The present thesis illustrates the research carried out during the PhD studies in Bioengineering. The research was aimed to characterise the human bone tissue, with particular regard to the differences between cortical and trabecular bone. The bone tissue characteristics that affect its mechanical properties were verified or identified, using an experimental approach, to corroborate or refute hypotheses based on the state of the art in bone tissue biomechanics. The studies presented in the present PhD thesis were designed to investigate aspects of bone tissue biomechanics, which were in need of a more in-depth examination since the data found in the literature was contradictory or scarce. In particular, the work was focalised on the characterisation of the basic structure of the bone tissue (groups of lamellae), its composition, its spatial organisation (trabecular bone microarchitecture) and their influence on the mechanical properties. In conclusion, the present thesis integrates eight different studies on the characterisation of bone tissue. A more in-depth examination of some of the aspects of bone tissue biomechanics where the data found in the literature was contradictory or scarce was performed. Bone tissue was investigated at several scales, from its composition up to its spatial organization, to determine which parameters influence the mechanical behaviour of the tissue. It was found that although the composition and real density of bone tissue are similar, the differences in structure at different levels cause differences between the two types of bone tissue (cortical and trabecular) in mechanical properties. However, the apparent density can still be considered a good predictor of the mechanical properties of both cortical and trabecular bone. Finally, it was found that the bone tissue characteristics might change when a pathology is present, as demonstrated for OA.

Supercritical Emulsion Extraction technology (SEE-C) was proposed for the production of poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid microcarriers. SEE-C operating parameters as pressure, temperature and flow rate ratios were analyzed and the process performance was optimized in terms of size distribution and encapsulation efficiency. Microdevices loaded with bovine serum insulin were produced with different sizes (2 and 3 µm) or insulin charges (3 and 6 mg/g) and with an encapsulation efficiency of 60%. The microcarriers were characterized in terms of insulin release profile in two different media (PBS and DMEM) and the diffusion and degradation constants were also estimated by using a mathematical model. PLGA microdevices were also used in a cultivation of embryonic ventricular myoblasts (cell line H9c2 obtained from rat) in a FBS serum free medium to monitor cell viability and growth in dependence of insulin released. Good cell viability and growth were observed on 3 µm microdevices loaded with 3 mg/g of insulin. PLGA microspheres loaded with growth factors (GFs) were charged into alginate scaffold with human Mesenchimal Steam Cells (hMSC) for bone tissue engineering with the aim of monitoring the effect of the local release of these signals on cells differentiation. These “living” 3D scaffolds were incubated in a direct perfusion tubular bioreactor to enhance nutrient transport and exposing the cells to a given shear stress. Different GFs such as, h-VEGF, h-BMP2 and a mix of two (ratio 1:1) were loaded and alginate beads were recovered from dynamic (tubular perfusion system bioreactor) and static culture at different time points (1st, 7th, 21st days) for the analytical assays such as, live/dead; alkaline phosphatase; osteocalcin; osteopontin and Van Kossa Immunoassay. The immunoassay confirmed always a better cells differentiation in the bioreactor with respect to the static culture and revealed a great influence of the BMP-2 released in the scaffold on cell differentiation.

