In this thesis two different studies are presented separately because each study has a different purpose even though the two studies are complementary. For the first study an available dataset for BCI is used. This dataset is consistent with the aim of the first study because it allows the implementation and development of the proposed technique for BCI based on imaginary limb movement with a small amount of electrodes. The technique I implemented trough this study is a reliable option to be used for a BCI-based on imaginary movements. In the second study a different dataset is used because the requirements for the technique to be implemented are different. Training and testing dataset are necessary to describe a practical computational technique that is applied for a single trial classification based on a Common Spatial Pattern and complemented with a linear discriminator. The training data is used to build a classifier and the testing data allows measuring the performance of the classifier implemented. After testing the classifier the good performance obtained makes this technique of great interest for any imaginary movement based-BCI.

This research project focuses on the experiences and narratives of Syrian exiles living in Turkey. The emphasis of this research was placed on the perceptions of each person about their new environment, and the way they rebuilt their lives in exile while the conflict intensified in Syria. The research question is: how do Syrian exiles configure their social worlds in exile and how do they narrate their experiences? By social worlds I refer to the participants’ relation with their new life in displacement, to the space and the people around them, and to the way their memories and expectations influence this relation. I conducted my research with Syrians from different social backgrounds, different ages, and different dreams for the future. Their experiences, varied as they were, shared many similarities and exemplified the anguish and hardship that forced displacement causes to people. Some participants tried to center their everyday lives in remembering past times in Syria, during the beginning of the revolution and before it began. These memories were brought back to life by sharing them with others, by spending days following the news of the destruction of their cities, and talking to their loved ones that remained in Syria. Their life was interrupted when the conflict intensified and they were forced to relocate in Turkey, thus, most participants did not have the opportunity to regard this as the past, but as an interrupted present. While living in exile, most participants lived day by day without making further plans, hoping for something to change. The fact that the conflict in Syria is not showing any signs of arriving to a peaceful solution soon, people’s uncertain condition perpetuates.

Nash and Walras equilibria have been studied from the angle of differential topology, yielding comparable results about existence and topological structure of equilibrium sets. Following a presentation of such results we shall review results on the Nash implementation of Walrasian equilibria. The purpose of the exercise is twofold: to establish a refinement criterion among multiple Walrasian equilibria and to study mechanisms closer to real markets than the Walrasian tâtonnement. Following up on results relating the best-reply dynamics and the natural projection, our conclusion is that some adjustments on the economic model are likely needed for implementation to link the topological structure of Walrasian and that of Nash equilibria.

For drug delivery applications, it is desirable that the drug is released with a maintained therapeutic level, at a specific site and with a specific rate in the body. To achieve this, drug molecules have to be encapsulated in a carrier. Ordered mesoporous silicas (OMSs) have been suggested to be used as a reservoir for drug molecules, since they have mesoporous structure, biocompatibility, high loading capacity, efficient encapsulation of cargo molecules, high surface areas and tunable pore sizes and volumes. OMSs have shown to enhance the dissolution rate of poorly water soluble drugs. At least 40% of drugs developed exhibit poor water solubility, which limits drug dissolution rate, reducing drug bioavailability. A method for improving the dissolution rate is to increase its surface area in contact with the dissolution media, which can be achieved by loading the drug onto a high surface area carrier as that of OMSs. The aim of this work was to evaluate different amorphous silicas for incorporation of a water insoluble antifungal agent, Clotrimazole, by using scCO2 as impregnation process. Clotrimazole was incorporated on three different silicas (Formac, SBA-15 and SYLOID® AL-1 FP). It was possible to determine the relationship between pore volume, size and morphology and surface area with the incorporation degree. An important observations is that OMSs are much more efficient at incorporating drugs than the commercial formulation Syloid® AL-1 FP, which indicates that OMSs are a promising carrier to achieve enhanced oral bioavailability for drugs with low water solubility. Moreover, OMSs showed to be stabilizers for amorphous clotrimazole, which represents an interesting approach in the dissolution enhancement.

If we know how to apply a good communication and understand the roll of technology in our society, we can help elders become more useful and feel active helping them prevent depressions and applying their time to the new media technologies being also part of what’s going on and how fast technology changes and society has to evolve with it and take it part of their lives. The elderly have lots to offer, experience, education, wisdom and even money; we can´t leave all these on a side we need to act and change our perception of older people in our society. Kids should benefit from all of this that in one way or another is going to be useful for their learning. Some kids believe in what their grandpa´s says, in what their parents teach them and off course in what they learn in school. Kids are more capable to adapt to new environments and new languages but still its very fast and too much things that are happening at the same time and each time kids meets technology faster and younger that you get impressed of how fast they learn with this new media, or this new opportunity, if we could see it like that. What we need to understand is even if kids learn faster doesn't mean that adults and especially senior’s can’t learn. You just have to always have in mind that you’re never too old to learn. We need virtual connections to bring people, families together that for one reason life has separate them. Technology can add an enormous value to human relationships and permit or let you express your emotions beyond others even not having them present or standing towards or beside you. It can also help to have a better communication and improve your relationship getting closer. Communication progress, new technologies and a better living, leads to more and more new solutions in the field of design. The increasing diversity between developed end developing countries give designers a very important role today. Design and technology is a powerful medium to reach and to give new possibilities not only to people with easy access to Internet and digital devices. It is necessary to provide new opportunities for next generation in poorer countries, because only in this way they have a chance for a better future. Service design is made for people. The social reality is created as a result of the sum of all individual actions and communication between each other.

