La edificación. Fases del proceso, riesgos y seguros

Màster de Direcció d'Entitats Asseguradores i Financeres, Universitat de Barcelona, Facultat d'Economia i Empresa, Curs: 2004-2005, Tutor: Antonio Rión GómezLa importancia creciente de la edificación en el contexto de la economía española, ha impulsado en los últimos años la contratación de productos aseguradores relacionados con ese ámbito de actividad. Ante ese panorama se ha creído conveniente examinar el nivel de protección ofrecido por el sector asegurador, partiendo, como no, del análisis del marco jurídico regulador, con el objetivo de poder determinar que actividades engloba, que sujetos las desarrollan, y que obligaciones y responsabilidades asumen, todo ello, utilizando la estructura de la Ley de ordenación de la edificación como vehículo de desarrollo. Una vez ubicado este contexto, se analizan las fases cronológicas en que se puede dividir el proceso de edificación para encuadrar cada actividad y sujeto en el tiempo, y determinar los productos que ofrece la industria aseguradora para la cobertura de los riesgos inherentes a cada fase

ACTO PROYECTUAL Y CATÁSTROFE

Con una periodicidad desa ante, Chile es golpeado una y otra vez por eventos originados en la naturaleza y acentuados por decisiones antrópicas, que han provocado grandes catástrofes en centros poblados. Terremotos, tsunamis, incendios, aluviones, marejadas y amenazas de erupción volcánica, han transformado a las ciudades en el epicentro de las amenazas, en un país en que casi el 90% de sus habitantes vive en ellas. Esta combinación de alta población urbana sobre un territorio vulnerable, hace que hoy guremos entre los 10 países con mayor riesgo urbano del mundo, como lo con rma el Weltrisikobericht 2016, elaborado por la United Nations University con sede en Bonn, Alemania

Novel electronic stretchable materials for future medical devices

L’electrònica convencional basada en el silici te grans dificultats a l’hora de ser implementada en dispositius electrònics que estiguin en contacte amb les corbes i las plasticitat dels teixits del cos humà. Futures aplicacions mèdiques como la pell electrònica, sistemes de alliberació de fàrmac transdèrmic o nous bio-sensors requereixen de sistemes electrònics capaços de ser doblegats, retorçats o enrotllats en superfícies corbes. Tot i els prometedors resultats mostrats por la investigació en electrònica flexible, no hi ha aplicacions comercials directes dins de l’àrea mèdica. La dependència de components només presents en l’electrònica convencional limita el complet desenvolupament d’aquests dispositius posant de manifest la necessitat de trobar nous materials en aquest camp. Amb l’objectiu de potenciar nous sistemes electrònics flexibles, en aquest treball es proposen noves estratègies per proveir de flexibilitat als materials utilitzats en electrònica sense perdre de vista la directa aplicabilitat. Primerament, s’ha estudiat l’aplicació de polímers conductors mitjançant impressió inkjet. Aquesta tecnologia permet l’obtenció de films polimèrics molt fins sobre sistemes flexibles més complexos. Anant un pas més enllà, s’han desenvolupat noves metodologies per poder depositar polímers conductors sobre substrats elastomèrics mantenint el bon rendiment elèctric. Aquesta part culmina amb l’estudi d’un nou polielectròlit per la síntesis del polipirrol basat en l’àcid hialurònic modificat amb grups dopamina. Aquest polielectròlit aporta noves propietats que milloren l’adaptabilitat del polipirrol obtenint nanosuspensions estables que poden ser depositades directament sobre substrats elastomèrics. Centrant-nos en los materials metàl·lics de la electrònica, s’ha desenvolupat un mètode per la deposició selectiva de plata conductora sobre substrats elastomèrics. Les pistes fabricades amb aquest procediment han demostrat un comportament de galga extensomètrica sota deformació mecànica. Finalment la aplicabilitat de las estratègies desenvolupades ha estat avaluada per veure como es poden aplicar en dispositius mèdics actuals y futurs tals como sensors fisiològics, galgas extensomètriques portables para seguiment o nous stents de tràquea electrònics.La implementación de la electrónica convencional basada en el silicio en dispositivos electrónicos que entren en contacto con la plasticidad y las curvas de los tejidos del cuerpo humano presenta serias dificultades. Futuras aplicaciones médicas como la piel electrónica, sistemas de liberación de fármaco transdérmico o nuevos bio-sensores requieren sistemas electrónicos capaces de ser doblados, retorcidos o enrollados en superficies curvas. A pesar de los prometedores resultados mostrados por la investigación en electrónica flexible, muy pocas tecnologías se han visto adaptadas en una aplicación comercial dentro del área médica. Problemas como la dependencia de componentes solo presentes en la electrónica convencional limita el completo desarrollo de estos dispositivos poniendo de manifiesto la necesidad de encontrar nuevos materiales en este campo. Con el objetivo de potenciar nuevos sistemas electrónicos flexibles, este trabajo propone nuevas estrategias para aportar flexibilidad a los materiales empleado para la electrónica sin perder de vista su aplicabilidad. Primeramente, se ha estudiado la aplicación de polímeros conductores usando impresión inkjet. Esta tecnología permite la obtención de films poliméricos muy delgados sobre sistemas flexibles más complejos. Dando un paso más allá, se han desarrollado nuevas metodologías para poder depositar polímeros conductores sobre substratos elastómericos manteniendo un buen rendimiento eléctrico. Esta parte culmina con el estudio de un nuevo polielectrolito para la síntesis del polipirrol basado en el ácido hyaluronico modificado con dopamina. Este polielectrolito aporta nuevas propiedades que mejoran la adaptabilidad del polipirrol obteniendo nanosuspensiones estables que pueden ser depositadas directamente sobre substratos elastómeros. Estudiando también los materiales metálicos en la electrónica, se ha desarrollado un método para la deposición selectiva de plata conductora sobre substratos elastómeros. Las pistas fabricadas con este procedimiento han mostrado un interesante comportamiento de galga extensométrica cuando son sometidas a una deformación. Finalmente, la aplicabilidad de las estrategias desarrolladas ha sido evaluada para ver cómo se puede aplicar en dispositivos médicos actuales y futuros tales como sensores fisiológicos, galgas extenso métricas portables para seguimiento o nuevos stents traqueales electrónicos.Conventional electronics based in rigid and planar silicon wafers presents several difficulties to be implemented in systems where a direct contact with the soft and curved geometries of the tissues of the human body is required. The future medical devices such as electronic skin, transdermal drug delivery systems or novel wearable biosensors requires electronic materials with the ability to be twisted, folded and conformably wrapped onto arbitrarily curved surfaces. Despite the promising results on stretchable electronic research, the applications have not yet been translated into commercial medical devices. The dependence of components still only present in conventional silicon electronics limits the full development of the stretchable strategies, revealing the need for new materials in this field. Aiming to potentiate new electronic stretchable systems, this works proposes novel strategies to provide stretchability to electronic materials always having in mind the final application. Firstly, the study of conducting polymers to be deposited using ink jet printing have been performed. This kind of implementation allows the formation of conductive thin films on more complex flexible systems. Going further, it has been developed novel methodologies using plasma treatments to fabricate conducting polymeric coating on stretchable substrate with good electrical performance. The culmination of this part consisted in the synthesis of polypyrrole with a novel polyelectrolyte based on a hyaluronic acid modified with dopamine groups that allows stable nanosuspension able to directly form a film onto stretchable substrates. Focusing on metallic materials, conductive silver deposition on selective stretchable substrate have been developed. The electrical performance under mechanical deformation revealed strange gauge sensor behaviour of the silver paths with promising applicability in the medical device. Finally, the applicability of the approaches developed in this work have been studied to evaluate its suitability on actual and future applications in the field of medical devices such as physiological sensors, wearable strain gauge sensors or tracheal stent able to monitor deformations

