Search results

The PhD thesis "Desarrollo y aplicación de herramientas de valoración de riesgos tecnológicos en centrales nucleares españolas a partir de la técnica de Análisis Probabilista de Seguridad" results from the research projects carried out between the Nuclear Engineering Research group, which belongs to UPC's Divisió d'Enginyeria Nuclear, and one of the operator companies of Spanish nuclear power plants during the period of 2013-2017. Both the Secretaria de Recerca i Universitats of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Ministerio de Econom ía, Industria y Competitividad of the Spanish government are also participants because they have awarded grants for the development of the projects herein presented. The main objective of this PhD thesis is to delve into the field of the risk-informed applications used in nuclear power plants, putting forward, developing, and testing new tools that allow a more detailed awareness and evaluation of nuclear power plants risks so that nuclear power plants can be operation and maintenance safely. For that purpose, the first part of this thesis presents the state of the art of risk-informed applications and their role in the frame of nuclear safety. The second part of the thesis presents the development and results analysis of a pilot probabilistic safety assessment for an independent spent fuel storage installation, which is devoted to store nuclear spent fuel. This assessment, which is pioneer in the Spanish nuclear industry, analyzes the installation's response to abnormal events, and allows to quantify the risk related to the occurrence of an undesired consequence in this installation. Moreover, this part of the thesis presents a novel contribution to the field of human reliability analysis as applied to probabilistic safety assessment in the form of the development of a human reliability analysis methodology applicable to the storage installation handling operations. It is concluded that the contribution of the storage installation to the risk of radionuclide emission of the whole plant is virtually nonexistent. The third part of the thesis presents the development and application of methodologies and tools derived from fire probabilistic safety assessments whose purpose is to introduce the evaluation of the fire induced risk in the decision-making processes devoted to the configuration of systems, structures, and components in nuclear power plants. Historically, the assessment of the fire induced risk had been either carried out qualitatively or belittled mainly because of the late evolution of the fire induced risk quantitative assessment techniques. In consequence, the tools presented in this thesis are a novel contribution to the field of risk-informed decision making since they provide a quantitative evaluation of the fire induced risk by means of a fire probabilistic safety assessment. Two matrix-shaped novel tools are described and applied to the real case of a Spanish nuclear power plant. The use of these tools demonstrates that number of elements who are significant to the fire induced risk of the plant is small. The projects presented in this PhD thesis as well as others developed through the period 2013-2017 have presented in national and international conferences and have been published in international indexed journals. ; La tesi doctoral "Desarrollo y aplicación de herramientas de valoración de riesgos tecnológicos en centrales nucleares españolas a partir de la técnica de Análisis Probabilista de Seguridad" es producte dels projectes d'investigació portats a terme pel Nuclear Engineering Research Group, que pertany a la Divisió d'Enginyeria Nuclear de l'UPC, i una de les empreses operadores de centrals nuclears espanyoles durant el període 2013-2017. També són partícips d'aquesta tesi doctoral tant la Secretaria de Recerca i Universitats de la Generalitat de Catalunya com el Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad del Gobierno de España per prestar financiació per al desenvolupament dels treballs aquí exposats. El principal objectiu d'aquesta tesi doctoral és el de profunditzar al camp de les aplicacions informades pel risc utilitzades a centrals nuclears, proposant, desenvolupant, i provant noves eines que permetin conèixer i valorar amb més detall els riscos associats a les mateixes per a que les centrals nuclears puguin seguir sent operades i mantingudes de forma segura. Per donar compliment a aquest objectiu, la primera part de la tesi presenta l'estat de l'art de les aplicacions informades pel risc i la seva implicació en el marc de la seguretat nuclear. La segona part de la tesi presenta el desenvolupament i anàlisi de resultats d'un model pilot d'anàlisi probabilista de seguretat d'un magatzem temporal individualitzat, que es tracta d'una instal·lació d'emmagatzematge de combustible nuclear gastat. Aquest model, que es pioner en el marc de la industria nuclear espanyola, permet analitzar la resposta de la instal·lació davant de successos anormals, i permet quantificar el risc associat a la ocurrència d'una conseqüència no desitjada en aquesta instal·lació. A més, en una contribució novell al camp de l'anàlisi de fiabilitat humana per l'anàlisi probabilista de seguretat, aquesta part de la tesi doctoral presenta el desenvolupament d'una metodologia d'anàlisi de fiabilitat humana que és aplicable a les operacions a portar a terme al context concret d'un magatzem temporal individualitzat. En aquesta part de la tesi es conclou que la contribució del risc del magatzem temporal individualitzat al total del risc de la central nuclear és pràcticament nul·la. La tercera part de la tesi presenta el desenvolupament i aplicació de metodologies i eines, generades mitjançant un anàlisi probabilista de seguretat d'incendis, per incorporar el risc induït per incendis a les pràctiques habituals de presa de decisions al respecte de configuracions de sistemes, components, i estructures, a centrals nuclears. Històricament, la valoració del risc induït per incendis s'ha portat a terme mitjançant metodologies qualitatives o s'ha menyspreat a causa de, principalment, l'evolució tardana de les metodologies quantitatives d'anàlisi de riscos induïts per incendis. Per tant, les eines i metodologies presentades són una contribució novell al camp de la presa de decisions informada pel risc doncs proporcionen una valoració quantitativa del risc d'incendis mitjançant l'eina que suposa l'APS d'incendis. Es proposen i descriuen dues eines novells, en forma de matriu, que s'apliquen al cas real d'una central nuclear espanyola. L'aplicació d'aquestes eines ha conclòs que tot element amb impacte sobre el risc induït per incendis d'aquesta central està localitzat en un grup reduït d'equips, sistemes contra incendis, i zones d'incendi. Els treballs presentats en aquesta tesi doctoral, així com altres desenvolupats durant el període 2013-2017, han estat difosos a diversos congressos nacionals e internacionals, i han estat motiu d'articles de revista internacional i indexada. ; Postprint (published version)

La modificazione unilaterale del contratto è un tema che impegna, ormai da tempo, la dottrina ed il legislatore. La prassi, infatti, riconosce l'utilità della clausola in funzione adeguatrice del vincolo contrattuale, assunto in una dimensione statica, alle esigenze sorte in fase dinamica, soprattutto quando l'esecuzione del contratto si svolge su uno sviluppo diacronico. D'altro canto, però, l'idea per cui la parte possa determinare ex uno latere la modificazione del contratto urta con i principi generali che regolano il contratto almeno sotto due punti di vista: da un lato, infatti, la modificazione interviene, in senso per lo più peggiorativo, incidendo la sfera giuridica di un soggetto senza il consenso (né espresso, né tacito) di questi. Dall'altro lato, e per di più, tale modificazione unilaterale interviene su un vincolo a formazione bilaterale che, in ragione della "forza di legge" che gli viene assegnata dall'art. 1372 c.c., non dovrebbe patire variazioni di questo tipo. L'analisi ha, quindi, preso le mosse dalla disamina del valore dell'accordo e della forza di legge del contratto, quest'ultima in particolare vista nella sua dimensione storica e considerata anche la divisione di opinioni tra coloro che la ritengono un pleonasmo retorico e chi invece le assegna un forte valore sistematico. Ci si è quindi soffermati su alcuni degli istituti di parte generale del contratto, che presentano particolari affinità con il jus variandi (e.g.: l'arbitraggio della parte e l'offerta di modificazione del contratto eccessivamente oneroso), per escludere che gli stessi disciplinino fattispecie di modificazione unilaterale idonee a fungere da validi punti di partenza per l'analisi della materia de qua. Si è poi proceduto ad analizzare le maggiori ipotesi di jus variandi previste dalla legge ed in particolare quelle contenute nella disciplina dei tipi del codice civile (nel capitolo secondo) e quelle contenute invece nelle discipline di settore (capitolo terzo). Tale analisi ha avuto uno stampo particolarmente critico nell'escludere la qualificazione di jus variandi a fattispecie pur tradizionalmente così qualificate, per la diversa caratterizzazione rispetto alla materia sotto esame. Nel capitolo quarto, infine, si sono scomposte le fattispecie tipiche analizzate individuandone i principali elementi caratterizzanti (che sono stati identificati in: an, quantum, e potere - lato sensu - di reazione della parte in soggezione), distinguendo in particolare tra struttura e tecnica legislativa del legislatore codicistico e del legislatore settoriale. Ciò ha permesso di escludere la rilevanza sistematica della disciplina dei tipi per ricostruire dei principi interpretativi nella valutazione del diritto di modificazione unilaterale introdotto da clausole atipiche di fonte pattizia, ma di procedere ad un'interpretazione mutuata in parte da quanto concluso in tema di jus variandi nelle discipline di settore, in parte da quanto ricavabile dalla disciplina del contratto in generale sui poteri determinativi unilaterali, per stabilire i limiti operativi e di validità di tali clausole atipiche. In chiusura, si sono brevemente analizzate delle figure contrattuali attinenti alla circolazione di partecipazioni sociali (opzioni put) ed ai contratti dei mercati finanziari (credit default swap), per evidenziarne i punti di attrito con i principi interpretativi precedentemente delineati. ; Unilateral modification of the contract is a subject that has interested the doctrine and kept the legislator at work for a long time. The usefulness of this kind of clauses is, in fact, clear to the contractual practice, given their ability to adapt the agreement (which has a static dimension) to the needs that may arise in its dynamic and diachronic development. On the other hand, however, the idea that (just) one party could determine the modification of the contract seems to clash with the general principles governing contract law. On one side, the unilateral modification - which is often pejorative - affects a party without his consent (neither expressed nor implied). On the other side, and above all, this unilateral modification intervenes on a bilateral contract, which, by virtue of the "force of law" which is assigned to it by art. 1372 of the civil code, should not suffer variations by these means. The analysis has therefore originated from the the value of the agreement and the force of law of the contract. The latter, in particular, has been viewed in its historical dimension while also considering the division among those who consider it a rhetorical pleonasm and those who instead see in it a strong systematic value. Some of the dispositions of the civil code regarding the contract in general have then been analyzed, due to their affinity with the subject matter (e.g.: unilateral determination of the contract object, offer of modification in case of hardship), to rule out that they could be disciplining cases of unilateral modification and thus exclude that thay may be valid starting points for the study of the jus variandi. The analysis then moved on to the major hypothesis of unilateral modification disciplined by law, and in particular those contained in Book IV, Title III of the civil code (in the second chapter) and those disciplined by special laws (consumer law, tourism law, bank law, etc.: third chapter). This analysis has been conducted in a particularly critical way, to exclude the qualification of jus variandi of some provisions, although traditionally so qualified, given the different characterization from the subject under exam. In conclusion, in the fourth chapter, the aforementioned legal provisions have been destructured, to identify their main characterizing elements (which were identified as: condition for the right to the unilateral modification to arise, extension of the right to the modification, and finally the power of the party that suffers the modification to counteract). In particular a distintion has been made between the structure and legislative technique of the civil code and those of the special laws. By this way it was possibile to exclude the systematic relevance of the civil code provisions to establish interpretative principles to be used in the assessment of the right of unilateral modification introduced by atypical contractual clauses. Such interpretative principles were derived, instead, from what has been concluded from the analysis of the special law provisions in the subject matter and, in part, from what transpires from the discipline of the contract in general about unilateral determination powers, to establish operational and validity limits of such atypical clauses. The analysis was then concluded with a brief exam of some contracts concerning the circulation of company shares (put options) and contracts of the financial markets (credit default swaps), to underline some critical aspects of these agreements in light of the aforementioned principles.

Introducción.En la adolescencia, la autoestima es un valor muy importante, y se convierte en una etapa crucial para trabajarla por su directa repercusión en la salud mental (2,3). Un adolescente con baja autoestima suele ser inseguro (4) y muchas veces abocado al fracaso escolar. Esto le produce un sentimiento de inferioridad y timidez a la hora de relacionarse con sus iguales. En Cataluña hace 15 años, se implantó el programa Salut i Escola , y desde el año 2013, en uno de los Institutos se diseñó y realizó una intervención comunitaria en el curso de 3º de la ESO, dada la detección, por el equipo de psicopedagogía, de la baja autoestima en este grupo. Desde entonces se ha venido realizando periódicamente en cada año escolar. La detección precoz de adolescentes con baja autoestima, es una inquietud constante, con la finalizad de minimizar riesgos. Objetivo General. Evaluar la utilidad de las intervenciones enfermeras para mejorar el nivel de autoestima de los adolescentes, alumnos de 3º de la ESO (5 grupos), en un instituto de Enseñanza Media. Metodología. Ámbito: Urbano. Centro Educativo. Diseño: Descriptivo. Sujetos/participantes: Alumnos de 3 curso de ESO que cumplen criterios de inclusión. Dimensiones: Evaluación de intervención educativa elaborada por la enfermera referente en el Instituto y la Psicopedagoga del centro. Método: Evaluación de sesión grupal con ejercicios prácticos de conciencia de la autoestima y del trabajo de la misma para su mejora. Curso 2016/2017 y 2017/2018. Variables: Adecuación profesional de la enfermera, duración, metodología y utilidad de la actividad. Instrumento: Cuestionario de evaluación de la sesión grupal de autoestima validado y utilizado en años anteriores. Análisis descriptivo de los datos: Programa SPSS. Consideraciones éticas: según legislación. Resultados. N=240 alumnos de 3º de ESO que cumplieron criterios de inclusión (matriculación en el curso y consentimiento informado). Hubo un total de 25 alumnos que no participaron en el estudio. Este gráfico presenta los principales resultados de la evaluación del programa. Discusión. La metodología participativa debe mantenerse puesto que es el parámetro mejor valorado con un 71,16%. La profesional ha sido muy bien valorado en el 64,58%, por lo que esta actividad debería continuar. No se ha realizado un post-test de autoestima que pueda cuantificar los cambios de la intervención, porqué en el momento de la presentación ésta actividad no había finalizado. La alta valoración de la utilidad (62%) indica su relevancia y su adecuación a las necesidades del grupo de alumnos, por lo que debería mantenerse. Las últimas investigaciones ratifican la importancia de este tipo de intervenciones en los institutos por el impacto directo que la autoestima de los adolescentes tiene en su salud mental , ya que se comporta como un potente predictor de problemas psicológicos que requieren tratamiento y en muchos casos internalización (6,7,8). El trabajo de autoestima incrementa las habilidades de afrontamiento y las sociales (9,10). Con este trabajo también se han detectado casos puntuales de baja autoestima, lo que permitirá al equipo psicopedagógico del centro realizar un apoyo y seguimiento individualizado. Se plantea la posibilidad de seguir trabajando en este tema el próximo curso de manera grupal. ; ntroduction. In adolescence, self-esteem is a very important value, and it becomes a crucial stage to work on because of its direct impact on mental health (2,3). A teenager with low self-esteem is often insecure (4) and often led to school failure. This produces a feeling of inferiority and shyness when interacting with their peers. In Catalonia 15 years ago, the "Salut i Escola" program was implemented, and since 2013, one of the Institutes has designed and implemented a community intervention in the 3rd year of ESO, given the detection, by the team of psychopedagogy, of low self-esteem in this group. Since then it has been carried out periodically in each school year. The early detection of adolescents with low self-esteem is a constant concern, with the finalization of minimizing risks. General purpose. To evaluate the usefulness of the nursing interventions to improve the level of self-esteem of adolescents, students of 3rd of ESO (5 groups), in a secondary education institute. Methodology. Scope: Urban. School. Design: Descriptive. Subjects / participants: Students of 3 ESO courses that meet inclusion criteria. Dimensions: Evaluation of educational intervention prepared by the referring nurse in the Institute and the Psychopedagogist of the center. Method: Evaluation of group session with practical exercises of self-esteem awareness and work of the same for its improvement. Course 2016/2017 and 2017/2018. Variables: Professional adaptation of the nurse, duration, methodology and usefulness of the activity. Instrument: Evaluation questionnaire of the self-esteem group session validated and used in previous years. Descriptive analysis of the data: SPSS Program. Ethical considerations: according to legislation. Results N = 240 3rd year ESO students who met the inclusion criteria (enrollment in the course and informed consent). There were a total of 25 students who did not participate in the study. This graph presents the main results of the evaluation of the program. Discussion. The participatory methodology must be maintained since it is the parameter best valued with 71.16%. The professional has been very well valued at 64.58%, so this activity should continue. There has not been a self-esteem post-test that can quantify the changes of the intervention, because at the time of the presentation this activity had not ended. The high value of the utility (62%) indicates its relevance and its adaptation to the needs of the group of students, so it should be maintained. The latest research confirms the importance of this type of intervention in the institutes by the direct impact that the self-esteem of adolescents has on their mental health, since it behaves as a powerful predictor of psychological problems that require treatment and in many cases internalization ( 6,7,8). Self-esteem work increases coping skills and social skills (9,10). With this work we have also detected occasional cases of low self-esteem, which will allow the center's psycho-pedagogical team to carry out an individualized support and follow-up. The possibility of continuing to work on this subject the next course as a group is raised. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/draft

Despite considerable progress in the past decades that allowed many cancer patients to be cured, some patients are still considered as incurable today. Since the first cancer scheme, the announcement consultation in oncology, follows a specific outline. However no specific measure is included for patients who are considered incurable from diagnosis. More recently, the third cancer scheme promoted patient involvement in all decisions about him, reaffirming the concept of health democracy. The research performed during the Master 2 study is a preliminary work for a larger study focusing on whether the information and the manner in which it is given to incurable patients at diagnosis are related to the aggressiveness of the treatment they will receive. The main hypothesis for this study is that a low level of information, mainly focused on tumor treatment alongside poor patient involvement in decisions concerning him encourage aggressive therapies and might limit palliative care. The preliminary work, done during the Master 2 studies, explores announcements addressed to patients in order to estimate how information and tumor treatments are discussed and whether the patient is included in the decision process of the chosen treatment. A qualitative exploratory research was implemented between January and March 2018. It was based on audio recordings of announcement consultations for patients who had agreed on participating in the study as well as their oncologist. In order to capture practice variability, two different environments were studied: a University Teaching Hospital and a General Hospital. Ten physicians were solicited: seven in the University Teaching Hospital, three in the General Hospital. All of them agreed to participate in the study. Due to time constraint, the study finally included the four physicians who could be met first: three from a University Teaching Hospital, one from a General Hospital. Nine out of the ten patients that were met agreed to participate in the study, the one that refused mentioned being too distressed to take part in the study. The recordings concerning the first eight patients have been studied. The recording for the ninth patient could not be studied due to late inclusion. This first sample of consultation recordings allowed the description of intra- and inter- oncologists variability both in the content and the way of leading the consultation. However invariant topics could be noticed. On the one hand, the information delivered to the patient seems suboptimal and consists mainly in diagnostic information that the patient already knows. Little time is given to prognosis discussion. On the other hand, tumor treatment is overpowering and palliative care is rarely presented as an option of care management. As to patient involvement in decisions, it appears nonexistant in most of the consultations. Finally, it could be shown that the organisation and timing were stable and were unrelated to the physician, patient or type of hospital. The number of consultations that were studied is not sufficient to generalise those preliminary results. The study needs to be continued in University Teaching Hospitals, general hospitals as well as in private hospitals and specialised cancer care centers to allow a more thorough study of practice variability. ; Si les progrès scientifiques des dernières années ont permis la guérison de nombreux malades atteints de cancer, certaines maladies demeurent aujourd'hui encore incurables. Depuis le premier plan cancer, la consultation d'annonce d'oncologie est encadrée par un dispositif dédié. Aucune spécificité n'a été élaborée pour la population particulière des malades incurables au diagnostic. Plus récemment, le troisième plan cancer a promu la participation du patient aux décisions qui le concernent, réaffirmant le principe de démocratie sanitaire. Le travail de recherche conduit dans le cadre de ce Master 2 est un travail préliminaire à une étude plus large dont l'objectif est d'explorer si le contenu et la manière de mener la consultation d'annonce peuvent être annonciateurs d'une prise en charge agressive en fin de vie, chez les patients ayant un cancer incurable au diagnostic. L'hypothèse princeps de cette étude est qu'une information faible délivrée au patient, un discours centré sur le traitement anti-tumoral, ainsi qu'une participation faible du patient aux décisions le concernant lors de la consultation d'annonce induisent le recours à des thérapies agressives et limitent l'accès aux soins palliatifs. Le travail préliminaire réalisé pour ce master 2, était destiné à explorer les places respectives occupées par l'information et le traitement anti-tumoral au cours de l'annonce faite aux patients ayant un cancer incurable au diagnostic et d'étudier la participation du malade à la décision dès la consultation d'annonce. Une recherche qualitative exploratoire a été conduite entre Janvier et Mars 2018 à l'aide d'enregistrements audio de consultations d'annonce des patients pour lesquelles les patients et leurs oncologues avaient préalablement accepté de participer à l'étude. Afin de capter une variété de pratiques suffisamment importante, 2 environnements ont été étudiés: les cancérologues d'un centre hospitalo-universitaire (CHU) et d'un centre hospitalier général (CHG). Dix médecins ont été sollicités par mail : sept exerçant au CHU, trois au CHG. Tous ont répondu favorablement en vue d'une participation à l'étude. En raison du temps imparti lors de ce travail, l'étude a inclus les quatre premiers médecins qu'il a été possible de rencontrer : trois médecins du CHU et un médecin du CHG. Neuf des dix patients rencontrés ont accepté de participer à l'étude, un patient ayant refusé au motif d'être trop angoissé. Les consultations des huit premiers patients constituent le matériel de notre étude ; celle du neuvième n'a pas pu être étudiée en raison du délai tardif de l'inclusion. Ce premier échantillon de consultations a permis de décrire la variabilité intra et inter-cancérologue observée dans le contenu et la manière de mener l'annonce. Cependant, il en ressort quelques invariants. D'une part, l'information délivrée au patient ne paraît pas optimale, reprenant essentiellement une information diagnostique en partie déjà connue du patient et laissant peu de place à la discussion pronostique. D'autre part, le traitement anti-tumoral semble omniprésent et les soins palliatifs rarement présentés comme une option de prise en charge. Quant à la participation du patient à la décision, elle semble quasiment inexistante dans la plupart des consultations. Enfin, il a pu être mis en évidence que enchaînement et l'articulation des temps de l'annonce restent relativement identiques, indépendamment du médecin, du patient, et du lieu des consultations d'annonce. Le nombre de consultations étudié est insuffisant pour permettre de généraliser ces résultats préliminaires. La poursuite de cette étude en CHU et CHG, mais aussi à l'hôpital privé et en centre de lutte contre le cancer est nécessaire pour une exploration plus exhaustive de la variabilité des pratiques.

