Relation between growth dynamics and the spatial distribution of intrinsic defects in self-assembled colloidal crystal films

Herein we establish a clear relation between the parameters that govern the growth dynamics and the structural quality of colloidal crystal films. We report an optical analysis of the spatial distribution of intrinsic defects in colloidal crystal films and correlate our results with a theoretical model describing the growth dynamics of such lattices. We find that the amount of defects fluctuates periodically and decreases along the growth direction of the lattice. We demonstrate that these spatial variations are a direct consequence of the temporal oscillations of the crystal film formation velocity, which are inherent to the colloidal particle deposition process.Ministerio de Ciencia y Educación MAT2004-0302

“Last-chance” sales: what makes them credible?

This paper analyzes the firms’ standard practice of announcing clearance or “last-chance” sales, namely advertising that a particular product is not going to be available in the market anymore. In the context of a two-period signaling game, prices and advertising decisions of firms are analyzed. Then, the set of separating and pooling equilibria is characterized, so that the above usual advertising techniques can be better understood as equilibria of this model for certain parameter values. In particular, this paper shows that, when the firm which continues in the business knows that few of their current customers will come back in future periods, the set of separating equilibria shrinks. That is, fewer future prospects induce all types of firms to compete for current consumers, leading to pooling equilibria in which all firms announce a “last-chance” sale, even if some of them know they will remain in the industry next period.signaling, advertising, separating equilibria, information transmission

La Hécuba de Eurípides: la perra que ladraba a la libertad

Este artículo se centra fundamentalmente en el episodio final de la tragedia Hécuba de Eurípides. A partir de la transformación de la protagonista, tema original del tragediógrafo, se intenta explicar la causa por la cual Eurípides elige la forma canina para su caracterización. Para ello, se define la imagen ambigua del animal, teniendo en cuenta los aspectos positivos y negativos evidenciados por los textos literarios que conservamos. Además se plantea la posible influencia de la doctrina de la metempsicosis, a través del análisis gramatical del texto. Finalmente, para sustentar la idea de la metempsicosis de la protagonista, se realiza una comparación con la versión del poeta latino Ovidio.This article focuses on the final episode of Euripides’ Hecabe. Looking at the transformation of the heroine, which is to be considered an original subject in the tragedian, we aim to explain the reasons for Euripides’ choice for such a dog-like characterization at the end of the play. In order to do so, one must define the ambiguous portrait of that animal, considering its positive and negative characteristics in the preserved literary texts. Furthermore, and by means of the grammatical analysis of the text, we suggest the possible influence of the metempsychosis theory. Finally, a comparison with Ovid’s Roman version of the myth helps to sustain the theory of the protagonist’s metempsychosis

Music generation with deep learning techniques

En aquest projecte s'ha discutit aplicar fine-tuning a un model de Deep Learning per generar música, basat en transformers, a partir d'una GAN que preten distingir música artificial vs música original.In this bachelor's thesis, we propose a deep learning model for generating music. Our model is based on the Transformers architecture and is pre-trained with the MaestroV2 dataset. We fine-tune our generative model using a Generative Adversarial Network, with the Gumbel-Softmax technique to allow backpropagation. Our results show that the discriminator of the GAN creates a bottleneck, and that the results are promising but do not assess that the fine-tuned generator model outperforms the original one

Fotografía y ferrocarril: génesis y desarrollo de un achivo

Actas de las Primeras Jornadas Imagen, Cultura y Tecnología celebradas del 1 al 5 de julio de 2002 en la Universidad Carlos III de Madri

Advanced motion system using animations and physics

Treball final de Grau en Disseny i Desenvolupament de Videojocs. Codi: VJ1241. Curs acadèmic: 2019/2020To create an animator with an extensive library of animations, giving it variety. The final result should look smooth and should work correctly and needs to be realistic. To learn about ragdoll and create one that reacts and behaves in a realistic way. To implement a smooth movement system that involves procedural animation, with interpolated transitions and real-time adjusted animations according to the environment. Discover how a complex system used in one of the most advanced games can be implemented in Unity, and if it is not possible, why

Multichannel analysis of normal and continuous adventitious respiratory sounds for the assessment of pulmonary function in respiratory diseases

