43569 research outputs found
Sort by
Harun Farocki: una crítica de la mirada desde la práctica artística
No full textLa presente investigación explora la obra cinematográfica y textual de Harun Farocki (1944-2014) para analizar la forma en que esta es capaz de levantar una crítica de la mirada y de las imágenes desde la práctica artística. Mediante la revisión atenta de una selección de películas, instalaciones y textos ensayísticos, se examinan las líneas de investigación más predominantes en su trayectoria, las cuales pivotan en torno a tres tipologías de imagen: la ‘imagen de archivo’, la ‘imagen operativa’ y la ‘imagen sintética’. El estudio profundiza en su metodología, que se nutre de la obra de autores como Michael Foucalt, Bertolt Brecht o Vilém Flusser, para reivindicar la praxis artística como herramienta creadora de conocimiento capaz de colaborar valiosamente en el debate en torno a las complejidades de la imagen y sus dinámicas en el contexto de la sociedad contemporánea.This research explores the cinematic and textual work of Harun Farocki (1944-2014) to analyze how it critically engages with both vision and images through artistic practice. By conducting a close examination of a selection of films, installations, and essayistic texts, the study delves into the predominant lines of inquiry in Farocki’s career, focusing on three main types of imagery: the ‘archive image’ the ‘operative image’, and the ‘synthetic image’. The research also explores his methodology, which draws on the work of thinkers such as Michel Foucault, Bertolt Brecht, and Vilém Flusser, to emphasize artistic praxis as a knowledge-creating tool that can also contribute valuably to the ongoing debate surrounding the complexities of the image and its dynamics within contemporary society.Programa de Doctorat en Humanitat
A reconceptualized framework for human microbiome transmission in early life
No full textHuman development and physiology are fundamentally linked with the microbiome. This is particularly true during early life, a critical period for microbiome assembly and its impact on the host. Understanding microbial acquisition in early life is thus central to both our basic understanding of the human microbiome and strategies for disease prevention and treatment. Here, we review the historical approaches to categorize microbial transmission originating from the fields of infectious disease epidemiology and evolutionary biology and discuss how this lexicon has influenced our approach to studying the early-life microbiome, often leading to confusion and misinterpretation. We then present a conceptual framework to capture the multifaceted nature of human microbiome acquisition based on four key components: what, where, who, and when. We present ways these parameters may be assigned, with a particular focus on the 'transmitted strain' through metagenomics to capture these elements. We end with a discussion of approaches for implementing this framework toward defining each component of microbiome acquisition.This project was possible through a grant awarded to V.K.P. by the Center for Advanced Study (CAS) in Oslo, Norway, which funded and hosted the Young CAS research project (Infant Gut Microbiome Acquisition: Off to a Healthy Start) during the 2022/23 academic year. CAS is an independent research foundation funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research. We also acknowledge and appreciate our partners and children who enabled and enlivened our discussions during the summer of 2023 in Tromsø, Norway. S.R.-N. acknowledges support from the Mathers Foundation, a Career Award for Medical Scientists from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, a Pew Biomedical Scholarship, and National Institutes of Health (R01DK138023, R01AI158814, R01AI171100, R01AI126915). M.V.-C. acknowledges funding from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Knowledge Generation Project PID2022-139328OA-I00), the Spanish Ministry of Universities (Beatriz Galindo Junior fellowship BG22/00172), and from La Caixa Foundation (Junior Leader fellowship 100010434, code LCF/BQ/PI24/12040001). M.E.T. acknowledges funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 (MSCA-IF postdoctoral grant MicroMi-898088), and Ramón y Cajal grant RYC2023-045839-I, Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the State Research Agency MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and FSE+. The Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC) is a Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa (CEX2021- 001189-S MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). A.Z. is supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research NWO-VICI grant VI.C.232.074, the NWO Gravitation grant Exposome-NL(024.004.017), the NWO KIC grant KICH1.LWV04.21.01, the ZonMW ME/CFS grant 10091012110015, EU Horizon Europe Program grant INITIALIZE (101094099), and EU Horizon Europe Program grant DarkMatter (ID-DarkMatter-NCD, 101136582)
