Land use changes, landscape ecology and their socioeconomic driving forces in the Spanish Mediterranean coast (the Maresme County, 1850-2005)

[cat] Utilitzem un conjunt de m��triques del paisatge per estudiar l'evoluci�� a llarg termini seguida en una t��pica zona costanera del Mediterrani des de 1850 fins a 2005, que mostren una greu deterioraci�� del medi ambient entre 1950 i 2005. Les principals forces motores d'aquesta degradaci�� del paisatge han estat el creixement urb�� experimentat a les antigues zones agr��coles situades a les planes litorals, juntament amb l'abandonament i la reforestaci�� dels vessants dels pujols interceptats per ��rees residencials de baixa densitat, carreteres i altres infraestructures lineals. Duem a terme una an��lisi estad��stica de redund��ncia (RDA) amb la finalitat d'identificar els que considerem com alguns agents rectors socioecon��mics i pol��tics d'��ltima inst��ncia d'aquests impactes ambientals. Els resultats confirmen les nostres hip��tesis interpretatives, que s��n que: 1) els canvis en les cobertes i usos del s��l determinen canvis en les propietats dels paisatge, tant estructurals com funcionals; 2) aquests canvis no es produeixen per atzar, sin�� que estan relacionats amb factors geogr��fics i forces socioecon��miques i pol��tiques.

Land use changes, landscape ecology and their socioeconomic driving forces in the Spanish Mediterranean coast (the Maresme County, 1850-2005)

[cat] Utilitzem un conjunt de m��triques del paisatge per estudiar l'evoluci�� a llarg termini seguida en una t��pica zona costanera del Mediterrani des de 1850 fins a 2005, que mostren una greu deterioraci�� del medi ambient entre 1950 i 2005. Les principals forces motores d'aquesta degradaci�� del paisatge han estat el creixement urb�� experimentat a les antigues zones agr��coles situades a les planes litorals, juntament amb l'abandonament i la reforestaci�� dels vessants dels pujols interceptats per ��rees residencials de baixa densitat, carreteres i altres infraestructures lineals. Duem a terme una an��lisi estad��stica de redund��ncia (RDA) amb la finalitat d'identificar els que considerem com alguns agents rectors socioecon��mics i pol��tics d'��ltima inst��ncia d'aquests impactes ambientals. Els resultats confirmen les nostres hip��tesis interpretatives, que s��n que: 1) els canvis en les cobertes i usos del s��l determinen canvis en les propietats dels paisatge, tant estructurals com funcionals; 2) aquests canvis no es produeixen per atzar, sin�� que estan relacionats amb factors geogr��fics i forces socioecon��miques i pol��tiques.

Proyecto de implantaci��n de un Sistema de BI para el an��lisis de la calidad de un Servicio.

Proyecto de implantaci��n de un sistema de business intelligence para el an��lisis de la calidad de un servicio. El objetivo del presente proyecto es el an��lisis de una herramienta de apoyo al estudio de la calidad de un servicio, en este caso, servicio sanitario, enfocada desde la perspectiva del ��rea de Ingenier��a del software.

Canvi de model econ��mic de programari lliure per a serveis webs

Els objectius del TFM consisteixen en canviar el model de negoci de programari lliure per a serveis webs.

Automatic low baseline stereo in urban areas

In this work we propose a new automatic methodology for computing accurate digital elevation models (DEMs) in urban environments from low baseline stereo pairs that shall be available in the future from a new kind of earth observation satellite. This setting makes both views of the scene similarly, thus avoiding occlusions and illumination changes, which are the main disadvantages of the commonly accepted large-baseline configuration. There still remain two crucial technological challenges: (i) precisely estimating DEMs with strong discontinuities and (ii) providing a statistically proven result, automatically. The first one is solved here by a piecewise affine representation that is well adapted to man-made landscapes, whereas the application of computational Gestalt theory introduces reliability and automation. In fact this theory allows us to reduce the number of parameters to be adjusted, and tocontrol the number of false detections. This leads to the selection of a suitable segmentation into affine regions (whenever possible) by a novel and completely automatic perceptual grouping method. It also allows us to discriminate e.g. vegetation-dominated regions, where such an affine model does not apply anda more classical correlation technique should be preferred. In addition we propose here an extension of the classical ���quantized��� Gestalt theory to continuous measurements, thus combining its reliability with the precision of variational robust estimation and fine interpolation methods that are necessary in the low baseline case. Such an extension is very general and will be useful for many other applications as well.

"Vinci Cosmetics" Fabricaci��n y comercializaci��n de productos cosm��ticos

Contexto: La idea principal es la creaci��n de una empresa para la fabricaci��n y comercializaci��n de productos cosm��ticos de alta gama. A pesar del contexto de crisis econ��mica en el que estamos envueltos estos ��ltimos a��os y del que no parece que acabamos de salir, el sector de la cosm��tica est�� resistiendo la situaci��n de forma envidiable. De la crisis, como dicen los economistas, ���se saldr�� y se volver��, todo es c��clico��� y viendo la fortaleza que ��ste sector est�� mostrando unido a la necesidad de que nuestra econom��a abandone sectores muy deteriorados y sin una previsi��n positiva de futuro, la cosm��tica se postula con un futuro prometedor dentro del contexto econ��mico espa��ol y europeo. ���Vinci Cosmetics��� es el nombre inicialmente pensado para que la nueva compa����a inicie su andadura. Nombre con tintes latinos de la lejana ��poca del imperio romano como homenaje a la rica herencia hist��rica de la ciudad del autor del proyecto - Tarragona. La cultura por cuidarse y sentirse bien, muy arraigada en la mentalidad latina y mediterr��nea, es un factor cultural clave para el desarrollo y futura evoluci��n de esta industria. El slogan de la empresa, ���Dieta Mediterr��nea para tu piel���, clarifica en buena medida la idea a desarrollar y los objetivos pretendidos por la estrategia empresarial. Objetivos: El objetivo esencial del TFC es elaborar un estudio detallado para la creaci��n de una empresa de fabricaci��n y comercializaci��n de productos cosm��ticos de alta gama que abarque el management y la gesti��n por procesos de la empresa, la funci��n de marketing, el tipo de operaciones y procesos a realizar, la gesti��n del factor humano y el presupuesto necesario para cubrir este ambicioso proyecto. En detalle, un completo plan de empresa que marque las directrices de la organizaci��n industrial que se pretende crear compuesto a su vez por cinco planes: plan de gerencia, plan de marketing, plan de operaciones, plan de recursos humanos y plan econ��mico ��� financiero. Procedimientos: El proyecto tiene un alto componente de estudio de mercados y de marketing pero pretende tambi��n abarcar el management, los procesos de operaci��n, el factor humano y el aspecto econ��mico y financiero de las inversiones y presupuesto necesario. El estudio inicial centrar�� su esfuerzo en un an��lisis del mercado de la pen��nsula ib��rica, y, en funci��n del avance y del progreso esperado por la empresa, la compa����a podr��a extender su campo de acci��n a Europa aunque no antes de un medio plazo. ���Vinci Cosmetics��� ha adoptado referenciales de sistemas de gesti��n integrados en toda la organizaci��n. As�� tenemos principalmente, por un lado, la norma internacional ISO 9001:2008 y, por otro, el Modelo EFQM de Excelencia en la gesti��n; ambos plasmados a partir de un enfoque basado en procesos que nos garantiza el control continuo y la gesti��n excelente. Conclusiones: Tras evaluar la situaci��n actual del mercado de la cosm��tica, las previsiones futuras de ��ste y las necesidades que una organizaci��n industrial necesita, se puede crear - con plenas garant��as de ��xito como organizaci��n empresarial y desde el punto de vista econ��mico - una empresa de cosm��ticos de alta gama para cubrir las necesidades de una parte de mercado que lo requiere.

A Robust Multiple Feature Approach To Endpoint Detection In Car Environment Based On Advanced Classifiers

In this paper we propose an endpoint detection system based on the use of several features extracted from each speech frame, followed by a robust classifier (i.e Adaboost and Bagging of decision trees, and a multilayer perceptron) and a finite state automata (FSA). We present results for four different classifiers. The FSA module consisted of a 4-state decision logic that filtered false alarms and false positives. We compare the use of four different classifiers in this task. The look ahead of the method that we propose was of 7 frames, which are the number of frames that maximized the accuracy of the system. The system was tested with real signals recorded inside a car, with signal to noise ratio that ranged from 6 dB to 30dB. Finally we present experimental results demonstrating that the system yields robust endpoint detection.

Disseny, layout i planificaci�� d'una empresa de producci�� d'equips foraborda el��ctrics

Aquest projecte es basa en l'aplicaci�� de models de simulaci�� de processos a un exemple d'empresa de producci�� i la seva adaptaci�� en dimensi�� i recursos al mercat en un entorn de poca capacitat d'inversi�� i finan��ament, de forma que l'entorn de simulaci�� digital aporti valor a la presa de decisions emmarcada en l'estrat��gia de l'empresa en cada escenari de mercat en que aquesta es trobi. Es realitza el treball sobre el cas d'una empresa, INNOVANAUTIC, dedicada a la innovaci��, desenvolupament i producci�� de sistemes de propulsi�� d'embarcacions. La simulaci�� es una t��cnica que permet optimitzar els processos, representant-ne i comprovant el funcionament dels processos, tant entorns f��sics, de producci�� com dels serveis associats o subcontractacions de diferents processos i els seus impactes en la disponibilitat de recursos, espais i terminis d'entrega, sense haver de rec��rrer a procediments de prova i error sobre sistemes reals que impliquen costos a tots nivells en l'empresa. Aquestes metodologies son habitualment emprades en d'altres pa��sos o tamb�� en el nostre pa��s per�� en empreses de gran tamany. El present treball, emmarcat dins un entorn socioecon��mic convuls, amb grans limitacions financeres i de recursos per les empreses, demostra com la utilitzaci�� d'eines de simulaci�� ��s ��til per a PIMES en aquest entorn i permet el dimensionament i la modelitzaci�� dels processos de forma que es permeti trobar els punts ��ptims en els que l'empresa ha de donar un pas de creixement en alguns dels par��metres. La metodologia amb que s'elabora el present treball es la de plantejar una simulaci�� complerta del proc��s, i definir diversos escenaris de mercat per als productes fabricats, cercant els punt ��ptims de canvi de dimensi�� de l'empresa atenent a espai f��sic, sotscontractaci�� de processos, personal i recursos.

"Vinci Cosmetics" Fabricaci��n y comercializaci��n de productos cosm��ticos

Contexto: La idea principal es la creaci��n de una empresa para la fabricaci��n y comercializaci��n de productos cosm��ticos de alta gama. A pesar del contexto de crisis econ��mica en el que estamos envueltos estos ��ltimos a��os y del que no parece que acabamos de salir, el sector de la cosm��tica est�� resistiendo la situaci��n de forma envidiable. De la crisis, como dicen los economistas, ���se saldr�� y se volver��, todo es c��clico��� y viendo la fortaleza que ��ste sector est�� mostrando unido a la necesidad de que nuestra econom��a abandone sectores muy deteriorados y sin una previsi��n positiva de futuro, la cosm��tica se postula con un futuro prometedor dentro del contexto econ��mico espa��ol y europeo. ���Vinci Cosmetics��� es el nombre inicialmente pensado para que la nueva compa����a inicie su andadura. Nombre con tintes latinos de la lejana ��poca del imperio romano como homenaje a la rica herencia hist��rica de la ciudad del autor del proyecto - Tarragona. La cultura por cuidarse y sentirse bien, muy arraigada en la mentalidad latina y mediterr��nea, es un factor cultural clave para el desarrollo y futura evoluci��n de esta industria. El slogan de la empresa, ���Dieta Mediterr��nea para tu piel���, clarifica en buena medida la idea a desarrollar y los objetivos pretendidos por la estrategia empresarial. Objetivos: El objetivo esencial del TFC es elaborar un estudio detallado para la creaci��n de una empresa de fabricaci��n y comercializaci��n de productos cosm��ticos de alta gama que abarque el management y la gesti��n por procesos de la empresa, la funci��n de marketing, el tipo de operaciones y procesos a realizar, la gesti��n del factor humano y el presupuesto necesario para cubrir este ambicioso proyecto. En detalle, un completo plan de empresa que marque las directrices de la organizaci��n industrial que se pretende crear compuesto a su vez por cinco planes: plan de gerencia, plan de marketing, plan de operaciones, plan de recursos humanos y plan econ��mico ��� financiero. Procedimientos: El proyecto tiene un alto componente de estudio de mercados y de marketing pero pretende tambi��n abarcar el management, los procesos de operaci��n, el factor humano y el aspecto econ��mico y financiero de las inversiones y presupuesto necesario. El estudio inicial centrar�� su esfuerzo en un an��lisis del mercado de la pen��nsula ib��rica, y, en funci��n del avance y del progreso esperado por la empresa, la compa����a podr��a extender su campo de acci��n a Europa aunque no antes de un medio plazo. ���Vinci Cosmetics��� ha adoptado referenciales de sistemas de gesti��n integrados en toda la organizaci��n. As�� tenemos principalmente, por un lado, la norma internacional ISO 9001:2008 y, por otro, el Modelo EFQM de Excelencia en la gesti��n; ambos plasmados a partir de un enfoque basado en procesos que nos garantiza el control continuo y la gesti��n excelente. Conclusiones: Tras evaluar la situaci��n actual del mercado de la cosm��tica, las previsiones futuras de ��ste y las necesidades que una organizaci��n industrial necesita, se puede crear - con plenas garant��as de ��xito como organizaci��n empresarial y desde el punto de vista econ��mico - una empresa de cosm��ticos de alta gama para cubrir las necesidades de una parte de mercado que lo requiere.

Evaluation of transversal competencies: pilot project in a maths course for first-year business

The aim of this communication is to describe the results of a pilot project for the assessment of the transversal competency "the capacity for learning and responsibility". This competency is centred on the capacity for the analysis, synthesis, overview, and practical application of newly acquired knowledge. It is proposed by the University of Barcelona in its undergraduate degree courses,through multidisciplinary teaching teams. The goal of the pilot project is to evaluate this competency.We worked with a group of students in a first-year Business Degree maths course, during the firstsemester of the 2012/2013 academic year. The development of the project was in two stages: (i)design of a specific task to share with the same students in the following semester when the subjectwould be economic history; and (ii) the elaboration of an evaluation rubric in which we defined thecontent, the aspects to evaluate, the evaluation criteria, and the marking scale. The attainment of theexpectations of quality on the specific task was scored following this rubric, which provided a singlebasis for the precise and fair assessment by the instructor and for the students' own self-evaluation.We conclude by describing the main findings of the experience. There particularly stood out the highscore in the students' self-evaluation given to one aspect of the competency ��� their capacity forlearning ��� in stark contrast to their instructor's quite negative evaluation. This means that we have towork both to improve teaching practice and to identify the optimal competency evaluationmethodology.

Towards a dynamic model of e-commerce: environmental, technological and organisational drivers of B2C along time

Despite the important benefits for firms of commercial initiatives on the Internet, e-commerce is still an emerging distribution channel, even in developed countries. Thus, more needs to be known about the mechanisms affecting its development. A large number of works have studied firms�� e-commerce adoption from technological, intraorganizational, institutional, or other specific perspectives, but there is a need for adequately tested integrative frameworks. Hence, this work proposes and tests a model of firms�� business-to-consumer (called B2C) e-commerce adoption that is founded on a holistic vision of the phenomenon. With this integrative approach, the authors analyze the joint influence of environmental, technological, and organizational factors; moreover, they evaluate this effect over time. Using various representative Spanish data sets covering the period 1996-2005, the findings demonstrate the suitability of the holistic framework. Likewise, some lessons are learned from the analysis of the key building blocks. In particular, the current study provides evidence for the debate about the effect of competitive pressure, since the findings show that competitive pressure disincentivizes e-commerce adoption in the long term. The results also show that the development or enrichment of the consumers�� consumption patterns, the technological readiness of the market forces, the firm��s global scope, and its competences in innovation continuously favor e-commerce adoption.

Organizational form and business performance

This project deals with the generation of profitability and the distribution of its benefits. Inspired by Davis (1947, 1955), we define profitability as the ratio of revenue to cost. Profitability is not as popular a measure of business financial performance as profit, the difference between revenue and cost. Regardless of its popularity, however, profitability is surely a useful financial performance measure. Our primary objective in this project is to identify the factors that generate change in profitability. One set of factors, which we refer to as sources, consists of changes in quantities and prices of outputs and inputs. Individual quantity changes aggregate to the overall impact of quantity change on profitability change, which we call productivity change. Individual price changes aggregate to the overall impact of price change on profitability change, which we call price recovery change. In this framework profitability change consists exclusively of productivity change and price recovery change. A second set of factors, which we refer to as drivers, consists of phenomena such as technical change, change in the efficiency of resource allocation, and the impact of economies of scale. The ability of management to harness these factors drives productivity change, which is one component of profitability change. Thus the term sources refers to quantities and prices of individual outputs and inputs, whose changes influence productivity change or price recovery change, either of which influences profitability change. The term drivers refers to phenomena related to technology and management that influence productivity change (but not price recovery change), and hence profitability change.

