Limos Arcillosos colapsables. Estudio experimental, teórico y aplicación a un caso práctico

Se ha realizado el estudio geotécnico de limos arcillosos colapsables en dos emplazamientos: la Presa d l'Albagés (Les Garrigues, Lérida) y el canal Segarra-Garrigues. Se ha realizado una completa caracterización mecánica e hidráulica de los limos en condición natural y compactados. A los resultados obtenidos se ha aplicado el modelo elastoplástico para simular los colapsos observados en los limos arcillosos. Pôr último, en un caso práctico, el canal Segarra-Garrigues, se ha analizado el comportamiento de terraplenes construidos sobre estos terrenos naturaleso sobre el mismo terreno compactado, analizando la estabilidad de los taludes y la deformabilidda secundaria del terraplén del canal

Análisis de una generalización del modelo de crecimiento cíclico de Goodwin

Gomblowski y Krüger (1986) introducen varias generalizaciones en el modelo de crecimiento cíclico de Goodwin (1967), obteniendo interesantes resultados sobre la estabilidad y el período del ciclo económico. El objetivo de nuestro artículo es el de mejorar la aportación de Gomblowski y Krüger introduciendo nuevas funciones de inversión y de negociación de los salarios nominales que parecen más adecuadas a la realidad económica. Con estas modificaciones se obtienen ciclos de 12-13 años y se observa que la consideración del efecto de la histéresis en el proceso de negociación de los salarios nominales así como la existencia de ilusión monetaria tienen un efecto estabilizador sobre el sistema económico.Gomblowski and Krüger (1986) introduce several generalizations in the Goodwin's model of cyclical growth (1967), obtaining interesting results on the stability and the period of the economic cycle. The objective of our article is improve the contribution of Gomblowski and Krüger introducing new investment function and money wage bargaining equation that seem more adequate to the economic reality. With these modifications are obtained cycles from 12-13 years and is observed that the consideration of the effect of hysteresis in the bargaining of the money wage as well as the money illusion existence have a stabilizing effect on the economic system

Consecuencias de la introducción de la teoría insider-outsider dentro del modelo de crecimiento cíclico de Goodwin

In the Goodwin's model (1967) of cyclical growth is observed that is produced a conflict of interest between the workers employed and the unemployed. Since the theory insider-outsider referred to the labour market analyses the consequences of this conflict and, furthermore, it seems to represent adequately the salary negotiation process that takes place in the European countries, we incorporate within Goodwin's model the postulates of this theory. This modification alters the qualitative characteristics of the original model that, though continues being stable, abandons his characteristic movement of closed orbits about the equilibrium due to the presence of histeresis in the labour market.En el modelo de crecimiento cíclico de Goodwin (1967) se observa que se produce un conflicto de intereses entre los trabajadores empleados y los desempleados. Dado que la teoría insider-outsider referida al mercado de trabajo analiza las consecuencias de dicho conflicto y, además, parece representar adecuadamente el proceso de negociación salarial que tiene lugar en los países europeos, incorporamos dentro del modelo de Goodwin los postulados de dicha teoría. Esta modificación altera las características cualitativas del modelo original que, aunque sigue siendo estable, abandona su característico movimiento de órbitas cerradas alrededor del equilibrio debido a la presencia de histéresis

Identificación de marcadores específicos de tumor en sangre para la detección precoz del cáncer de pulmón, esófago y cabeza y cuello

