Proposal for the development of an alternative system for wall lining interior partitions to improve existing housing performances, based on use of moulded panels of recycled pulp of cellulose

The present contribution deals with the development of a constructive system for wall lining of partition walls focused on the rehabilitation of existing dwellings that present deficits in terms of insulation and the layout of wired conduits. The objective of this development is to carry out these constructive tasks with the greatest speed, cleanliness and least inconvenience and environmental impact. Thus, it seeks to comply with the requirements of adequacy in buildings to intervene, save the inconveniences of current and past rehabilitation systems, and take a step towards the response to those needs that have arisen diachronically in the housing of installations in partition walls. In response to the above reasons, a composite sandwich construction configuration was designed between the existing support wall body and the back closure plate. The element that joins both parts of the sandwich presents an adequate relieve moulded with a pulp recycled cellulose material called Biprocel.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Preliminary proposal for an alternative wall lining panel based on molded recycled cellulose and designed for home wiring refurbishment of building interior partitions

Old dwellings usually have shortfalls in insulation, acoustic and thermal, and in security of electrical services in the interior partition walls. A common building solution is to add a wall lining with a laminate base gypsum board that improves both acoustic and thermal insulation and facilitates a new invisible cable layout without demolition. Conventional solutions have had limited success because of time consumption, environmental impact and cost. This research aimed to create an integrated building system to carry out these interior building refurbishment works quickly, cleanly and with low inconvenience and environmental impact. The research specifically focused on incorporating new molded materials that have a low environmental impact and improving the handling and future modification of the wall lining system. In response to the above goals, the product development methodology was applied to the design of an internal panel to be inserted between the existing partition wall and the closure wallboard, which is usually laminated base gypsum board (LGB). The proposed internal panel is molded with recycled cellulose pulp (Biprocel) and has adequate relief designed to improve cable layout tasks and better join the laminate base gypsum board to the existing wall face. The development resulted from collaboration between the public administration, university researchers and undergraduate students in the co-design process. This research contributes to improving the applications of recycled cellulose fibers in molded panels for the building industry, particularly in refurbishment activities.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Long term effectiveness of electrochemotherapy for the treatment of lower lip squamous cell carcinoma

Purpose: Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is a therapeutic approach based on the local application of electrical pulses that permeabilize cell membranes to enhance the uptake of low-permeant chemotherapeutic agents, thus increasing their cytotoxic effects. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one patients with SCC of the lower lip were treated according to the European Standard Operating Procedures of Electrochemotherapy. Bleomycin (15,000 IU/m2 body surface area) was administered intravenously over a 1-minute period. Eight electrical pulses (amplitude, 1000 V/cm; duration, 100 μs) were generated and delivered at a repetition frequency of 5 kHz. Changes in tumor volume were used to assess treatment response. Results: Objective response (OR), complete response (CR), and partial response (PR) rates of 100%, 71.4%, and 28.6% respectively were demonstrated following a single session of ECT. ECT was well tolerated, and no adverse events occurred. Conclusions: Intravenous bleomycin-based ECT is a safe and effective therapy for SCC of the lower lip. ECT improves the quality-of-life of patients by preserving the function and the aesthetic appearance of the affected area. ECT provides a therapeutic option for elderly and frail patients who, due to their state of health, are not suitable for, or refuse surgical interventions

Smalti murano glass Tessella's applied outdoor in the trencadís Catalan modernism mosaic: recognition of preliminary alteration patterns

This contribution presents previous results of a study carried out with the aim of achieving better results in the restoration processes by replacing the tiles of an exterior mosaic tiling of the Trencadís type of Catalan Modernism. In this case the trencadís tiles come from the cutting of pieces, called piastras, of opaque and mass-colored glass called Smalti Murano glass. These companies have extensive color catalogs that, although not exactly the same as they were a century ago, are close enough for these replacement tasks. Each color corresponds, however, to a different composition of glass and a slightly different manufacturing process. These differences favor that the differences of color always go accompanied also of differences of superficial aspect. However, not all color references currently available have the same surface quality since this product, during its manufacture, acquires primary defects typical of artisanal processes. So far the predominant criteria for the selection of the new references of piastras that must replace the product damaged by the extensive exposure to the weather as a coating are based primarily on color. However, durability requirements must also be part of the selection criteria for substitution references. The primary defects that a product already presents in its superficial quality are often indicators of either a more irregular quality or of circumstances that favor the early appearance of secondary defects throughout its useful life. The main objective of this study is to ensure, in restoration work by substitution, the selection of the best piastras from the point of view of surface quality, to apply on site the most similar tiles of tone and with greater durability. This study is part of a collaboration between the study group LiTA (Laboratori d'Innovació i Tecnologia de l'Arquitectura) (UPC) and a private non-profit organization. © The authors.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Does NICE influence the adoption and uptake of generics in the UK?

