The Strategic Adaptation of Party Organizations to New Information and Communication Technologies : A Study of Catalan and Spanish Parties

Aquest document se centra en els casos dels dos principals partits espanyols (PP i PSOE) i catalans (PSC i CDC) en el període immediatament després de les eleccions generals espanyoles de maig de 2008, quan aquests celebraren els seus congressos. En general, es poden distingir tres tipus d'actors: en primer lloc, els ciberactivistes que tracten d'obtenir el reconeixement formal de la seva activitat en els seus partits. Així com, els líders del partit que poden intentar promoure la presència del partit en el ciberespai, però que també poden romandre indecisos perquè no és clar l'impacte electoral a la xarxa del ciberactivisme. Finalment, alguns militants tradicionals (off-line) solen ser reticents al reconeixement del ciberactivisme perquè amenaça les recompenses previstes dins del partit. Aquest article mostra com els nostres partits varen respondre al desafiament del ciberactivisme i arriba a la conclusió que la seva situació electoral, mediada per la seva ideologia, estructura organitzativa i el tipus de militància, poden ajudar-nos a comprendre el grau diferent d'institucionalització en l'organització del partit.Este documento se centra en los casos de los dos principales partidos españoles (PP y PSOE) y catalanes (PSC y CDC) en el período inmediatamente después de las elecciones generales de mayo de 2008, cuando estos celebraron sus congresos. En general, se pueden distinguir tres tipos de actores: en primer lugar, los ciberactivistas que tratan de obtener el reconocimiento formal de su actividad en sus partidos. Así como, los líderes del partido que pueden intentar promover la presencia del partido en el ciberespacio, pero que también pueden permanecer indecisos porque no está claro el impacto electoral en la red del ciberactivismo. Finalmente, algunos militantes tradicionales (off-line) suelen ser reticentes al reconocimiento del ciberactivismo porque amenaza las recompensas previstas dentro del partido. Este artículo muestra cómo nuestros partidos respondieron al desafío del ciberactivismo y llega a la conclusión de que su situación electoral, mediada por su ideología, estructura organizativa y el tipo de militancia, pueden ayudarnos a comprender el grado diferente de institucionalización en la organización del partido.This paper focuses on the cases of the two major Spanish (PP and PSOE) and Catalan parties (PSC and CDC) in the period just after the Spanish general elections of May 2008, when these parties held their party conferences. In general, three kind of actors can be distinguished: first, cyber-activists that try to get formal recognition of their activity in their parties. Then, party leaders that can try to promote the presence of the party in cyberspace but that can also remain undecided because it is not clear the net electoral impact of the cyber-activism. Finally, some traditional off-line militants are typically reluctant to the recognizance of the cyber-activism because it threatens their expected payoffs within the party. This paper shows how our parties responded to the challenge of cyber-activism and concludes that their electoral situation, mediated by their ideology, organizational structure and type of membership, can help us to understand their differential degree of party organizational institutionalization

Finding a suitable catalyst for on-board ethanol reforming using exhaust heat from an internal combustion engine

Ethanol steam reforming with pure ethanol and commercial bioethanol (S/C = 3) was carried out inside the housing of the exhaust gas pipe of a gasoline internal combustion engine (ICE) by using exhaust heat (610–620 °C). Various catalytic honeycombs loaded with potassium-promoted cobalt hydrotalcite and with ceria-based rhodium–palladium catalysts were tested under different reactant loads. The hydrogen yield obtained over the cobalt-based catalytic honeycomb at low load (F/W 200 h) at high load (F/W = 150 mLliq·gcat-1·h-1, GHSV = 2.4·103 h-1) showed that promotion of the ceria-supported noble metal catalyst with alumina and zirconia is a key element for practical application using commercial bioethanol. HRTEM analysis of post mortem honeycombs loaded with RhPd/Ce0.5Zr0.5O2–Al2O3 showed no carbon formation and no metal agglomeration.Postprint (author's final draft

Perception for detection and grasping

The final publication is available at link.springer.comThis research presents a methodology for the detection of the crawler used in the project AEROARMS. The approach consisted on using a two-step progressive strategy, going from rough detection and tracking, for approximation maneuvers, to an accurate positioning step based on fiducial markers. Two different methods are explained for the first step, one using efficient image segmentation approach; and the second one using Deep Learning techniques to detect the center of the crawler. The fiducial markers are used for precise localization of the crawler in a similar way as explained in earlier chapters. The methods can run in real-time.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Approach to the Roman settlement in the Valley of Alcoi

