The "other" typographic models. The case of galician typography as identity assertion

The aim of this investigation is to analyze a reference model in the world of typography creation which has not followed traditional guidelines associated with mechanical printing and printing presses but has been developed in a local environment, and has ties with the arts such as architecture, craft production, stonemasonry, drawing and illustration. Despite the fact that this model has often been placed in the background, unnoticed by typography’s “official history”, it has played an important role in generating local identities, advocating political ideas and cultural demands. This modus operandi can be found in regions or countries where there has been no typographic tradition or whose typographic design has been imported from other countries. This case study will analyze this so-called “Galician typography or letter”, a medieval letter which has links to stonemasonry guilds that appeared during the 20th century Galician graphic design scene. This Galician letter was “canonized” by Galician nationalist artists and intellects, as an identity-generating and vindicating vehicle which had a strong political component

The production process in basketball: Empirical evidence from Spanish league

The main objective of this paper is to provide an empirical assessment of the production process in a basketball team. We estimate a logit model in which the output produced by a team is the game outcome (win or loss) and the inputs are those play characteristics that impact on that outcome. From the results obtained it is clear that, on average, there is a substantial difference between the impact of each play characteristic on a basketball team’s winning probability and that probability varies as the quality/quantity of the inputs used changes, albeit not proportionally.sports economics, team sport, professional basketball, productive process, logit model

The economic geography of football success: empirical evidence from european cities

Introduction. – 1. The geography of successful football teams: an analytical framework – 2. Empirical analysis – 2.1. Data, model estimation and results – 2.2. Cities and teams: some remarks about market size and teams’ performance – 3. Conclusions – 4. Annex

Economía sostenible: teoría y política

[Resumen] La compatibilidad entre crecimiento economico y sostenibilidad ambiental es un gran reto que deben afrontar a medio y largo plazo tanto la politica economica como los ciudadanos y las empresas. En los ultimos años estamos asistiendo en el ambito de los procesos de decisión públicos y privados a la aparicion de nuevos paradigmas en los que la sostenibilidad se ha convertido en una cuestion de justicia intergeneracional que introduce restricciones a dichos procesos de decision. Con el título de Economia sostenible. Teoria y politica, en este libro se analiza el impacto de esos nuevos paradigmas tanto en el ambito de la teoria como en el de la politica economica. Se entiende aqui por economia sostenible el analisis economico con restricciones de sostenibilidad ambiental, en contraposicion a definiciones de ese termino que impone la agenda politica actual, mas amplias pero menos operativas. Se trata asi de abordar cuestiones como la escala optima de la economia en relación con el ecosistema que la sustenta, las reglas de explotacion de recursos naturales, el diseño de impuestos ecologicos optimos o los indicadores que se deben utilizar para medir la sostenibilidad ambiental de un pais. Especial atencion merece en el texto el analisis de la politica economica con restricciones de sostenibilidad. Destacan, en este sentido, el estudio de los procesos de coordinacion entre las politicas fiscal, monetaria y ambiental, o el analisis del papel que desempeñan variables como los tipos de interes en los resultados de las politicas macroeconomicas cuando se pretende respetar el equilibrio ambiental

