International University of Catalonia
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Social determinants of Health in Europe: precarious employment and new forms of work
No full textEven though the health effects of precarious employment (PE) have been studied in the past recent years, data from years after the Great Recession has not yet been explored using a multidimensional approach in Europe. Further, digitalization of the labour market is happening, and new forms of work are appearing. But, its potential implications for the worker’s health are unknown. Given the similar characteristics of PE and gig work, the health impact of platform work could be huge. The main aim of this thesis is to describe the health status and occupational safety of precariously employed and gig workers, years after the Great Recession in Europe. The thesis was performed using two European surveys (Flash Eurobarometer 398 on Working Conditions and the Sixth European Working Conditions Survey) and occupational safety data obtained through direct observation in Barcelona (Spain). The results found in the thesis show that years after the Great Recession, PE is present in the European workforce. PE is more common among women, young workers and individuals with lower educational level. Moreover, as PE quartiles increase, so did the prevalence of declaring to suffer any health problem. The most precarious employees and unemployed individuals declare in similar magnitude health problems. In addition, to be precariously employed is not associated to exercise the right of sick leave shorter than 15 days. Instead, it is related to long sick leave (more than 15 days). Further, precariously employed workers are more exposed to violence and harassment, stress and repetitive movements or painful positions in the workplace than workers not precariously employed. Similarly, delivery gig workers do have an irregular use of personal protective equipment and frequently violate traffic regulations. Based on the results and conclusions obtained in the thesis, some recommendations from public health are pointed out. First of all, current labour market regulations should be reconsidered in order to achieve the 8th sustainable development goal of decent work and economic growth by 2030. Second, Public Health agencies should monitor precarious employment as another determinant of health. Third, it is necessary to solve the probable misclassification of gig workers as dependent self-employed in order to protect them from occupational risks. Finally, new approaches for addressing occupational safety at work in platform digital work should be carefully reviewed
CPT1C-dependent regulation of GluA1 trafficking under metabolic stress
No full textCarnitine palmitoyltransferase 1C (CPT1C) is the brain-specific isoform of the CPT1 family which is located at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of neurons and exhibits low catalytic activity, but still maintains the capacity to bind the metabolic intermediary malonyl-CoA (which levels highly fluctuate depending on the energetic status). CPT1C controls spine maturation and spatial learning, mainly through regulating synthesis and trafficking of the major AMPA receptor (AMPAR) subunit: GluA1. AMPARs mediate fast excitatory neurotransmission in the brain, and play a key role in synaptic plasticity. Some authors proposed CPT1C as a malonyl-CoA sensor, though whether this sensing is involved in AMPAR trafficking remains unknown. In the current PhD project, GluA1 surface expression was examined in cortical neurons under different metabolic stresses known to affect intracellular malonyl-CoA levels, such as glucose starvation. Moreover, CPT1C is known to interact with the phosphatidyl-inositol-4-phosphate (PI(4)P) phosphatase SAC1, which regulates vesicular transport, including GluA1 transport, by modulating the PI(4)P pool at the trans Golgi network (TGN). For that, the putative role of CPT1C in regulating SAC1 functionality under energetic stress was also evaluated. The results obtained in this thesis demonstrate
that CPT1C is able to sense malonyl-CoA and consequently modulate GluA1 trafficking through SAC1. Under basal conditions, CPT1C downregulated SAC1 activity, which was necessary for proper GluA1 trafficking. Under low malonyl-CoA levels, CPT1C favored SAC1 translocation to the ER-TGN contact sites and released its inhibition on SAC1, which decreased the Golgi PI(4)P pool and caused the retention of GluA1 at TGN. This PhD study reveals that GluA1 trafficking is regulated by CPT1C sensing of malonyl-CoA and describes the first inhibitor of SAC1 activity, which shed light on how nutrients and energy metabolism can affect synaptic function and cognition
CBCT (cone-beam computerized tomography) evaluation of the nasolabial soft tissue effects of Le Fort I maxillary osteotomy
No full textThe aim of this study is to verify the soft tissues changes in the nasolabial area after Le Fort I osteotomy using a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) evaluation of three- dimensional (3D) volume surfaces in preoperative, early postoperative (1 month) and late postoperative (1 year) periods.
Many authors have described the undesired soft tissue changes following the Le Fort I osteotomy, as well as many different techniques to prevent and control these changes. However, few studies have attempted to perform a 3D analysis of the nasolabial complex. The subsequent lack of standardized measuring method hinder the performance of comparisons among studies. By doing a systematic review of the literature in this topic, our objective is to list the main adverse effects associated to Le Fort I osteotomy and to list the most effective available techniques of alar dimension control. A specific
technique of alar cinch suture will be described and further analyzed whether it is effective or not in controlling alar base widening. To this effect, a clinical retrospective research will be performed in 80 patients who have undergone a Le Fort I osteotomy and received the aforementioned alar cinch suture technique. All patients were operated by the same surgeon (FHA) at Instituto Maxilofacial – Teknon Medical Center - Barcelona. All the data regarding the selected patients will be anonymized, analyzed and measured by the same observer (APSG) and supervised by the same investigator (RGM). The CBCT volumes of these patients will be superimposed and measured in three different periods of
treatment using the Dolphin® Orthognathic Surgery Planning software. A specific protocol to superimpose the 3D images using the Voxel Based Registration (VBR) is going to be developed and validated. At the Instituto Maxilofacial, CBCT acquisition is part of the routine diagnostic protocol of every patient undergoing orthognathic procedures. The study can be performed without modifications in this protocol
Future refugee camps as ‘integrated sustainable settlements’. Case-Studies: Syrian Refugee Settlements in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon
No full textThis thesis outlines and highlights the advantages as well as the problems and shortcomings of the current approach of international humanitarian agencies and host governments to refugee camps and to the planning, design, management and development of refugee settlements.
A comprehensive literature review sets out the historical development of thinking in these areas, highlighting key elements of different approaches and visions, lessons learnt and how the current UNHCR approach has been shaped and developed.
This historical policy context then informs and shapes a comparative analysis of four case-study refugee camps currently in operation as part of the response scenarios of three neighboring host countries to large influxes of Syrian refugees. This empirical investigation informs a critical evaluation of the implementation of UNHCR guidelines in practice, with and by host governments, and the effects of this approach on refugees and hosting countries.
Based on the combined results and conclusions of this analysis, we outline and propose a new paradigm of response and approach to planning, design, management and development of refugee settlements, in order to address the issues and problems identified through our analysis of the current model.
Our proposal for 'Integrated Sustainable Settlements' in the last chapter aims to set out an approach which incorporates the advantages of the current UNHCR model for the emergency relief phase of refugee situations but which also addresses the need for a longer-term perspective and integrated planning of settlements in order to provide solutions that respond to the issues and limitations identified with the current UNHCR model. These ISS communities aim to create favorable situations for all stakeholders in refugee movements and crises, providing sustainable development opportunities for host countries and ensuring better integration, living conditions, human rights and quality of life for refugees.
We identify possible limitations of the proposal but also its scope and viability, presenting a roadmap for moving towards this vision and towards a better future for refugees and hosting countries
The pathway of forgiveness: unraveling the role of one’s decision to forgive
No full textPast research has suggested the potential benefits of forgiveness to overcome the negative consequences of experiencing interpersonal hurts. More specifically, forgiveness has been found to be very linked with health and well-being. Making a decision to forgive could be considered a permanent form of forgiving, however, no studies have examined how decisional forgiveness influences the whole process of forgiveness. The main objective of this dissertation is to study the role of making a decision to forgive in the forgiveness process. To achieve our objective, we presented three different studies. First, we present a systematic review of all the existing methods to assess forgiveness. Second, we provide a translation and validation of the Decision to Forgive Scale (DTFS) into Spanish. Third, we run a longitudinal study about how a decision to forgive influences the three major dimensions of forgiveness (i.e., avoidance, revenge, and benevolence) and how it is related to health and well-being variables. Results indicated that the Spanish version of the DTFS is a valid and reliable measure that can be used in clinical context and for research purposes. Also, the decision to forgive was found to be a predictor of change of the three major dimensions of the TRIM-18, principally of the benevolence dimension. These results suggest that developing interventions focused on decisional forgiveness may facilitate the reduction of the negative dimension of forgiveness and increase the positive one faster that others focused on emotional forgiveness
Computational analogies of biological systems applied for novel construction processes
No full textInside the area of computational design and geometry optimization for digital fabrication of thin shell structures opens a new field of investigation related to biological systems and artificial intelligence. This thesis is examining the theoretical and computational modelling frameworks operating on two different simulation domains: the biological pattern prediction mechanism and the architectural generative design for construction. It is bringing insights for the establishment of a design methodology and a scientific approach of analysis that incorporates modelling and simulation techniques for building a machine learning algorithm that would be able to predict new building information, saving computational time and to make the fabrication process more efficient, economizing material
Eficacia hipotensora y seguridad de la cirugía filtrante con implante EX-PRESS versus esclerectomía profunda con implante Esnoper en cirugía combinada de catarata y glaucoma
No full textEficacia y seguridad del implante EX-PRESS P-50 versus esclerectomía profunda no penetrante con implante Esnoper V2000 en cirugía combinada de catarata y glaucoma. Estudio prospectivo, multicéntrico y comparativo.
OBJETIVOS:
Evaluar y comparar la eficacia y seguridad a 12 meses entre la cirugía filtrante con implante Ex-PRESS P-50 y la esclerectomía profunda (EPNP) con implante Esnoper V2000. Evaluar la morfología de la ampolla de filtración de manera sistemática.
MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS:
Estudio prospectivo, aleatorizado, multicéntrico y con enmascaramiento simple. Se incluyeron pacientes de 54 a 89 años con diagnóstico de glaucoma primario de ángulo abierto sin cirugía filtrante previa y con diagnóstico de catarata que necesitaban tener una presión intraocular (PIO) más baja. Intervenciones: Facoemulsificación + Ex-PRESS P-50 o Facoemulsificación + EPNP con Esnoper V2000, ambos grupos con mitomicina C 0,2 mg/ml por 2 minutos. Variable principal: Presión intraocular. Variables secundarias: Tasa de éxito completo (PIO 6 mm Hg 18 mmHg), frecuencia y tipo de complicaciones, número de fármacos hipotensores, agudeza visual.
RESULTADOS:
Se incluyeron 98 ojos, 50 en el grupo Ex-PRESS y 48 en el grupo EPNP. A los 12 meses post-intervención la PIO (media DE) era 13,9 3,3 mmHg en el grupo Ex-PRESS y 13,3 3,6 mmHg en el grupo EPNP (p=0,38). La tasa de éxito completo fue del 75% y 80% en los grupos Ex-PRESS y EPNP, respectivamente (p=0,53). El número promedio de fármacos hipotensores al año de seguimiento ( DE) fue 0,2 (0,55) en el grupo Ex-PRESS y 0,17 (0,44) en el grupo EPNP (p=1,00). El número total de complicaciones fue más frecuente (66 en 35 sujetos) en el grupo Ex-PRESS que en el grupo EPNP (39 en 23 sujetos) (p=0,02). La incidencia de más de una complicación fue n=13 (26%) vs n=9 (18,8%) en los grupos Ex-PRESS y EPNP, respectivamente (p=0,38). El número total de intervenciones postoperatorias fue más elevado en el grupo Ex-PRESS (59) que en el de EPNP (26) (p=0,01). Se observó una disminución de la agudeza visual corregida (log MAR) a la semana de la intervención en ambos grupos (p=0,91) y una mejoría significativa al mes 3 y 12 de postoperatorio en ambos grupos (p= <0,001). El tiempo medio de cirugía ( DE) fue de 52,6 minutos (13,6) en el grupo Ex-PRESS y de 63,3 minutos (19,4) en el grupo EPNP (p=0,01)
CONCLUSIONES:
La cirugía combinada de facoemulsificación con Ex-PRESS tiene una tasa de éxito similar a la cirugía combinada de facoemulsificación con EPNP al año de seguimiento. Ambos procedimientos consiguen una reducción similar de la PIO y del número de fármacos hipotensores a los 12 meses. La cirugía Ex-PRESS requirió más intervenciones durante el postoperatorio y tuvo más complicaciones que el grupo EPNP, pero se necesitó menos tiempo quirúrgico que la EPNP
Participación, espacio público y apego al lugar. El caso de San Cosme, Barcelona.
No full textEl apego al lugar es considerado una construcción social en la que el lugar se carga de significados colectivos mediante las prácticas culturales e interacciones sociales que se suceden en él. Tradicionalmente se ha considerado el apego desde la dimensión social sin tener en cuenta el papel que juega la dimensión física, hasta tal punto que estudios afirman que en barrios segregados existe un apego a pesar de la marginalización que sufren. Esta tesis pretende contribuir al estudio de la creación de vínculos entre las personas y su entorno construido a través del análisis del proceso de reconstrucción del polígono de San Cosme en Barcelona. ; En concreto se analiza 1) el grado, naturaleza y estructura de la participación ciudadana en el proceso, y 2) las características físicas del espacio público resultante, con el objetivo de examinar cómo influyen en la creación de sentimientos de identidad y apego en barrios históricamente marginados. A través del análisis, se comprueba que: primero, cuando el proceso de reconstrucción incluye la participación ciudadana en la toma de decisiones- como en la primera fase de reconstrucción de las viviendas de San Cosme-, se genera un sentimiento de apego que no construye una identidad más allá de la vivienda. Por el contrario, cuando la participación es consultativa, como ocurrió en la segunda fase de reconstrucción, se eliminan las oportunidades de desarrollar la auto-estima necesaria para crear una comunidad más empoderada y proactiva, y produce una separación social y espacial. Segundo, la forma y características físicas del espacio público influye en la falta de uso y apego por parte de los habitantes del barrio. Esto ocurre como consecuencia de un proceso de diseño que margina la participación cívica e ignora las experiencias cotidianas, y visiones de la comunidad, resultando en unos espacios públicos desconectados de los residentes. La tesis contribuye a reforzar la relación del apego al lugar desde sus dimensiones sociales y físicas y su relevancia en favorecer procesos de transformación urbana socio-espacialmente más justos
The Situability of Turnaround Strategies for Non-Crisis Situations
No full textFor more than three decades it has been suggested that the management practices that had saved collapsing companies, could have also kept them well – if implemented earlier, in a preemptive manner. This research pursued empirical evidence of the same, in view of the impact that such an approach could have on traditional management practices, if validated. Data was collected from tens of CEO of non-cash-challenged firms, regarding their perceptions of a range of corporate turnaround activities. The results revealed that most of the commonly-used turnaround practices tested were highly supported by participants. The results also revealed an important and statistically significant contingency, related with such support. Overall, the results support the conclusion, that corporate turnaround practices are suitable for non-crisis situations too, as long as not prioritizing cash-generation over medium and long-term business considerations. The contribution of such a conclusion is tangible: It may help fill a gap in traditional management science, relating to its coverage of the field of organizational decline, and specifically, how organizational decline should be coped with, and managed. Educational programs in the field of business administration may have an opportunity to get enriched with such valuable and practical “Anti-Decline” materials. Finally, such enriched educational programs may nurture a new generation of future managers, who shall be more equipped with tools to cope with the ever-changing conditions of organizational and business conditions, for the benefit of their shareholders, and stakeholders
San Francisco Javier: vida, misión y devoción
No full textEs una compilación de diversos temas cuyo hilo conductor es San Francisco Javier: su familia; el Castillo donde nació; sus estudios universitarios en la Universidad de la Sorbona en París, donde alcanzó el grado de catedrático; su acatamiento a las direcrices de San Ignacio de Loyola; su marcha a las misiones del Oriente portugués; la evangelización de la India, del Asia Sudoriental y del Japón; la idea de la misionología en el siglo XVI; su solitaria muerte en la isla de Sancián; la canonización; la bibliografía y la iconografía javierana.It is a compilation of several themes and whose conducting wire is San Francisco Javier: his family, the castle where he was born; his degree in the University of La Sorbone in Paris, where he became university professor, his strict observance of the San Ignacio de Loyola Rules, his departure to the missions in eastern Portugal; the evangelization of the India, south East Asia and Japan; the Missiology’s idea in the XVIth Century; his lonely death in Sancian island, his canonization, San Francisco Javier’s bibliograghy and iconography.Es una recopilació de diferents temes el fil conductor dels quals es San Francisco Javier: la seva família; el Castell on va néixer; els seus estudis universitaris a La Universitat de la Sorbona de París, on va aconseguir el grau de catedràtic; el seu acatament a les directrius de San Ignacio de Loyola; la seva marxa a les missions de l’Orient portuguès; la evangelització de l’Índia, de l’Àsia Sud-oriental i del Japó; la idea de la missionologia al segle XVI; la seva solitària mort a la illa de Sancián; la canonització: la bibliografia i la iconografia javierana