Polytechnic University of Catalonia

About: Polytechnic University of Catalonia is a education organization based out in Barcelona, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Finite element method & Population. The organization has 16006 authors who have published 45325 publications receiving 949306 citations. The organization is also known as: UPC - BarcelonaTECH & Technical University of Catalonia.

Definition of the viral targets of protective HIV-1-specific T cell responses.

Abstract: Background The efficacy of the CTL component of a future HIV-1 vaccine will depend on the induction of responses with the most potent antiviral activity and broad HLA class I restriction. However, current HIV vaccine designs are largely based on viral sequence alignments only, not incorporating experimental data on T cell function and specificity.

Quantitative assessment of the residual risk in a rockfall protected area

Abstract: Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) has become an indispensable tool for the management of landslide hazard and for planning risk mitigation measures. In this paper we present the evaluation of the rockfall risk at the Sola d’Andorra slope (Andorra Principality) before and after the implementation of risk mitigation works, in particular, the construction of protective fences. To calculate the risk level we have (i) identified the potential rockfall release areas, (ii) obtained the volume distribution of the falling rocks, (iii) determined the frequency of the rockfall events, and (iv) performed trajectographic analysis with a 3D numerical model (Eurobloc) that has provided both the expected travel distances and the kinetic energy of the blocks. The risk level at the developed area located at the foot of the rock cliff has been calculated taking into account the nature of the exposed elements and their vulnerability. In the Forat Negre basin, the most dangerous basin of the Sola d’Andorra, the construction of two lines of rockfall protection fences has reduced the annual probability of loss of life for the most exposed person inside the buildings, from 3.8×10−4 to 9.1×10−7 and the societal risk from 1.5×10−2 of annual probability of loss of life to 1.2×10−5.