DECODING IMMUNE CHECKPOINT INHIBITOR RESPONSE: Biomarker Discovery and Predictive Modeling through Multi-Omics Analyses
No full textEls inhibidors del punt de control immunitari han revolucionat la teràpia contra el càncer. Tot i això, només una petita fracció dels pacients respon al tractament. Aquesta tesi investiga els mecanismes moleculars que impulsen la resposta a la immunoteràpia, centrant-se en el càncer de bufeta. Hem generat i analitzat un nou dataset de pacients amb càncer de bufeta avançat que han estat tractats amb inhibidors del punt de control immunitari. Això ens ha permès validar els biomarcadors ja existents i aportar noves evidències que relacionen la clonalitat de les mutacions amb una millor resposta a la immunoteràpia. A continuació, hem integrat dades òmiques de sis cohorts avançades de càncer de bufeta per dur a terme una exploració exhaustiva de biomarcadors, identificant factors clau i nous marcadors associats amb la resposta al tractament. A partir d’aquests resultats, hem desenvolupat un model de predicció per a la resposta d’immunoteràpia, assolint una gran precisió i estabilitat en validar-lo amb una cohort independent. Finalment, hem dut a terme una anàlisi en profunditat de les mutacions stop-loss, un dels nous biomarcadors descoberts a la segona part de l’estudi. Per això, hem construït una base de dades completa de mutacions stoploss de milers de pacients amb càncer, amb l’objectiu d’investigar-ne la funció i potencial terapèutic. En conjunt, aquesta tesi contribueix a aprofundir el coneixement de les interaccions entre el tumor i el sistema immunitari i impulsa el descobriment de nous biomarcadors en immunoteràpia.Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer therapy, yet only a small fraction of patients respond to treatment. This thesis investigates the molecular mechanisms driving immunotherapy response focusing on bladder cancer. We generated and analyzed a new dataset of advanced bladder cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. This allowed us to validate existing biomarkers and provided new evidence linking mutation clonality to improved immunotherapy response. In continuation, we integrated omics data of six advanced bladder cancer cohorts to conduct an extensive biomarker exploration, identifying key factors and novel markers associated with response. Building on these findings, we developed a robust prediction model for immunotherapy response, achieving high accuracy and stability when validated in an independent cohort. Finally, we conducted an in-depth analysis of stop-loss mutations as one of the novel biomarkers discovered in the second part. We constructed a comprehensive database of stop-loss mutations from thousands of cancer patients to investigate their function and therapeutic potential. Collectively, this thesis advances our understanding of tumor-immune interactions and contributes to biomarker discovery in immunotherapy.Universidad Pompeu Fabra. Doctorado en Biomedicin
Transdisciplinary research in support of land and water management in China and Southeast Asia: evaluation of four research projects
No full textTransdisciplinary research (TDR) aims at identifying implementable solutions to difficult sustainability problems and at fostering social learning. It requires a well-managed collaboration among multidisciplinary scientists and multisectoral stakeholders. Performing TDR is challenging, particularly for foreign researchers working in countries with different institutional and socio-cultural conditions. There is a need to synthesize and share experience among researchers as well as practitioners regarding how TDR can be conducted under specific contexts. In this paper, we aim to evaluate and synthesize our unique experience in conducting TDR projects in Asia. We applied guiding principles of TDR to conduct a formative evaluation of four consortium projects on sustainable land and water management in China, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In all projects, local political conditions restricted the set of stakeholders that could be involved in the research processes. The set of involved stakeholders was also affected by the fact that stakeholders in most cases only participate if they belong to the personal network of the project leaders. Language barriers hampered effective communication between foreign researchers and stakeholders in all projects and thus knowledge integration. The TDR approach and its specific methods were adapted to respond to the specific cultural, social, and political conditions in the research areas, also with the aim to promote trust and interest of the stakeholders throughout the project. Additionally, various measures were implemented to promote collaboration among disciplinary scientists. Based on lessons learned, we provide specific recommendations for the design and implementation of TDR projects in particular in Asia
Maternal nut and fish consumption during pregnancy and child risky decision-making at 11 years old
No full textData de publicació electrònica: 10-06-2025Antenatal diet may have a role in the development of impulsivity, and hence in risky decision-making. This study is assessing whether nut and fish consumption during pregnancy is associated with impulsivity and risky decision-making until pre-adolescence. This is a mother-child population-based birth cohort study, INMA (Infancia y Medio Ambiente) project (recruitment years 2004-2008). The final sample included 1386 healthy preadolescents and their mothers. The exposure variables included maternal nut and fish consumption during the first trimester of pregnancy from a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The main outcomes were impulsivity index (Attention Network Task, ANT) and the number of risky decision-making (Roulette Task). The association was estimated by multi-variable linear regression models. Children whose mothers were at the highest nut intake tertile showed less risky decision scores compared to those at the lowest tertile (β = -1.49, 95%CI = -2.85; -0.14; p-for-trend = 0.03). Fish consumption showed a positive association with ANT impulsivity index (the coefficient for second quintile compared to the lowest β = 65.73, 95%CI = 1.11; 130.35), with a p-value < 0.05 and a p-for-trend = 0.61. Although, no association was observed between fish consumption and risky decision-making outcome. Our study suggests that a higher nut intake during early pregnancy may be related with less risky decision-making in the 11-year-old children. Also, that a moderate intake of fish during early pregnancy seems to be associated with higher impulsivity in the offspring. The latter finding may be indicative of no benefits observed from seafood consumption.This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the projects “CP14/00108, PI16/00261 and PI21/00266” (Co-funded by European Union Regional Development Fund “A way to make Europe”). This study was also funded by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Red INMA G03/176; CB06/02/0041; PI041436; PI081151 incl. FEDER funds; PI12/01890 incl. FEDER funds; CP13/00054 incl. FEDER funds; PI15/00118 incl. FEDER funds; CP16/00128 incl. FEDER funds; PI16/00118 incl. FEDER funds; PI16/00261 incl. FEDER funds; PI17/01340 incl. FEDER funds; PI18/00547 incl. FEDER funds), CIBERESP, Generalitat de Catalunya-CIRIT 1999SGR 00241, Generalitat de Catalunya-AGAUR (2009 SGR 501, 2014 SGR 822), Fundació La marató de TV3 (090430), Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (SAF2012-32991 incl. FEDER funds), Agence Nationale de Securite Sanitaire de l’Alimentation de l’Environnement et du Travail (1262C0010; EST-2016 RF-21), EU Commission (261357, 308333, 603794 and 634453). This study was also funded by a grant from California Walnut Commission (nº 976061). We acknowledge support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the State Research Agency through the “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2019–2023” Program (CEX2018-000806-S), and support from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA Program. Funders had no role in the study design, collection, management, analysis and interpretation of data, writing of the report or decision to submit it for publication
Proposta de traducció per a doblatge al català de les metareferències humorístiques a 'Deadpool & Wolverine'
No full textTreball d'investigació/Fi de màster. Directora: Dra. Paula Igareda GonzálezL’humor és un dels recursos més emprats dins de l’àmbit cinematogràfic. A l’hora de traslladar aquest element a altres llengües, és important tenir en compte l’audiència meta, tant per la cultura com per la diversitat lingüística. Aquest treball de fi de màster se centra en la traducció de l’humor en productes audiovisuals, específicament de les metareferències extretes de la pel·lícula Deadpool & Wolverine. Per tal de proposar una versió traduïda per a doblatge al català, que respecti l’efecte còmic del llargmetratge original i la legislació estatal vigent sobre la classificació per grups d’edat, hem analitzat deu fragments que comporten dificultats per traduir-los. Com a metodologia, hem identificat i categoritzat els acudits segons la seva tipologia; després, hem comentat les estratègies traductològiques més adequades per a cada exemple. Els resultats que hem obtingut posen de manifest la complexitat del transvasament lingüístic i cultural en la traducció audiovisual. En conclusió, accentuem la reflexió crítica sobre la dificultat del