The determination of skeletal loading conditions in vivo and their relationship to the health of bone tissues, remain an open question. Computational modeling of the musculoskeletal system is the only practicable method providing a valuable approach to muscle and joint loading analyses, although crucial shortcomings limit the translation process of computational methods into the orthopedic and neurological practice. A growing attention focused on subject-specific modeling, particularly when pathological musculoskeletal conditions need to be studied. Nevertheless, subject-specific data cannot be always collected in the research and clinical practice, and there is a lack of efficient methods and frameworks for building models and incorporating them in simulations of motion. The overall aim of the present PhD thesis was to introduce improvements to the state-of-the-art musculoskeletal modeling for the prediction of physiological muscle and joint loads during motion. A threefold goal was articulated as follows: (i) develop state-of-the art subject-specific models and analyze skeletal load predictions; (ii) analyze the sensitivity of model predictions to relevant musculotendon model parameters and kinematic uncertainties; (iii) design an efficient software framework simplifying the effort-intensive phases of subject-specific modeling pre-processing. The first goal underlined the relevance of subject-specific musculoskeletal modeling to determine physiological skeletal loads during gait, corroborating the choice of full subject-specific modeling for the analyses of pathological conditions. The second goal characterized the sensitivity of skeletal load predictions to major musculotendon parameters and kinematic uncertainties, and robust probabilistic methods were applied for methodological and clinical purposes. The last goal created an efficient software framework for subject-specific modeling and simulation, which is practical, user friendly and effort effective. Future research development aims at the implementation of more accurate models describing lower-limb joint mechanics and musculotendon paths, and the assessment of an overall scenario of the crucial model parameters affecting the skeletal load predictions through probabilistic modeling.

Introduzione L’attività fisica moderata seguita da improvvisa interruzione può influenzare le caratteristiche biologiche del tendine. Lo scopo del lavoro è stato quello di valutare l’attività cellulare, le caratteristiche istologiche, istomorfometriche e microstrutturali del tendine patellare e della sua entesi in condizioni di non allenamento (sedentarietà), allenamento ed improvviso arresto dell’attività fisica. E’ stato ipotizzato che un’iniezione peri-tendinea di acido ialuronico nelle settimane successive all’improvviso arresto dell’attività fisica potesse mantenere l’integrità strutturale e biologica del tendine patellare. Materiali e Metodi 24 ratti Sprague Dawley maschi di 8 settimane sono stati suddivisi in tre gruppi, allenati per 10 settimane, fino a 60-80% VO2max. I ratti sono stati suddivisi in tre gruppi: Non Allenati (6), Allenati (6), Disallenati (12). A 6 dei 12 ratti del gruppo Detrained, è stata praticata un’infiltrazione peri-tendinea a nel tendine patellare destro di 300 μl di acido ialuronico, mentre nei rimanenti 6, è stata praticata l’infiltrazione con soluzione fisiologica. I tendini rotulei espiantati sono stati valutati con coltura cellulare, valutazione biologica molecolare, valutazioni morfologiche microstrutturali, proliferazione, conta ed attività cellulare. Risultati I risultati in vitro hanno evidenziato vitalità e conta cellulare simili fra i Gruppi Trained e Detrained-HA con un incremento significativo del metabolismo cellulare rispetto agli altri Gruppi. La cellularità ha mostrato valori maggiori nei Gruppi Non Allenati e Detrained-NaCl ove si è osservata una biosintesi del collagene III superiore ai Gruppi Trained e Detrained-HA. Contrariamente, la produzione di collagene I e II presentava valori maggiori nei Gruppi Trained e Detrained-HA suggerendo una superiore efficienza tessutale e metabolica di questi ultimi. Conclusioni Questi risultati confermano che l’allenamento ed il suo improvviso arresto hanno effetti sulla struttura tendinea patellare di ratto e che l’iniezione peritendinea di acido ialuronico nel periodo di inattività ha effetti significativi su metabolismo cellulare e sul tendine rispetto al trattamento con soluzione fisiologica. / Introduction Different conditions may alter tendon characteristics. Clinical evidence suggests that tendon injuries are more frequent in athletes that change type, intensity and duration of training. Aim of the study was the assessment of training and especially detraining on the patellar tendon (PT) and its enthesis. We also hypotized that peri-tendineous injection with Ialuronic acid in detrained rats could prevent structural tendon integrity. Materials and Methods: 24 male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups: 18 rats were trained on a treadmill for 10 weeks. Of these, 6 rats were euthanized immediately after training (trained group), 12 were caged without exercise for 4 weeks before being injected in peri patellar tendon tissue, 1 group with Ialuronic acid (de-trained HA group) and the other with Saline solution and then euthanized (de-trained Saline group). The remaining 6 rats used as controls (untrained rats). Patellar tendons were evaluated with cellular coltures, molecular biological evaluation, microstructural morphologic evaluation, cellular proliferation, cellular number and activity. Results In vitro results showed cells vitality and number similar between Trained and Detrained-HA groups with an increased significance cellular methabolism vs the others groups. Cellularity showed better values in Non Trained and Detrained-NaCl Groups where we saw superior collagen III biosinthesis vs Trained and Detrained-HA Groups. On the other side Collagen I and II showed better values in Trained and Detrained-HA suggesting a better tissue activity of Detrained-HA Group. Conclusion Sudden interruption of physical activity has a negative effect on tendons and peri-tendineous patellar injection with Ialuronic Acid can represent a protective tendon therapy after a sudden detraining period.

