Pairing of zeros and critical points for random polynomials

Treballs Finals de Grau de Matemàtiques, Facultat de Matemàtiques, Universitat de Barcelona, Any: 2021, Director: Francesc Xavier Massaneda Clares[en] In this project we deal with random holomorphic polynomials $p_{N}$. Specifically, we study the relationship between zeros and critical points of $p_{N}$ considering two different probabilistic models. The first one is based on chosing independently and with uniform probability $N$ random points that will be the zeros of our polynomial $p_{N}$. The second model is that of the so-called parabolic Gaussian Analytic Function. In this second model, the distribution of points is more rigid, and the striking phenomenon continues to be observed: zeros and critical points appear, with high probability, in pairs

Financiación capitativa, articulación entre niveles asistenciales y descentralización de las organizaciones sanitarias

Public organisations are subjected to weak incentives for competition. Therefore, institutional Darwinism cannot apply. Regulation and performance monitoring is required to protect the public interest. This is particularly the case of organisations in the health care arena, since strong incentives may risk the whole supply of public health services. Regarding to the path dependence of the Spanish public health institutions with respect to the international experience and the observed health technological changes, this paper tries to ground some theoretical bases for the organisational change in our health system. We do this by building our argument from the very basic public goal: the improvement of the health status of the Spanish population. This requires a better integration of health care services. To this regard, capitation in finance shows some comparative advantages: it takes an integral view for the care of the population, it allows for a better decentralisation ('deconcentration') of risks to health providers and favours managed care under a global perspective, replacing partial payment to different providers. However, the paper shows some potential limitations for this purpose and the need of a gradual strategy for its implementation.The Spanish health system, capitation financing, incentives in health care management

Ramon Muntaner, Crònica (Valencia, ca. 1325-1328)

8 pages, English and Spanish translation availableThis is a pedagogical edition of a section of Ramon Muntaner’s Crònica (Valencia, ca. 1330) relating the events leading up to the so-called ‘Catalan vengeance,’ in which the Catalan company who had been invited by the Byzantine Emperor to defend Constantinople were deceived, massacred, and then launched a bloody counterattack that earned them control of a large territory in the Eastern Mediterranean. Edition of Catalan text, introduction, and translations into English and Spanish by Vicente Lledó-Guillem (2019

Complicaciones asociadas a traslocación bacteriana en trasplante hepático

El objetivo de este estudio experimental es el de analizar la incidencia de la traslocación bacteriana y determinar la respuesta inflamatoria en 20 pacientes cirróticos sometidos a trasplante hepático. Pensamos que un subgrupo de pacientes mostrará traslocación de antígenos bacterianos en sangre pudiendo comprometer su respuesta inmune y, por tanto, la evolución del trasplante. Los resultados confirman la existencia de traslocación bacteriana en un subgrupo de pacientes cirróticos y una tasa creciente en los días siguientes a la cirugía. Esto se asocia a una respuesta inflamatoria sistémica elevada y podría suponer un marcador de peor evolución del trasplante en pacientes con cirrosisThe aim of the present study has been to identify the translocation of bacterial DNA and the associated immune response in blood of decompensated cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplant surgery. We hypothesize that a subgroup of these patients will show circulating bacterial DNA, which may compromise their inflammatory background and the liver transplant evolution. Our results confirm this hypothesis and show a 25% of bacterial translocation that is even increased during the following days after surgery in the preliminary series of studied patients. This fact is associated with an increased systemic inflammatory response and might constitute a molecular marker of worse evolution of liver transplan

Defending the Catalan Language

This study focuses on the work Los col·loquis de la insigne ciutat de Tortosa [Dialogues. A Catalan Renaissance Colloquy Set in the City of Tortosa] by the Catalan knight Cristòfol Despuig. While it was written around 1557, it was not published until 1877. My analysis demonstrates that the issue of language is raised in the Dialogues to defend the memory of the Catalan-Aragonese Empire in which the Principality of Catalonia has always been the dominant part, especially in the Catalan-speaking lands. The prestigious position of the Principality of Catalonia is supported by an explicit hierarchy of the varieties of the Catalan language in which the Catalan used in the Principality of Catalonia is considered superior. This explicit hierarchy implies two important ideological aspects: first, the idea of origin as the main criterion to value the different varieties of the language. Second, the description of the Valencian other as a palimpsest, since while Valencians were colonized first by Catalans and then by Castilians, the Catalan colonial presence can still be recovered. The otherness of the Valencian identity is represented by four linguistic aspects of the text: first, the Castilian name of the Valencian character: don Pedro. Second, don Pedro’s lack of awareness that Catalan was a courtly language. Third, don Pedro’s acknowledgement that the Catalan spoken in the Kingdom of Valencia has been contaminated by its contact with Castilian. Finally, the erasure of the literary achievements in Catalan in the Kingdom of Valencia during the reign of the Castilian Trastámara Dynasty in the Crown of Aragon (1412–1516). This erasure supports the superiority of the House of Barcelona-Aragon over the Trastámara Dynasty. Moreover, it supports a clear association between language and political power in which literature does not play an important role in the value of a language