Estudiem les evidències de l’ocupació romana a L’Alcoià i El Comtat (Alacant, Espanya). A partir del reconeixement superficial del terreny i de la revisió dels materials arqueològics proposem una caracterització del poblament entre els ss. I aC i VII dC. L’anàlisi ens permet proposar una ocupació densa i estructurada, encara que de marcat caràcter rural, que contrasta amb les tradicionals visions de la zona com un espai marginal en l’època romana. Paraules clau: Època Romana; Valls d’Alcoi; Hispania Tarraconensis; Villae; Ocupació camperolaIn this paper we study the evidences of the Roman settlement in L’ Alcoià and El Comtat counties (Alicante Province, Spain). We propose a characterization of the settlement pattern in the study area between 1st BC to 7th AD cents. on the basis of archeological surveys. The analysis shows a dense and structured occupation, rural in character, which contrasts with the traditional visions of the zone as a marginal space in Roman period. Key words: Roman period; Valley of Alcoi; Hispania Tarraconensis; Villae; peasant settlementEstudiamos las evidencias de la ocupación romana en L’Alcoià y El Comtat (Alicante, España). Mediante el reconocimiento superficial del terreno y la revisión de los materiales arqueológicos se propone la caracterización del poblamiento entre los s. I a.C. y VII d.C. El análisis ofrece una ocupación densa y estructurada, aunque de marcado carácter rural, que contrasta con las tradicionales visiones de la zona como un espacio marginal en época romana. Palabras clave: Época Romana; Valle de Alcoi; Hispania Tarraconensis; Villae; Ocupación campesin

Does electoral competition curb party favoritism? [WP]

We study whether incumbents facing uncontested elections channel public spending towards co‐partisan officials more than is the case of incumbents that are worried about their chances of re‐election. To do so, we draw on data detailing capital transfers allocated by Spanish regions to local governments during the period 1995‐2007. Using a regression discontinuity design, we document strong and robust effects. We find that, on average, a mayor belonging to the same party as that of the regional president obtains nearly twice the amount in grants as is received by a mayor belonging to an opposition party. This effect is much greater for regional incumbents that won the previous election by a large margin, but it disappears in the case of highly competitive elections. The effects estimated by difference‐in‐differences are not so great but they point in the same direction. Overall, the results are consistent with predictions that regional incumbents focus on obtaining the most votes possible when elections are strongly contested, while they seek to increase the number of aligned mayors when their position at the ballot box is not vulnerable

Does electoral competition curb party favoritism?

We study whether incumbents facing uncontested elections channel public spending towards co-partisan officials more than is the case of incumbents that are worried about reelection. We draw on data on capital transfers allocated by Spanish regions to local governments during 1995-2007. Using a regression discontinuity design, we document strong and robust effects. We find that a mayor belonging to the party of the regional president obtains twice the amount in grants received by an opposition's mayor. This effect is much greater for regional incumbents that won the previous election by a large margin, but it disappears for highly competitive elections

Catalytic ammonia decomposition for hydrogen production on Ni, Ru and Ni–Ru supported on CeO2

Ceria-supported Ni, Ru and NiRu catalysts have been tested in the catalytic decomposition of ammonia to yield hydrogen and their performance in long-term tests has been compared to alumina-supported Ni and Ru samples. The catalysts have been characterized by XRD, TPR, NH3-TPD, HAADF-STEM, SEM, BET and XPS. Ceria-based samples are more active in ammonia decomposition with respect to their alumina-based counterparts, which has been ascribed to a particular metal-support interaction, while acidity does not seem to play an important role. Ru-based catalysts are more active than Ni-based samples, but they deactivate rapidly, in particular the Ru/Al2O3 sample. This is ascribed to loss of exposed Ru, as demonstrated by XPS and HAADF-STEM. Considering the high cost and limited availability of Ru, the Ni/CeO2 catalyst appears as a promising system for ammonia decomposition due to its good performance and low cost. In situ XPS experiments reveal that the active sites for the catalytic decomposition of ammonia are metallic Ni and Ru. Bimetallic NiRu catalysts do not outperform their monometallic counterparts, irrespective of the order in which the metals are added.Postprint (author's final draft

Una proposta per a l’acompanyament de grups d’homes en la seva creació

Treballs finals de màster d'Autolideratge i Conducció de Grups de la Facultat de Psicologia de la Universitat de Barcelona. Curs 2020-21. Tutora: Almudena BatlleCal que comencem a prendre consciència de la posició de poder en la que ens situa el sistema patriarcal, i des de la responsabilitat dels nostre actes, comencem a treballar per tal d’acceptar el dolor que provoquem, reparar el dany, i assegurar la no repetició d’aquest. Per tal de provocar aquest canvi, cal que també generem espais d’autoconeixement, i espais on poder repensar el model de masculinitat hegemònica. Una de les estratègies per a acompanyar aquest treball són els grups d’homes, grups de suport o d’autoajuda que persegueixen l’objectiu de desmuntar el model de masculinitat hegemònica

Anàlisi, disseny i implementació d'una aplicació de comerç electrònic usant J2EE

Aquest treball de fi de carrera consisteix en el disseny i implementació d'una botiga web bàsica. Aquesta botiga ha de permetre mantenir un inventari d'articles a la venda agrupats en categories, i la seva posada disposició dels clients que hi accedeixen mitjançant un navegador web.Este trabajo de fin de carrera consiste en el diseño e implementación de una tienda web básica. Este trabajo de fin de carrera consiste en el diseño e implementación de una tienda web básica. Esta tienda tiene que permitir mantener un inventario de artículos en venta agrupados en categorías, y su puesta disposición de los clientes que acceden mediante un navegador web.This Final Degree Project consists of design and implementation of a basic web store. This store has to allow maintenance of an inventory of articles for sale grouped in categories, and make them available to clients who enter through a web browser