En la tesis se analizan las garantías mobiliarias reguladas por el Derecho civil de Cataluña, es decir, los derechos reales de prenda posesoria y de retención sobre bienes muebles regulados en la Ley del Parlamento de Cataluña 19/2002, de 5 de julio, de derechos reales de garantía. El estudio de la Ley se plantea desde una doble perspectiva doctrinal, civil y mercantil, atendiendo a las obras que se han juzgado de interés a partir de la codificación, así como del análisis de las decisiones jurisprudenciales y de la Dirección General de los Registros y del Notariado. Se destacan las novedades más significativas en esta materia con relación a lo dispuesto en el Código civil, como pueden ser la prenda de máximo, la prenda de cosas fungibles, la naturaleza real del derecho de retención, la posibilidad de sustitución, el orden de preferencia y prelación que corresponde a ambas garantías o la realización de la cosa gravada por el procedimiento de venta directa. / En la tesis s'analitzen les garanties mobiliàries regulades en el Dret civil de Catalunya, es a dir, el dret real de penyora possessòria i el dret de retenció sobre béns de naturalesa moble, tal i com es troba regulat a la Llei del Parlament de Catalunya 19/2002, de 5 de juliol, de drets reals de garantia. L'estudi de la Llei es planteja des d'una doble perspectiva doctrinal, la civil i la mercantil, atenent a les obres que s'han jutjat de màxim interès a partir de la codificació, així com de l'anàlisi de les decisions jurisprudencials de la Direcció General dels Registres i del Notariat. Es destaquen les novetats més significatives en aquesta matèria, tot comparant-les amb allò que es disposa en el Codi civil. D'entre aquestes novetats destaquen la que es refereix a la penyora de màxim, la penyora de coses fungibles, la naturalesa real del dret de retenció, la possibilitat de substitució, l'ordre de preferència y de prelació que correspon a ambdues garanties o la realització del valor de la cosa gravada per la garantia a través del procediment de venda directa específicament regulat a la Llei. / The subject of this thesis is the pledge ant the right of retention regulated by the Catalan Civil Law in the Act 19/2002, about security real rights. The study is considered from a double doctrinal perspective, civil and mercantile, taking care of the works that have been judged of interest since the codification period, as well as the analysis of the decisions of the Court and the decisions of the General Directorate for Registries and Public Notaries. The most significant new features in this area are been analysed and compared with the similar institutions regulated in the Spanish Civil Code. The subjects as the pledge of fungible things, the real nature of the retention right, the substitution possibility, the order of preference and the direct sale procedure regulated in the Act to both guarantees

Wearable inertial and magnetic measurements units (IMMU) are an important tool for underwater motion analysis because they are swimmer-centric, they require only simple measurement set-up and they provide the performance results very quickly. In order to estimate 3D joint kinematics during motion, protocols were developed to transpose the IMMU orientation estimation to a biomechanical model. The aim of the thesis was to validate a protocol originally propositioned to estimate the joint angles of the upper limbs during one-degree-of-freedom movements in dry settings and herein modified to perform 3D kinematics analysis of shoulders, elbows and wrists during swimming. Eight high-level swimmers were assessed in the laboratory by means of an IMMU while simulating the front crawl and breaststroke movements. A stereo-photogrammetric system (SPS) was used as reference. The joint angles (in degrees) of the shoulders (flexion-extension, abduction-adduction and internal-external rotation), the elbows (flexion-extension and pronation-supination), and the wrists (flexion-extension and radial-ulnar deviation) were estimated with the two systems and compared by means of root mean square errors (RMSE), relative RMSE, Pearson’s product-moment coefficient correlation (R) and coefficient of multiple correlation (CMC). Subsequently, the athletes were assessed during pool swimming trials through the IMMU. Considering both swim styles and all joint degrees of freedom modeled, the comparison between the IMMU and the SPS showed median values of RMSE lower than 8°, representing 10% of overall joint range of motion, high median values of CMC (0.97) and R (0.96). These findings suggest that the protocol accurately estimated the 3D orientation of the shoulders, elbows and wrists joint during swimming with accuracy adequate for the purposes of research. In conclusion, the proposed method to evaluate the 3D joint kinematics through IMMU was revealed to be a useful tool for both sport and clinical contexts.