Investigating the role of IgG and Fcγ receptors in intestinal inflammation

IgA is the dominant antibody isotype found at mucosal surfaces during homeostasis. However, genetic variation in Fcγ receptors (FcγRs), a family of receptors that mediate immune cell activation by IgG, influences susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), suggesting that IgG may be important during gut inflammation. IBD is a chronic relapsing condition with two major subtypes, Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), both driven by aberrant immune responses to commensals. In the first part of this thesis, we sought to investigate anti-commensal IgG responses in patients with UC and to determine the mechanism by which local IgG might contribute to intestinal inflammation. We found that UC and murine dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis are associated with a significant increase in anti-commensal IgG and local enrichment of FcγR signalling pathway genes. The genes most robustly correlated with FCGR2A, an activating FcγR associated with UC susceptibility, were IL1B andCXCL8. Ex vivo stimulation of human and murine lamina propria mononuclear cells with IgG immune complexes (IC) resulted in an increase in these cytokines/chemokines. In vivo manipulation of the macrophage FcγR A/I ratio in transgenic mice determined IL-1β and Th17 cell induction. Finally, IL-1β blockade in mice with a high FcγR A/I ratio reduced IL-17 and IL-22-producing T cells and the severity of colitis. Our data reveal that commensal-specific IgG contributes to intestinal inflammation via FcγR-dependent, IL-1β-mediated Th17 activation. In this thesis, we have also addressed the interplay between IgG and group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s). ILC3s are closely related to natural killer cells, which are known to express FcγRs, and are characterised by their production of Th17 cytokines. Here, we have shown that ILC3s express FcγRs, that ICs drive IL-22 production and MHC class II expression by ILC3s, and FcγR signalling induces a transcriptional programme that reinforces ILC3 maintenance and functionality. These results represent a new paradigm for ILC activation, with direct regulation by the adaptive immune response. Finally, we have begun to address the role played by ILC3-derived cytokines in the regulation of local tissue-resident immune cells. We have demonstrated that ILC depletion significantly alters the activation state of intestinal macrophages, resulting in detrimental bacterial outgrowth following C. rodentium infection but protection from overwhelming DSS-induced inflammation. We have shown that GM-CSF promotes macrophage IL-1β and IL-23 production, which in turn act to reinforce ILC3-derived GM-CSF and IL-22 secretion in vitro, respectively. Therefore, ILC3s are essential coordinators of the local inflammatory response within the gut through activation and possible recruitment of immune cells, and their modulation may be beneficial in the treatment of IBD

Typography as a generator of identity in the brand image of European countries in the XXI century

La identidad corporativa ha sido objeto de importantes cambios en las últimas décadas. Estos cambios han alterado, entre otras cuestiones, el orden establecido de los elementos que de forma compleja definen una identidad. La preferencia por el símbolo o imagotipo, que siempre se había mantenido como eje central de la identidad, ha dado paso desde el inicio del siglo XXI al desarrollo de sistemas gráficos variables y escalables en los cuales han entrado en juego otros elementos identificadores que, si bien ya existían, se han colocado ahora en una posición más destacada. Los tradicionalmente denominados elementos identificadores básicos –nombre, imagotipo, logotipo- han perdido poder de reconocimiento per se en una sociedad global con un gradual incremento en el número de soportes, tecnologías y contextos en los que una marca se ve plasmada. Uno de esos elementos que ha ganado un gran protagonismo es la tipografía. En este contexto ha surgido la tendencia cada vez mayor de la creación de familias tipográficas «personalizadas o customizadas» atendiendo a las necesidades específicas de cada una de las marcas, ocupando un lugar destacado entre estos elementos identificativos. Este artículo pretende analizar a través de casos de estudio cómo esta idea de personalización tipográfica ha sido adoptada especialmente en los últimos diez años en el rediseño de marcas de países del norte de Europa, dentro de las estrategias de reafirmación de identidad propia y vinculación con los elementos territoriales con el objetivo de una mayor proyección exterior desde la diferencia. Los países se han visto en la necesidad de crear marcas singulares para diferenciarse de la competencia en los ámbitos del turismo, la captación de población, recursos e inversiones. En esa estrategia los creadores de marca han apuntado hacia la tipografía personalizada como herramienta diferenciadora.Corporate identity has undergone major changes in recent decades. These changes have altered, among other issues, the established order of the elements that in a complex way define an identity. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the preference for the symbol or imagotype, which had always remained as the central axis of identity, has been replaced by the creation of variable and scalable graphic systems. Other identifying elements have come into play in these systems which, although they already existed, have been placed in a more prominent position. The traditional basic elements (Chaves, 1988) such as —name, logo, imagotype— have lost the power of recognition in a global society with a gradual increase in the number of mediums, technologies and contexts in which a brand is embodied. One of those elements that has gained great prominence is typography. In this context, the trend of creating personalized typeface families has emerged, taking into account the needs of each of the brands, occupying a prominent place among these identifying elements. This article aims to analyze through case studies how custom typography has been adopted in the last ten years in the redesign of brands in countries in northern Europe, within the strategies of reaffirmation of one’s own identity and connection with territorial elements with the aim of a greater projection from the difference. Countries have found it necessary to create unique brands to differentiate themselves from their neighbors in the areas of tourism, population recruitment, resources and investments. In this strategy, brand creators have pointed towards custom typography as a differentiating too

