La recepción de la encíclica Humanae vitae en el ámbito católico de los Países Bajos

Hemos investigado la recepción de la encíclica Humanae vitae, y el efecto que tuvo su publicación –en julio de 1968– sobre el modo de ver la regulación de la natalidad y la anticoncepción en el ámbito católico de los Países Bajos. Fundamentalmente hemos estudiado –y encuadrado en su marco histórico– los pronunciamientos del episcopado holandés y las publicaciones de cuatro teólogos prominentes: Edward Schillebeeckx, Theo Beemer, Willem van der Marck y Paul Sporken. Hasta aproximadamente 1960, la doctrina vigente del magisterio católico sobre la regulación de la natalidad y la anticoncepción era asentida por todos los obispos y por la casi totalidad de los teólogos y demás fieles católicos. En poco tiempo, y especialmente a partir de 1963, la anticoncepción pasó a ser tolerada o incluso legitimada por algunos obispos y muchos sacerdotes, y practicada por numerosos católicos. Humanae vitae no fue rechazada por los obispos, aunque su reacción fue tan fría y distante, y rodeada de tantas reservas, que fue vista como legitimación de la práctica anticonceptiva que ya se había difundido. La encíclica sí fue, sin embargo, rechazada en cuanto tal por la gran mayoría de los teólogos –incluyendo Schillebeeckx, Beemer y Sporken–, que la consideraron únicamente como una más entre las muchas publicaciones de expertos sobre el tema. De la mayoría de los obispos nombrados tras 1970 –incluyendo los actuales– sí se puede afirmar que transmitieron fielmente la doctrina de la encíclica, y lo siguen haciendo cada vez con mayor empeño.This thesis studies the reception of the encyclical Humanae vitae, and the effect of its publication in July 1968 on the views regarding birth control and contraception in Catholic circles in the Netherlands. The study investigated and placed in their historical context the statements of the Dutch bishops and the publications of four leading theologians: Edward Schillebeeckx, Theo Beemer, Willem van der Marck and Paul Sporken. Up until around 1960, Catholic teaching on birth control and contraception was endorsed by all bishops and nearly all theologians and other Catholic faithful in the Netherlands. But within a short period of time, especially from 1963 onwards, contraception began to be tolerated or even defended by some bishops and many priests, and practiced by numerous Catholics. Humanae vitae was not rejected by the bishops; nevertheless, their reaction was so lukewarm and distant, and contained so many reservations, that it was considered to be a tacit approval of the contraceptive practices that were already widespread. In addition, the Encyclical was rejected outright as such by most theologians, including Schillebeeckx, Beemer and Sporken; they treated it as simply one more publication among the many produced by experts in the field. The majority of the Dutch bishops appointed after 1970 (including those active at present) can be said to have transmitted faithfully the doctrine of the Encyclical, and they continue to make ever greater efforts to do so

A system of three transiting super-Earths in a cool dwarf star

We present the detection of three super-Earths transiting the cool star LP415-17, monitored by K2 mission in its 13th campaign. High resolution spectra obtained with HARPS-N/TNG showed that the star is a mid-late K dwarf. Using spectral synthesis models we infer its effective temperature, surface gravity and metallicity and subse- quently determined from evolutionary models a stellar radius of 0.58 R Sun. The planets have radii of 1.8, 2.6 and 1.9 R Earth and orbital periods of 6.34, 13.85 and 40.72 days. High resolution images discard any significant contamination by an intervening star in the line of sight. The orbit of the furthest planet has radius of 0.18 AU, close to the inner edge of the habitable zone. The system is suitable to improve our understanding of formation and dynamical evolution of super-Earth systems in the rocky - gaseous threshold, their atmospheres, internal structure, composition and interactions with host stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter

Revealing the last 13,500 years of environmental history from the multiproxy record of a mountain lake (Lago Enol, northern Iberian Peninsula)

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10933-009-9387-7.We present the Holocene sequence from Lago Enol (43°16′N, 4°59′W, 1,070 m a.s.l.), Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain. A multiproxy analysis provided comprehensive information about regional humidity and temperature changes. The analysis included sedimentological descriptions, physical properties, organic carbon and carbonate content, mineralogy and geochemical composition together with biological proxies including diatom and ostracod assemblages. A detailed pollen study enabled reconstruction of variations in vegetation cover, which were interpreted in the context of climate changes and human impact. Four distinct stages were recognized for the last 13,500 years: (1) a cold and dry episode that includes the Younger Dryas event (13,500–11,600 cal. year BP); (2) a humid and warmer period characterizing the onset of the Holocene (11,600–8,700 cal. year BP); (3) a tendency toward a drier climate during the middle Holocene (8,700–4,650 cal. year BP); and (4) a return to humid conditions following landscape modification by human activity (pastoral activities, deforestation) in the late Holocene (4,650–2,200 cal. year BP). Superimposed on relatively stable landscape conditions (e.g. maintenance of well established forests), the typical environmental variability of the southern European region is observed at this site.The Spanish Inter-Ministry Commission of Science and Technology (CICYT), the Spanish National Parks agency, the European Commission, the Spanish Ministry of Science, and the European Social Fund