La tesis tiene por objeto revisar el actual sistema de actos de comunicación procesales y aportar soluciones que permitan mejorarlo. El estudio ha procurado abarcar toda la normativa y todos los tipos existentes en el derecho procesal español, ya se dirijan a la partes, otro órgano judicial, una administración pública o cualquier otro ente o individuo, con la única excepción de las comunicaciones internacionales. El primer capítulo se ocupa de centrar la figura objeto de estudio y analizar su tratamiento en la doctrina constitucional con especial atención a la tesis de la indefensión material, la cual se cuestiona y critica. El segundo capítulo examina el ámbito subjetivo, objetivo y los elementos formales de las comunicaciones. Un punto importante del mismo lo conforma la designación del lugar de realización de las comunicaciones, en especial, el domicilio, del demandado y los medios empleados en su localización, lo que resulta fundamental para impedir que un proceso se desarrolle sin su conocimiento. El tercer capítulo se consagra al análisis de las distintas modalidades de transmisión de la comunicación, con especial atención a los modernos medios técnicos de comunicación como el fax o el correo electrónico, cuya utilización regula de forma novedosa, la ley de enjuiciamiento civil 1/2000. La eficacia e ineficacia de los actos de comunicación se deja para el cuarto capítulo, en el cual tienen cabida temas como el perfeccionamiento, régimen de nulidad y subsanación, los medios de impugnación y reparación que pueden hacer valer los afectados por comunicaciones defectuosas y el régimen de responsabilidad derivado por la omisión o el mal funcionamiento de los mismos. El estudio finaliza con la inclusión de unas conclusiones y una propuesta de reforma legislativa.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-12T18:06:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 arquivo7801_1.pdf: 4259355 bytes, checksum: 353c84dd1ab7b13b7d52675772c2702a (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / O processo metanol/dimetiléter para olefinas (MTO) fornece uma rota alternativa pra a produção de olefinas leves, isto é, eteno e propeno, que são matérias-primas importantes para a indústria petroquímica. Este processo apresenta algumas vantagens em relação aos processos tradicionais, tais como reforma catalítica de parafinas, gás natural e outras frações leves do petróleo. O processo MTO propicia a obtenção de razões eteno/propeno em uma faixa maior e mais flexível do que o craqueamento térmico, para atender a demanda de mercado. Além disso, tanto o metanol como o dimetiléter podem ser produzidos a partir do gás de síntese, que por sua vez é obtido de fontes como gás natural, carvão, resíduos de petróleo e biomassa. Vários catalisadores têm sido testados para este processo. Dentre eles se destacam as peneiras moleculares e mais especificamente os materiais do tipo silicoaluminofosfatos. SAPO-34 tem apresentado os melhores desempenhos em termos de conversão, atividade e seletividade para olefinas leves. Este trabalho teve como objetivo sintetizar três catalisadores do tipo SAPOs, para verificar a influência de suas estruturas e da incorporação de metal na conversão de DME a olefinas. Análises de caracterização textural por adsorção de nitrogênio (BET), difração de raios-X (DRX), microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), análise termogravimétrica (TG), medidas de acidez e espectrometria de absorção atômica foram relevantes para a caracterização e o entendimento das propriedades catalíticas dos materiais preparados. Nos testes catalíticos foram verificadas as influências das propriedades dos materiais preparados com relação à conversão, seletividade e