Esculturas y relieves figurados de época romana, realizados en material lapídeo local, del noreste de la península ibérica. Litotipos y centros de producción

En aquest treball s'han estudiat tallers de producció escultòrica d'època romana, realitzats en material lapidi local, del nord-est de la península ibèrica. S'ha pretès ampliar el coneixement actual sobre la plàstica local hispana dins d'un marc cronològic precís que va des del segle III aC. fins al III dC. El projecte té un marcat caràcter multidisciplinari, combinant disciplines humanístiques i científiques. Això s'ha reflectit metodològicament en l'adopció de dues vies de recerca, una pròpia dels àmbits de la Història de l'Art i l'Arqueologia i una altra de caire més científic i experimental, en particular centrat en la Geologia. L'objectiu de partida del nostre estudi ha estat la catalogació exhaustiva de les escultures i relleus figurats romans procedents de jaciments catalans i realitzats en materials locals, incloent-ne la identificació i la caracterització arqueomètrica. A partir de la catalogació descrita s'ha quantificat la freqüència d'ús de diferents litotipus ja coneguts i se n'han identificat d'altres que fins ara no s'havien descrit. També s'han associat els diferents litotipus a determinats centres productors. Els objectius s'han concretat en la catalogació de 171 obres i en la detecció de 18 litotipus locals amb què s'han realitzat aquestes obres. La seva caracterització arqueomètrica, amb especial èmfasi en l'anàlisi petrogràfica, s'ha fet sobre un total de 44 peces. Aquest vessant més científic ha implicat el desenvolupament d'aptituds en diverses tècniques analítiques, un coneixement totalment aliè a la formació prèvia amb què s'ha afrontat aquest projecte de tesi. La major part de les obres que hem catalogat estan ubicades actualment a institucions públiques i privades catalanes (122). A més de les peces situades als museus, del total d'obres catalogades n'hem trobat 49 que no formen part de cap inventari i es troben o bé in situ, en propietats privades o estan actualment en lloc desconegut.Este trabajo consiste en el estudio de talleres de producción escultórica de época romana, realizados en material lapídeo local, del noreste de la península ibérica. Se ha pretendido ampliar el conocimiento actual sobre la plástica local hispana dentro de un marco cronológico preciso que va desde el siglo III a.C. hasta el III d.C. El proyecto tiene un marcado carácter multidisciplinar, combinando doctrinas humanísticas y científicas. Esto se ha reflejado metodológicamente en la adopción de dos vías de investigación, una propia de los ámbitos de la Historia del Arte y la Arqueología y otra de las Ciencias experimentales, en particular la Geología. El objetivo de partida de nuestro estudio ha sido la catalogación exhaustiva de las esculturas y relieves figurados romanos procedentes de yacimientos catalanes y realizados en materiales locales, incluyendo su identificación y caracterización arqueométrica. A partir de la catalogación descrita se ha cuantificado la frecuencia de uso de distintos litotipos ya conocidos y se han identificados otros no descritos anteriormente. También se han asociado los distintos litotipos a determinados centros productores. Los objetivos se han concretado en la catalogación de 171 obras y en la detección de 18 litotipos locales con los que se han realizado dichas obras. Su caracterización arqueométrica, con énfasis en el análisis petrográfico, se ha realizado sobre un total de 44 piezas. Esta vertiente más científica ha implicado el desarrollo de aptitudes en diversas técnicas analíticas, un conocimiento totalmente ajeno a la formación previa con la que se ha afrontado el presente proyecto de tesis. La mayor parte de las obras que hemos catalogado están ubicadas actualmente en instituciones públicas y privadas catalanas (122). Además de las piezas localizadas en los museos, del total de obras catalogadas hemos hallado 49 que no forman parte de ningún inventario y que se encuentran o bien in situ, en propiedades privadas o están actualmente en paradero desconocido.This work deals with the study of the Roman workshops that produced sculptural works carved in local stones, from the northeast corner of the Iberian Peninsula. The aim has been to broaden the current knowledge about local Hispanic art within a precise chronological window that goes from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD. The project has a remarkable multidisciplinary character, combining humanistic and scientific disciplines. This has been methodologically reflected by the adoption of two distinct types of research approaches, on the one hand that common in the fields of Art History and Archeology and on the other hand, a more scientific and experimental approach, particularly focusing in geological methods. The starting objective of our study has been the exhaustive cataloging of Roman figurative sculptures and reliefs from Catalan sites, carved in local materials, The work has involved their identification and archaeometric characterization. From the compilation of the described catalogue, we have quantified the frequency of use of different lithotypes, most of them were already known but some had not been previously described. The different lithotypes have been associated with their corresponding production centers. The objectives have materialized in a catalogue that comprises 171 artworks and includes 18 different local lithotypes. Their archaeometric characterization, particularly focused on the petrographic analysis, has been applied to a total of 44 pieces. This scientific-oriented facet of the project has implied the development of competence in various analytical techniques, a completely new knowledge that has been assumed without any previous background. Most of the works that we have compiled are currently located in Catalan public and private institutions (122). In addition to the pieces located in the museums, of the total number of cataloged works we have found 49 items that were not catalogued, they are in situ, on private collections or presently missing

Fabrication of hybrid nanocrystalline Al-Ti alloys by mechanical bonding through high-pressure torsion

This study demonstrates an approach of utilizing high-pressure torsion (HPT) to fabricate a novel hybrid material by the direct bonding of Al and Ti disks at room temperature under a compressive pressure of 6.0 GPa and with increasing numbers of HPT turns up to 50. Detailed structural observations revealed the formation of a multi-layered nanostructure in the edge regions of the disks with a grain size of ∼30 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) confirmed the presence of three intermetallic compounds, AlTi, Al3Ti and Ti3Al, in the layered structures. Processing by HPT led to the formation of a hybrid nanocomposite with exceptional hardness (over 300 Hv) in the edge regions of the disks. Special emphasis was placed on understanding the evolution of hardness in the hybrid material. The investigation demonstrates a significant opportunity for using HPT processing to deepen the knowledge on diffusion bonding and mechanical joining technologies as well as for fabricating new and valuable hybrid nanomaterials

Measuring spatial inequalities in the access to station-based bike-sharing in Barcelona using an Adapted Affordability Index

Bike-sharing schemes have been spreading globally during the last years. These should be publicly available schemes, servicing all groups of population. But the literature shows there are underrepresented population groups amongst their users. The physical access to bike-sharing stations and the supporting network of cycle lanes seems to influence the use of the schemes, especially of lower-income communities. This paper applies an index as a tool to evaluate spatial inequalities in the access to station-based bike-sharing schemes and the cycle network. The index aggregates several variables related to the population level of affordability, including mobility-related variables. The Adapted Affordability Index was inspired in an existing one, produced by the city council, in an attempt to ensure its usability for policymaking. The index was calculated and applied to the case of the bike-sharing scheme in Barcelona, at the geographical level of census tracts. The index shows a strong correlation with income, a variable not always publicly available at such a small geographical level. This study shows that there are inequalities in spatial access to the Barcelona bike-sharing scheme; the wealthier the population group, the more they have access to cycling infrastructure, especially to bike-sharing stations. The bike-sharing trend is accentuated in the hilly areas of the city. The successful application of the Adapted Affordability Index to the city of Barcelona is a promising avenue to provide a robust and easy to use bike-sharing spatial equity evaluation tool for policymaking

Assessment methods for inter-laboratory comparisons of the dicentric assay

Purpose: To test the performance of different algorithms that can be used in inter-laboratory comparisons based on dicentric chromosome analysis, and to evaluate the impact of considering a priori values different to calculate individual laboratory performance based on the ionizing radiation dose estimation. - Methods: Mean and standard deviation estimations in inter-laboratory comparisons are tested on simulated data and data from previously published inter-laboratory comparisons using three robust algorithms, Algorithm A, Algorithm B and Q/Hampel, all programmed in R-project language and implemented in a Shiny application. The simulated data were generated assuming three different probabilities to contaminate inter-laboratory comparisons samples with atypical dose values. Comparison between different algorithms was also done using published exercises where blood samples were irradiated at 0 and 0.7 Gy that represent a challenge for the assessment of an inter-laboratory comparison. - Results: The best performance was obtained with the Q/Hampel algorithm for the estimation of the dose mean and with the Algorithm B for the estimation of the dose standard deviation under the conditions tested in the simulations. The Q/Hampel algorithm showed the best performance when non-irradiated samples were evaluated and there was a high proportion of identical values. The presence identical values cause the Algorithm B to fail. Real examples illustrating the need to consider standard deviation priors, and the need to use algorithms resistant to a high proportion of identical values are presented. - Conclusions: Q/Hampel algorithm is a serious candidate to estimate the dose mean in the inter-laboratory comparisons, and to estimate both parameters when the proportion of identical values equals or higher than the half of the results. When the proportion of identical values is less than the half of the results, the Algorithm B should be considered as a candidate to estimate the standard deviation in the inter-laboratory comparisons withsmall number of laboratories. We remark that special attention is needed to establish prior definitions of standard deviation in the assessment of inter-laboratory dicentric assay comparisons