Revealing the last 13,500 years of environmental history from the multiproxy record of a mountain lake (Lago Enol, northern Iberian Peninsula)

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10933-009-9387-7.We present the Holocene sequence from Lago Enol (43°16′N, 4°59′W, 1,070 m a.s.l.), Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain. A multiproxy analysis provided comprehensive information about regional humidity and temperature changes. The analysis included sedimentological descriptions, physical properties, organic carbon and carbonate content, mineralogy and geochemical composition together with biological proxies including diatom and ostracod assemblages. A detailed pollen study enabled reconstruction of variations in vegetation cover, which were interpreted in the context of climate changes and human impact. Four distinct stages were recognized for the last 13,500 years: (1) a cold and dry episode that includes the Younger Dryas event (13,500–11,600 cal. year BP); (2) a humid and warmer period characterizing the onset of the Holocene (11,600–8,700 cal. year BP); (3) a tendency toward a drier climate during the middle Holocene (8,700–4,650 cal. year BP); and (4) a return to humid conditions following landscape modification by human activity (pastoral activities, deforestation) in the late Holocene (4,650–2,200 cal. year BP). Superimposed on relatively stable landscape conditions (e.g. maintenance of well established forests), the typical environmental variability of the southern European region is observed at this site.The Spanish Inter-Ministry Commission of Science and Technology (CICYT), the Spanish National Parks agency, the European Commission, the Spanish Ministry of Science, and the European Social Fund

Perceptions, attitudes and knowledge of evidence-based medicine in primary care in Spain: a study protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The philosophy of evidence-based medicine (EBM) was introduced in the early 90s as a new approach to the practice of medicine, using the best available evidence to make decisions about health care. Despite ongoing controversy, EBM has developed enormously and physicians' attitude towards it is generally positive. Nevertheless, in Spain little is known about this topic. We will therefore undertake a study to explore perceptions, attitudes and knowledge about EBM among primary care physicians.</p> <p>Methods and design</p> <p>A mixed-method study combining qualitative and quantitative designs will target family practitioners in Spain with the objective of evaluating current attitudes and perceptions about evidence-based medicine. The project will consist of two phases: a first phase running focus groups to identify perceptions and attitudes of participants, and a second phase assessing their attitudes and knowledge about EBM by means of a survey. Both phases will explore these issues in three different subgroups: family practitioners, with or without previous formal education in EBM; members of working groups that formulate healthcare recommendations; and physicians in charge of training family practice residents. Additionally, we will undertake a systematic review to identify and synthesize the available evidence on this topic.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The study will identify and gain insight into the perceived problems and barriers to the practice of evidence-based medicine among general practitioners in Spain. The project will also evaluate the main knowledge gaps and training needs, and explore how evidence-based medicine is being taught to family medicine residents, the medical practitioners of the future. Our results will aid researchers and health care planners in developing strategies to improve the practice of evidence-based medicine in our country.</p

Overview of recent TJ-II stellarator results

The main results obtained in the TJ-II stellarator in the last two years are reported. The most important topics investigated have been modelling and validation of impurity transport, validation of gyrokinetic simulations, turbulence characterisation, effect of magnetic configuration on transport, fuelling with pellet injection, fast particles and liquid metal plasma facing components. As regards impurity transport research, a number of working lines exploring several recently discovered effects have been developed: the effect of tangential drifts on stellarator neoclassical transport, the impurity flux driven by electric fields tangent to magnetic surfaces and attempts of experimental validation with Doppler reflectometry of the variation of the radial electric field on the flux surface. Concerning gyrokinetic simulations, two validation activities have been performed, the comparison with measurements of zonal flow relaxation in pellet-induced fast transients and the comparison with experimental poloidal variation of fluctuations amplitude. The impact of radial electric fields on turbulence spreading in the edge and scrape-off layer has been also experimentally characterized using a 2D Langmuir probe array. Another remarkable piece of work has been the investigation of the radial propagation of small temperature perturbations using transfer entropy. Research on the physics and modelling of plasma core fuelling with pellet and tracer-encapsulated solid-pellet injection has produced also relevant results. Neutral beam injection driven Alfvénic activity and its possible control by electron cyclotron current drive has been examined as well in TJ-II. Finally, recent results on alternative plasma facing components based on liquid metals are also presented. ISSN:0029-5515 ISSN:1741-432