atividade catalítica. Dentre os três catalisadores testados (SAPO-44, SAPO-34 e NiSAPO-34), o SAPO- 34 apresentou o melhor resultado em termos de conversão (75%), com seletividade para olefinas leves em torno de 25%. A incorporação do metal à peneira molecular mostrou-se importante, uma vez que foi possível observar a diminuição da taxa de desativação e o aumento significativo da seletividade para o eteno, resultando em uma razão molar C2 =:C3 = de aproximadamente 1,7. Testes cinéticos com o SAPO-34 foram realizados com a finalidade de desenvolver um modelo para o consumo de reagente baseando-se em uma cinética do tipo Langmuir-Hinshelwood, resultando em uma energia de ativação de 29,7 kJ.mol-1

La corrupción pública en España ha tendido a concentrarse, en buena medida, en el sector urbanístico durante las últimas décadas. La corrupción supone una frontal oposición a la configuración constitucional de la Administración pública, e implica un significante coste económico y social. Por cuanto respecta a las consecuencias en el urbanismo, este fenómeno ha contribuido a que, en ocasiones, la administración actúe de forma manifiestamente ilegal en el ejercicio de la función urbanística, instaurando un «modelo de desarrollo insostenible» que ha terminado por dañar muy seriamente espacios de gran valor medioambiental, sobre todo en los municipios del litoral. De acuerdo con el principal material bibliográfico y jurisprudencial disponible: A) La corrupción pública en general, y la urbanística en particular, es, aunque extendido, un fenómeno relativamente poco frecuente y que salvo en casos muy excepcionales no forma parte del funcionamiento habitual de los poderes públicos; B) La corrupción pública en general es, esencialmente, la corrupción de los políticos, mucho más que la corrupción de los empleados públicos profesionales; C) La debilidad de las instituciones españolas para combatir la corrupción no radica en la falta de instrumentos jurídico-formales, sino en la efectividad de los mismos en la práctica; D) La corrupción urbanística está causada, en todo caso, por la concurrencia de grandes beneficios apropiables por parte de los particulares, un sistema de controles ineficaz y unas sanciones insuficientes, acompañado de una falta de adecuación del comportamiento individual de los cargos y empleados públicos a la ética pública. En ocasiones, algunas causas adicionales se añaden, como la complejidad normativa propia del sector urbanístico; E) Los ámbitos de la actividad pública urbanística donde hasta el momento han concurrido los mayores riesgos de corrupción son la planificación, el otorgamiento de licencias y el ejercicio de la disciplina urbanística. Los jueces ya han dado firmes pasos al frente en la lucha contra la corrupción, mediante novedosas y convenientes interpretaciones jurisprudenciales. Sin embargo, queda todavía un camino que recorrer con un enorme potencial: el de la prevención del fenómeno, y en él, el Derecho administrativo y el personal de las administraciones públicas están llamados a desarrollar un papel fundamental. En base a las características de la corrupción urbanística, proponemos las siguientes líneas de prevención: A) La identificación y gestión continuas de los riesgos de corrupción, especialmente en las áreas sometidas a mayores riesgos; B) El refuerzo de la intervención de los funcionarios con habilitación de carácter nacional en las áreas sometidas a mayores riesgos de corrupción, y el refuerzo de su imparcialidad; C) El impulso de las medidas cautelares en sede judicial; D) La formación ética basada en códigos de conducta que contemplen específicamente cómo afrontar las situaciones en que pueda concurrir algún riesgo de corrupción, y se dote a un ente con medios materiales y personales suficientes como para poder impartir sesiones formativas en cuestiones éticas relacionadas con la prestación de servicios urbanísticos. / Public corruption in Spain has tended to be concentrated largely in the urban development during the last decades. Corruption means a frontal opposition to the constitutional configuration of public administration, and implies a significant economic and social cost. Regarding the specific consequences of corruption in land use, this phenomenon has occasionally contributed to promote illegalities in the