877 research outputs found
Use of structural adhesive joints in construction applications
The Research Group of Materials Performance works in the development of structural adhesive joints and their performance in service in collaboration with some adhesive manufacturer companies. It is sought to increase the number of adhesive manufacturer companies to work with, as well as to find construction companies interested in the application of this technology.Contrato Programa de Comercialización e Internacionalización. Sistema Regional de Investigación Científica e Innovación Tecnológica. (Comunidad de Madrid; Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Use of paints in construction applications
The Research Group of Materials Performance works in collaboration with some paint manufacturer and paint applier companies. It is sought to open the scope of this activity through tests that include and link activities of both sectors. This improvement will widen the application areas to construction companies.Contrato Programa de Comercialización e Internacionalización. Sistema Regional de Investigación Científica e Innovación Tecnológica. (Comunidad de Madrid; Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Function of Polycomb group proteins in embryonic stem cells
Embryonic stem (ES) cells exist in a pluripotent state and have the ability to differentiate into all adult cell types. Numerous molecular mechanisms are responsible for both maintaining pluripotency and directing differentiation. One of these mechanisms is epigenetics, the heritable regulation of gene expression profiles without changes to the underlying DNA sequence. This has recently been the focus of a large amount of research. The Polycomb group (PcG) proteins have been identified as major epigenetic regulators. Recent research has shown that PcG proteins are involved in silencing genes in ES cells which play a key role in development and cell fate decisions. PcG proteins function in two main complexes, the Polycomb repressive complexes (PRC), PRC1 and PRC2. Here I explore the mechanisms involved in the regulation of PcG proteins in ES cells and how these proteins contribute to the maintenance of ES cell pluripotency. Analysis of the expression levels of PRC2 genes showed them to be significantly reduced in differentiated cells compared to undifferentiated ES cells. The differences observed in PRC2 expression are due to a regulation at the transcriptional level by key ES cell transcription factors such as Oct4 and Sox2. Interestingly, ES cell lines which are mutant for PcG members failed to silence genes expressed in distinct lineages of the mouse embryo and show a greater tendency to differentiate. In particular, Ring1A/B proteins from the PRC1 complex were shown to be essential for maintaining a poised form of RNAPII at silenced ES cell promoters, thus contributing to the maintenance of pluripotency in ES cells. Recent data has shown that the Polycomblike protein (Pcl) interacts with the canonical PRC2 complex. To further characterise this interaction I have used an affinity purification strategy to isolate novel Pcl2 complexes from ES cells and identify potential interactors and recruitment factors. The affinity purification of Pcl2 confirmed it to be a bona fide member of a PRC2 sub-complex and identified additional interactor proteins which will be further characterised. The knockdown of Pcl2 does not have a severe impact on the stability of ES cells but affects the recruitment of Ezh2 and Suz12 to the promoters of PRC2 target genes leading to a small reduction on H3K27me3 levels but no changes in gene expression. In addition Pcl2 plays a key role in the recruitment of PRC2 to the inactive X chromosome and enrichment of H3K27me3. These observations suggest that Pcl2 plays an important role in PRC2 mediated epigenetic control
Utilización de pinturas para aplicaciones de construcción
El desarrollo de pinturas de mejores aplicaciones y con mejores propiedades de resistencia y dureza ha provocado un constante desarrollo de este sector.
El desarrollo actual conlleva una serie de mejoras en los productos industriales utilizados. La tendencia, debido a factores medioambientales, es la utilización de recubrimientos en polvo que evitan la utilización de disolvente y componentes nocivos para el medioambiente y las personas.
Así mismo, los cambios en los sistemas de pintado pueden optimizar la transferencia de pinturas, como pueden ser los sistemas de cataforesis o sistemas electrostáticos mejorando ostensiblemente los resultados finales
Utilización de uniones adhesivas estructurales en aplicaciones de construcción
El Grupo de Investigación de Comportamiento en Servicio de Materiales trabaja en colaboración con algunas empresas fabricantes de adhesivos en desarrollos de uniones adhesivas estructurales y su comportamiento en servicio. Se pretende aumentar el número de empresas fabricantes de adhesivos con las que se colabora, así como encontrar empresas de la construcción interesadas en la aplicación de esta tecnología
Near-rational expectations and the Phillips Curve : an empirical application
Mestrado em Economia Monetária e FinanceiraThe purpose of this work is to present and empirically test the Akerlof, Dickens and Perry (2000) model for two euro area countries, Portugal and Germany. The main purpose is to derive estimates for the Near Rational Phillips Curve and verify if the implications of ADP do apply to the current preference of the European Central Bank for an inflation target below the annual rate of 2%. Although no quantitative assessment is made over the adequacy of this target, we give some insight on whether this strategy is optimal for overall welfare.
Using annual data, we find evidence supporting the ADP conjecture that inflation is crucial for the degree of incorporation of price expectations in wage and price setting, although there is a weak link about its effect on unemployment, a finding which requires further study of the robustness of the Curve.O Objectivo deste trabalho consiste na na apresentação e avaliação empírica do modelo proposto por Akerlof, Dickens e Perry (2000) para dois países da Área do Euro, Portugal e Alemanha. Procurar-se-á deste modo obter estimativas para uma Curva de Phillips Quasi-racional e que verifiquem se os postulados ADP também são válidos em relação à preferência do Banco Central Europeu por um objectivo de inflação inferior a 2%. Conquanto não seja realizada uma análise quantitativa dos efeitos, procuram-se realizar breves reflexões sobre se a estratégia é óptima para o Bem Estar.