Designing rules--heuristics of invention in design

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1991.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-120).by Josep Maria Fargas i Texidó.M.C.P

High expression of ecto-nucleotidases CD39 and CD73 in human endometrial tumors

One of the strategies used by tumors to evade immunosurveillance is the accumulation of extracellular adenosine, which has immunosupressive and tumor promoting effects. The study of the mechanisms leading to adenosine formation at the tumor interstitium are therefore of great interest in oncology. The dominant pathway generating extracellular adenosine in tumors is the dephosphorylation of ATP by ecto-nucleotidases. Two of these enzymes acting sequentially, CD39 and CD73, efficiently hydrolyze extracellular ATP to adenosine. They have been found to play a crucial role in a variety of tumors, but there were no data concerning endometrial cancer, the most frequent of the invasive tumors of the female genital tract. The aim of the present work is to study the expression of CD39 and CD73 in human endometrial cancer. We have analyzed protein and gene expression, as well as enzyme activity, in type I endometrioid adenocarcinomas and type II serous adenocarcinomas and their nonpathological endometrial counterparts. High levels of both enzymes were found in tumor samples, with significantly increased expression of CD39 in type II serous tumors, which also coincided with the higher tumor grade. Our results reinforce the involvement of the adenosinergic system in cancer, emphasizing the relevance of ecto-nucleotidases as emerging therapeutic targets in oncology

