Design of an innovative collection System for the organic fraction of municipal solid waste

Màster d'Enginyeria Ambiental, Facultat de Química, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs: 2019-2020, Tutors: Bernardí Bayarri, Sergi AstalsClimate change is one of the biggest challenges humanity is actually facing. This is why the European Union has recently issued a more restrictive waste management Directive, which establishes a minimum percentages of selective waste collection for the coming years. To achieve these objective is necessary to improve the current selective collection methods. This is why organic matter becomes important, due to the large amount that is generated as well as its subsequent valorization possibilities. In this final master project a study of the current collection systems is made to find out which are their main characteristics that allow improving the separation efficiency. In addition, the existing technologies that allow differentiating organic matter from other types of materials are reviewed. Succeeding, an innovative organic matter collection system based on X-ray technology is designed. This prototype is design to reject the organic matter waste bags that have an amount of improper materials greater than the desired maximum limit. In this way, citizens can be rewarded for making good use of the system. Subsequently, due to the high cost of the X-ray based system a second system was designed. It is a system where users are identified by QR codes on the waste bags. This allows a subsequent bag inspection to benefit or fine the user. Finally, a preliminary economic comparison of both systems and the current one is carried out. In addition to the environmental advantages and compliance with the European Directive, better separation of organic waste at source reduces the cost of pre-treating it. With this framework, the economic feasibility of both designs is studie

Biomechanical analysis of a cranial Patient Specific Implant on the interface with the bone using the Finite Element Method

- New advance technologies based on reverse engineering , design and additive manufacturing, have expanded design capabilities for biomedical applications to include Patient Specific Implants (PSI). This change in design paradigms needs advanced tools to assess the mechanical performance of the product, and simulate the impact on the patient. In this work, we perform a structural analysis on the interface of a cranial PSI under static loading conditions. Based on those simulations, we have identified the regions with high stress and strain and checked the failure criteria both in the implant and the skull. We evaluate the quality of the design of the implant and determine their response given different materials, in order to ensure optimality of the final product to be manufactured

Mobile Decision Support System Usage in Organizations

In recent years, people have widely adopted mobile computing devices in their lives. In this paper, we define mobile decision support systems (mDSS) as decision support systems built on mobile computing platforms. Several factors influencing an individual employee’s usage of mDSS are examined. We propose a model shows how perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, job mobility, and amount of information presented influence employees’ mDSS usage. In addition, employees’ mobile real-time-decision-making (mRTDM) responsibility will moderate the positive effects that job mobility has on their mDSS usage. This exploratory study seeks to define mDSS and understand how people will use these systems in organizations with today’s rapidly growing mobile technology