The aim of this paper is to examine generic competition in the UK, with a special focus on the role of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on generic market entry and diffusion. In the UK, where no direct price regulation on pharmaceuticals exists, HTA has a leading role for recommending the use of medicines providing a non-regulatory aspect that may influence the dynamics in the generic market. The paper focuses on the role of Technology Appraisals issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). We follow a two-step approach. First, we examine the probability of generic entry. Second, conditional on generic entry, we examine the determinants of generic market share. We use data from IQVIA British Pharmaceutical Index (BPI) for the primary care market for 60 products that lost patent between 2003 and 2012. Our results suggest that market size remains one of the main drivers of generic entry. After controlling for market size, intermolecular substitution and difficulty of manufacturing increase the likelihood of generic entry. After generic entry, our estimates suggest that generic market share is highly state dependent. Our findings also suggest that while NICE recommendations do influence generic uptake, there is only marginal evidence they affect generic entry

Learning from BARCHcelona, an educational experience in the urban environment for incoming students of architecture studies within the Erasmus+ program

La ETS de Arquitectura del Vallès (ETSAV) de la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya es una escuela de educación superior de tamaño medio (1000 estudiantes). La demanda de estudiantes europeos interesados en llevar a cabo una movilidad internacional en la ETSAV dentro del programa Erasmus+ ha aumentado notablemente en los últimos años debido a algunos prestigiosos premios profesionales otorgados a sus graduados y profesores. Cualquier aumento rápido de la demanda en una institución de educación superior conduce a un desequilibrio que termina afectando la calidad de la capacitación y el ambiente educativo compartido por estudiantes y maestros. Para aliviar parcialmente esta situación, se implantó un curso electivo dirigido exclusivamente a los estudiantes extranjeros que ingresan cada semestre dentro del programa de movilidad Erasmus+, con el objetivo de mejorar la calidad formativa de su experiencia en ETSAV. El objetivo de esta contribución es presentar esta experiencia piloto a la comunidad universitaria implicada en las actividades de movilidad internacional y retroalimentarse con sus aportaciones.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Estado y retos de rehabilitación de la urbanización y edificación de polígonos industriales en Mataró, 2013

Ante la degradación de los elementos técnicos urbanos de los polígonos industriales en Cataluña, desde 2007 con motivo del inicio de la crisis económica y del paulatino abandono y transformación de la actividad industrial, se genera la necesidad de disponer de una herramienta metodológica que permita tener una visión de su estado actual de conservación y funcionalidad rigurosa y sintética, dirigida a poder tomar decisiones bien fundamentadas referentes a potenciales intervenciones, ya sean de caràcter preventivo, paliativo o de reparación. En este marco, el trabajo presentado identifica los parámetros clave a contemplar ante la evaluación del estado actual de los elementos técnicos urbanos y de los edificios fabriles en torno al concepto de “industriabilidad”, entendiendo con esta denominación la consideración del conjunto de las condiciones técnicas, tanto arquitectónicas como urbanísticas, favorables y necesarias para el desarrollo adecuado de la actividad industrial. Además, no cabe desconsiderar que la actividad productiva evoluciona a un ritmo superior al de otras, por lo que estas condiciones evolucionan con gran rapidez, se hace pues necesario indagar también las nuevas necesidades. Para ello se propone un método para su evaluación mediante el análisis de unos parámetros. Finalmente se valoran los resultados tras la implementación del método respecto a la muestra estadística escogida entre los polígonos industriales de la ciudad de Mataró. Dada la naturaleza del objeto de análisis, comúnmente identificado como estructura urbana singular y cerrada, ajena a la urbanización circundante, el alcance del estudio abarca un extenso número de casos con necesidad de rehabilitación y renovación respecto tanto a los edificios como al conjunto de su urbanización, a corto o medio plazo, para continuar siendo aptos para el desarrollo de su actividad. Así pues, este trabajo busca asentar un método cara a establecer unas directrices para una adecuada regeneración a partir de la identificación requerida.Postprint (published version

Ordovician (Floian-lower Darriwilian) conodont biofacies of the San Juan Formation in the Cerro Viejo of Huaco, Argentine Precordillera

The conodont biofacies from the San Juan Formation at the Cerro Viejo of Huaco, Central Precordillera of Argentina, are analyzed for the identification of faunal dynamics and sea-level changes. The Prioniodus elegans and Oepikodus evae zones, Floian in age (Lower Ordovician), are identified in the lower San Juan Formation at the inner part of the Huaco anticline. In the western flank of the anticline the succession of the carbonate stratigraphic unit extends from the Floian/Dapingian boundary (Lower-Middle Ordovician) up to the lower Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician) Lenodus variabilis Zone. For the interpretation of conodont biofacies through the Los Gatos creek section, 5044 conodonts from rock samples of the Floian to the lower Darriwilian are studied. Conodont abundance and generic diversity graphs, and cluster analysis, reveal the following biofacies. The Juanognathus-Bergstroemognathus, Protopanderodus-Reutterodus-Drepanodus, Protopanderodus-Oepikodus, Juanognathus-Semiacontiodus and Rossodus-Periodon-Protopanderodus biofacies are determined, which indicate various deposits stacking from inner to middle and outer carbonate ramp environments of the San Juan Formation. The associated analysis of biofacies and lithology allow for the recognition of two transgressive events in the San Juan Formation at the Los Gatos creek section, which could be related to transgressive systems tracts (TST) that occurred during the Lower and Middle Ordovician. The recovered conodonts have a CAI that varies from 2 to 2.5, indicating a burial paleotemperature between 60 and 155 °C. Furthermore, the variation of CAI in conodonts of the same sample, the presence of conodonts with corroded surface lamella, recrystallization and crystal overgrowths, and the presence of stylolites in limestone beds of the San Juan Formation indicate the circulation of hydrothermal fluids.Fil: Mango, Matías Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; ArgentinaFil: Albanesi, Guillermo Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentin