Del Carmel al Parc de la Clota i de Sant Genís a Horta

Concurs per redacció del pla de millora urbana del sector PMU-LCC (La Clota Conservació) al barri de La Clota de Barcelona

Long-range transport of Saharan dust to northern Europe: The 11-16 October 2001 outbreak observed with EARLINET

The spread of mineral particles over southwestern, western, and central Europeresulting from a strong Saharan dust outbreak in October 2001 was observed at10 stations of the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET). For the firsttime, an optically dense desert dust plume over Europe was characterized coherentlywith high vertical resolution on a continental scale. The main layer was located abovethe boundary layer (above 1-km height above sea level (asl)) up to 3–5-km height, andtraces of dust particles reached heights of 7–8 km. The particle optical depth typicallyranged from 0.1 to 0.5 above 1-km height asl at the wavelength of 532 nm, andmaximum values close to 0.8 were found over northern Germany. The lidar observationsare in qualitative agreement with values of optical depth derived from Total OzoneMapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data. Ten-day backward trajectories clearly indicated theSahara as the source region of the particles and revealed that the dust layer observed,e.g., over Belsk, Poland, crossed the EARLINET site Aberystwyth, UK, and southernScandinavia 24–48 hours before. Lidar-derived particle depolarization ratios,backscatter- and extinction-related A ° ngstro¨m exponents, and extinction-to-backscatterratios mainly ranged from 15 to 25%, 0.5 to 0.5, and 40–80 sr, respectively, within thelofted dust plumes. A few atmospheric model calculations are presented showing the dustconcentration over Europe. The simulations were found to be consistent with thenetwork observations.

Dona, endevinació i mite a l’antiga Grècia

El plantejament de fer un treball final en la modalitat acadèmica permet a l’estudiant d’aprofundir en algun aspecte acadèmic que li hagi semblat interessant i del que cregui no tenir gaire o suficients coneixements. Aquest és el meu cas. En el segon any del màster vaig cursar l’assignatura Elaboracions del mite, impartida per l’Emilio Suárez, que em va permetre accedir a l’antiga Grècia amb una àmplia panoràmica que abraçava la mitologia des de diferents fonts —arqueològiques i textuals—, la història i la literatura. Si bé la majoria d’assignatures que he cursat s’han centrat —casualment— en les arts de finals del segle XIX i principis del XX, les referències a la cultura antiga han sigut constants en el màster i aquesta perseverança és el motiuque em va conduir cap a un tema que mirés cap aquest passat llunyà que, tanmateix, gaudeix de la reminiscència pròpia de qualsevol llegat.

Measuring the efficiency in Spanish municipal refuse collection services

The objective of this study is to analyse the technical or productive efficiency ofthe refuse collection services in 75 municipalities located in the Spanish regionof Catalonia. The analysis has been carried out using various techniques. Firstly we have calculated a deterministic parametric frontier, then a stochastic parametric frontier, and finally, various non-parametric approaches (DEA and FDH). Concerning the results, these naturally differ according to the technique used to approach the frontier. Nevertheless, they have an appearance of solidity, at least with regard to the ordinal concordance among the indices of efficiency obtained by the different approaches, as is demonstrated by the statistical tests used. Finally, we have attempted to search for any relation existing between efficiency and the method (public or private) of managing the services. No significant relation was found between the type of management and efficiencyindices

Measuring the efficiency in Spanish municipal refuse collection services

The objective of this study is to analyse the technical or productive efficiency ofthe refuse collection services in 75 municipalities located in the Spanish regionof Catalonia. The analysis has been carried out using various techniques. Firstly we have calculated a deterministic parametric frontier, then a stochastic parametric frontier, and finally, various non-parametric approaches (DEA and FDH). Concerning the results, these naturally differ according to the technique used to approach the frontier. Nevertheless, they have an appearance of solidity, at least with regard to the ordinal concordance among the indices of efficiency obtained by the different approaches, as is demonstrated by the statistical tests used. Finally, we have attempted to search for any relation existing between efficiency and the method (public or private) of managing the services. No significant relation was found between the type of management and efficiencyindices

Chronic hepatitis B reactivation following infliximab therapy in Crohn's disease patients: need for primary prophylaxis.

Background: There is little information about the effect of infliximab on the clinical course of liver disease in Crohn's disease patients with concomitant hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Theoretically, immunosuppression induced by infliximab will facilitate viral replication which could be followed by a flare or exacerbation of disease when therapy is discontinued. There are no specific recommendations on surveillance and treatment of HBV before infliximab infusion. Two cases of severe hepatic failure related to infliximab infusions have been described in patients with rheumatic diseases. Patients and methods: Hepatitis markers (C and B) and liver function tests were prospectively determined to 80 Crohn's disease patients requiring infliximab infusion in three hospitals in Spain. Results: Three Crohn¿s disease patients with chronic HBV infection were identified. Two of the three patients with chronic HBV infection suffered severe reactivation of chronic hepatitis B after withdrawal of infliximab therapy and one died. A third patient, who was treated with lamivudine at the time of infliximab therapy, had no clinical or biochemical worsening of liver disease during or after therapy. From the remaining 80 patients, six received the hepatitis B vaccine. Three patients had antibodies to both hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) and hepatitis B core protein (anti-HBc) with normal aminotransferase levels, and one patient had positive anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies, negative HCV RNA, and normal aminotransferase levels. Except for the patients with chronic HBV infection, no significant changes in hepatic function were detected. Conclusions: Patients with Crohn's disease who are candidates for infliximab therapy should be tested for hepatitis B serological markers before treatment and considered for prophylaxis of reactivation using antiviral therapy if positive.

Estudio del contenido polinico de la atmosfera de Barcelona segun un nuevo metodo de filtracion

Descripción de una nueva técnica de captación de polen atmosférico y su aplicación en el estudio del contenido polínico de la atmósfera de Barcelona durante el año 1981. Esta nueva técnica de captación se basa en la filtración, a través de filtros especiales de éster de celulosa, tipo Millipore, de volúmenes de aire perfectamente medidos por contadores de gas. El mecanismo de filtración es un McLEOD adaptado convenientemente. El muestreo se ha realizado en tres puntos y los resultados de los análisis polínicos de la ciudad de Barcelona son expresados mediante gráficas que indican las fluctuaciones cualitativas y cuantitativas, semanales y mensuales. Aquellas formas polínicas que se consideran de especial interés, son presentadas en gráficas aparte y discutidas individualmente.

Estudi palinologic dels sediments de les mels de Xixona (Alacant)

Anàlisi pol.línica dels sediments de dotze mostres de mei recollides al terme municipal de Xixona (Alacant). Utilitzant els resultats fern una classificació qualitativa de les mels segons el seu origen floral i una de quantitativa aplicant els críteris de MAURIZIO, 1939.