Auricular reconstruction remains one of the biggest challenges faced by plastic surgeons. Reconstruction with autologous cartilage has proven to offer a lasting reconstruction with acceptable cosmetic results when performed by very experienced surgeons; however, the learning curve is long and few surgeons around the world have mastered this technique. For less experienced surgeons clinical outcome is frequently wanting; moreover, reconstructions with autologous cartilage carry its own burden of donor site morbidity and surgical complications. In order to reduce operating time, avoid the risks and complications inherent of cartilage harvest and homogenize clinical outcome of ear reconstruction, auricular off the shelf scaffolds have been manufactured using biomaterial. The only auricular scaffold present in the market today is made of high density porous polyethylene and commercialized under the trade name Medpor®. Despite its limited success porous polyethylene has not fully convinced surgeons due to its stiffness and extrusion rates. A novel nanocomposite polymer has been developed by Prof. Seifalian and its team at UCL by the incorporation of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanocage as pendant side chains into poly (carbonate-urea) urethane. POSS PCU can be shaped as an auricle, it mimics the elastic properties of auricular native cartilage and supports cell growth and proliferation. In this project we have used human dermal fibroblasts primary cells (HFF) to study and compare cellular response on POSS PCU and Medpor®. In vitro experiments detected significantly higher cell adhesion on POSS PCU when compared to Medpor® (p < 0,05). Dynamic condition at 50 RMP was found reduce cell attachment on both polymers; under this condition POSS PCU supports higher cell adhesion than Medpor®. Even though no difference on cell proliferation or metabolic activity per cell was found between the two polymers, POSS PCU, with higher cell adhesion, have higher overall cell proliferation and metabolic activity. Collagen production per cell was found to be significantly increased on Medpor®; however, the higher cell number found on POSS PCU managed to produce as much total collagen as its counterpart. Even though POSS PCU is non-degradable, HFF were found to lower POSS PCU young’s modulus and make the scaffolds more flexible. Even though further refinement of POSS PCU scaffold production and the need for additional in vitro and in vivo studies, this biomaterial is a promising alternative for auricular reconstruction.

This paper analyses how contemporary Colombian social studies and South African history textbooks represent notions of race and racism to combat the historical legacies of these countries. It uses Critical Discourse Analysis to argue that, while there has been significant progress made in overcoming racism in the new textbooks in the two countries, there are still many challenges. In particular the paper notes that notwithstanding the more equal and balanced representation of traditionally excluded subjects, new forms of exclusion still permeate new social studies and history textbooks in Colombia and South Africa. In reviewing the textbooks produced in the two countries, the paper provides markers for researchers and policy makers seeking to transform deep-seated inequities in society. 

The benefit-effort analysis methodology was designed as a decision making tool in the provision of water and sanitation in rural communities in developing countries. This is an innovative approach that evaluates environmental projects during the complete project life cycle. The methodology provides a framework that incorporates social, political, economic, technical and ecological aspects which are essential to identify good solutions for the provision of water and sanitation in rural and isolated communities. It is based on the knowledge of experts that are recognized by their know-how in the specific topic and in the validation with local communities that can easily participate by providing personal opinions and suggestions. The methodology makes evident both, benefits and efforts during the complete project life cycle, in order to minimize or maximize them and to improve the decision making process guiding the identification of the best sustainable result.

Development literature suggests that legal systems provide the framework for examining the main drivers of development. As one of the main legal tools through which lay citizens and companies can enforce contracts, the present analysis focuses on assessing the impact that the level of access to the legal system has on foreign investors’ decisions. Using a two stage least square (2 SLS) regression and data from the Rule of Law Index collected in 2009, this paper finds that the access to civil justice does not have a significant effect on Foreign Direct Investment. Further, the regression analysis indicates that the amount of taxes paid by the businesses as a percentage of commercial profits, the number of days to start a business and the Gross Domestic Product Per Capita are more important to attract foreign capital than the finding itself.

Unnamed Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are known for their application in surveillance and tracking with on-board cameras. Videos from UAV usually suffer from jitter and high frequency unintended movements which makes necessary stabilize the footage. This is a Computer Vision problem, particularly difficult due to level of noise in acquisition and different types of scenarios which make hard to implement online stabilizer (on the fly). The present thesis explains in depth algorithms, methods and implementations of the OpenCV module videostab. We presented a version in C++ of videostab in context of video from UAV. Two main blocks constitute the current implementation: motion estimation and motion stabilization. In the former, the system robustly estimates global displacement in between every consecutive pair of frames. The latter can be used in two possible ways: Assuming that estimated motion contains intended UAV motion and high frequency vibrations or assuming that all estimated motion is undesirable. The first case is solved with a Gaussian filter to smooth motions and, in the second case, a filter called Zero Motion was implemented to give sensation of stillness. Results show that the implementation is robust and can work in different scenarios of UAV. Moreover, it is possible to run it in a general purpose computer with high speed performance. Online performance can be achieved using some function with graphic processing unit (GPU).