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The use of non-thermal plasma (NTP) generators in air processing systems and their duct networks to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) has grown considerably in recent years. This paper reviews the advantages and disadvantages of NTP generators for IAQ improvement in biological, chemical and particulate pollutant terms. Also, it assesses and compares the ability of a multipin corona discharge (MPCD) and a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) generator to reduce the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in recycled, unfiltered air in a refrigeration chamber. The MPCD generator was found to have a higher PM2.5 removal efficiency; also, it was faster in removing pollutants, used less energy, and produced much less ozone. The fact that the MPCD generator performed better was seemingly the result of its increased ion production mainly. NTP generators, however, cannot match air filtration media purifiers in this respect as the latter are much more effective in removing particles. Besides, NTP-based air purifying technology continues to be subject to a major drawback, namely: the formation of ozone as a by-product. In any case, the ozone generation was uncorrelated to ion emission when using different technologies.

This article presents evidence of the convenience of implementing the geometric places of the plane into commercial computer-aided design (CAD) software as auxiliary tools in the computer-aided sketching process. Additionally, the research considers the possibility of adding several intuitive spatial geometric places to improve the efficiency of the three-dimensional geometric design. For demonstrative purposes, four examples are presented. A two-dimensional figure positioned on the flat face of an object shows the significant improvement over tools currently available in commercial CAD software, both vector and parametric: it is more intuitive and does not require the designer to execute as many operations. Two more complex three-dimensional examples are presented to show how the use of spatial geometric places, implemented as CAD software functions, would be an effective and highly intuitive tool. Using these functions produces auxiliary curved surfaces with points whose notable features are a significant innovation. A final example provided solves a geometric place problem using own software designed for this purpose. The proposal to incorporate geometric places into CAD software would lead to a significant improvement in the field of computational geometry. Consequently, the incorporation of geometric places into CAD software could increase technical-design productivity by eliminating some intermediate operations, such as symmetry, among others, and improving the geometry training of less skilled users.

Natural fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites can be an alternative to mineral fiber-based composites, especially when economic and environment concerns are included under the material selection criteria. In recent years, the literature has shown how lignocellulosic fiber-reinforced composites can be used for a variety of applications. Nonetheless, the impact strength and the water uptake behavior of such materials have been seen as drawbacks. In this work, the impact strength and the water uptake of composites made of polypropylene reinforced with fibers from recycled newspaper have been researched. The results show how the impact strength decreases with the percentage of reinforcement in a similar manner to that of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites as a result of adding a fragile phase to the material. It was found that the water uptake increased with the increasing percentages of lignocellulosic fibers due to the hydrophilic nature of such reinforcements. The diffusion behavior was found to be Fickian. A maleic anhydride was added as a coupling agent in order to increase the strength of the interface between the matrix and the reinforcements. It was found that the presence of such a coupling agent increased the impact strength of the composites and decreased the water uptake. Impact strengths of 21.3 kJ/m3 were obtained for a coupled composite with 30 wt % reinforcement contents, which is a value higher than that obtained for glass fiber-based materials. The obtained composites reinforced with recycled fibers showed competitive impact strength and water uptake behaviors in comparison with materials reinforced with raw lignocellulosic fibers. The article increases the knowledge on newspaper fiber-reinforced polyolefin composite properties, showing the competitiveness of waste-based materials This research was funded by the Chair on Sustainable Industrial Processes of the University of Girona, ref 01/2019