Dupla diplomação com a UTFPR - Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná ; An unprecedented demographic explosion occurred in the last decades at a global level. The negative impacts of this event stand out, affecting the social, economic and mainly environmental spheres. In the environmental aspect, an important consequence is the growing production of solid wastes, due partially to the population increase. However, the development of effective technologies for the treatment of these wastes did not accompany such growth, and currently the most used method for this is landfill disposal. Even with the possibility of alternatives, the use of landfills for the disposal of solid wastes will be necessary over a long period, with the inevitable consequence of the generation of leachate streams. The objective of this work is the development, design and implementation of processes for physicochemical conversion of leachate liquid effluents from a composting process in liquid fertilizers with a standardized and reproducible composition. The leachate sample was collected in February 2019 from the slurry storage tank of the company "Resíduos do Nordeste", EIM (Urjais, Mirandela, Portugal). The stream is produced and recovered from a composting line from a mechanical and biological waste treatment plant. From this original sample, three additional materials were obtained: a filtered sample for the removal of the solid fraction (Filtro 03/04), two concentrated samples by simple distillation, with two concentration levels in volume basis: 1,19x and 1,85x in relation to the original leachate sample. The four samples (the original leachate and the three processed samples) were submitted to a sequence of analyzes, in order to compare its composition and properties with the current Portuguese and European legislation specifications for liquid fertilizers. The selected characterization parameters were: Total Organic Carbon (TOC), pH, Conductivity, Percentage of Dry Matter, Density, and Heavy Metals, Phosphorus, Potassium and Nitrogen contents. Adsorption tests were performed with the Filter 03/04 sample, with two adsorbents of different origin, the first produced from an organic compound, resulting from a centralized composting process, obtained from the same landfill that provided the Original sample. The second adsorbent tested is activated clays, originating from four different deposits in Kazakhstan. After treatment with the adsorbents, the same analyzes were performed previously, aiming to evaluate the efficiency of the adsorbents. The characterization results were then used to verify the framework for later use of the original leachate and/or the processed samples as liquid organomineral fertilizers, and to assess the specific needs of composition tuning for the non-processed leachate sample. A concentration process for the original sample of 1,19x (v/v) has been determined to allow the reaching of at least 3% TOC, a content legally required. Additionally, treatment is required for the removal of nickel and chromium from the samples. The metals zinc, copper, cadmium and lead have been quantified and are within the limits specified in the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (2019). A flowchart for the proper treatment of this leachate was proposed, with the intention of using it as liquid organomineral fertilizer. ; Uma explosão demográfica sem precedentes ocorreu nas últimas décadas a nível global. Destacam-se os impactos negativos deste evento, afetando as esferas social, econômica e principalmente ambiental. No aspeto ambiental, uma consequência importante é a crescente produção de resíduos sólidos, em parte devido ao aumento populacional. No entanto, o desenvolvimento de tecnologias eficazes para o tratamento desses resíduos não acompanhou esse crescimento, e atualmente o método mais utilizado para isso é o descarte em aterros sanitários. Mesmo com a possibilidade de alternativas, o uso de aterros sanitários para a disposição de resíduos sólidos será necessário por um longo período, com a inevitável consequência da geração de caudais de chorume. O objetivo deste trabalho é o desenvolvimento, proposta e implementação de processos de conversão físico-química de efluentes líquidos lixiviados, de um processo de compostagem, em fertilizantes líquidos com uma composição padronizada e reprodutível. A amostra de lixiviados foi coletada em fevereiro de 2019 a partir do tanque de armazenamento de chorume da empresa "Resíduos do Nordeste", EIM (Urjais, Mirandela, Portugal). O fluxo é produzido e recuperado de uma linha de compostagem de uma estação de tratamento de resíduos mecânica e biológica. Desta amostra original, três materiais adicionais foram obtidos: uma amostra filtrada para a remoção da fração sólida (Filtro 03/04), duas amostras concentradas por destilação simples, com dois níveis de concentração em base volumétrica: 1,19x e 1,85x em relação a amostra original. As quatro amostras (o lixiviado original e as três amostras processadas) foram submetidas a uma sequência de análises, de modo a comparar a sua composição e propriedades com as atuais especificações da legislação portuguesa e europeia para fertilizantes líquidos. Os parâmetros de caracterização selecionados foram: teor de carbono orgânico total (TOC), pH, condutividade elétrica, percentagem de matéria seca, densidade e metais pesados, fósforo, potássio e nitrogênio. Foram realizados testes de adsorção com a amostra Filtro 03/04, com dois adsorventes de origem diferente, o primeiro produzido a partir de um composto orgânico, resultante de um processo de compostagem centralizada, obtido do mesmo aterro sanitário que forneceu a amostra Original. O segundo adsorvente testado, são as argilas ativadas, originárias de quatro depósitos diferentes do Cazaquistão. Após o tratamento com os adsorventes foram realizadas as mesmas análises feitas anteriormente, com o objetivo de avaliar a eficiência dos adsorventes. Os resultados da caracterização foram então utilizados para verificar a estrutura para posterior utilização do lixiviado original e/ou as amostras processadas como fertilizantes organominerais líquidos, e para avaliar as necessidades específicas de ajuste da composição. Um processo de concentração para a amostra original de 1,19x (v/v) foi determinado para permitir o alcance de pelo menos 3% de TOC, um conteúdo legalmente requerido no Regulamento do Parlamento Europeu e do Concelho (2019). Além disso, é necessário um tratamento para a remoção de níquel e cromio das amostras. Os metais zinco, cobre, cádmio e chumbo foram quantificados e estão dentro dos limites especificados no Regulamento do Parlamento Europeu e do Conselho (2019). Um fluxograma para o tratamento adequado desse lixiviado foi proposto, com o intuito de utilizá-lo como fertilizante organomineral líquido. ; This work was carried out under the scope of Project VALORCOMP, funded by FEDER through Programme INTERREG V-A Spain − Portugal (POCTEP) 2014–2020. Finally, to all who have somehow been part of this period and collaborated to carry out this work, I will be eternally grateful.

At the beginning of the 1970s, in France, science fiction subculture engages in its countercultural moment. Contestations and claims of legitimacy come from different media: Laloux defends a national, artisanal and engaged conception of animation (La Planète sauvage, 1973), French "bande dessinée" shows new aesthetic and graphic ambitions in magazines referring to themselves as "adult" (Metal hurlant, 1975, with a special focus on Mœbius and Bilal), and literary science fiction becomes more and more politicised, confronted to the legacy of the British New Wave and to the ideology born with Mai 68 (Andrevon, Les Hommes-machines contre Gandahar, 1969). Thirty years later, the "multimedia revolution" implies a technical and cultural convergence between videogames, hyperrealistic special effects in cinema, and 3D computer generated animation movies. In this context, the novelizations of Pierre Bordage (Atlantis, 1998, adapted from an adventure video game by Cryo Interactive, and Kaena, 2003, from a European 3D digital animation movie) question the still rare interactions between literature and "new media" in French science fiction, at the turning point of the 2000s and as we move into the digital moment of existence of popular fictions. Considering this area and this period of time, this thesis examines intermediality in French science fiction as a historical and rhetorical construction, used by the actors to promote certain representations of the genre and to take position in conflicts about generic definition, especially regarding the relations with American productions, the industrial question, and the place of the author. I identify three moments of intermediality in French science fiction during that period of time (1973-2003). I consider the term moment in its temporal sense (a duration) and in its physical one (a synchronic measure of a dynamic phenomenon). This historical analysis of intermediality's forms and discourses shows how the French « macro-texte » (Bréan) evolves in regard to the global « mega-text » of the genre (Broderick). This leads to study secondly what I call the « SF-effect », in relation with that historical and cultural context, from a semiotic, cognitive and narrative point of view. I engage in clarifying semiotic modalities of the SF-effect by considering relations between novum (a strange diegetic reality) and estrangement (a strange formal device), both depending on media and generic architextual determinants. Discussing the famous theory of Suvin, I propose an intermedial analytical framework of the cultural poetics of science fiction. Visual SF-effect is specifically investigated, and then confronted to the verbal estrangement figures, leading to a narrative intersemiotic approach of science fiction "texts" (in a broad meaning) when they are produced by media using different systems of signs. Finally, I consider the problem of world building and how novums and estrangements intersect in productions from different media when these productions share the same fictional world. I discuss the concept of transfictionality forged by Saint-Gelais and the propositions of Besson and Letourneux about massively transmedial contemporary fictional worlds. I distinguish four intermedial "world-effects" (worlds to be built, worlds to be diversify, helical worlds, worlds to be played) in the specific French biotope of the genre, which may also offer helpful support to analyse other cultural and generic phenomena. ; Au début des années 1970, en France, la science-fiction constituée en subculture connaît son moment contre-culturel, à la croisée des médias et des revendications en légitimité, avec le long métrage d'animation de Laloux (La Planète sauvage, 1973), les revues de bandes dessinées « adultes » (Métal hurlant, 1975, notamment Mœbius et Bilal) et la politisation de l'écriture du genre qui se positionne par rapport à l'héritage des expériences formelles de la New Wave et à l'idéologie contestataire de Mai 68 (Andrevon, Les Hommes-machines contre Gandahar, 1969). Trente ans plus tard, dans le contexte de la révolution multimédia qui fait converger jeu vidéo, cinéma à effets spéciaux et animation de synthèse, les novellisations de Bordage tirées d'un jeu vidéo (Atlantis, 1998) et d'un dessin animé en 3D (Kaena, 2003) interrogent les rapports encore assez étanches entre littérature de science-fiction et nouveaux médias en France, à l'aube du régime numérique de consommation des fictions de masse. À partir de ce domaine et de cette période d'étude, cette thèse envisage l'intermédialité dans la science-fiction française comme construction historique et discursive produite par les acteurs, lieu de négociation des représentations du genre et de ses conflits de définition, par rapport au domaine américain, à la question industrielle et à la figure de l'auteur. Elle en identifie trois moments historiques, en comprenant le terme moment dans son sens temporel de « durée » comme dans son sens physique de « mesure d'une dynamique en synchronie ». Ce parcours historique des formes et des discours de l'intermédialité dégage les lignes évolutives du « macro-texte » français (Bréan), en montrant comment il se positionne par rapport aux logiques du « mega-text » (Broderick). Il conduit, dans un deuxième temps, à interroger comment les romans, les bandes dessinées, les dessins animés, les films et les jeux vidéo font science-fiction par rapport à cet ancrage culturel, du point de vue sémiotique, cognitif et narratif. Les modalités sémiotiques de l'effet-SF sont clarifiées par la distinction entre étrangetés de monde (novums) et étrangetés de forme (estrangement), toutes deux dépendantes de déterminations architextuelles médiatiques et génériques. La relecture des propositions de Suvin permet ainsi de construire une grille d'analyse intermédiatique de la poétique culturelle du genre. Le novum visuel fait l'objet d'une enquête spécifique, pour être ensuite confronté aux leviers verbaux de l'étrangeté et pour envisager une intersémiotique narrative du genre dans les médias plurisémiotiques (bande dessinée, cinéma, animation, jeu vidéo). Le troisième temps de la thèse fait passer au niveau des mondes, pour considérer l'articulation des étrangetés non plus dans une œuvre, mais entre des œuvres de médias différents ayant en partage une même fiction. En discutant notamment le concept de transfictionnalité (Saint-Gelais) et les travaux de Besson et de Letourneux sur les univers fictionnels contemporains massivement transmédiatiques, on distingue quatre dynamiques intermédiatiques de construction de monde (monde à bâtir, monde à varier, monde en hélice et monde à jouer). Il s'agit de cibler la spécificité du biotope français en matière d'« effet-monde » science-fictionnel, mais aussi de proposer des modèles utiles à l'analyse d'autres réalités culturelles.

The PhD thesis "Desarrollo y aplicación de herramientas de valoración de riesgos tecnológicos en centrales nucleares españolas a partir de la técnica de Análisis Probabilista de Seguridad" results from the research projects carried out between the Nuclear Engineering Research group, which belongs to UPC's Divisió d'Enginyeria Nuclear, and one of the operator companies of Spanish nuclear power plants during the period of 2013-2017. Both the Secretaria de Recerca i Universitats of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Ministerio de Econom ía, Industria y Competitividad of the Spanish government are also participants because they have awarded grants for the development of the projects herein presented. The main objective of this PhD thesis is to delve into the field of the risk-informed applications used in nuclear power plants, putting forward, developing, and testing new tools that allow a more detailed awareness and evaluation of nuclear power plants risks so that nuclear power plants can be operation and maintenance safely. For that purpose, the first part of this thesis presents the state of the art of risk-informed applications and their role in the frame of nuclear safety. The second part of the thesis presents the development and results analysis of a pilot probabilistic safety assessment for an independent spent fuel storage installation, which is devoted to store nuclear spent fuel. This assessment, which is pioneer in the Spanish nuclear industry, analyzes the installation's response to abnormal events, and allows to quantify the risk related to the occurrence of an undesired consequence in this installation. Moreover, this part of the thesis presents a novel contribution to the field of human reliability analysis as applied to probabilistic safety assessment in the form of the development of a human reliability analysis methodology applicable to the storage installation handling operations. It is concluded that the contribution of the storage installation to the risk of radionuclide emission of the whole plant is virtually nonexistent. The third part of the thesis presents the development and application of methodologies and tools derived from fire probabilistic safety assessments whose purpose is to introduce the evaluation of the fire induced risk in the decision-making processes devoted to the configuration of systems, structures, and components in nuclear power plants. Historically, the assessment of the fire induced risk had been either carried out qualitatively or belittled mainly because of the late evolution of the fire induced risk quantitative assessment techniques. In consequence, the tools presented in this thesis are a novel contribution to the field of risk-informed decision making since they provide a quantitative evaluation of the fire induced risk by means of a fire probabilistic safety assessment. Two matrix-shaped novel tools are described and applied to the real case of a Spanish nuclear power plant. The use of these tools demonstrates that number of elements who are significant to the fire induced risk of the plant is small. The projects presented in this PhD thesis as well as others developed through the period 2013-2017 have presented in national and international conferences and have been published in international indexed journals. ; La tesi doctoral "Desarrollo y aplicación de herramientas de valoración de riesgos tecnológicos en centrales nucleares españolas a partir de la técnica de Análisis Probabilista de Seguridad" es producte dels projectes d'investigació portats a terme pel Nuclear Engineering Research Group, que pertany a la Divisió d'Enginyeria Nuclear de l'UPC, i una de les empreses operadores de centrals nuclears espanyoles durant el període 2013-2017. També són partícips d'aquesta tesi doctoral tant la Secretaria de Recerca i Universitats de la Generalitat de Catalunya com el Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad del Gobierno de España per prestar financiació per al desenvolupament dels treballs aquí exposats. El principal objectiu d'aquesta tesi doctoral és el de profunditzar al camp de les aplicacions informades pel risc utilitzades a centrals nuclears, proposant, desenvolupant, i provant noves eines que permetin conèixer i valorar amb més detall els riscos associats a les mateixes per a que les centrals nuclears puguin seguir sent operades i mantingudes de forma segura. Per donar compliment a aquest objectiu, la primera part de la tesi presenta l'estat de l'art de les aplicacions informades pel risc i la seva implicació en el marc de la seguretat nuclear. La segona part de la tesi presenta el desenvolupament i anàlisi de resultats d'un model pilot d'anàlisi probabilista de seguretat d'un magatzem temporal individualitzat, que es tracta d'una instal·lació d'emmagatzematge de combustible nuclear gastat. Aquest model, que es pioner en el marc de la industria nuclear espanyola, permet analitzar la resposta de la instal·lació davant de successos anormals, i permet quantificar el risc associat a la ocurrència d'una conseqüència no desitjada en aquesta instal·lació. A més, en una contribució novell al camp de l'anàlisi de fiabilitat humana per l'anàlisi probabilista de seguretat, aquesta part de la tesi doctoral presenta el desenvolupament d'una metodologia d'anàlisi de fiabilitat humana que és aplicable a les operacions a portar a terme al context concret d'un magatzem temporal individualitzat. En aquesta part de la tesi es conclou que la contribució del risc del magatzem temporal individualitzat al total del risc de la central nuclear és pràcticament nul·la. La tercera part de la tesi presenta el desenvolupament i aplicació de metodologies i eines, generades mitjançant un anàlisi probabilista de seguretat d'incendis, per incorporar el risc induït per incendis a les pràctiques habituals de presa de decisions al respecte de configuracions de sistemes, components, i estructures, a centrals nuclears. Històricament, la valoració del risc induït per incendis s'ha portat a terme mitjançant metodologies qualitatives o s'ha menyspreat a causa de, principalment, l'evolució tardana de les metodologies quantitatives d'anàlisi de riscos induïts per incendis. Per tant, les eines i metodologies presentades són una contribució novell al camp de la presa de decisions informada pel risc doncs proporcionen una valoració quantitativa del risc d'incendis mitjançant l'eina que suposa l'APS d'incendis. Es proposen i descriuen dues eines novells, en forma de matriu, que s'apliquen al cas real d'una central nuclear espanyola. L'aplicació d'aquestes eines ha conclòs que tot element amb impacte sobre el risc induït per incendis d'aquesta central està localitzat en un grup reduït d'equips, sistemes contra incendis, i zones d'incendi. Els treballs presentats en aquesta tesi doctoral, així com altres desenvolupats durant el període 2013-2017, han estat difosos a diversos congressos nacionals e internacionals, i han estat motiu d'articles de revista internacional i indexada. ; Postprint (published version)

The buildings of Kyiv until 1917 are the object of research. Formation of buildings and dominants in planning structure of Kyiv is the subject of research. The reasons and the specifics of the formation of Kyiv until 1917 are as a sacral center with a dominant religious function is the purpose of the study. The analysis of the construction activity in the territory of Kyiv in each period of history and the comparison of the results of the activity are the research methods. The influence of historical events on the construction and architecture of temples in Kyiv was investigated earlier [1, 2]. The problem why Kyiv was formed as a sacred center was not considered. The history of Kyiv has its own specificity, which distinguishes the city from other settlements. The time until 1917 can be divided into three major periods. Each of these periods has its own uniqueness and is different from others. This distribution may not coincide with the generally accepted due to the importance of local events that have influenced construction activities. Periods of buildings and development of Kyiv are Kyivan Rus, Lithuanian-Polish and Russian Empire. Each of them had a time when the city was actively developing, and the time of destruction from natural disasters, epidemics, internecine wars and attacks of foreign armies. It is because of this that a certain character of the Kyiv city structure has developed. The culture of Kyivan Rus was based on the Orthodox religion. Education, cultural life developed around temples and monasteries. The production of goods was either at home or in churches and monasteries. There were few public buildings in Kyiv. The architectural dominant in building should be the main object, stand out by forms and height, and attract people. Other public buildings and places in Kyiv could not compete with temples. The temples were the most important; they had a unique image, a considerable height. Orthodox monasteries, cathedrals and churches were dominant in Kyiv during the years of Kyivan Rus. Religious life and religious events, cultural life, studies, most of the production of goods, management of the country's prince in most were concentrated in the main temples of the city. The temples carried many functions and were the main buildings in Kyiv. Catholicism was a state religion in Lithuania and Poland. The city developed poorly in the Lithuanian-Polish period. Public buildings were erected little. Lithuanian princes banned the construction of Orthodox churches, but built Catholic temples. At the end of the period, the Kyiv Orthodox Metropolitan was able to reconstruct many destroyed temples that remained from the time of Kyivan Rus. Orthodoxy with the center in Moscow was a state religion in Russia. Emperors in Russia believed that their Orthodox Church began from Kyiv and the period of Kyivan Rus. The Russian Empire honored Kyiv as a sacred city and built many Orthodox churches from small to large. Circuses, theaters, shops, museums, universities, management and business buildings, military buildings began to be built in the city only in the late 19th century. Buildings were placed on a red line, and therefore they did not stand out from the buildings. The temples continued to be dominant in the buildings. Thus, the domination of religious buildings remained during the history of the city until 1917. Row buildings were in Kyiv except dominants. It was a large part of the city. Various residential buildings were a typical building in Kyivan Rus. Peasants lived in poor homes − dugouts and anointed huts. In the cities there were more expensive houses − two-storeyed, from trunks of trees, with utility rooms. Kyiv was the capital of the state, a rich city. It is located in the forest zone. In Kyiv, wood was used as building material for defensive and residential buildings. That is why in the times of Kyivan Rus, the typical building in the city was a wooden two-story building. These were reinforced feudal farms with many buildings and facilities for owners, servants, domestic animals and production of goods. During the Lithuanian-Polish period, the city did not develop; therefore, anointed huts appeared in Kyiv. They differed from home in the village because they had a small plot. One and two-story brick houses and mansions were built with the development of the city. Such a building was characteristic of Kyiv almost to the beginning of the 20th century. Profitable seven-story houses began to be built in the city only at the end of the 19th century because of the city's suffering from natural disasters, wars and politics. They were built to rent a house. Considerable height, large forms and domes distinguished the temples over low residential and public buildings. The relief on which the city was located influenced the formation of the buildings and general plan as well. Kyiv is located because of the need for defense on a large number of hills with steep slopes and deep depressions between them. Construction technologies at that time allowed the construction of more or less flat areas. Slopes with periodic landslides remained uninhabited. Therefore, the forms of the hills of Kyiv completely controlled the directions of development and forms of the general plan, the location of areas and settlements. Ancient temples and monasteries served not only cultural centers. They were defensive complexes with fortified walls around the area of the monastery or temple. Most of the temples and monasteries were located on high hills, so that it was easier to defend themselves from the enemy. When the guests drove to Kyiv, they saw golden domes of temples at the top of the hills from a great distance. Golden domes among the green trees on the tops of the hills impressed guests with beauty. Kyiv has become a sacred city due to several factors. History has influenced the significant development of the sacred function. Sacral function and temples were important in the city during the times of Kyivan Rus. Then the city almost did not develop and the temples retained the dominant role in the buildings. Their number has become larger thanks to the Russian Empire. When other buildings began to be built in the city, the methods of building the city preserved the domination of the temples. The location of the temples on the hills made an unforgettable impression on the guests of the city.

The importance of professionalism in the field of medicine in Nepal is highlighted worryingly often in the terrifying news articles that shower the public with accounts of malpractice and unprofessional behaviour, contributing to the growing rift between patients and medical professionals. We need to look back at our undergraduate and post graduate training program to try to answer two very important but often overlooked questions : Whether professionalism has been sufficiently integrated in Medical Education or not and if yes, is the mode of delivery of this concept efficient enough?More importantly, are we assessing this important competency and are we making sure that it is being acquired by our doctors? The focus on professionalism in medicine, and medical education, has developed in response to possible malevolence towards patients on the part of doctors that are inept in dealing with the humanities of medicine.Professionalism has six important inbuilt elements viz. altruism, accountability, duty, honour or integrity, excellence and respect for others. The physician–patient relationship is the reflection of professionalism and it is central to the delivery of high-quality medical care; it has been shown to affect patient satisfaction as well as a variety of other biological, psychological and social outcomes.1 All these professional behaviours and attitudes must be developed during the acquisition of medical education. Hence, it is crucial to make sure that the medical graduates are well aware of, and meet the principles of professional practice i.e. maintaining good clinical practice, successful relationship with patients/parents and effective team work with colleagues.Yes, professionalism has always been a backbone of medical education. Since the earliest days of medical practices, the professionalism of a doctor has been valued almost as much as their intellect. So, medical education has always gone hand in hand with the principles of professionalism. Throughout medical education, professionalism has been taught almost exclusively through faculty role modelling but with the advancements of medical education, it seems almost irresponsible to leave the inculcation of professionalism at such primitive standards. Medical institutions can no longer rely on the intuition of their faculty to instil professionalism solely through their actions. It is now up to medical institutions to apply standardised methods to adequately gauge professionalism in their students. It is now up to us to absolutely guarantee that professionalism has not only been taught but actually instilled in our students. It is high time that professionalism becomes an integral part of the curriculum.Medicine is a community based discipline. Without a sound doctor/patient relationship in the society, neither the patient nor the doctor can get his/her point across. Communication is of paramount importance in medicine and is the essence of diagnosis and treatment. A community that isn't compliant to and supportive of medical professionals further exacerbates the existing insufficiencies in the health of the society. This worrying trend is a red flag for emerging medical educationists and curriculum designers around the nation. Without early intervention in the foundations of medical education in our nation, we risk tarnishing the reputation that the medical profession has garnered because of the social goodwill associated with it. Appropriate attitude, aptitude and knowledge are all equally important aspects that a physician must posses. Professionalism should be viewed at three different levels. At individual level attributes, capacities and behaviours are considered. The next consideration is interpersonal domain that focusses on teacher student interactions in different contexts. Professionalism is implied at societal and institutional level where notions such as social responsibility and morality but also political agendas and economic imperatives reside. Furthermore, there are interactions amongst these all three domains/levels. For example, an individual's professional behaviour may be influenced by the context; similarly, the individual within an institution may influence its collective professional values to the others.2Teaching professionalism: It is quite a difficult task. The question "How to teach professionalism in medical school?" is even more difficult to answer. There is no concrete method nor is there a blueprint to a sure fire solution. Role modelling and mentoring are important ways of imparting concept of professionalism during medical training but these merely are not enough to guarantee results. Thus, professionalism must be integrated directly into the syllabus for there to be a noticeable change. There is a need for didactic lectures too. Although they may seem primitive, a didactic lecture on professionalism will give medical students something to think about. Without cognitive stimulation on a certain topic, it sometimes becomes harder to grasp, no matter the amount of role models they may be surrounded by. In years one and two of undergraduate training, medical ethics, importance of professionalism, related laws can be taught as a cognitive component. In year three and four, the application part could be taught as case presentations, reflections and portfolio. During internship and post graduation, it should be through more complicated cases and through journal clubs. Assessment of professionalism: For the immense significance that professionalism possesses in medical education, the assessment hasn't followed suit. Merely including professionalism in the syllabus is not nearly enough. Research has shown that 'that which is not assessed is never learnt.' Therefore it is extremely essential for appropriate assessment tools to be integrated in the curriculum that can gauge the professionalism of our medical students. Professionalism should be assessed longitudinally right from the beginning until internship period and even beyond. It requires combinations of different approaches and at different levels including but not limited to professionalism at individual, interpersonal and institutional/societal levels. Some of the components of professionalism are related to the inherent personality traits. Assessment of these traits (cognitive, personality, behaviours) prior to admission may be relevant to later professionalism aspect of the medical graduates. There are several assessment tools like observed clinical encounter (Mini-CEX, P-MEX), collated views of co-workers (360 degree evaluation), records of incidents of professional lapses (incident reporting form), simulations (cases with ethical dilemma) and patient surveys (patient assessment questionnaire).3Without professionalism we cannot call ourselves professionals. It seems that nowadays, many of us are really not. There is a huge lack of professionalism in medical education right now, and this must change if we are to continue to produce true medical professionals. What we need now is an absolute paradigm shift in our attitudes towards the ethical competency of our medical practitioners and focus on the ethical side of our education system as well as the technical side.

Organised in collaboration with Ruth Collingwood and Monica Sajeva from the LCC Library. To mark the 50th anniversary of '1968', a year of global protest and unrest, the Design Activism Research Hub (DARH) is staging an exhibition/intervention in the LCC Library with related events for UAL students and staff during the month of May. (See below for details and dates.) 1968 was the year that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated and of riots in over a hundred US cities. It was the year that two winning US athletes made a silent protest at the Mexico Olympics medal ceremony with the 'black power' salute, an image that ricocheted around the world. It was the year that Soviet Russian troops invaded Czechoslovakia bringing an end to the 'Prague Spring' as well as of the 'Tet Offensive' which seriously undermined the US's ill fated and barbarous war in Vietnam. And of course it was the year of the 'events of May' – the extraordinary student and worker uprisings in France — with their proliferation of graffiti and radical posters produced in occupied art school studios (Atelier Populaire). It is often these that are the focus for anniversaries of 1968, especially in the context of visual communication. However the focus of the DARH exhibit is London. It was a time of a growing radical ferment in this city too, ranging from protests about the Vietnam War and Britain's complicity with apartheid regimes in Southern Africa, to myriad forms of activism around urgent home grown issues: housing, racism and workers struggles. And there was student revolt in London too with occupations at LSE, Croydon and Hornsey School of Art, as well as the formation of 'revolutionary' student organisations and 'anti-universities'. London's black power movement was gathering ground with new groups, publications and protests. 1968 was also the year of the Conservative MP Enoch Powell's infamous 'Rivers of Blood' speech, which gave succor to the already endemic racism in Britain — and ever more reason to organise against it. (The Labour Government responded to Powell's sentiments with Commonwealth Immigration Act 1968). The London Squatters Campaign was born in 1968, the harbinger of a movement that would grow exponentially in the 1970s. Tenant activism was on the rise with huge marches and rent strikes. (1968 was also year of the Ronan Point collapse, a newly built social housing tower block in Newham). Localism became one of the new radicalisms. 1968 was just one year after homosexuality had been 'decriminalized', and the slow respectable campaigning for legal rights would soon be challenged by the more radical analysis and approach of the Gay Liberation Front. A Women's Liberation Movement was on the brink of emergence. This swell of diverse activism, only hinted at above, generated numerous pamphlets, leaflets, newssheets and posters, produced by whatever means available: duplicators, offset litho, screen printing and which contributed to the diverse alternative radical culture of the time. It was the year that the London listings magazine Time Out magazine started (which had a dedicated section for 'agitation') as well as when the radical newspaper Black Dwarf was launched. New radical and community activist printing shops were set up, such as Poster Workshop in Camden Town and Notting Hill Press in west London. Agit-Prop was formed, a radical information service which also did street theatre as the Agit-Prop Street Players. There were activist film groups in London too, such as Cinema Action, Amber and the Angry Arts Society (See below for details of 68 film night: Agitate-Propagate-Reel!). Print culture though was especially crucial to the dissemination of information, arguments and rallying cries. Recall it was pre internet, social media, and the wide spread availability of video recorders! The exhibition will display a range of this material including pamphlets, magazines, books and newspapers loaned from Bishopsgate Archives, the Feminist Library and from DARH members own collections. These will be shown in the glass display cases on the library bridge. Copies of some of these items as well as more contemporary materials will be available for browsing in the central area in front of the library reception desk. Library staff will be showing a selection of related stock items and DARH have created a series of 'shelf interventions' to highlight further sources within the library. The exhibition coincides with the release of the first book about the above mentioned Poster Workshop who operated between 1968-71. Their posters provide a near index of social and political struggles of the period and we will be displaying some reproductions, alongside other posters produced in a workshop for students led by members of the Propagate Collective. This display will be along the main right wall as you enter the library. (Here we will also show one of Cinema Action's films, GEC). To celebrate the publication of Poster Workshop's book, we are hosting a 'mini' launch and Q&A with ex-members for LCC and UAL staff and students in the library. Copies of the book will be on sale at the event. Agitate-Propagate-68! Exhibition Opening and Poster Workshop, 1968-71 Book Launch Thursday 3 May 2018, LCC library, 5.30 – 7.30pm 5.30pm: Exhibition opening and tour 6pm: Poster Workshop book launch and Q&A (The exhibition runs from 1 to 31 May 2018) Agitate-Propagate-Reel! Thursday 24 May, MLG06A, LCC, 6 – 8pm 1968 themed film night co-organised by Screen School PhD candidate Mario Hamad, more information to follow but it is promised to include a screening of Cinétracts (1968) on a 16mm film projector. STUDENT WORKSHOPS: Agitate-Propagate-Print! Wednesday 2 May This is a limited number sign-up screen-printing poster workshop for students on BA/MA Graphics and Illustration courses (now full). The workshop will be run by members of Propagate Collective, with ex-members of Poster Workshop joining in. It will take inspiration from the political visuals and techniques of the late 1960s ad-hoc protest poster making that spread across many parts of the globe at the time, notably in France in the Atelier Populaires set up in occupied art school studios, but also in the Camden basement of the above mentioned Poster Workshop. The most successful posters produced will form part of the display in the library. This workshop is supported by a SEEF Award. Agitate-Propagate-Read! Tuesday 22 May 2.00-3.30pm Ruth Collingwood and Monica Sajevo from the LCC library team will be running a student workshop with publications from the exhibition and the library's extensive zine collection. Further information to follow.

Aldao, J. (2018). Entre la identidad ferroviaria y el peronismo. Transformaciones ideológico-simbólicas en el mundo sindical ferroviario durante los años del primer peronismo (1943-1955). (Tesis de posgrado). Bernal, Argentina : Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. ; La presente tesis es un estudio del sindicato de la Unión Ferroviaria (U.F.) durante los años de formación del peronismo. El sindicato del riel, el más importante del país desde la década del 20 y el sindicato hegemónico en la C.G.T. desde su creación en 1930, es ampliamente reconocido como un artífice indispensable en el proceso de conformación del peronismo. Las principales fuentes documentales para recrear la vida institucional del sindicato fueron el periódico oficial, el Obrero Ferroviario, y los libros de actas de la Comisión Administrativa. En primer lugar, se realizó una lectura crítica de los principales estudios sobre movimiento obrero y primer peronismo, destacando la saturación del paradigma analítico que subyace en estos trabajos, marcados por la discusión en torno a las problemáticas vieja/nueva guardia sindical y autonomía/heteronomía de la clase obrera respecto al gobierno peronista. A continuación, elaboramos un marco teórico que sustenta dos ejes de análisis, el aspecto identitario de los ferroviarios y el complejo de prácticas e instituciones en que se desarrollan las luchas sindicales. El primero, orientado por la última teoría de formación del populismo de Ernesto Laclau (2005), indaga en el proceso por el cual una identidad específica, la ferroviaria, se articula y habilita el proceso de identificación política con el peronismo. El segundo eje, orientado por la teoría de los campos de Pierre Bourdieu, analiza el modo en que los ferroviarios, agentes dotados de saberes y prácticas que se valorizan en estos años, se desempeñan en el nuevo campo sindical. El desarrollo de la tesis comienza con dos capítulos que se superponen temporalmente (1943-1947) pero desarrollan los dos ejes de análisis por separado, el proceso de articulación y las tensiones que se producen en el modo particular en que los ferroviarios se identifican con el peronismo y el efecto que la formación del nuevo campo sindical tuvo sobre las prácticas y las estrategias de acción de los dirigentes sindicales. El último capítulo desarrolla la vida institucional y político-sindical del gremio en el período que va desde la nacionalización de los ferrocarriles hasta las huelgas ferroviarias, con un seguimiento de las consecuencias de la misma (1947-1952). Entre los principales aportes de la tesis destacamos el de ser un análisis de las prácticas sindicales durante el peronismo, más allá de sus años formativos. En el aspecto identitario, se destaca un análisis que pone el foco en la tensión entre la identidad ferroviaria y el peronismo, constituyéndose la misma en un factor explicativo de las huelgas ferroviarias que inician a fines de 1950, en un contexto de hegemonía peronista en el gremio. En el abordaje que se enfoca en la dinámica ferroviaria en el campo sindical, se caracteriza una dirigencia sindical ferroviaria que, aunque plenamente identificada con el peronismo, toma partido tanto en la conflictividad política interna como en las luchas dentro del campo sindical y por mantener la autonomía relativa del mismo, destacando el peso del sindicato en la C.G.T. y las disputas que llevan a los ferroviarios, en ocasiones, a contraponerse a las estrategias políticas del propio gobierno. ; This thesis is a study of the union of the Union Ferroviaria (U.F.) during the formative years of Peronism. The rail union, the most important in the country since the 1920s and the hegemonic trade union in C.G.T. since its creation in 1930, is widely recognized as an indispensable artifice in the process of conformation of Peronism. The main documentary sources for recreating the institutional life of the union were the official newspaper, the Railway Worker, and the minutes books of the Administrative Commission. In the first place, a critical read ing of the main studies on labor movement and first Peronism was made, highlighting the saturation of the analytical paradigm that underlies these works, marked by the discussion about old / new trade union guard and autonomy / heteronomy of the working class with respect to the Peronist government. Next, we elaborate a theoretical framework that supports two axes of analysis, the identity aspect of the railway workers and the complex of practices and institutions in which the union struggles are developed. The first, guided by Ernesto Laclau's latest theory of populism (2005), investigates the process by which a specific identity, the railroad, articulates and enables the process of political identification with Peronism. The second axis, guided by the field theory of Pierre Bourdieu, analyzes the way in which the railways, agents endowed with knowledge and practices that are valued in these years, work in the new trade union field. The development of the thesis begins with two chapters that overlap temporarily (1943-1947) but develop the two axes of analysis separately, the process of articulation and the tensions that occur in the particular way in which the railway identify with the Peronism and the effect that the formation of the new trade union field had on the practices and strategies of action of the union leaders. The last chapter develops the institutional and political-union life of the union in the period from the nationalization of the railways to the railway strikes, with a follow-up of the consequences of it (1947-1952). Among the main contributions of the thesis we highlight that of being an analysis of the union practices during the Peronism, beyond its formative years. In the identity aspect, an analysis that emphasizes the tension between the railway identity and the Peronism stands out, being the same an explanatory factor of the rail strikes that begin at the end of 1950, in a context of eronist hegemony in the guild. In the approach that focuses on railroad dynamics in the trade union field, a railroad union leadership is characterized that, although fully identified with Peronism, takes sides both in the internal political conflict and in the struggles within the trade union field and to maintain the relative autonomy of the same, highlighting the weight of the union in the C.G.T. and the disputes that sometimes lead railroaders to oppose the government's own political strategies.

Syrien ist ein Land, das viele politische und wirtschaftliche Veränderungen (insb. in der künftigen Wiederaufbauphase) erlebt. Relevant sind sicherlich zahlreiche Umweltfragen und -herausforderungen. Somit sind Prüfungen verfügbarer Umweltvorsorge- bzw. Umweltschutzinstrumente und deren Effektivität von größter Bedeutung. Die UVP wurde in Syrien in der ersten Hälfte der 90er-Jahre eingeführt, danach jedoch sehr langsam entwickelt, so dass sie z.B. erst seit 2008 mit den UVP-Ausführungsbestimmungen verbunden ist. Außerdem sind Literatur und wissenschaftliche Beiträge über die UVP in Syrien leider sehr begrenzt und decken nicht alle Themen und Aspekte ab. Die vorliegende Arbeit beleuchtet eingehend den derzeitigen rechtlichen und institutionellen sowie praktischen Zustand der UVP in Syrien im Vergleich zu Deutschland. Dafür wurde auf die relevante Literatur zurückgegriffen und Kontakt mit zuständigen Behörden aufgenommen. Weiterhin wurden die erhaltenen UVP-Fallstudien für verschiedene Vorhabenstypen (insb. für Zementanlagen) deskriptiv vergleichend analysiert und bewertet. Die Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Arbeit zeigen, dass das UVP-System in Syrien theoretisch eine befriedigende bzw. gute Effektivität besitzt, da es einen Großteil der vierzehn von Wood 2003 entwickelten Bewertungskriterien erfüllt. Trotzdem gibt es viele Schwachpunkte und Lücken im syrischen UVP-Recht (z.B. sind einige Schutzgüter und Begriffsbestimmungen fehlend; es gibt keine Vorschriften über Behördenbeteiligung und über grenzüberschreitende UVP sowie keine zusätzlichen Rechtsgrundlagen der UVP, wie Standards für menschliche Gesundheit und Landschaft sowie Gesetzgebungen zum Bodenschutz). Aus institutioneller Sicht leiden das Umweltministerium und die vierzehn Umweltdirektionen in den Provinzen als die zuständigen Behörden für die UVP in Syrien unter vielen fachlichen und organisatorischen Problemen (z.B. Personal- und Fachkräftemangel, Mangel an Umweltinformationen, fehlende Zusammenarbeit, Mangel an UVP-Integration in bestehender Entscheidungsfindung, begrenzte Anzahl von nichtfachspezifischen Umweltverbänden, sehr junge akademische Ausbildung im Bereich der UVP, Mangel an UVP-Experten, unzureichende Umweltberatungsunternehmen). Es ist zudem statistisch belegt, dass die Schwerpunkte der UVP in Syrien sowohl im Bereich von Baustoffvorhaben (einschl. Zementanlagen) als auch in den Kategorien der Nahrungs-, Genuss- und Futtermittel sowie der landwirtschaftlichen Erzeugnisse zu finden sind. Andererseits ist die Qualität einer UVS sowie eines gesamten UVP-Verfahren in Syrien nicht gut und fast nur als ausreichend anzusehen, da jeweils nur teilweise die fachlichen Anforderungen der guten Praxis anhand eines aus internationaler Literatur abgeleiteten Kriterien-Sets erfüllt sind. Der UVS in Syrien fehlen u.a. häufig detaillierte Angaben über Flora, Fauna und biologische Vielfalt sowie über die sozio-kulturelle Umwelt; weiterhin die quantitative Beschreibung einiger Schutzgüter (z.B. Luft und Böden) sowie der Umweltauswirkungen wegen nicht vorhandener benötigter Geräte und Methoden; die Berechnung von kumulativen Auswirkungen; die Prüfung von Alternativen; die Berücksichtigung weiterer Schutzgüter (z.B. Wechselwirkungen zwischen den Schutzgütern, Biotoptypen und Lebensräume); die Beschreibung der verwendeten Methoden zur Auswirkungsprognose und deren Auswahlgründe. So legt die vorliegende Arbeit ausführlich das Vollzugsdefizit der UVP in Syrien und seine Bestandteile (das Rechtsdefizit, das Institutionalisierung- und Professionalisierungsdefizit sowie das Praxisdefizit) fest. Sie stellt anschließend zahlreiche Empfehlungen und Maßnahmen zur Reform jedes o.g. Defizites und für jeden UVP-Schritt vom Screening bis zum Monitoring dar (z.B. Durchführung notwendiger UVP-rechtlicher Änderungen und Fort- bzw. Weiterbildungen, Errichtung eines UVP-Dokumentenzentrums und vierzehn Webseiten der Umweltdirektionen, Gründung einer nationalen UVP-Gesellschaft, Entwicklung von Checklisten zur Prüfung und Kontrolle der Qualität der UVP-Unterlagen (insb. für den Scoping-Bericht und die UVS), Verlängerung des Zeitraums der Öffentlichkeitsbeteiligung, Bedarf an Transparenz durch Veröffentlichung aller Entscheidungen und Ergebnisse des durchzuführenden Monitorings, Erklärung der Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung). Schließlich bleibt die Frage, ob Syrien in Zukunft einen tatsächlichen politischen Willen zum einen zur Optimierung der UVP und zum anderen zur Einführung anderer Umweltprüfungen (z.B. die strategische Umweltprüfung) besitzt oder nicht. Sicherlich ist es jedoch "besser spät als nie". ; Syria is a country that is experiencing many political and economic changes (especially in the future reconstruction phase). Of course, many environmental issues and challenges are relevant. Thus, testing of available environmental precaution or environmental protection instruments and their effectiveness are of utmost importance. The EIA was introduced in Syria in the first half of the 1990s, but then developed very slowly, so that it could be used, for example, only since 2008 has been linked to the EIA Implementation Regulations. In addition, literature and scientific articles on the EIA in Syria are unfortunately very limited and do not cover all topics and aspects. The present work examines the current legal, institutional and practical status of the EIA in Syria compared to Germany. For this purpose, the relevant literature was used and contact was made with competent authorities. Furthermore, the obtained EIA case studies were descriptively analyzed and evaluated for different types of projects (especially for cement plants). The results of the present work show that the EIA system in Syria has theoretically a satisfactory or good efficiency, because it fulfills a large part of the fourteen evaluation criteria developed by Wood 2003. Nevertheless, there are many weaknesses and gaps in the Syrian EIA legislation (e.g. some protective goods and definitions are missing, there are no rules on involvement of authorities and crossborder EIA, no additional legal bases of the EIA, such as standards for human health and the landscape and legislation for soil protection). From an institutional point of view, the Ministry of the Environment and the fourteen environmental directorates in the provinces, as the competent authorities for the EIA in Syria, suffer from many technical and organizational problems (e.g. staff and skills shortages, lack of environmental information, lack of cooperation, lack of EIA integration in existing decision-making, limited number of non-specialized environmental organizations, very young academic training in the field of EIA, lack of EIA experts, inadequate environmental consulting firms). It is also statistically proven that the focuses of the EIA in Syria are to be found both in the field of building materials projects (including cement plants), as well as in the categories of foodstuffs, food and feed and agricultural products. On the other hand, the quality of an EIS as well as an entire EIA procedure in Syria is not good and can only be regarded as sufficient, because the technical requirements of the good practice are only partially fulfilled by means of a set of criteria derived from international literature. The EIS in Syria lacks among other things often detailed information on flora, fauna and biodiversity as well as on the socio-cultural environment; the quantitative description of some protective goods (e.g. air and soils) and the environmental impacts by reason of non-existent needed equipment and methods; the calculation of cumulative effects; the testing of alternatives; the consideration of further protective goods (e.g. interactions between the protective goods, biotope types and habitats); the description of the methods used for impact forecasting and their selection reasons. Thus the present work sets out in detail the implementation deficit of the EIA in Syria and its components (the legal deficit, the institutionalization and professionalization deficit as well as the practical deficit). It then presents numerous recommendations and measures for the reform of each of the abovementioned deficits and for each EIA step from screening to monitoring (e.g. implementation of necessary EIA amendments and further training, establishment of an EIA document center and fourteen websites of the Environmental Directorates, establishment of a national EIA society, development of checklists to review and control the quality of the EIA documents (in particular for the scoping report and the EIS), prolonging the period of public participation, need for transparency by publishing all decisions and results of the monitoring to be carried out, explanation of the right of appeal). Finally, the question remains as to whether or not Syria will in the future have an actual political will on the one hand to optimize the EIA and on the other hand to introduce other environmental assessments (e.g. Strategic Environmental Assessment). Certainly, however, it is "better late than never".

El presente ensayo analizó el modelo tributario colombiano y se enfocó en evaluar como la política fiscal del actual gobierno, mediante el gasto publico pretende potenciar el desarrollo de la nación, esto requirió de un análisis de la relación entre los contribuyentes y las políticas de desarrollo, ¿Cuál es su impacto y cómo repercute la acción del contribuyente en el desarrollo de un país? Este estudio tiene como metodología el análisis documental y comparativo, ya que parte del estudio tiene como base el análisis de modelos de otros países y su comparación con el colombiano, así mismo está presente en el estudio la evaluación de modelos económicos en la situación actual del país, que mediante un análisis cualitativo de la información permitió el desarrollo de la investigación, llegando a encontrar que elementos poco populares como la reforma tributaria tienen efectos positivos en la economía a mediano y corto plazo, dando lugar a el cambio de mentalidad sobre el uso de la política fiscal como elemento impulsador del desarrollo del país, este estudio permitirá identificar al modelo fiscal colombiano como un modelo no acorde a la estigmatización que posee, logrando también sorprender sobre la eficiencia del mismo en cuanto a contabilidad tributaria. El ensayo estará dividido en tres secciones temáticas y las conclusiones, en el primer capítulo se abordará la situación del país desde una perspectiva de la contabilidad tributaria, como se aplica en Colombia y como los modelos pueden responder a esta. En segunda instancia está el análisis de modelos de desarrollo económicos que se ajusten a la política de desarrollo del país y como los impuestos juegan un papel importante en este. En tercer lugar, está la comparación de los modelos tributarios de algunos países con el colombiano, logrando ver diferencias y similitudes basadas en las diferencias culturales. Las conclusiones que a modo retrospectivo estarán enfocadas en los hallazgos de la política fiscal colombiana y el potencial que esta muestra, amparados en que se empiecen a dar cambios en la mentalidad colombiana logrando hacer algo de eco en la cultura tributaria de un país que en realidad lo necesita. La función de este ensayo es explicar los beneficios de una política tributaria en tiempos difíciles económicamente hablando para el país. Pero para eso se debe hacer frente al hecho de que los impuestos están estigmatizados como algo malo, ya que Colombia tiene un PIB per cápita no muy alto, lo que hace que el pagar impuestos afecten fuertemente en la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos, pero también es un objetivo de este escrito el hacer entender que a pesar de esto los impuestos contribuirán en el desarrollo del país económica y socialmente. Es aquí donde el análisis de la reforma tributaria junto con la situación del país permitirá identificar en que aspectos los impuestos favorecen a una nación mermada económicamente hablando, posteriormente se comparará el sistema tributario colombiano con otros países para identificar variables que puedan ayudar a concluir los efectos de los impuestos en la economía, logrando así un mensaje de cultura tributaria. ; RESUMEN 5 1. CONTABILIDAD TRIBUTARIA Y SU RELACIÓN CON LAS CUENTAS DE LA NACIÓN. 7 2. EL PAPEL DEL GASTO Y LOS IMPUESTOS COMO EJE DEL DESARROLLO. 9 3. MODELO TRIBUTARIO EN COLOMBIA Y LA RELACIÓN CON LA CULTURA. 10 4. CONCLUSIONES 15 5. BIBLIOGRAFIA 17 ; This essay analyzed the Colombian tax model and focused on evaluating how the fiscal policy of the real government, through public spending that seeks to enhance the development of the nation, requires an analysis of the relationship between taxpayers and policies development, ¿What is its impact and how does the action of the taxpayer affect the development of a country? This study has as a methodology the documentary and comparative analysis, since part of the study is based on the analysis of the models of other countries and their comparison with the Colombian, also is present in the study the evaluation of the economic models to the situation of the country, which through a qualitative analysis of the information allowed the development of research, finding unpopular elements such as the tax reform have positive effects on the economy in the medium and short term, resulting in the change of mentality about the use of fiscal policy as a driving force for the development of the country, this study makes it possible to identify the Colombian fiscal model as a model that is not in line with the stigmatization it possesses, while also surprising the effectiveness of it as a taxpayer in accounting. The essay has been divided into three thematic and conclusive sections, the first chapter addresses the situation of the country from a tax accounting perspective, as applied in Colombia and how the models can respond to this. In the second instance is the analysis of economic development models that fit the country's development policy and how taxes play an important role in this. Third, there is the comparison of the tax models of some countries with the Colombian, achieving differences and similarities based on cultural differences. The conclusions that are about to be focused on the findings of the Colombian fiscal policy and the potential of this sample, supported in that they begin to give changes in the Colombian mentality, being able to do something of echo in the tax culture of a country that in I really need it. The function of this essay is to explain the benefits of a tax policy in difficult times economically speaking for the country. But for that it must be faced with the fact that taxes are stigmatized as something bad, because Colombia has a PIB per capita not very high, which makes the pay taxes affect heavily on the quality of life of citizens, but it is also an objective of this writing to understand that despite this the taxes will contribute to the development of the country economically and socially. It is here that the analysis of the tax reform together with the situation of the country will allow to identify in which aspects the taxes favor to a nation economically depleted speaking, later the Colombian tax system will be compared with other countries To identify variables that can help to conclude the effects of taxation on the economy, thus achieving a message of tax culture. ; Pregrado

