. Our results demonstrate that ensemble methods, particularly blending, achieve superior accuracy and stability, with correlation coefficients up to 0.975 and the lowest error metrics. The subsequent high-fidelity predictions, including an analysis revealing a minimal specific CO2 emission of 0.025 kg from natural gas use, provide a quantitative foundation for formulating sustainable energy policies, incentivizing investment in efficient technologies, and ensuring that long-term emission reduction targets are both financially viable and technically robust.

El presente artículo analiza el impacto de las herramientas tecnológicas en la atención a estudiantes con dislexia en la educación básica primaria, considerando su potencial como mediadoras del aprendizaje inclusivo. En las últimas décadas, el avance de las tecnologías educativas ha permitido el desarrollo de estrategias innovadoras orientadas a mejorar los procesos de lectura, escritura y comprensión en estudiantes con dificultades específicas de aprendizaje. Sin embargo, la efectividad de estas herramientas depende de su integración pedagógica y del contexto educativo en el que se implementan. Metodológicamente, se desarrolló un estudio cualitativo de tipo teórico-documental, basado en la revisión estructurada de literatura científica reciente (2020–2025), seleccionada en bases de datos indexadas. Los resultados evidencian que herramientas como aplicaciones móviles, software de lectura asistida, tecnologías de texto a voz y entornos digitales interactivos contribuyen significativamente al desarrollo de habilidades fonológicas y a la mejora del rendimiento académico de los estudiantes con dislexia. No obstante, también se identifican limitaciones relacionadas con la formación docente, la accesibilidad tecnológica y la adaptación curricular. Se concluye que las tecnologías educativas constituyen un recurso clave para la inclusión, siempre que su uso se articule con estrategias pedagógicas adecuadas. Este estudio aporta una visión crítica y contextualizada sobre el papel de la tecnología en la educación inclusiva, destacando la necesidad de enfoques integrales que combinen innovación tecnológica y didáctica.

Enfrentar los retos actuales requiere reconocer y aplicar enfoques alternativos que impulsen una agricultura sostenible. La investigación propone acciones de innovación para garantizar la transición agroecológica hacia el desarrollo local sostenible en la finca "Osmany Moreno", Cienfuegos, Cuba. Se empleó un enfoque descriptivo y explicativo, utilizando métodos como el histórico-lógico, la observación y la herramienta TAPE de la Organización de Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO) para una evaluación multidimensional. Se evidenció un valor de 59,6 % en el desempeño agroecológico, que sitúa a la unidad en una fase de transición inicial. Entre las fortalezas destacan la experiencia acumulada del productor (40 años) y resultados económicos estables; sin embargo, se identificaron debilidades críticas como el envejecimiento de la fuerza laboral, baja biodiversidad (índice Margalef de 2.22) y limitada infraestructura para energías renovables. El análisis estratégico mediante matrices DAFO y CAME permitió diseñar soluciones enfocadas en la capacitación técnica, diversificación productiva y acceso a financiamientos externos. Se concluye que la finca posee potencial de escalabilidad como modelo de "finca faro" para el sector cafetalero, siempre que se mitiguen las brechas tecnológicas y de infraestructura detectadas.

Corporal and psychological punishment toward children typically emerges from bidirectional, escalating, and coercive parent–child interactions. These parenting dynamics have been understudied in Latin America, where associations with child emotional development have been found to be significant. This study addressed three questions in a sample of 18,269 typically developing boys and girls, aged 3 to 4 years, from 10 Latin American countries (UNICEF MICS data 2019–2024), regarding corporal punishment (hitting with hand/belt/object or with maximum force, shaking) and psychological punishment (yelling and insulting): (a) Which children, based on their socioemotional adjustment, are at greater risk of receiving corporal punishment? (b) How robust are these associations to unmeasured confounding factors? (c) What contextual factors moderate this relationship? Boys and girls with externalizing behaviors (e.g., hitting others) were more likely to receive punishment. However, associations were significant in only 7 of 10 countries and showed moderate robustness to confounding ( E -values: 1.08–1.37). In pooled analyses across all countries, boys showed more consistent negative associations with prosocial behavior. However, substantial cross‑country heterogeneity emerged, and girls exhibited significant associations in several national contexts, sometimes with effect sizes exceeding those for boys. Key protective factors attenuated negative associations: early childhood education attendance, higher maternal education, and greater household wealth. Additionally, three vulnerabilities emerged in the region: 29% poverty, 83% low maternal education, and 43% no early childhood education attendance. The coercion cycle was evidenced among preschool-aged children across Latin America, although with substantial national variation. Effective interventions must extend beyond legal prohibitions. Context‑sensitive public policies that strengthen protective early education and economic resources and implement culturally adapted parenting programs to interrupt coercive cycles, particularly in high‑risk environments for preschool children, are warranted.

This article characterizes the renewable energy potential of Cayo Carenas, an islet at the entrance of Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba. It begins with a concise overview of the case-study community’s geographical and socio-economic context. To assess solar and wind potential, the concepts of Peak Sun Hours (PSH) and Wind Power Density (WPD) are introduced, alongside the most utilized probability distributions in wind energy studies. Solar irradiance and wind speed data, collected at 10-minute intervals throughout one year by an automatic weather station installed near the islet by Cienfuegos Provincial Meteorological Center, are analyzed. Daily PSH and WPD averages are computed, followed by derivation of monthly means for the study period. Frequency histograms for PSH and wind speed are generated. Results confirm exceptional annual averages: solar potential exceeding 5 PSH and wind potential higher than 400 W per square meter WPD. Short-term solar deficits are identified during cloudy/rainy periods, while below-average wind potential occurs from June-September. Weibull and Rayleigh distribution parameters, estimated via Maximum Likelihood Method, effectively model the stochastic behavior of wind speeds.