Deficient pulmonary IFN-β expression in COPD patients

Enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica; EPOC; IFN‐βChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; COPD; IFN‐βMalaltia pulmonar obstructiva crònica; MPOC; IFN‐βCOPD patients are prone to acute infectious exacerbations that impair their quality of life and hamper prognosis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the in situ IFN-β response in the lungs of stable COPD and non-COPD patients. Lung samples from 70 subjects (9 control never smokers, 19 control smokers without COPD, 21 patients with moderate COPD and 21 patients with very severe COPD) were studied for the expression of IFN-β, its main transcription factor, IRF-7, and two products of its autocrine function, namely RIG-I and MDA-5, by immunohistochemical techniques and quantitative real-time PCR. IFN-β, IRF-7, RIG-I and MDA-5 were widely detected in most lung cell types. In epithelial tissues and alveolar macrophages, IFN-β and IRF-7 labeling scores were decreased up to 65% and 74%, respectively, for COPD patients, paralleling an analogous reduction (43% and 65%, respectively) in the amount of their lung mRNA. Moreover, this decreased production of IFN-β in COPD patients correlated with a similar decrease in the expression of RIG-I and MDA-5, two essential members of the innate immune system. Our study indicates that most lung cells from stable COPD patients show a constitutive decreased expression of IFN-β, IRF-7, RIG-I and MDA-5, suggesting that this deficiency is the main cause of their acute viral exacerbations

In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Conjugated with Amikacin and Combined with Hyperthermia against Drug-Resistant and Biofilm-Producing Strains

Antibacterial activity; Biofilms; Silver nanoparticlesActividad antibacteriana; Biopelículas; Nanopartículas de plataActivitat antibacteriana; Biopel·lícules; Nanopartícules de plataIn view of the current increase and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), there is an urgent need to find new strategies to combat it. This study had two aims. First, we synthesized highly monodispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of approximately 17 nm, and we functionalized them with mercaptopoly(ethylene glycol) carboxylic acid (mPEG-COOH) and amikacin (AK). Second, we evaluated the antibacterial activity of this treatment (AgNPs_mPEG_AK) alone and in combination with hyperthermia against planktonic and biofilm-growing strains. AgNPs, AgNPs_mPEG, and AgNPs_mPEG_AK were characterized using a suite of spectroscopy and microscopy methods. Susceptibility to these treatments and AK was determined after 24 h and over time against 12 clinical multidrug-resistant (MDR)/extensively drug-resistant (XDR) isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The efficacy of the treatments alone and in combination with hyperthermia (1, 2, and 3 pulses at 41°C to 42°C for 15 min) was tested against the same planktonic strains using quantitative culture and against one P. aeruginosa strain growing on silicone disks using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The susceptibility studies showed that AgNPs_mPEG_AK was 10-fold more effective than AK alone, and bactericidal efficacy after 4, 8, 24, or 48 h was observed against 100% of the tested strains. The combination of AgNPs_mPEG_AK and hyperthermia eradicated 75% of the planktonic strains and exhibited significant reductions in biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa in comparison with the other treatments tested, except for AgNPs_mPEG_AK without hyperthermia. In conclusion, the combination of AgNPs_mPEG_AK and hyperthermia may be a promising therapy against MDR/XDR and biofilm-producing strains. IMPORTANCE Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest public health challenges, accounting for 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019. Biofilms, a complex microbial community, directly contribute to increased AMR. Therefore, new strategies are urgently required to combat infections caused by AMR and biofilm-producing strains. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exhibit antimicrobial activity and can be functionalized with antibiotics. Although AgNPs are very promising, their effectiveness in complex biological environments still falls below the concentrations at which AgNPs are stable in terms of aggregation. Thus, improving the antibacterial effectiveness of AgNPs by functionalizing them with antibiotics may be a significant change to consolidate AgNPs as an alternative to antibiotics. It has been reported that hyperthermia has a large effect on the growth of planktonic and biofilm-producing strains. Therefore, we propose a new strategy based on AgNPs functionalized with amikacin and combined with hyperthermia (41°C to 42°C) to treat AMR and biofilm-related infections.This study was supported by research grants from the Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS 01162); la Marató TV3 (472/U/2018); the CaixaImpulse Program (Fundació LaCaixa); and the Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI RD19/0016)

Ecto-nucleotidases activities in the contents of ovarian endometriomas: potential biomarkers of endometriosis

Endometriosis, defined as the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, is a common gynecologic condition affecting millions of women worldwide. It is an inflammatory, estrogen-dependent complex disorder, with broad symptomatic variability, pelvic pain, and infertility being the main characteristics. Ovarian endometriomas are frequently developed in women with endometriosis. Late diagnosis is one of the main problems of endometriosis; thus, it is important to identify biomarkers for early diagnosis. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the ecto-nucleotidases activities in the contents of endometriomas. These enzymes, through the regulation of extracellular ATP and adenosine levels, are key enzymes in inflammatory processes, and their expression has been previously characterized in human endometrium. To achieve our objective, the echo-guided aspirated fluids of endometriomas were analyzed by evaluating the ecto-nucleotidases activities and compared with simple cysts. Our results show that enzyme activities are quantifiable in the ovarian cysts aspirates and that endometriomas show significantly higher ecto-nucleotidases activities than simple cysts (5.5-fold increase for ATPase and 20-fold for ADPase), thus being possible candidates for new endometriosis biomarkers. Moreover, we demonstrate the presence of ecto-nucleotidases bearing exosomes in these fluids. These results add up to the knowledge of the physiopathologic mechanisms underlying endometriosis and, open up a promising new field of study