Marcadores bioquímicos emergentes relacionados con diabetes mellitus tipo 2

La diabetis mellitus tipus 2 (DMT2) és una malaltia amb elevada morbiditat i una important causa de mortalitat prematura, la qual, en gran mesura es podria prevenir. La identificació de noves vies metabòliques i/o biomarcadors implicats en la seva fisiopatologia podrien ajudar en la detecció precoç de la malaltia, i proporcionar nous enfocaments terapèutics. Aquests últims anys, diferents grups d'investigació han mostrat especial interès pel sTWEAK, una citocina multifuncional implicada en la resposta pro-/anti-inflamatòria, el seu receptor scavenger CD163 i l'osteocalcina (OC), un component de la matriu òssia; els quals han estat relacionats amb el metabolisme de la glucosa. Aquesta tesi ha estat realitzada en el context de l'estudi PREDIMED, un assaig clínic en paral•lel, multicèntric i aleatoritzat que avalua l'efecte de la dieta Mediterrània en la prevenció primària de la malaltia cardiovascular. L'objectiu va ser analitzar les associacions entre els nivells sèrics de sTWEAK, sCD163 i dues formes de OC [carboxilada (OCc) i no carboxilada (OCnc)] i la incidència de DMT2 en una població adulta amb alt risc cardiovascular i sense diabetis a l’inici de l’estudi. Així mateix, s'ha volgut explorar la relació entre els nivells perifèrics de sTWEAK i la prevalença de síndrome metabòlica (SM). Es va realitzar un estudi de disseny cas-control aniuat, prospectiu, incloent 153 casos amb nou diagnòstic de diabetis i 306 controls que no ho van desenvolupar durant els 5 anys de seguiment. Els resultats d'aquest treball van demostrar que nivells sèrics baixos de sTWEAK i ambdues formes d’osteocalcina, OCc i OCnc a l’inici de l'estudi, s’associen amb un major risc de desenvolupar diabetis tipus 2. Així mateix, nivells perifèrics baixos de sTWEAK es van associar amb una major prevalença de SM, obesitat abdominal, hipertrigliceridèmia i hiperglucèmia. No es va observar una relació significativa entre els nivells sèrics de sCD163 i la incidència de diabetis. Els resultats de la present tesi suggereixen que els nivells circulants de sTWEAK i OC, podrien ser útils com a nous potencials biomarcadors per a predir la DMT2.La diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DMT2) es una enfermedad con elevada morbilidad y una importante causa de mortalidad prematura, la cual, en gran medida, se podría prevenir. La identificación de nuevas vías metabólicas y/o biomarcadores implicados en su fisiopatología puede ayudar en la detección precoz de la enfermedad, y proporcionar nuevos enfoques terapéuticos. Estos últimos años, diferentes grupos de investigación han mostrado especial interés por el sTWEAK, una citocina multifuncional implicada en la respuesta pro-/anti-inflamatoria, su receptor scavenger CD163 y la osteocalcina (OC), un com¬ponente de la matriz ósea; los cuales han sido relacionados con el metabolismo de la glucosa. Esta tesis ha sido realizada en el contexto del estudio PREDIMED, un ensayo de campo nutricional en paralelo, multicéntrico y aleatorizado que evalúa el efecto de la dieta Mediterránea en la prevención primaria de la enfermedad cardiovascular. El objetivo de la presente tesis fue analizar las asociaciones entre los niveles séricos de sTWEAK, sCD163 y ambas formas de OC [carboxilada (OCc) y no carboxilada (OCnc)] y la incidencia de DMT2 en una población adulta con alto riesgo cardiovascular y sin diabetes al inicio del estudio. Además se ha analizado la relación entre los niveles periféricos de sTWEAK y síndrome metabólico (SM). Se realizó un estudio de diseño casos-control anidado y prospectivo incluyendo 153 casos con nuevo diagnóstico de diabetes y 306 controles que no desarrollaron diabetes tras 5 años de seguimiento. Los resultados del presente trabajo demuestran que niveles bajos de sTWEAK y ambas, OCc y OCnc al inicio del estudio, se asociaron con un mayor riesgo de diabetes. Asimismo, niveles bajos de sTWEAK se asociaron con una mayor prevalencia de SM, obesidad abdominal, hipertrigliceridemia e hiperglucemia. No se encontró relación entre los niveles séricos de sCD163 e incidencia de diabetes. Los resultados de la presente tesis sugieren que los niveles circulantes de sTWEAK y OC podrían ser útiles como nuevos potenciales biomarcadores predictores de DMT2.Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease with high morbidity and a major cause of premature mortality, which, in a large extent could be prevented. The identification of new pathways and/or biomarkers implicated in its pathophysiology can help in the early detection of the disease, and could provide new therapeutic approaches. Recently, various research groups have shown special interest in sTWEAK, a multifunctional cytokine involved in the pro/anti-inflammatory response, its scavenger receptor CD163 and in osteocalcin (OC), a component of the bone matrix; all them related with glucose metabolism. This thesis has been conducted in the framework of the PREDIMED Study, a parallel-group, multicenter randomized trial evaluating the efficacy of a Mediterranean diet on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. We aimed to assess the associations between baseline serum concentrations of sTWEAK, sCD163 and both forms of OC [carboxylated (cOC) and undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC)] and the future development of T2DM in an elderly population at high cardiovascular risk and free of T2DM at the beginning of the study. Additionally, we also aimed at exploring the relationship between sTWEAK and metabolic syndrome (MS) prevalence. A prospective, nested case-control study was performed including 153 cases of newly diagnosed diabetic subjects and 306 individually matched controls free of diabetes during 5-years of the follow-up. The results of the present work demonstrated that low levels of sTWEAK and both cOC and ucOC at baseline are prospectively associated with an increased diabetes risk. We also found that low levels sTWEAK were associated with a higher prevalence of MS, abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia. No relationship between serum levels sCD163 and diabetes incidence was found. The results of the present thesis suggest that circulating levels of sTWEAK and OC, may be useful as potential biomarkers for predicting T2DM

Hostels: new spaces of cultural interaction

The focus of this study is to describing the impact on the languages confidence in Modern Languages´ students in sixth semester of the Escuela Colombiana de Carreras Industriales (hereinafter ECCI), with activities developed in a new space as a Hostel, with native speaker. This study utilized concepts from academic, sociological and psychological point of view through the development of the three main concepts on which the study is based: communicative competence, hostels as a new space of interaction and confidence.Glossary Abstract 1. Introduction Statement of the Problem Research Questions and Objectives Rationale 2. Literature Review Communicative Competence Hostels as Interaction Space Confidence Legal framework 3. Research design Research Context and Participants Data collection instruments and Procedures Human and Physical Resources Schedule Chart 4. Instructional Design 5. Data Analysis 6. Conclusions and Implications 7. Limitations and Further Research Questions References AnnexesPregradoProfesional en Lenguas ModernasLenguas Moderna

Una propuesta para la enseñanza-aprendizaje de la probabilidad condicional con estudiantes de grado undécimo

En este documento presento el resumen del proceso de diseño, implementación y evaluación de la unidad didáctica para la enseñanza y aprendizaje del tema de probabilidad condicional, que desarrollamos durante el trabajo de Maestría en Educación Matemática de la Universidad de los Andes (Colombia). La unidad didáctica está diseñada para estudiante de grado undécimo, planteamos seis tareas de aprendizaje con contextos de la vida diaria, partiendo de conceptos como la probabilidad simple y la teoría de conjuntos. En la primera tarea, por ejemplo, a través de un juego como picas y fijas se introduce intuitivamente la noción de probabilidad condicional

Cristalización de (Sr,Ca)CO, en sistemas difusión-reacción

Depto. de Mineralogía y PetrologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasTRUEpu