Joan Mascaró i Fornés (1897-1987) fue filólogo, poeta, orientalista, profesor en la Universidad Cambridge y, sobretodo, traductor de la Bhagavad Gita, los Upanishads i el Dhammapada desde el sánscrito y pali al inglés. La tesis es una tesis bibliográfica centrada en la obra de Mascaró y que sistematiza en un solo documento gran variedad de obras dispersas y algunas de ellas inéditas. Pretende dar una visión de conjunto sobre su pensamiento y su relación con la filosofía oriental y sobretodo con las obras que tradujo.El interés de la tesis se centra en la actitud vital de Mascaró hacia la espiritualidad y el Yoga como herramienta para acceder a la aprehensión de la Verdad espiritual. La taxonomia que utiliza Mascaró en sus obras se basa en las palabras: Luz, Amor y Vida y la tesis pretende demostrar también su equivalencia con los términos Jñana, Bhakti y Karma Yogas.En la tesis se tratan además, desde la perspectiva de Mascaró, temas como el budismo, la unidad del fenómeno religioso, la educación, concepto de Karma, de Dharma y otros. / Joan Mascaró i Fornés (1897-1987) was philologist, poet, orientalist, professor at Cambridge University and, above all, the translator of The Bhagavad Gita, The Upanishads and The Dhammapada from Sanskrit and Pali into English. The thesis is bibliographical. It is centred in Mascaró's works, and it systematises a variety of disperses works, some of them unpublished in an only a document. It aspires to give a vision of his thoughts as a whole and their relationship with oriental philosophy and the works that he translated.The main interest of the thesis is Mascaró's vital attitude towards spirituality and Yoga as a tool to gain access to the apprehension of the spiritual Truth. Mascaró's taxonomy is based in the words: Light, Love and Life and the thesis aspires to prove their equivalence with the conceptions of Jñana, Bhakti and Karma Yogas. The Thesis also deals whith Mascaró's vision of Buddhism, the unity of religious phenomenon, education, the concepts of Karma and Dharma and others.

This case-control study involved a total of 29 autistic children (Au) aged 6 to 12 years, and 28 gender and age-matched typically developing children (TD). We evaluated a high number of peripheral oxidative stress parameters, erythrocyte and lymphocyte membrane functional features and membrane lipid composition of erythrocyte. Erythrocyte TBARS, Peroxiredoxin II, Protein Carbonyl Groups and urinary HEL and isoprostane levels were elevated in AU (confirming an imbalance of the redox status of Au); other oxidative stress markers or associated parameters (urinary 8-oxo-dG, plasma Total antioxidant capacity and plasma carbonyl groups, erythrocyte SOD and catalase activities) were unchanged, whilst peroxiredoxin I showed a trend of elevated levels in red blood cells of Au children. A very significant reduction of both erythrocyte and lymphocyte Na+, K+-ATPase activity (NKA), a reduction of erythrocyte membrane fluidity, a reduction of phospatydyl serine exposition on erythrocyte membranes, an alteration in erythrocyte fatty acid membrane profile (increase in MUFA and in ω6/ω3 ratio due to decrease in EPA and DHA) and a reduction of cholesterol content of erythrocyte membrane were found in Au compared to TD, without change in erythrocyte membrane sialic acid content and in lymphocyte membrane fluidity. Some Au clinical features appear to be correlated with these findings; in particular, hyperactivity score appears to be related with some parameters of the lipidomic profile and membrane fluidity, and ADOS and CARS score are inversely related to peroxiredoxin II levels. Oxidative stress and erythrocyte structural and functional alterations may play a role in the pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorders and could be potentially utilized as peripheral biomarkers.

CD99, glicoproteina di membrana codificata dal gene MIC2, è coinvolta in numerosi processi cellulari, inclusi adesione, migrazione, apoptosi, differenziamento e regolazione del trafficking intracellulare di proteine, in condizioni fisiologiche e patologiche. Nell’osteosarcoma risulta scarsamente espressa ed ha ruolo oncosoppressivo. L’isoforma completa (CD99wt) e l’isoforma tronca (CD99sh), deleta di una porzione del dominio intracellulare, influenzano in modo opposto la malignità tumorale. In questo studio, comparando cellule di osteosarcoma caratterizzate da differenti capacità metastatiche e diversa espressione di CD99, abbiamo valutato la modulazione dei contatti cellula-cellula, la riorganizzazione del citoscheletro di actina e la modulazione delle vie di segnalazione a valle del CD99, al fine di identificare i meccanismi molecolari regolati da questa molecola e responsabili del comportamento migratorio e invasivo delle cellule di osteosarcoma. L'espressione forzata di CD99wt induce il reclutamento di N-caderina e β-catenina a livello delle giunzioni aderenti ed inibisce l'espressione di molecole cruciali nel processo di rimodellamento del citoscheletro di actina, come ACTR2, ARPC1A, Rho-associated, coiled–coil-containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2), nonché di ezrina, membro della famiglia ezrin/radixin/moesin e chiaramente associata con la progressione tumorale e la metastatizzazione dell’OS. Gli studi funzionali identificano ROCK2 come mediatore fondamentale nella regolazione della migrazione e della diffusione metastatica dell’osteosarcoma. Mantenendo cSRC in una conformazione inattiva, CD99wt inibisce la segnalazione mediata da ROCK2 inducendo una diminuzione dell’ezrina a livello della membrana accompagnata dalla traslocazione in membrana di N-caderina e β-catenina, principali ponti molecolari per il citoscheletro di actina. La ri-espressione di CD99wt, generalmente presente negli osteoblasti, ma perso nelle cellule di osteosarcoma, attraverso l'inibizione dell'attività di cSrc e ROCK2, aumenta la forza di contatto e riattiva i segnali anti-migratori ostacolando l’azione pro-migratoria, altrimenti dominante, dell’ezrina nell’osteosarcoma. Abbiamo infine valutato la funzione di ROCK2 nel sarcoma di Ewing: nonostante il ruolo oncogenico esercitato da CD99, ROCK2 guida la migrazione cellulare anche in questa neoplasia. / CD99, a transmembrane protein encoded by MIC2 gene is involved in multiple cellular events including cell adhesion, migration, apoptosis, cell differentiation and regulation of protein trafficking either in physiological or pathological conditions. In osteosarcoma, CD99 is expressed at low levels and functions as a tumour suppressor. The full-length protein (CD99wt) and the short-form harbouring a deletion in the intracytoplasmic domain (CD99sh) have been associated with distinct functional outcomes with respect to tumour malignancy. In this study, we evaluated modulation of cell-cell contacts, reorganisation of the actin cytoskeleton and modulation of signalling pathways by comparing osteosarcoma cells characterised by different metastasis capabilities and CD99 expression, to identify molecular mechanisms responsible for metastasis. Our data indicate that forced expression of CD99wt induces recruitment of N-cadherin and β-catenin to adherens junctions and inhibits the expression of several molecules crucial to the remodelling of the actin cytoskeleton, such as ACTR2, ARPC1A, Rho-associated coiled–coil containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) as well as ezrin, an ezrin/radixin/moesin family member that has been clearly associated with tumour progression and metastatic spread in osteosarcoma. Functional studies point to ROCK2 as a crucial intracellular mediator regulating osteosarcoma migration and metastatic spread. By maintaining cSrc in an inactive conformation, CD99wt inhibits ROCK2 signalling and this leads to ezrin decrease at cell membrane while N-cadherin and β-catenin translocate to the plasma membrane and function as main molecular bridges for actin cytoskeleton. We propose that the re-expression of CD99wt, which is generally present in osteoblasts but lost in osteosarcoma, through inhibition of cSrc and ROCK2 activity, manages to increase contact strength and reactivate stop-migration signals that counteract the otherwise dominant promigratory action of ezrin in osteosarcoma cells. We also assessed ROCK2 function in Ewing sarcoma cells: despite the oncogenic role exerted by CD99 in these tumour cells, ROCK2 still drives cell migration.

La presente ricerca si propone di esaminare l’evoluzione del principio di solidarietà interstatale nell’ambito della politica di asilo europea. L’attuazione di tale principio è stata invocata in occasione dei recenti flussi migratori, composti principalmente da persone bisognose di protezione internazionale, che hanno sovraccaricato la capacità di accoglienza di alcuni Paesi euro-mediterranei. Il SECA si è dimostrato fragile e inadeguato, principalmente a causa della mancanza di coordinamento interstatale e di sostegno ai Paesi di primo asilo in difficoltà. E’ emersa pertanto con chiarezza la necessità di tradurre in concreto il concetto di burden-sharing, favorendo una più equa ripartizione intra-europea degli oneri e delle responsabilità in materia di asilo. In primo luogo, la ricerca delinea il concetto di “burden-sharing”, inteso come declinazione del principio di solidarietà e finalizzato a realizzare un’equa distribuzione dei rischi e dei costi tra i membri di un gruppo per il raggiungimento di un obiettivo comune. In particolare, si approfondisce il dibattito sviluppatosi su tale principio in diverse aree del diritto internazionale e i meccanismi adottati per renderlo operativo. Quindi si analizza la natura e il contenuto del principio di solidarietà nell’ambito del diritto dell’Unione Europea, percorrendo le fasi principali dell’evoluzione della politica europea di asilo e esaminando il diritto primario e secondario dell’UE rilevante. Particolare attenzione è dedicata al sistema Dublino, la cui analisi è incentrata sul principio di mutua fiducia, in base al quale si presume che tutti gli Stati membri sono rispettosi del divieto di refoulement e quindi si considerano reciprocamente sicuri. Infine, si esamina la risposta dell’EU all’emergenza umanitaria provocata dalla guerra in Siria al fine di stabilire se l’attuale politica di asilo europea rappresenta una concreta espressione del principio di solidarietà o se, al contrario, l’Unione Europea abbia scelto di percorrere la strada opposta a quella tracciata da tale concetto. / The principle of solidarity among EU Member States and its expression through the fair sharing of responsibility represent one of the constitutive elements of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) and, more generally, of the European Union idea. Nevertheless, this principle has not found an effective implementation in European policies yet. The aim of this research is to argue, firstly, that the application of the principle of burden-sharing is a condicio sine qua non for the effectiveness of the CEAS as well as a way to ensure the commitment to international human rights standard. Moreover, it seeks to demonstrate the inefficiency of the instruments adopted so far by the European Union to enhance intra-EU solidarity. The first part analyses the role of the principle of “burden-sharing” in international law and, in particular, its application in security law, environmental law and refugee law. The second chapter examines the legal nature and the content of the principle of solidarity in EU law, identifying its role in primary and secondary law and describing its evolution in the European asylum policy. The third chapter addresses the major dysfunctions of the Dublin System, which allocates to Member States the responsibility for asylum claims examination. In particular, it describes the consequences of this deficiency, such as the difficulties in assuring the respect of fundamental rights standards, and in complying with the duty to gather fingerprints by the Member States situated at the EU external border. Finally the research analyses the instruments adopted by the EU in order to manage the current “refugee crisis”, such as the EU-Turkey agreement, the emergency relocation mechanisms and the hotpost approach. / Le flux massif des réfugiés provenant de la Syrie a pris au dépourvu la capacité d'accueil de certains pays euro-méditerranéens, et mis en relief l'absence de solidarité et de partage équitable de responsabilités entre les États de l'Union européenne. En premier lieu, cette étude définit le concept de “burden-sharing” entendu comme une mesure concrète de solidarité à réaliser à travers la distribution des risques et des coûts parmi les membres d'un groupe pour la réalisation d'un objectif commun. Après avoir analysé l’évolution de ce principe dans le droit international, on évalue sa mise en oeuvre dans l’ordre juridique de l’Union européenne, notamment, dans le Système Européen Commun d'Asile (SECA) consacré par l’article 80 TFUE. En analysant le system Dublin et les réponses les plus actuelles à l’émergence syrienne on conclut que l’Union européenne est encore loin de la complète réalisation du principe du burden sharing.

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Trabajo de Investigación Requisito para optar al Título de Cirujano Dentista / Introducción La periodontitis apical asintomática (PAa) es una respuesta inmunoinflamatoria local a la invasión microbiana de la pulpa, que resulta en la destrucción de los tejidos periapicales. La metaloproteinasa de matriz extracelular -13 (MMP-13) es una colagenasa capaz de degradar los principales componentes del periodonto y hueso alveolar, por lo que podría estar implicada en la patogénesis de las lesiones periapicales (LPAs) y su caracterización en el fluido gingival crevicular (FGC) podría reflejar el estado de salud/enfermedad de los tejidos periapicales. El objetivo de este estudio es comparar los niveles de MMP13 en FGC de dientes con PAa y de dientes sanos; y asociar los niveles de MMP13 en FGC de dientes con PAa y en homogeneizados de sus respectivas LPAs. Materiales y Método Se seleccionaron 12 pacientes con diagnóstico clínico y radiográfico de PAa, indicación de exodoncia y libres de enfermedad periodontal. Se obtuvieron muestras de FGC de dientes con PAa, FGC de dientes contralaterales sanos y biopsias de LPAs, obtenidas luego de las exodoncias de los dientes con PAa. Se determinó la concentración de proteínas totales de las muestras y se determinaron los niveles de MMP-13 mediante Immunowestern blot. La intensidad de las bandas se midió por análisis densitométrico con el programa Un Scan iT ®. El análisis estadístico se realizó con la ayuda del software Stata v10. Resultados MMP-13 se expresa en FGC de dientes sanos, FGC de dientes con PAa y en homogeneizados de LPAs, tanto en su forma zimogénica como en su forma activa. Para ambas formas enzimáticas, los niveles de MMP-13 en FGC de dientes 5 con PAa fueron significativamente mayores que en sanos. Hubo una correlación positiva significativa entre los niveles de proMMP-13 en FGC y en homogeneizados de LPAs de dientes con PAa, no así para los niveles de MMP-13 activa. Conclusiones MMP-13 participaría en la génesis y/o progresión de la PAa, probablemente contribuyendo en el proceso de destrucción ósea en LPAs. Los niveles de MMP13 en FGC podrían reflejar la progresión de las LPAs, mientras que el FGC podría ser una herramienta útil en el estudio de la PAa, ya que reflejaría los cambios en el estado de salud o enfermedad de los tejidos periapicales.

Trabajo de Investigación Requisito para optar al Título de Cirujano Dentista / Autor no autoriza el acceso a texto completo de su documento / Muchas condiciones de tipo crónico son el resultado de enfermedades complejas. Las enfermedades de este tipo se caracterizan por una gran variación en la edad de presentación de la enfermedad, su relación con muchas vías biológicas, así como variados factores genéticos y ambientales. En general, se acepta que la periodontitis crónica es una enfermedad infecciosa iniciada por la flora bacteriana subgingival. La destrucción del tejido periodontal, resulta de una compleja interacción entre las bacterias presentes y la respuesta inmune e inflamatoria del hospedero. Sin embargo, los mediadores de destrucción del tejido periodontal, son producidos primariamente por la respuesta del hospedero. La evidencia actual sugiere que la destrucción de los tejidos de soporte dentario, que incluyen ligamento periodontal, hueso alveolar y cemento radicular que ocurre durante la progresión de la periodontitis, se produce en períodos rápidos y relativamente cortos, los cuales se van alternando con períodos largos de inactividad (Goodson y col, 1984; Ashley y col, 1999; Alpagot y col, 2001; Jepsen, 2003; Yen-Tung, 2003; Borrell y col, 2005). La matriz extracelular presente en el tejido periodontal, es un sistema complejo responsable de las propiedades fisiológicas del tejido conectivo (Labat-Robert, 1986). Debido a que el colágeno tipo I representa el constituyente mayoritario de la matriz extracelular periodontal y del hueso alveolar, se considera que las MMPs pertenecientes a la familia de las colagenasas (MMP-1, -8 y -13) y gelatinasas (MMP-2 y -9) y el balance con los inhibidores tisulares de metaloproteinasas (TIMPs), pueden tener un rol central en el proceso de destrucción en la enfermedad periodontal. Un hecho característico de la periodontitis es la destrucción de hueso alveolar, proceso en el cual las colagenasas y gelatinasas se han visto ampliamente involucradas (Hill y col, 1994; 1995). Se ha propuesto que algunas MMPs, tales como MMP-13, tendrían participación en la liberación de péptidos de colágeno I desde la matriz orgánica del hueso, permitiendo activar a los osteoclastos, para iniciar la reabsorción de la matriz mineral del hueso (Rifas & Arackal, 2003; Holliday y col, 1997).

We performed an innovative systematic meta-analysis of gene expression profiles of whole normal human brain and heart to provide a quantitative transcriptome reference map of it, i.e. a typical reference value of expression for all the known, mapped and uncharacterized (unmapped) transcripts. For this reason, we used the software named TRAM (Transcriptome Mapper), which is able to generate transcriptome maps based on gene expression data from multiple sources. We also analyzed differential gene expression by comparing brain with human foetal brain, with a pool of non-brain tissues and with the three brain sub-region: cerebellum, cerebral cortex and hippocampus, the main regions severely affected with cognitive impairment, as seen in the case of trisomy 21. Data were downloaded from microarray databases, processed and analyzed using TRAM software and validated in vitro by assaying gene expression through several magnitude orders by "Real Time" reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The excellent agreement between in silico and experimental data suggested that our transcriptome maps may be a useful quantitative reference benchmark for gene expression studies related to the human brain and heart. We also generated an integrated quantitative transcriptome map by systematic meta-analysis from all available gene expression profile datasets related to AMKL in paediatric age. The incidence of Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia (AMKL) is 500-fold higher in children with Down Syndrome (DS) compared with non-DS children. We present an integrated original model of the DS AMLK transcriptome, providing the identification of genes relevant for its pathophysiology which can potentially be new clinical markers. Finally, computational and molecular analysis of a highly restricted region of chromosome 21, which represents a strong candidate for typical DS features and is considered as intergenic, was performed. Northern Blot analysis and computational biology results show that HR-DSCR contain active loci bidirectionally transcribed.

Ces travaux de thèse s’inscrivent dans le projet NANOCOM. Le premier axe du projet NANOCOM est de développer une nouvelle approche pour la génération future de systèmes intelligents, en introduisant de diélectriques nano structurés dans les MEMS capacitifs pour améliorer la fiabilité par un ordre de grandeur. Le second axe est d'améliorer les performances thermiques du dispositif et d’augmenter la tenue en puissance. Le premier chapitre présente l’état de l’art sur les commutateurs MEMS RF fiables de puissance. L’intérêt des différentes configurations de commutateurs est exposé ainsi que la fiabilité des commutateurs est abordée. Le second chapitre présente une méthode de modélisation 3D multi-physique de MEMS RF pour simuler les performances mécaniques et hyperfréquences. Dans le troisième chapitre, toutes les étapes pour concevoir une nouvelle architecture de MEMS de puissance fiable sont décrites. Nous utilisons les logiciels de simulations 3D pour comparer les performances de différentes architectures proposées pour terminer par la simulation complète, la fabrication et à la mesure de l’architecture finale retenue. / This thesis is part of the NANOCOM project. The first axis of project NANOCOM is to develop a new approach for the future generation of intelligent systems, by introducing a nanostructured dielectric into the capacitive MEMS to improve reliability by an order of magnitude. The second axis is to improve the thermal performances of the device and to increase the power handling. The first chapter presents the state of the art of reliable power RF MEMS switches. The purpose of the various configurations of switches is exposed as well as the reliability of the switches. The second chapter presents a 3D multi-physics modeling method for RF MEMS switches to simulate the mechanical performances and high frequencies behavior. In the third chapter, all the stages to conceive a new architecture of reliable power switches are described. We use the 3D simulations software to compare performances of various architectures, ending by a complete simulation, manufacturing and measurements of the final selected architecture.

Prevas AB, a consulting company focused on industrial systems and  embedded systems, are looking to expand their mobile phone competency  and started two projects for this purpose. The rst is a diploma work to create a proof-of-concept barcode reader running on Symbian mobile phones, and the second is a student project for the new Innovative Programming bachelors degree to create a functioning price comparison application using IMS1 around the proof-of-concept created earlier. Both projects achieved their stated goals. However, due to none of the projects focusing on eciency or theoretical correctness the resulting application is dicult to start, runs slowly, leaks memory and is codewise bloated. These defects prevent the application from being realistically deployable, and a third project is started to clean up the application and improve it. This report describes the solutions employed in that third project The barcode reader in the application was split into two parts: First is the actual application written in C++ responsible for capturing images, sending them to the decoding server and displaying the result to the user. Second is  the decoding server, a separate application written in java that using a TCP-socket waits for images, decodes them, and returns the result. The primary goal of this project is to not only improve, but actually integrate the decoder into the C++ application, massively improving speed and memory usage. This report was written to highlight the lessons learned during this project, to describe the algorithms and methods used to improve the decoder and to be of use to anyone else writing time-constrained and heavily optimized barcode or pattern recognition code for Symbian devices.