procés traductor en contextos humorístics. A més, destaquem la necessitat del doblatge en català com a foment de la llengua i de la democratització de la cultura.El humor es uno de los recursos más usados dentro del ámbito cinematográfico. A la hora de trasladar dicho elemento a otras lenguas, es importante tener en cuenta la audiencia meta, tanto por la cultura como por la diversidad lingüística. Este trabajo de fin de máster se centra en la traducción del humor en productos audiovisuales, específicamente de las metareferencias extraídas de la película Deadpool y Lobezno. Con el fin de proponer una versión traducida para doblaje al catalán, que respete el efecto cómico del largometraje original y la legislación estatal vigente sobre la clasificación por grupos de edad, hemos analizado diez fragmentos que comportan dificultades para traducirlos. Como metodología, hemos identificado y categorizado los chistes según su tipología; después, hemos comentado las estrategias traductológicas más adecuadas para cada ejemplo. Los resultados que hemos obtenido ponen de manifiesto la complejidad del trasvase lingüístico y cultural en la traducción audiovisual. En conclusión, acentuamos la reflexión crítica sobre la dificultad del proceso traductor en contextos humorísticos. Además, destacamos la necesidad del doblaje en catalán como fomento de la lengua y la
democratización de la cultura.Comedy is one of the most widely used resources in the field of film. When translating this element into other languages, it is important to take into account the target audience, both in terms of culture and linguistic diversity. This master’s dissertation focuses on the translation of humour in audiovisual products, specifically the metareferences extracted from the film Deadpool & Wolverine. In order to propose a translated version for dubbing into Catalan that respects the comic effect of the original feature film and the current state legislation on age group classification, we have analysed ten fragments that are difficult to translate. The methodology used was the identification and categorisation of the jokes according to their typology, followed by a discussion of the most adequate translation strategies for each example. The results obtained show the complexity of linguistic and cultural transfer in audiovisual translation. In conclusion, we emphasise the critical reflection on the difficulty of the translation process in comical contexts. Furthermore, we stress the need for dubbing in Catalan to promote the language and the democratisation of culture
Including immigrant voices in local mechanisms of citizen participation? Insights from the crucial case of Barcelona
No full textThe deliberative democracy and governance literature indicates that the challenge of participatory mechanisms (e.g., participatory budgeting, citizen assemblies) is to be inclusive of all citizens, especially marginalized ones from the political system. Immigrants as a marginalized group are a target of inclusion. Asking the circumstances under which these mechanisms promote immigrants' effective inclusion is still a pending question. This article proposes a theoretical model centered on their inclusion in these mechanisms. We apply our model to the incorporation of immigrants into Barcelona's Neighborhood Council Meetings, revamped under the radical-left Barcelona en Comú-led government (2015–2023). Findings show that opening participatory mechanisms for immigrants did not build de facto inclusionary dynamics in Barcelona. We explained such findings on the mismatch between the political quest to deepen democracy and promote social justice through participatory mechanisms and the limitations to implement practices leading to a pluralist engagement with immigrants.This study was supported by the MUNMIGRA project (PID2021‐129092OA‐100/Ministerio deCiencia e Innovación (MICIU)/Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI)/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE) funded by the Spanish MICIU, the Spanish AEI and the European RegionalDevelopment Fund
Acuerdos de intenciones, negociación y gestión de la incertidumbre en la adquisición de empresas
No full textLos acuerdos de intenciones o cartas de intenciones vinculantes están presentes en las adquisiciones de empresas, sin embargo, subiste la controversia respecto de su naturaleza. La jurisprudencia estadounidense y española suele resolver la cuestión a partir de la solución del “todo o nada”. Esta solución ha sido criticada por la doctrina porque desincentiva los niveles óptimos de inversión y, como alternativa, se propone la adopción de soluciones intermedias que respondan de mejor manera al fenómeno. En línea con lo anterior, la presente investigación estudia los acuerdos de intenciones como instrumentos para la gestión de la incertidumbre de la negociación. Los define como contratos estructuradores de la negociación y se construyen sobre tres premisas fundamentales: i) la ausencia de compromiso frente a los términos materiales de una operación que se sabe es prometedora; ii) la reglamentación del proceso negociador; y, iii) la distribución ex ante de los riesgos de la negociación. La coordinación del proceso y la garantía de reembolso en determinados supuestos incentivan las inversiones requeridas para concluir la operación. El modelo propuesto no se adecua a los tipos contractuales reconocidos en el derecho español de ahí la conveniencia de estudiarlo como