[ES] Los cánceres de pulmón, esófago y cabeza y cuello se encuentran entre aquellos que presentan una mayor incidencia mundial, siendo el cáncer de pulmón el más frecuentemente diagnosticado. En la mayoría de casos, la detección de estos tipos de cáncer ocurre en etapas avanzadas, cuando ya no es posible extirpar el tumor mediante cirugía. Al comparar tumores no diseminados con metastásicos, el gran descenso que se observa en la tasa de supervivencia a 5 años evidencia la importancia de la detección precoz para la reducción del número de muertes causadas por cáncer. En los últimos años, las numerosas ventajas que ofrece la biopsia líquida en comparación con la biopsia tisular (es mínimamente invasiva, conlleva un bajo riesgo, etc.) han despertado un gran interés por esta técnica en el diagnóstico de pacientes con cáncer. En esta línea se han desarrollado análisis de sangre multianalito que permiten determinar mutaciones driver en el ADN tumoral circulante (ctDNA) o marcadores de superficie específicos en células tumorales circulantes (CTCs). El objetivo principal del presente estudio es la elaboración y posterior validación bibliográfica de un panel de genes que se encuentren sobreexpresados en células tumorales de cuatro tipos de cáncer específico (adenocarcinoma de pulmón, cáncer de pulmón de célula escamosa, cáncer de cabeza y cuello de célula escamosa y cáncer de esófago), con el fin de desarrollar un test que permita la identificación precoz de CTCs en muestras de sangre de pacientes con cáncer, consiguiendo así un método de diagnóstico temprano y específico del tipo de cáncer en cuestión. Para la obtención del panel de genes se analizaron datos de expresión provenientes de distintas bases de datos genéticas, entre las que destaca GEPIA, aplicando como criterio prioritario para la selección de cada gen una alta expresión en células del cáncer de interés y una mínima expresión tanto en células de tejido sano como en células tumorales de un cáncer distinto al de interés. Después, se llevó a cabo una amplia búsqueda bibliográfica para recopilar información que avalara la idoneidad de los genes candidatos. Por último, se llevó a cabo el diseño de primers para la amplificación de los genes seleccionados, en vistas a realizar una validación futura de los mismos en diferentes líneas celulares tumorales. El panel de genes propuesto se dividió en 5 subgrupos. El primero contiene 12 genes y se basa en que la expresión combinada de los mismos en CTCs permita la detección de cualquiera de los cuatro tipos de cáncer evaluados. Siguiendo este mismo planteamiento, el objetivo del resto de subgrupos es la identificación temprana de un solo tipo específico de cáncer. Así, se seleccionaron 5 genes para la detección del adenocarcinoma de pulmón y 4 para la del cáncer de pulmón de célula escamosa. Por otro lado, para diagnosticar el cáncer de cabeza y cuello de célula escamosa la combinación de 6 genes demostró ser muy prometedora, mientras que solo 4 genes fueron seleccionados para el diagnóstico del cáncer de esófago. Los resultados presentados en este estudio confirman que la combinación de diferentes marcadores es esencial a la hora de obtener un test que permita la detección precoz de un tipo específico de cáncer a partir de muestras de sangre. Sin embargo, con el fin de corroborar de manera experimental la idoneidad del panel de genes propuesto sería necesario realizar futuros estudios que confirmen los datos de expresión de los genes seleccionados en muestras de tumor sólido y CTCs procedentes de pacientes.[EN] Lung, oesophageal and head and neck cancer are the first, seventh and sixth most frequently diagnosed cancers worldwide, respectively. In most cases, diagnosis of these cancers occurs at advanced stages, when surgical resection is no longer possible. The sharp decrease in the 5-year survival rate observed when comparing non-metastatic cases with widespread tumours highlights that early detection is a key factor in reducing the number of cancer-related deaths. In recent years, the numerous advantages of liquid biopsy compared to tissue biopsy (the former being minimally invasive and low risk) have generated a great level of interest regarding the use of this technique to diagnose cancer. As a result, the development of multi-analyte blood tests has made it possible to identify driver mutations in circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) or specific surface markers in circulating tumour cells (CTCs), among others. According to this, the main objective of the present study is the development and subsequent bibliographic validation of a multigene panel comprised of genes that are overexpressed in tumour cells of four specific cancer types (lung adenocarcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and oesophageal carcinoma) in order to develop a test that allows early identification of CTCs in blood samples obtained from cancer patients, thereby facilitating an early diagnostic method specific for these cancers. To generate the aforementioned multigene panel, expression data obtained from different cancer genetic databases (among which GEPIA stands out) was analysed. The main criteria for gene selection were high expression of the candidate gene in specific cancer cells and minimum expression not only in normal cells, but also in tumour cells from different cancers. Then, an extensive bibliographic search was conducted to gather relevant information regarding the suitability of the candidate genes. Last of all, primers for amplification of the selected genes were designed, with a short-term goal to validate them in cancer cell lines. The proposed multigene panel was divided in 5 different subgroups. The first contains 12 genes whose combined expression in CTCs could allow for detection of any of the four cancer types assessed in this study. Following the same approach, the aim of the rest of subgroups is to allow identification of just one specific cancer type. In the case of lung cancer, 5 genes were chosen for lung adenocarcinoma and 4 genes for lung squamous cell carcinoma detection. For head and neck squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis, the combination of 6 different genes was found to be very promising, whilst only 4 genes were identified as promising candidates for diagnosis of oesophageal carcinoma. The results presented in this study confirm that a combination of different markers is essential in order to obtain a successful multiparameter blood test that allows early detection of a specific cancer type. Further studies confirming gene expression data in solid tumour samples and cancer patients¿ CTCs would be required so that the suitability of the developed multigene panel for early cancer diagnosis is experimentally corroborated.Mota Pino, J. (2020). Identificación de marcadores específicos de tumor en sangre para la detección precoz del cáncer de pulmón, esófago y cabeza y cuello. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/149514TFG