Recorrendo ao uso de uma base de dados anuais é possível encontrar evidência de que o nível da inflação é importante na determinação do grau de incorporação das expectativas na definição de salários e preços. No entanto, verifica-se uma fraca ligação entre esta e o desemprego, o que exige um estudo mais aprofundado sobre a sua robustez
Quantum Error Correction via Riemannian Optimisation
openA quantum error correction protocol consists of (1) a set of quantum states faithfully representing some logical information (the code), and (2) a recovery map that is able to correct the effect of environmental noise on such states. The aim of the work is to develop an optimisation scheme that is able to find optimally correctable subspace codes for a known quantum noise channel, leveraging Petz recovery maps and nonlinear optimization methods based on the Stiefel manifold. In fact, in the proposed approach, given a candidate subspace to be associated to a code, we fix the recovery map as if the code was perfectly correctable. Therefore, optimisation must only be considered over the set of valid codes, not over the set of recovery operators. Optimisation over the codes is equivalent to optimisation over the complex-valued Stiefel manifold of the corresponding dimensions. In this thesis, which includes a brief mathematical introduction to the relevant elements of quantum mechanics, quantum error correction and Riemannian optimisation, the theoretical basis for the problem is developed and gradient-based local optimisation algorithms are discussed and tested, as well as two different kinds of global optimisers on the Stiefel manifold. The global optimisation algorithms are based on simulated annealing with intermittent diffusion, and a consensus based algorithm. Using these algorithms, correctable codes are found and compared to existing ones for three qubits subjected to bit-flip errors (single and correlated), four qubits undergoing local amplitude damping and five qubits subjected to local depolarising channels, and general single qubit errors.A quantum error correction protocol consists of (1) a set of quantum states faithfully representing some logical information (the code), and (2) a recovery map that is able to correct the effect of environmental noise on such states. The aim of the work is to develop an optimisation scheme that is able to find optimally correctable subspace codes for a known quantum noise channel, leveraging Petz recovery maps and nonlinear optimization methods based on the Stiefel manifold. In fact, in the proposed approach, given a candidate subspace to be associated to a code, we fix the recovery map as if the code was perfectly correctable. Therefore, optimisation must only be considered over the set of valid codes, not over the set of recovery operators. Optimisation over the codes is equivalent to optimisation over the complex-valued Stiefel manifold of the corresponding dimensions. In this thesis, which includes a brief mathematical introduction to the relevant elements of quantum mechanics, quantum error correction and Riemannian optimisation, the theoretical basis for the problem is developed and gradient-based local optimisation algorithms are discussed and tested, as well as two different kinds of global optimisers on the Stiefel manifold. The global optimisation algorithms are based on simulated annealing with intermittent diffusion, and a consensus based algorithm. Using these algorithms, correctable codes are found and compared to existing ones for three qubits subjected to bit-flip errors (single and correlated), four qubits undergoing local amplitude damping and five qubits subjected to local depolarising channels, and general single qubit errors
Los códigos QR como tecnología de apoyo a las Necesidades Educativas Especiales
Las Tecnologías de la Información y de la Comunicación (TIC) constituyen un instrumento clave en innovación educativa con el que puede contar el profesorado para realizar las adaptaciones de acceso curricular cuando existen dificultades de aprendizaje asociadas a limitaciones físicas, sensoriales o intelectuales. El grado en el que las TIC permiten diferentes estrategias de actuación en beneficio de los alumnos con Necesidades Educativas Especiales (NEE) las convierte en tecnologías de apoyo que facilitan la intervención educativa. En este trabajo se plantea el uso de los códigos QR, siguiendo la línea de trabajos anteriores de los mismos autores, como vehículos de acceso a materiales educativos que puedan servir de ayuda a estudiantes con NEE. El análisis para la implantación metodológica de esta tecnología se realiza desde dos enfoque que resultan complementarios: el enfoque conductual, basado en los refuerzos que mantienen la conducta y la instauración de conductas nuevas, y el enfoque cognitivo, en el que se analizan las estrategias de aprendizaje de los alumnos y su motivación
Desarrollo de competencias a través de recursos TIC en materiales docentes
La incorporación de las TIC en el aula contribuyen a facilitar los recursos docentes. Las estrategias de enseñanza del docente en el aula con el uso de las TIC se amplifican. La versatilidad que permiten los recursos TIC en la práctica educativa facilita la elaboración de los propios materiales docentes. Además disponemos de recursos prácticamente ilimitados en Internet, lo que nos permite adaptar los materiales a las características de aprendizaje de los alumnos e incluso facilitar el acceso a los materiales a personas con dificultades específicas. Partiendo de estos axiomas, la propuesta de este trabajo consiste en proporcionar materiales, recursos, etc., estructurados a través de la incorporación de códigos QR en documentos docentes, para favorecer las competencias TIC del docente y del alumno. Adoptamos el enfoque constructivista principalmente y a menor nivel el sistémico – complejo. Exponemos una taxonomía orientada a regular el proceso educativo en las sesiones de enseñanza aprendizaje que se ajusta a las demandas de la actual sociedad de la información
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