contrato independiente.Letters of intent are well established in M&A, although controversy remains over its nature. Solving, judges from both the U.S and Spain tend to use the “all-or-nothing” approach. The solution, however, has been widely criticized by scholarship because it undermines the optimal level of investments. As an alternative, literature has developed intermediate solutions to promote efficiency. Bearing in mind the above, the present research aims to analyze letters of intent as contractual devices used by the parties for managing uncertainty that underlies negotiations. In this sense, they could be labeled as “design-negotiation contracts” being tailored upon three basic assumptions: i) lack of commitment regarding the final contract; ii) procedural rules for the negotiation process; and, iii) risk allocation. Coordinating the parties’ interaction and assuring reimbursement under certain circumstances promote the investments required to accomplish the deal. The proposed model do not seem suitable for the existing contracts under the Spanish law, therefore a need emerge for studying it as an independent contract.Programa de doctorat en Dre
Falling interest rates and credit reallocation: lessons from general equilibrium
No full textSupplementary materials files: online appendix; replication data.We show that in a canonical model with heterogeneous entrepreneurs, financial frictions, and an imperfectly elastic supply of capital, a fall in the interest rate has an ambiguous effect on aggregate economic activity. In partial equilibrium, a lower interest rate raises aggregate investment both by relaxing financial constraints and by prompting relatively less productive entrepreneurs to invest. In general equilibrium, however, this higher demand for capital raises its price and crowds out investment by more productive entrepreneurs. When this reallocation is strong enough, a fall in the interest rate reduces aggregate output. A numerical exploration of the model suggests that this reallocation effect is quantitatively significant and—in response to persistent changes in the interest rate—stronger than the traditional balance-sheet channel. We provide evidence of the reallocation effect using U.S. firm-level data.Asriyan, Martin and Vanasco acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, through the Severo Ochoa Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D (CEX2019-000915-S), and from the Generalitat de Catalunya, through CERCA and SGR Programme (2021SGR1599). Asriyan acknowledges financial support from the Spanish State Research Agency and the European Social Fund (RYC2019-027607-I/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and together with Vanasco from the Spanish State Research Agency (PID2019-110726GA-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). Martin acknowledges financial support from the European Union (ERC, MACROTRENDS&FINANCE, 101052964)
La legitimitat del programa OMT del BCE i la seva compatibilitat amb els tractats de la Unió Europea
No full textTreball de Fi de Grau en Dret. Curs 2024-2025Tutora: Antonia Agulló AgüeroAquest treball analitza la legitimitat del programa Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) del Banc Central Europeu i la seva compatibilitat amb els Tractats de la Unió Europea. Partint del context de la crisi del deute sobirà, s’estudia si l’OMT respecta els límits jurídics – especialment la prohibició de finançament monetari establerta a l’article 123 del TFUE – i es contrasta la interpretació del Tribunal de Justícia de la Unió Europea amb les objeccions del Tribunal Constitucional alemany. Més enllà del cas concret, el treball examina la doctrina del TJUE sobre l’actuació del BCE i el marge institucional que aquesta jurisprudència obre per a futurs instruments d’integració, com el Next Generation EU o possibles eurobons. L’OMT es presenta així com un precedent jurisprudencial amb implicacions profundes sobre el control democràtic, la sobirania fiscal i l’evolució constitucional de la Unió Europea.This paper analyzes the legitimacy of the Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) program of the European Central Bank and its compatibility with the Treaties of the European Union. Starting from the context of the sovereign debt crisis, it assesses whether the OMT respects legal constraints – particularly the prohibition of monetary financing under Article 123 TFEU – and contrasts the interpretation of the Court of Justice of the European Union with the objections raised by the German Constitutional Court. Beyond the specific case, the paper explores the CJEU’s doctrinal approach to the ECB’s powers and how it may shape the institutional framework for future integration instruments, such as Next Generation EU or potential eurobonds. The OMT is thus presented as a jurisprudential precedent with far-reaching implications for democratic accountability, fiscal sovereignty, and the constitutional development of the European Union