Each market and thus every economy thrives on growth. It is certainly indisputable that founders of new businesses in the sense of an entrepreneur can contribute to this growth through their activities. They are creating jobs, pay taxes and may help suppliers to gain new contracts. Unfortunately, it is not always made easy for entrepreneurs. The thesis "European Private Equity-Funds for Entrepreneurs and the Impact on Market Growth within the Boundaries of the European Union" is concerned with the unpleasant situation for entrepreneurs, that they often are unable to finance their idea, their start, because access to funds or financing through banks is often difficult or unavailable due to lack of securities. It follows an approach to facilitate access to funds for entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, banks are currently not passing the low interest rates on to entrepreneurs. In these cases, Private Equity funds can help. However, confusing and especially inconsistent tax regulations provide for the partial caution on the Private Equity market. For example, up until today there are different sales tax treatments of the management fees and hardly any uniform tax rates. The aspired tax harmonization so far is insufficient. Therefore, this work determines fiscal parameters optimized for tax purposes in such a way that it will become more clearly, for Private Equity companies to launch such a fund. This in turn, will indirectly grant entrepreneurs a better access to funds. This is based on the assumption that a tax-optimized fund, therewith meaning a uniform taxation, will create incentives for investors and investment companies to launch new funds, which in turn will be able to supply founders with money. In Chapter 1, therefore, the question is asked: Which countries of the European Union are, in regards to Venture Capital investments, measurably successful and share among each other such similarities that their conditions for optimized tax conditions may be taken in to consideration? Chapter 2 deals with the Private Equity concept whereas in basics three actors are involved in such a transaction. They are the investors, the Private Equity firms and the target company. Whereas the Private Equity firms launch the Private Equity fund and collect the money from the investors. That these companies play a prominent role in this construct is recognized by the fact that they are also responsible for the distribution of the money to the target companies. Furthermore, the economic significance of Private Equity in the European Union is being covered in this chapter. Thus, Private Equity is quite significantly involved in the gross domestic product throughout the EU. However, these figures also illustrate that still too little is being invested in such constructs. This happens even though the positive effects such as job creation are undisputed. In order to correctly classify this and to be able to determine the gross domestic product as the most important figure of this work at a later point, the neo-classical and Keynesian growth theories have been examined, whereas Keynes has certainly experienced a renaissance in the EU. The fundamental consideration and motivation for this work has been that entrepreneurs need to be helped. They have to have access to funding. However, the challenging legal framework and thus the tax classification partially obstruct the investment in new ideas. Chapter 3 deals with the legal framework of selected countries in the European Union. It discusses the AIFM Directive 2011/61/EU. Here, the countries of Austria, Luxembourg and Germany were considered in detail. This directive led to various discussions as to the tax legislation of the national states. However, it has been found that this directive hardly establishes obstacles in regards to fiscal issues. Only the consideration of whether the fund is a commercial or non-trading application can yet act detrimental. However, it could also be determined in that chapter that the taxation overall and thus also for Private Equity funds differs greatly throughout the countries of the EU. In Chapter 4, those countries of the EU are being determined, that are similar to each other in regards to their willingness to invest, applying a hierarchical cluster analysis with the parameters of Private Equity investments, Private Equity investments per capita, Venture Capital investments, Venture Capital investments per capita, the gross domestic product (GDP) and the GDP per capita. Thereafter, these parameters were supplemented by their corporate taxes to filter out groups still showing similarities to each other. The result of this selection by identifying similarities in their investment behavior while taking parameters such as corporate tax, the Purchasing Power Standard (PPS) and the Gross Domestic Product per capita into account, is that even countries exposed themselves, which certainly have not necessarily been outstandingly recognized prior to this study (see figure 2). Quite the opposite is the case. Economic giants like France and Germany are significantly vacating the top ranking positions. The selected countries – excluding Norway and Switzerland, which are not Member States of the European Union – in turn have been examined as to their tax parameters of capital gains taxes, withholding taxes and company taxes and their willingness to invest in Venture Capital. These were then summarized and each converted into a unitary tax rate. The calculation showed that with average tax rates of 14.29% capital gains tax, 14.60% withholding tax and a company tax of 22.89% an average per capita GDP of 53.720 euros and a PPS of 154.6 (the reference value is 100) can be expected. These tax rates are attended by an average willingness to invest in Venture Capital – the instrument so important to entrepreneurs – of the qualified countries of approximately 0.09% of the overall Gross Domestic Product. Thus, if all future foundation activities were based on the tax-efficient and fiscally unified "FONDS EUROPAEA", the markets of the national states of the European Union would in long term settle at a uniform per capita Gross Domestic Product - and thus for most resident of the Member States a significantly higher per capita GDP. The FONDS EUROPAEA initially serves the holding companies by offering them tax-optimized and simplified conditions. However, in the end it is eventually beneficial especially to entrepreneurs, whose financing problems would disappear based on the increased activities of the holding companies. ; Administración y Dirección de Empresas

Programa Oficial de Doutoramento en Tecnoloxías da Información e Comunicacións en Redes Móbiles . 5029P01 ; [Abstract] Reliable transport systems, defense, public safety and quality assurance in the Industry 4.0 are essential in a modern society. In a mission-critical scenario, a mission failure would jeopardize human lives and put at risk some other assets whose impairment or loss would significantly harm society or business results. Even small degradations of the communications supporting the mission could have large and possibly dire consequences. On the one hand, mission-critical organizations wish to utilize the most modern, disruptive and innovative communication systems and technologies, and yet, on the other hand, need to comply with strict requirements, which are very different to those of non critical scenarios. The aim of this thesis is to assess the feasibility of applying emerging technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and 4G broadband communications in mission-critical scenarios along three key critical infrastructure sectors: transportation, defense and public safety, and shipbuilding. Regarding the transport sector, this thesis provides an understanding of the progress of communications technologies used for railways since the implantation of Global System for Mobile communications-Railways (GSM-R). The aim of this work is to envision the potential contribution of Long Term Evolution (LTE) to provide additional features that GSM-R would never support. Furthermore, the ability of Industrial IoT for revolutionizing the railway industry and confront today's challenges is presented. Moreover, a detailed review of the most common flaws found in Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) based IoT systems is presented, including the latest attacks described in the literature. As a result, a novel methodology for auditing security and reverse engineering RFID communications in transport applications is introduced. The second sector selected is driven by new operational needs and the challenges that arise from modern military deployments. The strategic advantages of 4G broadband technologies massively deployed in civil scenarios are examined. Furthermore, this thesis analyzes the great potential for applying IoT technologies to revolutionize modern warfare and provide benefits similar to those in industry. It identifies scenarios where defense and public safety could leverage better commercial IoT capabilities to deliver greater survivability to the warfighter or first responders, while reducing costs and increasing operation efficiency and effectiveness. The last part is devoted to the shipbuilding industry. After defining the novel concept of Shipyard 4.0, how a shipyard pipe workshop works and what are the requirements for building a smart pipe system are described in detail. Furthermore, the foundations for enabling an affordable CPS for Shipyards 4.0 are presented. The CPS proposed consists of a network of beacons that continuously collect information about the location of the pipes. Its design allows shipyards to obtain more information on the pipes and to make better use of it. Moreover, it is indicated how to build a positioning system from scratch in an environment as harsh in terms of communications as a shipyard, showing an example of its architecture and implementation. ; [Resumen] En la sociedad moderna, los sistemas de transporte fiables, la defensa, la seguridad pública y el control de la calidad en la Industria 4.0 son esenciales. En un escenario de misión crítica, el fracaso de una misión pone en peligro vidas humanas y en riesgo otros activos cuyo deterioro o pérdida perjudicaría significativamente a la sociedad o a los resultados de una empresa. Incluso pequeñas degradaciones en las comunicaciones que apoyan la misión podrían tener importantes y posiblemente terribles consecuencias. Por un lado, las organizaciones de misión crítica desean utilizar los sistemas y tecnologías de comunicación más modernos, disruptivos e innovadores y, sin embargo, deben cumplir requisitos estrictos que son muy diferentes a los relativos a escenarios no críticos. El objetivo principal de esta tesis es evaluar la viabilidad de aplicar tecnologías emergentes como Internet of Things (IoT), Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) y comunicaciones de banda ancha 4G en escenarios de misión crítica en tres sectores clave de infraestructura crítica: transporte, defensa y seguridad pública, y construcción naval. Respecto al sector del transporte, esta tesis permite comprender el progreso de las tecnologías de comunicación en el ámbito ferroviario desde la implantación de Global System for Mobile communications-Railway (GSM-R). El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la contribución potencial de Long Term Evolution (LTE) para proporcionar características adicionales que GSM-R nunca podría soportar. Además, se presenta la capacidad de la IoT industrial para revolucionar la industria ferroviaria y afrontar los retos actuales. Asimismo, se estudian con detalle las vulnerabilidades más comunes de los sistemas IoT basados en Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID), incluyendo los últimos ataques descritos en la literatura. Como resultado, se presenta una metodología innovadora para realizar auditorías de seguridad e ingeniería inversa de las comunicaciones RFID en aplicaciones de transporte. El segundo sector elegido viene impulsado por las nuevas necesidades operacionales y los desafíos que surgen de los despliegues militares modernos. Para afrontarlos, se analizan las ventajas estratégicas de las tecnologías de banda ancha 4G masivamente desplegadas en escenarios civiles. Asimismo, esta tesis analiza el gran potencial de aplicación de las tecnologías IoT para revolucionar la guerra moderna y proporcionar beneficios similares a los alcanzados por la industria. Se identifican escenarios en los que la defensa y la seguridad pública podrían aprovechar mejor las capacidades comerciales de IoT para ofrecer una mayor capacidad de supervivencia al combatiente o a los servicios de emergencias, a la vez que reduce los costes y aumenta la eficiencia y efectividad de las operaciones. La última parte se dedica a la industria de construcción naval. Después de definir el novedoso concepto de Astillero 4.0, se describe en detalle cómo funciona el taller de tubería de astillero y cuáles son los requisitos para construir un sistema de tuberías inteligentes. Además, se presentan los fundamentos para posibilitar un CPS asequible para Astilleros 4.0. El CPS propuesto consiste en una red de balizas que continuamente recogen información sobre la ubicación de las tuberías. Su diseño permite a los astilleros obtener más información sobre las tuberías y hacer un mejor uso de las mismas. Asimismo, se indica cómo construir un sistema de posicionamiento desde cero en un entorno tan hostil en términos de comunicaciones, mostrando un ejemplo de su arquitectura e implementación.