Intrinsic climatic predictability affects ornamental coloration of adult males: Evidence for compensation among carotenoid- and melanin-based coloration

1. Ornamental coloration is frequently an honest signal of quality associated with sexual selection. While changes in average environmental conditions affect carotenoid-and melanin-based coloration, no evidence exists that changes in intrinsic environmental predictability affect coloration. 2. Here we experimentally manipulated the intrinsic predictability of precipitation in semi-natural populations of common lizards Zootoca vivipara and tested its effect on ornamental coloration and reproduction of adult males. 3. Less predictable precipitation decreased hue of carotenoid-based coloration and the extent of melanin-based coloration. Hue was positively correlated and the extent of melanin-based coloration was negatively correlated with the male's number of confirmed mate partners. 4. Treatment effects on hue were associated with reduced, and treatment effectson the extent of melanin-based coloration with increased access to females, in line with differential effects on sexual selection. 5. Neither survival nor reproductive success of adult males significantly differed among predictability treatments, suggesting that negative effects on reproduction caused by changes in carotenoid-basedcoloration may have been compensated by changes in melanin-based coloration. 6. The results also showed that ornamentation, rather than reproduction and survival of adult males, was affected by less favourable conditions. Together with previous results, this suggests that coloration might be more sensitive to changes in environmental conditions than direct fitness proxies

Caracterización microestructural de recubrimientos de superaleaciones obtenidas por deposición térmica

[EN] Temperature can have a significant effect on the extent of wear damage of metallic components. MCrAlY alloy can improve the high temperature tribological and friction wear behavior. In this work the dry friction and wear behavior at room temperature to high temperature of new developed NiCoCrAlY and CoNiCrAlY coatings were evaluated, bonding to the AISI 304 substrate by thermal spray High Velocity Oxygen Fuel. Tribological wear tests were performed by sliding wear at room temperature, 350 ºC and 500 ºC, with an Al2O3 ball on disk configuration tribometer. The wear scar surface was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) microanalysis and diffraction (XRD) analysis. The wear test results show a reduction in wear rate at high temperature for all materials tested. For the NiCoCrAlY coating, the high temperature also reduces the friction coefficient, while it significantly increases the friction coefficient of CoNiCrAlY coating. The main damage mode is abrasion and adhesion, caused by oxides and partially-oxidized particles in the contact surface. The coatings and stainless steel substrate results were compared, resulting in a not improved wear behavior.[ES] La temperatura puede tener un efecto significativo sobre la magnitud de los daños desgaste de los componentes metálicos. aleaciónes de MCrAlY puede mejorar a alta temperatura el comportamiento tribológico de desgaste y fricción. En este trabajo se evaluó la fricción y el desgaste en seco desde temperatura ambiente asta alta temperatura de los nuevos recubrimientos, NiCoCrAlY CoNiCrAlY, el recubriminto al sustrato AISI 304 se ha realizado por proyección térmica HVOF . Pruebas de desgaste han sido realizadas desde temperatura ambiente, 350 ºC y 500 ºC, con una bola de Al2O3 con tribómetro en configuración de disco. La superficie de desgastada ha sido evaluada por microscopía electrónica de barrido (SEM) y el análisis de espectroscopia de dispersión de energía (EDS) y la difracción de rayos X (XRD). Los resultados de la prueba muestran una reducción en la tasa de desgaste a alta temperatura para todos los materiales ensayados. Para el recubrimiento NiCoCrAlY, la alta temperatura también se reduce el coeficiente de fricción, mientras que aumenta significativamente el coeficiente de fricción en el CoNiCrAlY. El principal motivo de desgaste fué la abrasión y la falta de adherencia, causada por óxidos y partículas oxidadas parcialmente en la superficie de contacto. Los recubrmintos y el sustrato de acero inoxidable se fueron comparados, no obteniendo una mejora sustancial en un comportamiento a desgaste.[CA] La temperatura pot tindre un efecte significatiu sobre la magnitud dels danys a desgast dels components metàl·lics. Aliatges de MCrAlY poden millorar a alta temperatura el comportament tribològic de desgast i fricció. En aquest treball es va avaluar la fricció i el desgast en sec des de temperatura ambient fins alta temperatura dels nous recobriments, NiCoCrAlY i CoNiCrAlY. El recubriment al substrat AISI 304 s'ha realitzat per projecció tèrmica HVOF. Proves de desgast han estat realitzades des de temperatura ambient, 350 ºC i 500 ºC, amb una bola de Al2O3 amb Tribómetro en configuració de disc. La superfície de desgastada ha estat avaluada per microscòpia electrònica de rastreig (SEM) i l'anàlisi d'espectroscòpia de dispersió d'energia (EDS) i la difracció de raigs X (XRD). Els resultats de la prova mostren una reducció en la taxa de desgast a alta temperatura per a tots els materials assajats. Per al recobriment NiCoCrAlY, l'alta temperatura també es redueix el coeficient de fricció, mentre que augmenta significativament el coeficient de fricció en el CoNiCrAlY. El principal motiu de desgast va ser l'abrasió i la falta d'adherència, causada per òxids i partícules oxidades parcialment en la superfície de contacte. Els recubrmintos i el substrat d'acer inoxidable es van ser comparats, no obtenint una millora substancial en un comportament de desgast.Miguel Guillem, JV. (2016). Caracterización microestructural de recubrimientos de superaleaciones obtenidas por deposición térmica. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/76425Archivo delegad

Condiciones que determinan la calidad de los vinos de la Comunidad Valenciana

La filosofía del concepto de calidad del vino, ha evolucionado durante la historia fruto de la renovación de los hábitos de consumo, la incorporación de la Ciencia y Tecnología y el esfuerzo del viticultor. En el momento actual los conceptos de Originalidad, Tipificidad y Autenticidad determinan los criterios mínimos que debe disponer todo vino de calidad que se presente en el mercado. Las Denominaciones de Origen de la Comunidad Valenciana representan la máxima expresión de calidad en el mercado y un elemento importante en la dinamización del sector, vertebración y representación en criterios de calidad. Los Consejos Reguladores de las Denominaciones de Origen, son la autoridad de control que garantizan la validez del proceso tanto a nivel del consumidor como del productor, y deben adquirir una personalidad jurídica precisa al momento actual. Se diseña una estrategia conjunta de todos los productos de calidad, para que garantizando las Denominaciones de Origen, pueda dotarse al sector de una imagen de calidad única.Guillem Ruiz, JV. (2000). Condiciones que determinan la calidad de los vinos de la Comunidad Valenciana [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/7729Palanci

Influence of raw material composition of Mediterranean pinewood on pellet quality

[EN] The lack of management and economic value of forest ecosystems in Mediterranean areas, mainly dominated by pines (Pinus halepensis Mill. and Pinus pinaster Ait.), together with a continuous growing of forests on marginal agricultural land have leaded to an increased forest fire risk and devaluation of natural resources in less favoured rural regions. The use of residual forest-based biomass as value added biofuels like pellets can reverse this situation. Nevertheless, there is an industrial need of knowledge of the influence of raw material composition on pellet manufacturing quality for the main Mediterranean softwood species. In this research influencing pellet quality variables such as contents of moisture, ash, fine particles, chlorine and sulphate, but also mechanical durability, bulk density and net calorific value have been analysed following EN standards. The obtained results demonstrate that it is possible to obtain high quality pellets from barked and debarked logs as well as from branches from P. halepensis and P. pinaster. This implies that the abundant forest biomass residues in the western Mediterranean region of Europe can be transformed into high added value solid biofuels, opening new opportunities for local industries.This work was supported by Moixent Forestal company, the Municipality of Enguera and AIDIMA Wood, Furniture and Packaging Technology Institute, which have allowed and facilitated raw materials, pelletization and analysis in the biomass pilot plant. This study has been partly funded by the Government of Valencia (IVACE) in the framework of the BIOPELLET project.Lerma Arce, V.; Oliver Villanueva, JV.; Segura Orenga, G. (2017). Influence of raw material composition of Mediterranean pinewood on pellet quality. Biomass and Bioenergy. 99:90-96. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2017.02.018S90969

Ecologic and biogeographycal aspects of the genus Argiope (Arachnida, Araneae) from the Columbretes Islands (Castelló de la Plana, Spain)

Abstract not availabl