Characterizing technical progress

Is there an aggregate technical shock? Is the growth rate of TFP a positive constant buffeted by random shocks? We use data on the Spanish economy, disaggregated by sector and region, from two different data sets to investigate the nature of technical change. Our results show that technical change is sector-specific, and operates at the national level. We also find that TFP growth rates are far from being constant. Thus, our findings contradict the basic assumption underlying the model of "Kapital, Labour and exogenous Aggregate TFP". We discuss the role of embodied technical change as a source of observed TFP growth. We also find no role for broad externalities as a determinant of TFP growth

CHARACTERIZING TECHNICAL PROGRESS

Is there an aggregate technical shock? Is the growth rate of TFP a positive constant buffeted by random shocks? We use data on the Spanish economy, disaggregated by sector and region, from two different data sets to investigate the nature of technical change. Our results show that technical change is sector-specific, and operates at the national level. We also find that TFP growth rates are far from being constant. Thus, our findings contradict the basic assumption underlying the model of "Kapital, Labour and exogenous Aggregate TFP". We discuss the role of embodied technical change as a source of observed TFP growth. We also find no role for “broad externalities” as a determinant of TFP growth.

From the Editors: CLIL at university: research and developments

In recent times, the relevance of CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) at most educational levels, especially in the university world, has experienced an exponential increase, as recent publications show (Doiz et al. 2013, Fortanet-Gómez 2013, Llinares et al. 2012, or Smit and Dafouz 2012a, among others). Teaching in English seems to be a popular topic nowadays, but it is also a need. The articles included in this issue show three main common features of CLIL and its role in today’s higher education: the process of internationalization of the educational system, the need for a language policy, and the fact that English for Specific Purposes (ESP) as a field of research and teaching as well as ESP practitioners are all very much concerned with CLIL

Microalgae biotechnology for simultaneous water treatment and feed ingredient production in aquaculture br

The use of Tetraselmis chui to produce sole feed ingredient and the recovery of nutrients from a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) aquaculture facility was studied. The microalga was cultured in a pilot-scale (6 m3) outdoor raceway reactor located in a sole production plant. First, the growth of the microalgae, the addition of phosphorus and the quality of the resulting water were studied. It was possible to cultivate in semi-continuous mode T. chui using the purge stream of a RAS, obtaining productivities of 15 mg L1 d1, and reaching 36 mg L1 d1 when phosphorus was added. In terms of water quality of the effluent, the pollutants concentration were below discharge limits (suspended solids and total dissolved nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon) -directive 91/ 271/EEC. In the case of Vibrio sp., the concentration in the culture water at the end of the experiments remained below typical environmental concentrations (10 % microalgae