Estudi de la coautoria de publicacions científiques entre UPC i nou universitats dels Estats Units: Brown University, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Stanford University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Harvard University, Princeton University i Duke University

S'analitza la coautoria de la UPC amb autors vinculats a institucions acadèmiques dels Estats Units, per totes les àrees temàtiques i sense considerar límits cronològics o documentals.

Estudi de la coautoria de publicacions científiques entre UPC i cinc universitats dels Estats Units : Caltech, Stanford University, UC Davis, UC Irvine i UCLA

S'analitza la coautoria de la UPC amb autors vinculats a institucions acadèmiques dels Estats Units, per totes les àrees temàtiques, de gener de 2009 a juny de 2014.

Alternative Techniques of Neural Signal Processing in Neuroengineering

Neural signal processing is a discipline within neuroengineering. This interdisciplinary approach combines principles from machine learning, signal processing theory, and computational neuroscience applied to problems in basic and clinical neuroscience. The ultimate goal of neuroengineering is a technological revolution, where machines would interact in real time with the brain. Machines and brains could interface, enabling normal function in cases of injury or disease, brain monitoring, and/or medical rehabilitation of brain disorders. Much current research in neuroengineering is focused on understanding the coding and processing of information in the sensory and motor systems, quantifying how this processing is altered in the pathological state, and how it can be manipulated through interactions with artificial devices including brain–computer interfaces and neuroprosthetics.

Improving the efficiency of PV low-power processing circuits by selecting an optimal inductor current of the DC/DC converter

In the context of autonomous sensors powered by small-size photovoltaic (PV) panels, this work analyses how the efficiency of DC/DC-converter-based power processing circuits can be improved by an appropriate selection of the inductor current that transfers the energy from the PV panel to a storage unit. Each component of power losses (fixed, conduction and switching losses) involved in the DC/DC converter specifically depends on the average inductor current so that there is an optimal value of this current that causes minimal losses and, hence, maximum efficiency. Such an idea has been tested experimentally using two commercial DC/DC converters whose average inductor current is adjustable. Experimental results show that the efficiency can be improved up to 12% by selecting an optimal value of that current, which is around 300-350 mA for such DC/DC converters.

Developing an Improved System for Allocating Support Unit Costs to Business Units

The objective of this study is to develop an improved support unit cost allocation system for a medium-sized technology company, and to examine which options for overhead cost accounting exist. The study begins with presenting the terminology and methods associated with overhead cost accounting and responsibility accounting. Also the most common challenges and resulting benefits of overhead cost allocation system development are brought up. As one research method two case studies were conducted for benchmarking purposes. These external cases are compared with the principal company’s cost allocation system and reflected against the theoretical background. In the empirical section interviews were used as the primary source of information alongside self studying principal company’s old cost allocation method. Interviews revealed the main weaknesses of the old system and proposals for a new one, which were utilized in setting targets for developing the new system. As a result of the development process an improved support unit cost allocation system was realized for year 2009. The new system is able to handle support unit costs in more detail enhancing the transparency and fairness of resulting cost allocations. Parts of support unit costs are now seen as business units’ own costs rather than group-level overhead. Also recommendations for further development are made after analyzing how well the targets were reached.

One, two, or many mechanisms? The brain's processing of complex words

The heated debate over whether there is only a single mechanism or two mechanisms for morphology has diverted valuable research energy away from the more critical questions about the neural computations involved in the comprehension and production of morphologically complex forms. Cognitive neuroscience data implicate many brain areas. All extant models, whether they rely on a connectionist network or espouse two mechanisms, are too underspecified to explain why more than a few brain areas differ in their activity during the processing of regular and irregular forms. No one doubts that the brain treats regular and irregular words differently, but brain data indicate that a simplistic account will not do. It is time for us to search for the critical factors free from theoretical blinders.

Functional connectivity of reward processing in the brain

Controversial results have been reported concerning the neural mechanisms involved in the processing of rewards and punishments. On the one hand, there is evidence suggesting that monetary gains and losses activate a similar fronto-subcortical network. On the other hand, results of recent studies imply that reward and punishment may engage distinct neural mechanisms. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) we investigated both regional and interregional functional connectivity patterns while participants performed a gambling task featuring unexpectedly high monetary gains and losses. Classical univariate statistical analysis showed that monetary gains and losses activated a similar fronto-striatallimbic network, in which main activation peaks were observed bilaterally in the ventral striatum. Functional connectivity analysis showed similar responses for gain and loss conditions in the insular cortex, the amygdala, and the hippocampus that correlated with the activity observed in the seed region ventral striatum, with the connectivity to the amygdala appearing more pronounced after losses. Larger functional connectivity was found to the medial orbitofrontal cortex for negative outcomes. The fact that different functional patterns were obtained with both analyses suggests that the brain activations observed in the classical univariate approach identifi es the involvement of different functional networks in the current task. These results stress the importance of studying functional connectivity in addition to standard fMRI analysis in reward-related studies.

Identification of the Emerging Issues in Recycled Fiber Processing

The objectives of this research work “Identification of the Emerging Issues in Recycled Fiber processing” are discovering of emerging research issues and presenting of new approaches to identify promising research themes in recovered paper application and production. The projected approach consists of identifying technological problems often encountered in wastepaper preparation processes and also improving the quality of recovered paper and increasing its proportion in the composition of paper and board. The source of information for the problem retrieval is scientific publications in which waste paper application and production were discussed. The study has exploited several research methods to understand the changes related to utilization of recovered paper. The all assembled data was carefully studied and categorized by applying software called RefViz and CiteSpace. Suggestions were made on the various classes of these problems that need further investigation in order to propose an emerging research trends in recovered paper.

Evaluation of sample processing methods for the polar contaminant analysis of sewage sludge using liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (LC/MS)

Monitoring of sewage sludge has proved the presence of many polar anthropogenic pollutants since LC/MS techniques came into routine use. While advanced techniques may improve characterizations, flawed sample processing procedures, however, may disturb or disguise the presence and fate of many target compounds present in this type of complex matrix before analytical process starts. Freeze-drying or oven-drying, in combination with centrifugation or filtration as sample processing techniques were performed followed by visual pattern recognition of target compounds for assessment of pretreatment processes. The results shown that oven-drying affected the sludge characterization, while freeze-drying led to less analytical misinterpretations.

Processing of spent NiW/Al2O3 catalysts

Spent oxidized (500 ºC, 5 h) commercial NiW/Al2O3 catalysts were processed using two different routes: a) fusion with NaOH (650 ºC, 1 h), the roasted mass was leached in water; b) leaching with HCl or H2SO4 (70 ºC, 1-3 h). HCl was the best leachant. In both routes, soluble tungsten was extracted at pH 1 with Alamine 336 (10 vol.% in kerosene) and stripped with 2 mol L-1 NH4OH (25 ºC, one stage, aqueous/organic ratio = 1 v/v). Tungsten was isolated as ammonium paratungstate at very high yield (> 97.5%). The elements were better separated using the acidic route.