Premi extraordinari doctorat UPC curs 2015-2016, àmbit d’Enginyeria IndustrialRespiratory sounds (RS) are produced by turbulent airflows through the airways and are inhomogeneously transmitted through different media to the chest surface, where they can be recorded in a non-invasive way. Due to their mechanical nature and airflow dependence, RS are affected by respiratory diseases that alter the mechanical properties of the respiratory system. Therefore, RS provide useful clinical information about the respiratory system structure and functioning. Recent advances in sensors and signal processing techniques have made RS analysis a more objective and sensitive tool for measuring pulmonary function. However, RS analysis is still rarely used in clinical practice. Lack of a standard methodology for recording and processing RS has led to several different approaches to RS analysis, with some methodological issues that could limit the potential of RS analysis in clinical practice (i.e., measurements with a low number of sensors, no controlled airflows, constant airflows, or forced expiratory manoeuvres, the lack of a co-analysis of different types of RS, or the use of inaccurate techniques for processing RS signals). In this thesis, we propose a novel integrated approach to RS analysis that includes a multichannel recording of RS using a maximum of five microphones placed over the trachea and the chest surface, which allows RS to be analysed at the most commonly reported lung regions, without requiring a large number of sensors. Our approach also includes a progressive respiratory manoeuvres with variable airflow, which allows RS to be analysed depending on airflow. Dual RS analyses of both normal RS and continuous adventitious sounds (CAS) are also proposed. Normal RS are analysed through the RS intensity–airflow curves, whereas CAS are analysed through a customised Hilbert spectrum (HS), adapted to RS signal characteristics. The proposed HS represents a step forward in the analysis of CAS. Using HS allows CAS to be fully characterised with regard to duration, mean frequency, and intensity. Further, the high temporal and frequency resolutions, and the high concentrations of energy of this improved version of HS, allow CAS to be more accurately characterised with our HS than by using spectrogram, which has been the most widely used technique for CAS analysis. Our approach to RS analysis was put into clinical practice by launching two studies in the Pulmonary Function Testing Laboratory of the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital for assessing pulmonary function in patients with unilateral phrenic paralysis (UPP), and bronchodilator response (BDR) in patients with asthma. RS and airflow signals were recorded in 10 patients with UPP, 50 patients with asthma, and 20 healthy participants. The analysis of RS intensity–airflow curves proved to be a successful method to detect UPP, since we found significant differences between these curves at the posterior base of the lungs in all patients whereas no differences were found in the healthy participants. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that uses a quantitative analysis of RS for assessing UPP. Regarding asthma, we found appreciable changes in the RS intensity–airflow curves and CAS features after bronchodilation in patients with negative BDR in spirometry. Therefore, we suggest that the combined analysis of RS intensity–airflow curves and CAS features—including number, duration, mean frequency, and intensity—seems to be a promising technique for assessing BDR and improving the stratification of BDR levels, particularly among patients with negative BDR in spirometry. The novel approach to RS analysis developed in this thesis provides a sensitive tool to obtain objective and complementary information about pulmonary function in a simple and non-invasive way. Together with spirometry, this approach to RS analysis could have a direct clinical application for improving the assessment of pulmonary function in patients with respiratory diseases.Los sonidos respiratorios (SR) se generan con el paso del flujo de aire a través de las vías respiratorias y se transmiten de forma no homogénea hasta la superficie torácica. Dada su naturaleza mecánica, los SR se ven afectados en gran medida por enfermedades que alteran las propiedades mecánicas del sistema respiratorio. Por lo tanto, los SR proporcionan información clínica relevante sobre la estructura y el funcionamiento del sistema respiratorio. La falta de una metodología estándar para el registro y procesado de los SR ha dado lugar a la aparición de diferentes estrategias de análisis de SR con ciertas limitaciones metodológicas que podrían haber restringido el potencial y el uso de esta técnica en la práctica clínica (medidas con pocos sensores, flujos no controlados o constantes y/o maniobras forzadas, análisis no combinado de distintos tipos de SR o uso de técnicas poco precisas para el procesado de los SR). En esta tesis proponemos un método innovador e integrado de análisis de SR que incluye el registro multicanal de SR mediante un máximo de cinco micrófonos colocados sobre la tráquea yla superficie torácica, los cuales permiten analizar los SR en las principales regiones pulmonares sin utilizar un número elevado de sensores . Nuestro método también incluye una maniobra respiratoria progresiva con flujo variable que permite analizar los SR en función del flujo respiratorio. También proponemos el análisis combinado de los SR normales y los sonidos adventicios continuos (SAC), mediante las curvas intensidad-flujo y un espectro de Hilbert (EH) adaptado a las características de los SR, respectivamente. El EH propuesto representa un avance importante en el análisis de los SAC, pues permite su completa caracterización en términos de duración, frecuencia media e intensidad. Además, la alta resolución temporal y frecuencial y la alta concentración de energía de esta versión mejorada del EH permiten caracterizar los SAC de forma más precisa que utilizando el espectrograma, el cual ha sido la técnica más utilizada para el análisis de SAC en estudios previos. Nuestro método de análisis de SR se trasladó a la práctica clínica a través de dos estudios que se iniciaron en el laboratorio de pruebas funcionales del hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, para la evaluación de la función pulmonar en pacientes con parálisis frénica unilateral (PFU) y la respuesta broncodilatadora (RBD) en pacientes con asma. Las señales de SR y flujo respiratorio se registraron en 10 pacientes con PFU, 50 pacientes con asma y 20 controles sanos. El análisis de las curvas intensidad-flujo resultó ser un método apropiado para detectar la PFU , pues encontramos diferencias significativas entre las curvas intensidad-flujo de las bases posteriores de los pulmones en todos los pacientes , mientras que en los controles sanos no encontramos diferencias significativas. Hasta donde sabemos, este es el primer estudio que utiliza el análisis cuantitativo de los SR para evaluar la PFU. En cuanto al asma, encontramos cambios relevantes en las curvas intensidad-flujo yen las características de los SAC tras la broncodilatación en pacientes con RBD negativa en la espirometría. Por lo tanto, sugerimos que el análisis combinado de las curvas intensidad-flujo y las características de los SAC, incluyendo número, duración, frecuencia media e intensidad, es una técnica prometedora para la evaluación de la RBD y la mejora en la estratificación de los distintos niveles de RBD, especialmente en pacientes con RBD negativa en la espirometría. El método innovador de análisis de SR que se propone en esta tesis proporciona una nueva herramienta con una alta sensibilidad para obtener información objetiva y complementaria sobre la función pulmonar de una forma sencilla y no invasiva. Junto con la espirometría, este método puede tener una aplicación clínica directa en la mejora de la evaluación de la función pulmonar en pacientes con enfermedades respiratoriasAward-winningPostprint (published version

A RBES for Generating Automatically Personalized Menus

Food bought at supermarkets in, for instance, North America or the European Union, give comprehensive information about ingredients and allergens. Meanwhile, the menus of restaurants are usually incomplete and cannot be normally completed by the waiter. This is specially important when traveling to countries with a di erent culture. A curious example is "calamares en su tinta" (squid in its own ink), a common dish in Spain. Its brief description would be "squid with boiled rice in its own (black) ink", but an ingredient of its sauce is flour, a fact very important for celiacs. There are constraints based on religious believes, due to food allergies or to illnesses, while others just derive from personal preferences. Another complicated situation arise in hospitals, where the doctors' nutritional recommendations have to be added to the patient's usual constraints. We have therefore designed and developed a Rule Based Expert System (RBES) that can address these problems. The rules derive directly from the recipes of the di fferent dishes and contain the information about the required ingredients and ways of cooking. In fact, we distinguish: ingredients and ways of cooking, intermediate products (like sauces, that aren't always made explicit) and final products (the dishes listed in the menu of the restaurant). For a certain restaurant, customer and instant, the input to the RBES are: actualized stock of ingredients and personal characteristics of that customer. The RBES then prepares a "personalized menu" using set operations and knowledge extraction (thanks to an algebraic inference engine [1]). The RBES has been implemented in the computer algebra system MapleTM2015. A rst version of this work was presented at "Applications of Computer Algebra 2015" (ACA'2015) conference. The corresponding abstract is available at [2].Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

A fast functional approach to personalized menus generation using set operations

The authors developed some time ago a RBES devoted to preparing personalized menus at restaurants according to the allergies, religious constraints, likes and other diet requirements as well as products availability. A first version was presented at the "Applications of Computer Algebra 2015" (ACA'2015) conference and an improved version to the "5th European Seminar on Computing" (ESCO2016). Preparing personalized menus can be specially important when traveling abroad and facing unknown dishes in a menu. Some restaurants include icons in their menu regarding their adequateness for celiacs or vegetarians and vegans, but this is not always a complete information, as it doesn't consider, for instance, personal dislikes or uncommon allergies. The tool previously developed can obtain, using logic deduction, a personalized menu for each customer, according to the precise recipes of the restaurant and taking into account the data given by the customer and the ingredients out of stock (if any). Now a new approach has been followed, using functions and set operations and the speed has been increased by three orders of magnitude, allowing to deal with huge menus instantly. Both approaches have been implemented on the computer algebra system Maple and are exemplified using the same recipes in order to compare their performances.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Computer Algebra-based RBES personalized menu generator

People have many constraints concerning the food they eat. These constraints can be based on religious believes, be due to food allergies or to illnesses, or can be derived just from personal preferences. Therefore, preparing menus at hospitals and restaurants can be really complex. Another special situation arise when travel- ing abroad. It is not always enough to know the brief description in the restaurant menu or the explanation of the waiter. For example, “calamares en su tinta” (squid in its own ink) is a delicious typical Spanish dish, not well-known abroad. Its brief description would be “squid with boiled rice in its own (black) ink”. But an in- gredient (included in a small amount, in order to thicken the sauce) is flour, a fact very important for someone suffering from celiac disease. Therefore, we have con- sidered that it would be very interesting to develop a Rule Based Expert System (RBES) to address these problems. The rules derive directly from the recipes and contain the information about required ingredients and names of the dishes. We distinguish: ingredients and ways of cooking, intermediate products (like “mayon- naise”, that doesn’t always appear explicitly in the restaurants’ menus) and final products (like “seafood cocktail”, that are the dishes listed in the restaurant menu). For each customer at a certain moment, the input to the system are: on one hand, the stock of ingredients at that moment, and on the other, the religion, allergies and restrictions due to illnesses or personal preferences of the customer. The RBES then constructs a “personalized restaurant menu” using set operations and knowl- edge extraction (thanks to an algebraic Groebner bases-based inference engine[1]). The RBES has been implemented in the computer algebra system Maple TM 18(us-ing its convenient Embedded Components) and can be run from computers and tablets using Maple TM or the Maple TM PlayerUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech