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From data to understanding: music similarity through human perception, objective metrics and legal perspectives
No full textTutora: Roser Batlle RocaTreball de fi del grau en Grau en Enginyeria en Sistemes AudiovisualsThe rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in music offers creative potential but also raises complex challenges, especially in assessing originality and possible copyright infringement by generative models.
The Music Replication Assessment (MiRA) tool was designed to identify potential data replication using audio-based similarity metrics. However, its alignment with human perception and legal standards has not been demonstrated. To explore this, we conducted a perceptual experiment comparing human judgments, MiRA classifications, and legal rulings on melodic similarity. Participants completed two tasks: (1) rating similarity on a scale, and (2) a forced choice to judge whether a fragment was a copy. Results revealed discrepancies among the three perspectives. Legal rulings aligned more with the forced choice task, while MiRA matched direct scaling, particularly in ambiguous cases.L’auge de la Intel·ligència Artificial (IA) en la música ofereix un gran potencial creatiu, però també planteja reptes complexos, especialment pel que fa a l’avaluació de l’originalitat i la possible infracció
de drets d’autor per part dels models generatius. L’eina Music Replication Assessment (MiRA) va ser dissenyada per detectar possibles casos de replicació de dades mitjançant mètriques de similitud basades en l’àudio. Tot i això, encara no s’ha demostrat si les seves classificacions s’alineen amb la percepció humana o amb els estàndards legals. Per explorar aquesta qüestió, vam dur a terme un experiment perceptiu comparant els judicis humans, les classificacions de MiRA i les decisions legals sobre similitud melòdica. Els participants van completar dues tasques: (1) valorar la similitud en una escala i (2) una elecció forçada per determinar si un fragment era una còpia. Els resultats van revelar discrepàncies entre les tres perspectives. Les decisions legals s’alineaven més amb la tasca d’elecció forçada, mentre que MiRA coincidia amb la valoració directa, especialment en casos ambigus
Manual de prospectiva estratègica per al sector audiovisual
No full textVivim en un context marcat per la velocitat, la complexitat i la incertesa, en què les interdependències globals, els avenços tecnològics accelerats i les tensions socials i ambientals obliguen a les organitzacions a adaptar-se de manera constant. Tanmateix, encara és habitual que moltes decisions es prenguin des d’una lògica reactiva, amb informació incompleta o amb l’assumpció implícita que el futur serà una continuació lineal del present. Aquesta manera de pensar, tot i que pot haver estat funcional en entorns més estables, avui resulta limitada per afrontar la naturalesa canviant i sovint imprevisible del món contemporani.
Davant d’aquest escenari, els estudis de futur es constitueixen com una disciplina acadèmica que proposa una aproximació sistemàtica, crítica i plural a la idea de futur
Amistats perilloses: la recepció de la crítica de la facultat de jutjar per part de C. Greenberg
No full textThe UN’s sustainable development goal 11.7 in Melbourne: implementing Barcelona’s superblocks in Melbourne's central business district
No full textBachelor's degree in Global Studies. Curs 2024-2025Tutor: Antonio Luna GarcíaThis research explores how Melbourne could integrate Barcelona’s Superblocks model into its Central Business District under Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 to enhance safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces in its efforts to accomplish SDG 11. The literature shows that while Barcelona’s Superblocks offer valuable insights for urban sustainability, previous efforts to implement them in Melbourne’s CBD have faced challenges. Building on previous efforts and understanding the phonaments of this urban strategy, this research aims to address the following research question: How can Melbourne implement Barcelona's Superblocks in its Central Business District under Plan Melbourne 2017-2050, while advancing the goals of SDG 11.7 for safe, inclusive, and accessible, green and public spaces? By proposing a detailed plan for a pilot Superblock along Little Collins and King Street, this research aims to enhance urban sustainability and improve residents’ quality of life, contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 11.7: ‘By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.’ Using street observations, a SWOT analysis and AI generated images, the proposed Superblock would prioritize pedestrian access advocating for reducing the speed limit to 10 km/h to enhance safety, accessibility, and environmental quality while lowering noise and air pollution. If implemented, it could yield outcomes similar to those in Barcelona, serving as a valuable starting point for a wider urban strategy
Persistent varices in cured patients: understanding the role of hepatic venous pressure gradient
No full textBackground & aims: Etiologic factor removal (ER) drives recompensation and improves portal hypertension in cirrhosis. Esophageal varices (EV) and portosystemic shunts (PSS) have been found in patients despite hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) dropping below 10 mmHg after ER, questioning HVPG accuracy in reflecting true portal pressure in the setting of ER. We aim to evaluate the correlation of HVPG with direct portal pressure (DPP) in patients with persistence of EV after ER despite HVPG <10 mmHg. Methods: This is a bicentric 'proof of concept' study evaluating HVPG and ultrasound-guided percutaneous DPP in patients with HCV or alcohol-related cirrhosis with persistent varices and HVPG <10 mmHg after at least 5 years of ER. Results: Seven patients with HCV and three with alcohol-related cirrhosis with persistent varices and HVPG <10 mmHg after at least 5 years of ER were included. At evaluation, all patients had a patent portal vein and were compensated. The median platelet count was 129.5 (IQR 95-145) × 109/ml, and the median liver stiffness measurement was 16.15 (IQR 14.4-22.3) kPa. In five patients, EV remained the same size (two large and three small), and five downsized to small after ER. Wedge hepatic vein pressure (median 19 [IQR 16.5-20] mmHg) and portal pressure (median 18 [IQR 15-19.5] mmHg) had an excellent correlation (R = 0.93, p <0.0001). Portal pressure gradient (PPG) confirmed the absence of clinically significant portal hypertension as identified by HVPG across all the patients. Conclusions: HVPG accurately reflects PPG in the context of HCV and alcohol-related cirrhosis regression. After ER, EV may persist despite HVPG <10 mmHg. The benefit of prophylaxis in patients with EV and HVPG <10 mmHg is unknown. Future studies with clinical endpoints are needed to validate our findings. Impact and implications: Despite a favorable evolution after the removal of the etiologic factor, varices persist in some patients, and there is a lack of concise guidelines for the evaluation and management of portal hypertension in this population. Our research underscores the persistence of varices in the absence of clinically significant portal hypertension and significantly demonstrates the accuracy of hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) in reflecting portal vein pressure in this specific patient group. These findings emphasize the crucial role of HVPG in the assessment of portal hypertension after etiologic factor removal and lay the groundwork for further investigation into clinical outcomes and the necessity of non-selective beta-blockers in individuals with persistent varices after the removal of etiologic factor
Integrating citizen science and field sampling into next-generation early-warning systems for vector surveillance: twenty years of municipal detections of Aedes invasive mosquito species in Spain
No full textThe spread of the invasive mosquitoes Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti, and Aedes japonicus in Spain represents an increasing public health risk due to their capacity to transmit arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, among others. Traditional field entomological surveillance remains essential for tracking their spread, but it faces limitations in terms of cost, scalability, and labor intensity. Since 2014, the Mosquito Alert citizen-science project has enabled public participation in surveillance through the submission of geolocated images via a mobile app, which are identified using AI in combination with expert validation. While field surveillance provides high accuracy, citizen science offers low-cost, large-scale, real-time data collection aligned with open data management principles. It is particularly useful for detecting long-distance dispersal events and has contributed up to one-third of the municipal detections of invasive mosquito species since 2014. This study assesses the value of integrating both surveillance systems to capitalize on their complementary strengths while compensating for their weaknesses in the areas of taxonomic accuracy, scalability, spatial detection patterns, data curation and validation systems, geographic precision, interoperability, and real-time output. We present the listing of municipal detections of these species from 2004 to 2024, integrating data from both sources. Spain's integrated approach demonstrates a pioneering model for cost-effective, scalable vector surveillance tailored to the dynamics of invasive species and emerging epidemiological threats
Persones desplaçades d'Ucraïna: anàlisi denominativa i discursiva del discurs mediàtic
No full textTutora: Judit Freixa Aymerich
Treball de fi de grau en Llengües AplicadesEls mitjans de comunicació són agents fonamentals en la construcció de representacions socials de col·lectius vulnerables. Aquest treball analitza les denominacions i els discursos presents en la premsa sobre les persones desplaçades ucraïneses. Per aconseguir-ho, s’ha fet el buidatge de 204 notícies publicades des de l’inici de la guerra fins al 2025 a La Vanguardia, El País i El Mundo. A partir del corpus, s’ha fet una anàlisi quantitativa i qualitativa per determinar quines són les denominacions més freqüents i quins marcs informatius generen, i també s’ha avaluat si les formes emprades són més inclusives i respectuoses. Entre les denominacions més habituals, s’observa una recurrència clara entre els tres diaris. Hi apareixen denominacions que indiquen la procedència, d’altres que destaquen l’estatus legal, i algunes que posen èmfasi en la mobilitat forçada. En relació amb l'evolució cap a l’ús d’un llenguatge més inclusiu i respectuós, la premsa sol prioritzar denominacions genèriques o impersonals com refugiados, en lloc de formes més inclusives com personas refugiadas. Finalment, partint de l’estudi de Semetko i Valkenburg (2000), s’han identificat els marcs informatius predominants, com la victimització i la moralitat. Aquest estudi aporta una visió crítica sobre el poder simbòlic dels mitjans i el paper del llenguatge en la construcció de les representacions mediàtiques de col·lectius en situació de vulnerabilitat, així que pot ser la base per a possibles futures investigacions.Los medios de comunicación son agentes fundamentales en la construcción de representaciones sociales de colectivos vulnerables. Este trabajo analiza las denominaciones y los discursos presentes en la prensa sobre las personas desplazadas ucranianas. Para conseguirlo, se ha hecho un corpus de 204 noticias publicadas desde el inicio de la guerra hasta 2025 en La Vanguardia, El País y El Mundo. A partir del corpus, se ha hecho un análisis cuantitativo y cualitativo para determinar cuáles son las denominaciones más frecuentes y qué encuadres informativos generan, y además se ha evaluado si las formas utilizadas son más inclusivas y respetuosas. Se observa una recurrencia clara entre los tres diarios con respecto a las más frecuentes. Aparecen denominaciones que indican la procedencia, otras que destacan el estatus legal, y algunas que enfatizan la movilidad forzada. En relación con la evolución hacia el uso de un lenguaje más inclusivo y respetuoso, la prensa suele priorizar denominaciones genéricas o impersonales como refugiados, en vez de formas más inclusivas como personas refugiadas. Finalmente, partiendo del estudio de Semetko y Valkenburg (2000), se han identificado los encuadres informativos predominantes, como la victimización y la moralidad. Este estudio aporta una visión crítica sobre el poder simbólico de los medios y el papel del lenguaje en la construcción de las representaciones mediáticas de colectivos en situación de vulnerabilidad, así que puede ser la base para posibles futuras investigaciones.The mass media are key agents in the construction of social representations of vulnerable groups. This paper analyses the designations and the discourses present in the press about Ukrainian displaced people. To achieve this, a corpus of 204 news articles published from the beginning of the war until 2025 in La Vanguardia, El País and El Mundo has been created. From the corpus, a quantitative and qualitative analysis has been conducted to determine which are the most frequent designations and what media frames they generate. Furthermore, an evaluation has been made to conclude whether the forms used are more inclusive and respectful. A clear recurrence is observed among the three newspapers with respect to the most frequent designations. Some indicate their origin, others highlight their legal status, and some emphasise forced mobility. Regarding the evolution towards the use of a more inclusive and respectful language, the press tends to prioritise generic or impersonal designations such as refugiados instead of more inclusive forms such as personas refugiadas. Finally, based on the Semetko and Valkenburg’s study (2000), the predominant media frames in the press, such as victimization and morality, have been identified. This study provides a critical view of the symbolic power of the media and the role of language in the construction of vulnerable groups, and may be the basis for possible future research
TOPPLING: the slipperiness of a falling monument
No full textThe topplings of monuments may seem like climactic moments where statues are felled in a dramatic instant. Yet topplings can be far less specific - events that are difficult to define, scattered across time and space. The article focuses on this indefinability of topplings through a wide range of examples from Russia to Iraq. These include unintentional topplings, eternal topplings, and topplings that create more than they destroy. The purpose of this article is to show how, on the one hand, there is a tremendous variety in topplings, and, on the other hand, to propose a way of looking at their commonalities. These commonalities are found in the way topplings unite seemingly contradictory characteristics: topplings are both moments of aliveness and demise; they are the moments when an image is destroyed while sparking new visual experiences; they can be rapid and endlessly drawn out and oscillate between top-down and bottom-up forces. This paradoxical, always transformative, quality may be what makes topplings particularly magnetic
The potential dual role of tau phosphorylation: plasma phosphorylated-tau217 in newborns and Alzheimer’s disease
No full textTau phosphorylation plays an important role in brain physiology and pathology. During foetal development, it supports microtubule dynamics and neuroplasticity, whereas in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), it drives pathological tau aggregation and tangle formation. In this multicentre study (n = 462), we measured plasma phosphorylated-tau217 in healthy newborns, premature infants, patients with AD and healthy controls across various age groups. Plasma phosphorylated-tau217 levels were significantly higher in newborns compared to healthy individuals of any age group and even exceeded levels observed in patients with AD. In newborns, plasma phosphorylated-tau217 levels inversely correlated with perinatal factors such as gestational age. Longitudinal analysis of preterm infants demonstrated a decline in serum phosphorylated-tau217 levels over the first months of life, approaching levels observed in young adults. In contrast, elevated plasma phosphorylated-tau217 in older individuals was associated with AD pathology. Our findings corroborate the crucial role of tau phosphorylation in early brain development. However, in AD, tau phosphorylation transitions into a pathological mechanism. The high levels of blood-based phosphorylated-tau217 observed at birth and subsequent clearance might indicate distinct regulatory mechanisms that prevent tau aggregation in early life. Further studies are needed to explore the shared mechanisms of tau phosphorylation in newborns and AD.K.B. is supported by the Swedish Research Council (#2017-00915 and #2022-00732), the Swedish Alzheimer Foundation (#AF-930351, #AF-939721, #AF-968270 and #AF-994551), Hjärnfonden, Sweden (#ALZ2022-0006 and #FO2024-0048-TK-130), the Swedish state under the agreement between the Swedish government and the County Councils, the ALF-agreement (#ALFGBG-965240 and #ALFGBG-1006418), the European Union Joint Program for Neurodegenerative Disorders (JPND2019-466-236), the Alzheimer’s Association 2021 Zenith Award (ZEN-21-848495), the Alzheimer’s Association 2022-2025 Grant (SG-23-1038904 QC), La Fondation Recherche Alzheimer (FRA), Paris, France, the Kirsten and Freddy Johansen Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark and Familjen Rönströms Stiftelse, Stockholm, Sweden. The project was funded by the Norwegian Research Council, JPND/PMI-AD (NRC 311993), the National Institute of Health (R01 AG083874-01). F.G.-O. was funded by the Anna Lisa and Brother Björnsson’s Foundation and Emil och Maria Palms Foundation. M.S.-C. receives funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 948677), Project ‘PI19/00155’, funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and co-funded by the European Union, and from a fellowship from ‘la Caixa’ Foundation (ID 100010434) and from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 847648 (LCF/BQ/PR21/11840004). B.-E.K. was supported by a grant from Helse-Nord (HNF1540-20). H.Z. is a Wallenberg scholar and a distinguished professor at the Swedish Research Council and receives funding from the Swedish Research Council (#2023-00356, #2022-01018 and #2019-02397), the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 101053962 and Swedish State Support for Clinical Research (#ALFGBG-71320)
El "vestigio del pasado" [perezhitok proshlogo] en el cine y la literatura soviética entre 1926 y 1936
No full textEl marco cronológico de esta investigación doctoral, titulada El "vestigio del pasado"
[perezhitok proshlogo] en el cine y la literatura soviética entre 1926 y 1936 analiza cómo
en el cine y en la literatura soviéticos se recoge la crisis que experimentó la figura del
individuo del pasado [bivshiy], considerado un vetigio social [perezhitok] a ojos del
nuevo poder comunista. Centrándose en la transición histórica entre el modelo
económico experimental de Lénin (la NEP), que aún daba cabida a la vida prerevolucionaria
y el modelo plenamente socialista de Stalin (los planes quinquenales) la
tesis elabora un análisis histórico-comparativista de la ficción literaria y cinematográfica,
revelando imágenes que construyeron el motivo visual del sujeto que está condenado a
desaparecer. El marco cronológico finaliza coincidiendo con el comienzo de las Grandes
purgas.The chronological framework of this doctoral research, entitled "The 'vestige of the past'
[perezhitok proshlogo] in Soviet cinema and literature between 1926 and 1936",
analyzes how the crisis experienced by the "individual of the past" [bivshiy], considered
a social vestige [perezhitok] in the eyes of the new communist power, is echoed in Soviet
cinema and literature. Focusing on the historical transition between Lenin's
experimental economic model (the NEP), which still gave room for pre-revolutionary life,
and Stalin's fully socialist model (the five-year plans) the thesis elaborates a historical compara
tive analysis of literary and cinematographic fiction, revealing the visual motif
of a subject that is doomed to disappear. The chronological framework ends with the
beginning of the Great purges.Programa de Doctorat en Humanitat