Labor demand and information technologies: evidence for Spain, 1980-2005

Utilizando la base de datos EU KLEMS, se contrasta la hipótesis de complementariedad entre habilidad y capital en los distintos sectores productivos en España en el periodo 1980-2005. Se analizan tres tipos de trabajadores clasificados según su nivel de habilidad sea alto, medio o bajo. Los activos de capital se van a clasificar entre activos TIC (tecnologías de la información y la comunicación) y activos no-TIC. La adquisición y el uso de activos TIC son costosos pero ha ido disminuyendo en el periodo en consideración en términos relativos a otros activos y al factor trabajo. El principal resultado que se obtiene es que existe un grado de sustituibilidad entre los trabajadores y los activos TIC a medida que la habilidad del trabajador va aumentando. De hecho, los activos TIC son muy complementarios con los trabajadores de alta habilidad. A lo largo del periodo analizado, la fracción de trabajadores con habilidad media y alta ha crecido un 21% y un 12%, respectivamente, en detrimento de los trabajadores de baja habilidad. Después de descomponer estos cambios, se descubre que existe un ajuste dentro de los sectores más que un ajuste del trabajo entre sectores.capital-skill complementarity, ICT, translog cost function, elasticity of substitution.

Labor Demand and Information Technologies: Evidence for Spain, 1980-2005

Using the EU KLEMS dataset we test the capital-skill complementarity hypothesis in a cross-section of sectors in Spain between 1980 and 2005. We analyze three groups of workers, who are classed according to skill level: high, medium and low. Capital assets have been broken down into ICT (information and communication technologies) assets and non-ICT assets. Acquisition and usage costs of ICT assets declined throughout the period studied, both in absolute terms and relative to the other capital assets and workers. Our principal finding is that the substitutibility between workers and ICT assets falls as worker skill level rises. In fact, the ICT assets were strongly complement with highly skilled workers and were not substitutive with them. Throughout the period analyzed, the fraction of employed medium- and high-skill workers rose by 21% and 12%, respectively, to the disadvantage of low-skill workers. After decomposing these changes, we found that the latter were dominated by an ajustment within sectors more than by a composition effect or adjustment between sectors. These adjustments may be explained by reference to the estimated elasticities of substitution.capital-skill complementarity, ICT, translog cost function, elasticity of substitution.

Control climático, tectónico y eustático en depósitos del Carniense (Triásico Superior) del SE de la Península Ibérica

The Manuel Sandstone Formation or K2 from Ortí (1974) is a clastic intercalation in the middle of the Keuper facies of SE Spain. This formation corresponds to a low-stand systems tract (LST) and it can be subdivided into three minor cycles that can be traced all over the area here studied. Its age is late Cordevolian-early Julian (lower-middle Karnian) according to the palynomorphs that are found in several localities. A stratigraphical correlation of the formation from Alhambra (Ciudad Real) and Chiclana de Segura (Jaén) to Jaraco (Valencia) is shown, and the mutual influences of climate, tectonics and eustatism that controlled the lateral change from a classic Keuper facies from the E to a purely siliciclastic one to the Ware discussed

Simulations of model magnetorheological fluids in squeeze flow mode

A particle-level simulation methodology is proposed to study the squeeze flow behavior of model magnetorheological (MR) fluids. The simulation algorithm takes into account Brownian motion and local field corrections to magnetic interactions of the particles. Simulation results obtained from using different initial configurations, including one single-particle-width chain per simulation box, random or lattice arrangements of preassembled single-particle-width chains as well as randomly dispersed particle suspensions, are compared with experimental data and predictions of a recently developed microscopic model. The assumption of single-particle-width chain structures in the systems has been shown to generate normal stresses larger than those found in experiments and the micromechanical model. However, much better agreement between the simulation and experimental results have been reached when using random initial configurations in the simulations

Resilience dynamics and productivity-driven shifts in the marine communities of the Western Mediterranean Sea

Ecological resilience has become a conceptual cornerstone bridging ecological processes to conservation needs. Global change is increasingly associated with local changes in environmental conditions that can cause abrupt ecosystem reorganizations attending to system-specific resilience fluctuations with time (i.e. resilience dynamics). Here we assess resilience dynamics associated with climate-driven ecosystems transitions, expressed as changes in the relevant contribution of species with different life-history strategies, in two benthopelagic systems. We analysed data from 1994 to 2019 coming from a scientific bottom trawl survey in two environmentally contrasting ecosystems in the Western Mediterranean Sea—Northern Spain and Alboran Sea. Benthopelagic species were categorized according to their life-history strategies (opportunistic, periodic and equilibrium), ecosystem functions and habitats. We implemented an Integrated Resilience Assessment (IRA) to elucidate the response mechanism of the studied ecosystems to several candidate environmental stressors and quantify the ecosystems’ resilience. We demonstrate that both ecosystems responded discontinuously to changes in chlorophyll-a concentration more than any other stressor. The response in Northern Spain indicated a more overarching regime shift than in the Alboran Sea. Opportunistic fish were unfavoured in both ecosystems in the recent periods, while invertebrate species of short life cycle were generally favoured, particularly benthic species in the Alboran Sea. The study illustrates that the resilience dynamics of the two ecosystems were mostly associated with fluctuating productivity, but subtle and long-term effects from sea warming and fishing reduction were also discernible. Such dynamics are typical of systems with wide environmental gradient such as the Northern Spain, as well as systems with highly hydrodynamic and of biogeographical complexity such as the Alboran Sea. We stress that management should become more adaptive by utilizing the knowledge on the systems’ productivity thresholds and underlying shifts to help anticipate both short-term/less predictable events and long-term/expected effects of climate change.En prensa2,27

Secreción biliar en el pollo anestesiado y no anestesiado: Nueva técnica experimental

Se describe una nueva técnica para el estudio de la secreción biliar en pollos anestesiados y no anestesiados que permite la recogida simultánea de la bilis segregada por los dos conductos biliares de esta especie, junto con el mantenimiento de la circulación enterohepática de sales biliares. Se discuten por primera vez, de forma conjunta, los resultados de la secreción de bilis en condiciones basales por el conducto hepático y vesicular. Igualmente se discuten las diferencias en la secreción biliar entre animales anestesiados y no anestesiados.A new experimental technique to study the biliary secretion in anaesthetized and unanaesthetized chicken that allows the simultaneous collection of the bile secreted through the two bile ducts of this species, tog,ether wtth the maintenance of the enterohepatic circulation of bile salts is described. The results of biliary secretion in basals conditions through the hepatic and vesicular ducts are discussed in conjunction for the first time. Equally differences in biliary secretion between anaesthetized and unanaesthetized animals are discussed