Melnikov functions of arbitrary order for piecewise smooth differential systems in Rn and applications

In this paper we develop an arbitrary order Melnikov function to study limit cycles bifurcating from a periodic submanifold for autonomous piecewise smooth differential systems in R with two zones separated by a hyperplane. This result not only extends some of the known results on the Melnikov theory in dimension and order but also compensates for some defects of the averaging theory in studying the limit cycle bifurcation of autonomous systems from a periodic submanifold. To demonstrate the application of our theoretical result and its superiority for some systems to the existing averaging theory, we study the maximum number of limit cycles bifurcating from an n-dimensional periodic submanifold caused by non-smooth centers of the fold-fold type, providing an upper bound for any order piecewise polynomial perturbations of degree m. Concerning the planar case of the unperturbed system, a piecewise Hamiltonian system, we obtain a better upper bound for piecewise polynomial Hamiltonian perturbations up to order two. The realizability of these upper bounds is also discussed

Six avenues for engendering creative environmentalism

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-MThe ubiquitous use of artworks (e.g., paintings, music, films) in environmental activism has been shown to trigger specific cognitive processes as well as changes in personal values and behaviours. There is less understanding of whether (or how) gender-differentiated environmental claims and gender-transformative initiatives are voiced and promoted through art and cultural expressions. Using network analysis, this paper comprehensively reviews ninety-eight years of peer-reviewed literature on gender and environmental activism. We identify six avenues of gendered artistic activism (or 'artivism') on environmental issues that communities have pursued in the past. We present a non-prescriptive description of each avenue based on key references in the literature. A gendered lens on artistic activism makes visible the power of different groups to act, be they women, men, LGBTQ or other collectives, their chosen (or available) scopes of creative action when engaging with environmental protection and their thematic foci. A highlight of the study is the significant presence of younger demographics, including children and students in environmental artivism. Finally, we discuss how gendered artivism expands our understanding of environmental action, putting our results in conver-sation with well-known current environmentalism(s)

Revealing the management of municipal textile waste and citizen practices : The case of Catalonia

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-MAltres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABAlthough the number of studies assessing the textile sector is increasing, only a few focus on its waste management. This study aims to shed light on current textile waste disposal practices and account for their environmental impact. To do so, a combination of citizen surveying and environmental quantitative tools, such as material flow analysis and life cycle assessment, are used to assess municipal textile waste in Catalonia in 2020. The results show that only approximately 10 % of municipal textile waste is separately collected, while 90 % is landfilled/incinerated. Of the 10 % of textiles collected separately, almost 40 % are prepared for reuse and recycled in Catalonia and Spain, approximately 40 % are exported for reuse and recycling in Asia, Africa and the rest of Europe, and the remaining 20 % are incinerated or landfilled, stocked or treated as improper waste. The carbon footprint generated by 1 t of textile waste managed by unseparated collection is 353 kg CO2 eq, which almost double that of 1 t oftextile waste collected separately: 207 kg CO2 eq. The results also show that the emissions of textiles collected separately could be considerably reduced by minimizing their exports. The conclusions indicate that a proper course of action includes raising awareness about textile waste management and secondhand buying habits among citizens while investing in better sorting and local recycling technologies to reduce exports. Identifying the existing limitations to creating a local reuse and recycling textile sector is crucial to reduce its carbon footprint

In vivo bioluminescence analyses of circadian rhythms in Arabidopsis thaliana using a microplate luminometer

Altres ajuts: CERCA Programme/Generalitat de CatalunyaOur understanding of the circadian clock function in plants has been markedly assisted by studies with the model species Arabidopsis thaliana. Molecular and genetics approaches have delivered a comprehensive view of the transcriptional regulatory networks underlying the Arabidopsis circadian system. The use of the luciferase as a reporter allowed the precise in vivo determination of circadian periods, phases, and amplitudes of clock promoter activities with unprecedented temporal resolution. An increasing repertoire of fine-tuned luciferases together with additional applications such as translational fusions or bioluminescence molecular complementation assays have considerably expanded our view of circadian protein expression and activity, far beyond transcriptional regulation. Further applications have focused on the in vivo simultaneous examination of rhythms in different parts of the plant. The use of intact versus excised plant organs has also provided a glimpse on both the organ-specific and autonomy of the clocks and the importance of long distance communication for circadian function. This chapter provides a basic protocol for in vivo high-throughput monitoring of circadian rhythms in Arabidopsis seedlings using bioluminescent reporters and a microplate luminometer