An Obituary for Graphic Design

Después de una época convulsa como la posmoderna, en donde se cuestionaron todos los parámetros preestablecidos como dogmas de fe, vivimos una época más pausada, en donde los debates se han desplazado hacia esferas más profundas y reflexivas. Cuestionados los más férreos principios del diseño como la retícula, la objetividad, la racionalidad, la universalidad... a finales de los 90 poco quedaría ya por discutir, dando paso a un principio de siglo XXI preocupado por cuestiones más profundas como la transmisión de la información, o cuestiones éticas y de responsabilidad social del diseño. Las últimas manifestaciones del diseño gráfico dan la razón a aquellos que auguran una época de vuelta al orden, de limpieza, de claridad compositiva, de rigor formal, acercándose de nuevo al concepto de «racionalidad proyectual». De esta forma, el diseño gráfico reflexiona sobre la percepción del mismo por parte de la sociedad a través de ataques subversivos contra todos los conceptos establecidos inmediatamente anteriores. En estas diferentes significaciones que adquiere el diseño, especialmente hacia finales del siglo XX, se enmarcan en profundos cambios sociales, culturales y de manera muy especial en los efectos de la sociedad de consumo, añadiendo al ideario del diseño nuevas terminologías que se suman a la clásica del «buen diseño», como «anti-diseño», «de-diseño» o su última concepción «no-diseño».After a convulsive postmodern age, in which all previously established frameworks such as religion were called into question, we live in a more deliberate age, where debate has moved to more profound and contemplative spheres. Once key design principles such as the reticule, objectivity, rationality, universality had been called into question, by the late 1990s there was not much left to discuss. This gave rise to a 21st century concerned with more profound issues, such as the transmission of information, ethical questions or the social responsibility of design. The latest representations of graphic design confirm the forecasts of those who predicted a return to order, clean lines, clarity of composition, formal rigour, once again approaching the concept of «project rationality». In this way, graphic design reflects on how it is perceived by society through subversive attacks on immediately preceding established concepts. These different meanings acquired by design, especially towards the end of the 20th century, are part of profound social and cultural change, and especially in the effects of consumer society, adding new concepts to the classical «good design», such as «anti-design», «de-design» or the latest concept of «no-design»

La tipografía como generadora de identidad en la imagen de marca de países europeos en el s.XXI

Corporate identity has undergone major changes in recent decades. These changes have altered, among other issues, the established order of the elements that in a complex way define an identity. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the preference for the symbol or imagotype, which had always remained as the central axis of identity, has been replaced by the creation of variable and scalable graphic systems. Other identifying elements have come into play in these systems which, although they already existed, have been placed in a more prominent position. The traditional basic elements such as –name, logo, imagotype– have lost the power of recognition in a global society with a gradual increase in the number of mediums, technologies and contexts in which a brand is embodied. One of those elements that has gained great prominence is typography. In this context, the trend of creating personalized typeface families has emerged, taking into account the needs of each of the brands, occupying a prominent place among these identifying elements. This article aims to analyze through case studies how custom typography has been adopted in the last ten years in the redesign of brands in countries in northern Europe, within the strategies of reaffirmation of one's own identity and connection with territorial elements with the aim of a greater projection from the difference. Countries have found it necessary to create unique brands to differentiate themselves from their neighbors in the areas of tourism, population recruitment, resources and investments. In this strategy, brand creators have pointed towards custom typography as a differentiating tool.La identidad corporativa ha sido objeto de importantes cambios en las últimas décadas. Estos cambios han alterado, entre otras cuestiones, el orden establecido de los elementos que de forma compleja definen una identidad. La preferencia por el símbolo o imagotipo, que siempre se había mantenido como eje central de la identidad, ha dado paso desde el inicio del siglo XXI al desarrollo de sistemas gráficos variables y escalables en los cuales han entrado en juego otros elementos identificadores que, si bien ya existían, se han colocado ahora en una posición más destacada. Los tradicionalmente denominados elementos identificadores básicos –nombre, imagotipo, logotipo- han perdido poder de reconocimiento per se en una sociedad global con un gradual incremento en el número de soportes, tecnologías y contextos en los que una marca se ve plasmada. Uno de esos elementos que ha ganado un gran protagonismo es la tipografía. En este contexto ha surgido la tendencia cada vez mayor de la creación de familias tipográficas «personalizadas o customizadas» atendiendo a las necesidades específicas de cada una de las marcas, ocupando un lugar destacado entre estos elementos identificativos. Este artículo pretende analizar a través de casos de estudio cómo esta idea de personalización tipográfica ha sido adoptada especialmente en los últimos diez años en el rediseño de marcas de países del norte de Europa, dentro de las estrategias de reafirmación de identidad propia y vinculación con los elementos territoriales con el objetivo de una mayor proyección exterior desde la diferencia. Los países se han visto en la necesidad de crear marcas singulares para diferenciarse de la competencia en los ámbitos del turismo, la captación de población, recursos e inversiones. En esa estrategia los creadores de marca han apuntado hacia la tipografía personalizada como herramienta diferenciadora

On the effect of linear algebra implementations in real-time multibody system dynamics

[Abstract] This paper compares the efficiency of multibody system (MBS) dynamic simulation codes that rely on different implementations of linear algebra operations. The dynamics of an N-loop four-bar mechanism has been solved with an index-3 augmented Lagrangian formulation combined with the trapezoidal rule as numerical integrator. Different implementations for this method, both dense and sparse, have been developed, using a number of linear algebra software libraries (including sparse linear equation solvers) and optimized sparse matrix computation strategies. Numerical experiments have been performed in order to measure their performance, as a function of problem size and matrix filling. Results show that optimal implementations can increase the simulation efficiency in a factor of 2–3, compared with our starting classical implementations, and in some topics they disagree with widespread beliefs in MBS dynamics. Finally, advices are provided to select the implementation which delivers the best performance for a certain MBS dynamic simulation

Emission Markets in the European Union: Fundamentals and Price Formation Process

O obxectivo deste artigo é analizar os fundamentos básicos dos mercados de carbono integrados no Sistema da Unión Europea de comercio de emisións (EU-ETS) e do proceso de formación de prezos dos permisos de emisión transferibles (PET) neses mercados. Con ese fin estúdanse os principais elementos institucionais do sistema –axentes, activos, operacións e mercados organizados– e formúlanse os factores determinantes dos prezos do carbono. O estudo concreto de prezos realízase a partir das cotizacións dos contratos de futuros no maior mercado do sistema: o Intercontinental Exchange-European Climate Exchange (ICE-ECX). Como conclusións máis destacadas da análise de prezos realizada poden citarse a estabilización das cotizacións durante os últimos dous anos, o crecemento constante do xuro aberto e a correlación entre as cotizacións dos permisos e dos prezos do petróleoEl objetivo de este artículo es analizar los fundamentos básicos de los mercados de carbono integrados en el Sistema de la Unión Europea de comercio de emisiones (EU- ETS) y del proceso de formación de precios de los permisos de emisión transferibles (PET) en esos mercados. Con ese fin se estudian los principales elementos institucionales del sistema –agentes, activos, operaciones y mercados organizados– y se plantean los factores determinantes de los precios del carbono. El estudio concreto de precios se realiza a partir de las cotizaciones de los contratos de futuros en el mayor mercado del sistema: el Intercontinental Exchange-European Climate Exchange (ICE-ECX). Como conclusiones más destacadas del análisis de precios realizado pueden citarse la estabilización de las cotizaciones durante los últimos dos años, el crecimiento constante del interés abierto y la correlación entre las cotizaciones de los permisos y los precios del petróleoThe objective of this article is to evaluate the fundamentals of the carbon emission market of European Union Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS) as well as to analyze the price determinants of transferable emissions permits (PET) of the markets. To this end, the main infrastructural components –agent, assets, operations, and organized markets– will be examined alongside the deciding factors in setting the price carbon for diagnostic purposes. This study of price was conducted using, as resource, the value of futures over European Union Allowances (EUA) in the biggest market of the system, the ICE-ECX (Intercontinental Exchange, European Climate Exchange). The most significant conclusions of our research are the stabilization of the value over the last two years, the constant growth of open interest, and the correlation between the EUAs value and energy pricesS