Acquisition of horizon wind energy by EdP

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Finance from the NOVA – School of Business and EconomicsAt the beginning of 2007, EdP, a Portuguese electricity utility was studying the potential acquisition of Horizon Wind Energy. Owned by Goldman Sachs, Horizon was a relevant player in the wind energy industry with capacity installed in USA. Requiring that EdP more than doubles its investments in renewables until 2010, this consolidation move would place the company as the 4th largest operator in the world.. Governmental support is just one of the factors that has to be analyzed in this deal, since the strategic implications and risks involved may determine the approval or refusal to go forward with the acquisition, and the price to be paid for the American company

Development and optimization of a methodology to synthetize chitosan/cetuximab conjugates for encapsulate siRNA and targeting to EGFR overexpressing cells

O uso terapêutico de Small Interfering RNA (siRNA) tem sido observado como uma potencial nova abordagem para o tratamento do cancro. O desafio-chave no campo clínico consiste na entrega de siRNA no citosol das células-alvo. Assim, vários sistemas de entrega de siRNA, tais como lipossomas, polímeros e partículas inorgânicas, têm sido desenvolvidos de forma a melhorar a eficácia terapêutica do siRNA. O nosso principal objectivo neste projeto, que deu origem a esta dissertação, foi desenvolver novos protocolos, bem como optimizar outros já existentes, para o uso na produção/síntese de conjugados de quitosano/cetuximab, de forma a utilizar estes últimos para encapsular siRNA e direccioná-los para as células que sobreexpressam EGFR. Diversos desafios foram apresentados ao longo deste processo, assim, várias foram as tentativas de produzir um conjugado viável e em concentração razoável, em diferentes proporções molares de cetuximab para quitosano. Não foram apenas os tempos de reacção uma preocupação, mas também e principalmente as concentrações dos compostos e a adição ou remoção de diferentes passos do processo foram tidos em conta. No final, um novo protocolo foi proposto. Após o desenvolvimento e optimização do novo protocolo de conjugação, a segunda linha de objectivos consistiu na análise de conjugados através de FTIR de forma a confirmar a presença de um verdadeiro novo conjugado no produto final. A quantificação proteica foi, de igual forma, determinada em pré- e pós- filtração dos produtos, uma vez que nos iria dizer, por exclusão, que se os produtos préultrafiltrados possuíssem algum material proteico que pudesse ser, estaria conjugado com o LMWChi, uma vez que se estivesse livre teria passado a membrana de filtração (membrana de 150000 MW) Finalmente, a última linha de trabalhos deste projeto consistiu no teste em células dos conjugados produzidos, recorrendo aos ensaios com MTT e LDH com o objetivo de avaliar os seus efeitos citotóxicos. Um par dos conjugados produzidos com sucesso poderão ser utilizados no futuro para encapsular siRNA, produzir nanopartículas e melhorar a eficácia terapêutica do siRNA como terapia direccionada contra o cancro do pulmão das células não XVII pequenas, ainda assim considerando que muito trabalho haverá a fazer ao nível da eficiência de encapsulação do conjugad