Els temps canvien cada vegada mes rapidament, i a la universitat aixo encara es nota mes. L’historic departament d‘Expressio Grafica a l’Enginyeria (EGE) de la Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, garant d’una docencia de Grau, Master i Doctorat de qualitat i adaptada a les necessitats de la societat, empren l’any 2020 amb una proposta de canvi de nom per adaptar-se al nous coneixements que estan esdevenint la seva materia principal, al voltant de l’enginyeria grafica i el disseny. Les arees de recerca del centenar de professors que formen el departament son amplies i variades, i sempre en col·laboracio en diversos grups tant de la propia UPC com d’altres universitats. Una recerca avancada, de caracter pluridisciplinari, on s'apliquen creativitat i innovacio com a eines de coneixement, implicats en un territori ampli, i situats als diferents campus de la UPC. En els capitols d’aquest llibre podeu veure una petita mostra d’aquesta recerca tecnologica en camps ben variats. En sintesi, un bon recull de coneixements transversals, innovadors i amb un ampli recorregut, tant en el mon academic com en la seva vesant empresarial.

The article presents a comparative analysis of learning a group of students in three different courses in the classroom mode or ‘campus’, and distance or ‘online’ using synchronous technology through web-conferencing software. The findings establish a very good perception on the part of students, who qualify very well these tools, and on the other hand, the average rating of distance learning is superior in two of the three courses to the classroom course. A questionnaire was designed to address issues concerning the adequacy of the tools in online courses to make learning efficient and secondly, to check the learning performance of students in both modes. It has obtained sufficient information to analyze in depth courses and establish conclusions on the adequacy of the means used to distance and comparative results on respect to traditional teaching. It has been found that there is a very good perception of students who qualify very well these tools and the results of student grades on-line exceed on average than those obtained in the classroom course.

This article presents a novel educational software package which develops an Interactive Didactic Application(IDA) created by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia(UPC), and which contains the essentials of textile design. It is an open application which uses a database in ASCII format. The principal elements of this database are lists of whole numbers structured according to indexed colors in standard RGB format. This generates a rational system of indexes of numerical lists, which allows us to transmit knowledge in the different areas, which use images in their processes, with application in textile design, engineering graphics, mathematical transformations or indexation logic, among others. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 20: 161–174, 2012

This paper presents a novel educational software package which develops an Interactive Didactic Application (IDA) generated in the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), and which contains the essentials of Engineering Graphics according to ISO norms. It is an interactive multimedia application which adapts easily to all engineering studies, according to the needs of each course, and which is the nucleus of Computer Assisted Teaching (CAT).

el polimorfismo es la capacidad que tiene un compuesto para cristalizar en más de una estructura cristalina. Por ejemplo, el carbono puede existir en forma de grafito o diamante. Los diversos polimorfos de una determinada sustancia suelen presentar comportamientos físico-químicos diferentes en propiedades de interés farmacéutico, por ejemplo: la densidad, la dureza, su tendencia higroscópica, la velocidad de solubilización, la estabilidad térmica o el comportamiento en suspensión, hecho que puede dar lugar a diferencias importantes en la eficacia de un producto farmacéutico. Además, puede resultar muy difícil producir un único polimorfo de forma selectiva, ya que las energías cristalinas varían muy poco entre polimorfos. Por esta misma razón, un polimorfo puede convertirse en otro en determinadas circunstancias. Numerosas sustancias de interés farmacéutico presentan polimorfismo, por lo que la presente revisión muestra una actualización de la información referente a las mismas, además de su efecto en algunas propiedades fisicoquímicas, farmacológicas y farmacotécnicas.

el Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis o Libro de Hierbas Medicinales de los Indios, mejor conocido como Códice de la Cruz - Badiano es una descripción, bellamente ilustrada, de las actividades relacionadas con la producción de bienes y servicios para la salud de mediados del siglo XVI. Es una de las fuentes más importantes para el estudio de la práctica farmacéutica de finales de la conquista. A pesar de ser relativamente conocido y estar en constante estudio, desde el punto de vista Farmacéutico, se han hecho pocos análisis del Libellus.En este trabajo, mediante la técnica de investigación de las ciencias sociales, hacemos un breve resumen histórico de las diferentes etapas por las que el Libellus atravesó y damos un panorama desde el punto de vista farmacéutico de algunos aspectos interesantes del Códice de la Cruz – Badiano