exercise of land use powers leading to an «unsustainable development model» which has ended up spoiling areas of great environmental value, especially in coastal municipalities. According to the main bibliographical and jurisprudential material available: A) Public corruption in general, and corruption in the urban development in particular, is, although widespread, a relatively infrequent phenomenon. Apart from exceptional cases, it is not part of the normal functioning of public administrations; B) Public corruption in general is, essentially, the corruption of politicians, much more than the corruption of professional civil servants; C) The weakness of Spanish institutions to combat corruption lies not in the lack of formal legal instruments, but in their effectiveness in practice; D) Urban corruption is caused in any case by the concurrence of great benefits to developable land owners, ineffective control mechanisms and a sanctioning system insufficiently dissuasive, accompanied by a lack of adequacy between the individual behavior of public officers or civil servants and public ethics. Occasionally, some additional causes are added, as the regulatory complexity in the land use field; E) The land use areas with the greatest risks of corruption are urban planning, the granting of building permits and the exercise of urban development discipline. The judges have already taken firm steps in the fight against corruption, through innovative and appropriate case law interpretations. However, there is still a field to explore with a huge potential: the prevention of the phenomenon. Administrative law and public administration personnel are called to develop a fundamental role. On the basis of the characteristics of land use corruption, we propose the following lines of prevention: A) The continuous corruption risks assessment and management, especially in the areas that are subjected to greater risk of corruption; B) Strengthening the role of officials with national qualification in the areas that are subjected to greater risk of corruption, and strengthening its impartiality; C) Promoting the use of precautionary measures in court and D) The ethics training based on codes of conduct that should cover how to deal with situations that can attend any risk of corruption, and endowing an entity with material and personal means enough to be able to provide training sessions on ethical issues related to the provision of urban services.

El fenomen turístic produir desequilibris Importants en els municipis, conseqüència de la afluència estacional o permanent de persones procedents d'altres llocs. Malgrat aquesta realitat evident, la legislació en l'àmbit local no reconeix una específica atribució de competències, ni una financiació proporcionada a aquests municipis. El reconeixement i exhaustiva regulació de la tipologia especial de municipi turístic podria corregir o almenys, pal·liar la problemàtica competencial i financera observada, així com donar una solució a alguns dels problemes actuals dels municipis turístics. / El fenómeno turístico produce desequilibrios importantes en los municipios, consecuencia de la afluencia estacional o permanente de personas procedentes de otros lugares. Pese a esta realidad evidente, la legislación en el ámbito local, no reconoce una específica atribución de competencias, ni una financiación proporcionada a estos municipios. El reconocimiento y exhaustiva regulación de la tipología especial de municipio turístico podría por tanto corregir o, al menos, paliar la problemática competencial y financiera observada, así como dar solución a algunos de los problemas actuales de los municipios turísticos. / The phenomenon of tourism and migration produces significant imbalances in the municipalities, resulting from seasonal or permanent influx of people from elsewhere. Despite this obvious reality, legislation at local level does not recognize a specific allocation of responsibilities, nor does it provide appropriate funding for these costs borne by these municipalities. The recognition and comprehensive regulation of these special-type tourist town municipalities would correct or at least mitigate these finance and competence problems, as well as going some way to solving a number of the problems experienced by the tourist towns