Comparative analysis of multicriteria decision making methods

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de ComputadoresThe main objective of this dissertation is to perform a Comparative Analysis of different Multicriteria Decision Making Methods applied to real-world problems, in order to produce relevant information to enable the incorporation of those methods on computational platforms. The current document presents a simple case study concerning a decision support application targeted for a real problem regarding retrofitting alternatives of a building with energy efficiency impact. The application process was started with the selection of two Multicriteria Decision Making Methods guided by a preexisting framework, and resulted in the choice of AHP and PROMETHEE II methodologies. These two methods were then combined with three different decision maker profiles (Conservative, Moderate and Aggressive) created by means of risk assessment profiling techniques for portfolio allocation. Afterwards, the chosen decision criteria were disposed in a Risk Pyramid according to their inherent level of risk regarding project evaluation. A match was then performed between the decision maker profiles and each criterion, so as to define a proper set of weights for the decision criteria and preference functions, with corresponding preference and indifference thresholds. Finally, three different sets of results (one for each decision maker profile) were produced using appropriate software, and a Sensitivity Analysis was performed over the criteria to understand their influence on the solution. The general conclusion of this Comparative Analysis is that the increase in the preference modelling ability of the methods brings up the least expected alternatives as recommendations for the decision maker. Besides, we have concluded that the decision profiles that allocate bigger weights to the riskiest criteria are the ones that produce the more dispersed set of results within each method application and within each decision maker profile

The ALPHA health-related physical fitness test battery for children and adolescents

In this issue of Nutricion Hospitalaria, Ruiz and colleagues present the new health-related fitness test battery for youth based upon the work developed by the ALPHA (Assessing Levels of Physical Activity) study. The ALPHA was a study funded by the European Union aimed to provide a set of instruments for assessing levels of physical activity, its underlying factors (e.g. build environment, transport, and workplace), as well as, fitness in a comparable way within the European Union . The work presented in this issue by Ruiz and colleagues relates to the working package 6 of the ALPHA project -Assessing Healthrelated Physical Fitness- aimed to provide a set of valid, reliable, feasible and safe field-based fitness tests for assessment of health-related physical fitness in children and adolescents to be use in public health monitoring in a comparable way within the European Union

Earnings Management in Hospitality Firms: Evidence From Portugal

This study examines whether Portuguese hotel sector firms engage in earnings management (EM) practices to provide specific accounting results and test the main determinants in explaining EM. We use the SABI database to collect panel data regarding 1615 Portuguese SME hotels from 2006–2013. In order to obtain results, a graphical representation of the distribution of the net income and the estimation of the discretionary accruals were used, from which two estimation models were formulated. The results obtained provide empirical evidence that firms in the Portuguese hotel sector seem to engage in earnings management practices and that the main determinants behind them appear to be debt level, return on assets, and firm size. The adoption of earnings management practices by firms is a widespread phenomenon across various sectors and nations. Yet, despite the general awareness regarding the importance of the tourism sector for communities at a financial, social, and cultural level, the lack of empirical studies with application to the accommodation sector makes it pertinent to investigate this phenomenon