Promotion of learning skills in the study of economics. pilot project in the subject area of

This communication is part of a larger teaching innovation project financed by the University ofBarcelona, whose objective is to develop and evaluate transversal competences of the UB, learningability and responsibility. The competence is divided into several sub-competencies being the ability toanalyze and synthesis the most intensely worked in the first year. The work presented here part fromthe results obtained in phase 1 and 2 previously implemented in other subjects (Mathematics andHistory) in the first year of the degree of Business Administration Degree. In these subjects��� previousexperiences there were deficiencies in the acquisition of learning skills by the students. The work inthe subject of Mathematics facilitated that students become aware of the deficit. The work on thesubject of History insisted on developing readings schemes and with the practical exercises wassought to go deeply in the development of this competence.The third phase presented here is developed in the framework of the second year degree, in the WorldEconomy subject. The objective of this phase is the development and evaluation of the same crosscompetence of the previous phases, from a practice that includes both, quantitative analysis andcritical reflection. Specifically the practice focuses on the study of the dynamic relationship betweeneconomic growth and the dynamics in the distribution of wealth. The activity design as well as theselection of materials to make it, has been directed to address gaps in the ability to analyze andsynthesize detected in the subjects of the first year in the previous phases of the project.The realization of the practical case is considered adequate methodology to improve the acquisition ofcompetence of the students, then it is also proposed how to evaluate the acquisition of suchcompetence. The practice is evaluated based on a rubric developed in the framework of the projectobjectives. Thus at the end of phase 3 we can analyze the process that have followed the students,detect where they have had major difficulties and identify those aspects of teaching that can help toimprove the acquisition of skills by the students. The interest of this phase resides in the possibility tovalue whether tracing of learning through competences, organized in a collaborative way, is a goodtool to develop the acquisition of these skills and facilitate their evaluation.

Monitoring the decreasing trend of testicular cancer mortality in Spain during 2005-2019 through a Bayesian approach

Purpose : To assess time trends of testicular cancer (TC) mortality in Spain for period 1985-2019 for age groups 15-74 years old through a Bayesian age-period-cohort (APC) analysis. Methods: A Bayesian age-drift model has been fitted to describe trends. Projections for 2005-2019 have been calculated by means of an autoregressive APC model. Prior precision for these parameters has been selected through evaluation of an adaptive precision parameter and 95% credible intervals (95% CRI) have been obtained for each model parameter. Results: A decrease of -2.41% (95% CRI: -3.65%; -1.13%) per year has been found for TC mortality rates in age groups 15-74 during 1985-2004, whereas mortality showed a lower annual decrease when data was restricted to age groups 15-54 (-1.18%; 95% CRI: -2.60%; -0.31%). During 2005-2019 is expected a decrease of TC mortality of 2.30% per year for men younger than 35, whereas a leveling off for TC mortality rates is expected for men older than 35. Conclusions: A Bayesian approach should be recommended to describe and project time trends for those diseases with low number of cases. Through this model it has been assessed that management of TC and advances in therapy led to decreasing trend of TC mortality during the period 1985-2004, whereas a leveling off for these trends can be considered during 2005-2019 among men older than 35.

Monitoring the decreasing trend of testicular cancer mortality in Spain during 2005-2019 through a Bayesian approach

Purpose : To assess time trends of testicular cancer (TC) mortality in Spain for period 1985-2019 for age groups 15-74 years old through a Bayesian age-period-cohort (APC) analysis. Methods: A Bayesian age-drift model has been fitted to describe trends. Projections for 2005-2019 have been calculated by means of an autoregressive APC model. Prior precision for these parameters has been selected through evaluation of an adaptive precision parameter and 95% credible intervals (95% CRI) have been obtained for each model parameter. Results: A decrease of -2.41% (95% CRI: -3.65%; -1.13%) per year has been found for TC mortality rates in age groups 15-74 during 1985-2004, whereas mortality showed a lower annual decrease when data was restricted to age groups 15-54 (-1.18%; 95% CRI: -2.60%; -0.31%). During 2005-2019 is expected a decrease of TC mortality of 2.30% per year for men younger than 35, whereas a leveling off for TC mortality rates is expected for men older than 35. Conclusions: A Bayesian approach should be recommended to describe and project time trends for those diseases with low number of cases. Through this model it has been assessed that management of TC and advances in therapy led to decreasing trend of TC mortality during the period 1985-2004, whereas a leveling off for these trends can be considered during 2005-2019 among men older than 35.