The Spanish industry of foreigners at its origins

La llegada de forasteros a nuestro país no era una empresa fácil de acometer en una España en crisis después de 1898, dividida políticamente entre conservadores y liberales, y con serias carencias en sus infraestructuras y transportes. La actividad comercial española necesitaba nuevos frentes y el turismo podría convertirse en un importante factor y motor mercantil.La búsqueda y la construcción en torno a ese objetivo comenzó a partir de 1905, cuando la iniciativa pública y privada realizaron las primeras gestiones encaminadas a este fin, y se constituyen se constituyeron sociedades-sindicatos, según el modelo francés, para fomentar la afición por los viajes y la recepción de viajeros.The arrival of foreigners to our country was not an easy task to undertake in a Spain in crisis after 1898, politically divided between conservatives and liberals and with serious gaps in transport infrastructure. The Spanish business needed new fronts and tourism could become an important factor and commercial driver.Searching and building around that goal starts from 1905 in when public and private initiative made the first steps towards this end, and societies-unions are constituted according to the French model to promote the passion for travel and reception of travelers

The concept ‘missing’ in the song María pilar, by Teresa Parodi

Bajo las líneas de la sociosemiótica, el análisis de la canción María Pilar, de Teresa Parodi, nos presentará determinados rastros discursivos relativos al fenómeno de los desaparecidos por las dictaduras de los años setenta y ochenta en Sudamérica. Dichos rastros discursivos, en algunos casos, son comunes en la lucha social por la conformación de un relato que revise el pasado, aquello que se ha dado en llamar la “política de la memoria”, en la que encontramos la principal función política del texto musical. A pesar de ese esfuerzo, nos será posible encontrar algunas contradicciones, las cuales remiten al discurso oficial (durante y posterior a las dictaduras).Under the lines of the socioemiotic theory, the analysis of the song María Pilar, by Teresa Parodi, will present us certain discursive marks related to the phenomenon of the missing persons, victims by the dictatorships of the seventies and eighties in South America. These discursive marks, in some cases, participate in the social struggle for the formation of a narrative that revises the past, what has been called as “politics of memory”, in which we find its main political function of the song. Despite this effort, it will be possible to find some contradictions, which refer to official discourse (during and after dictatorships)

Apolar carbohydrates as DNA capping agents

Mono- and disaccharides have been shown to stack on top of DNA duplexes stabilizing sequences with terminal C–G base pairs. Here we present an apolar version of glucose and cellobiose as new capping agents that stack on DNA increasing considerably its stability with respect to their natural polyhydroxylated mono- and disaccharide DNA conjugates.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades CTQ2006-01123, CTQ2007-68014- C02-02, CTQ2009-13705, BFU2007-63287Generalitat de Catalunya 2009/SGR/208Instituto de Salud Carlos III CB06_01_001

Modelling of atmospheric hazards and severe weather phenomena toWestern Mediterranean basin coastal floods since 1960

The main goal of this study is to present a methodological approach to improve synoptic classifications associatedto basin coastal floods. A further step is done towards an objective reclassification of new events to improve andfacilitate the task of flooding weather forecast.In a recent study, we identified more than 3,600 cases of flood in the municipalities of the Spanish Mediterraneancoast from 1960 to 2013, and analyzed synoptic patterns associated to them. A Principal Sequence Pattern Analysiswas applied to sea level pressure, temperature at 850 hPa, geopotential at 700 hPa and 500 hPa (data provided bythe 20th Century V2 Reanalysis Project). The methodology used is based on three steps: (1) Principal SequenceComponent Analysis in S-mode, the scree-test to determine the number of components involved and OrthogonalVarimax rotation to minimise the number of variables with high factorial loadings; (2) Cluster Analysis to de-termine the main synoptic patterns associated with flooding activity in the study area using the non-hierarchicalK-means and the hierarchical Ward clusters; and (3) Discriminant Analysis for validating the model. The resultsshowed twelve Principal Sequence Patterns related to atmospheric convection associated with a trough in the mid-dle levels of the troposphere, and to thermal forcing. Regional differences are modulated by a triggering effect dueto local convergences.Once the synoptic patterns were identified, the new flood time-series recollected for 2014 and 2015 have beenreclassified from the component score coefficients matrix and Discriminant Fisher Functions of the reference period(1960-2013). The component scores were calculated from the following equation:Aij=SBikCkjWhere Aijis the score value at time i for the PCA component (j); Bikis the variable at time (i) at the grid point(k); and Ckjis the component score coefficient at the grid point (k) and PCA component (j).2) To classify new events, we used the Fisher discriminant functions:SP= maxt{Zt+SAjtXjt}Where SP is the predicted synoptic pattern; Ztis the constant coefficient of the Fisher discriminant function forthe synoptic pattern (t); Ajtis the score value of the PCA component (j) for the synoptic pattern (t); and Xjtis theFisher function coefficient for the PCA component (j) and the synoptic pattern (t).In comparison to other techniques, the method applied in this study obtains the discriminant functions that can be applied to reclassify a classification, as we did in this study, or to classify flood events in the future. Consequently,in a Meteorological Service, this tool could be an operational system for classifying any flood synoptic pattern fora period of 6-hours and delimiting the more likely flooding areas for the studied region.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Elicitación de la distribución del nivel de importancia de actividades de restauración del paisaje en los Andes colombianos

The definition and prioritization of landscape restoration activities in deforested areas are essential for the long-term health of ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities that rely on forest ecosystem services. This study focused on the complex area of Belmira, Antioquia, in the Colombian Andes, where the main research objective was the identification of areas and restoration activities through a multicriteria spatial analysis and a multitemporal analysis. An innovative elicitation methodology was presented, considering the individual characteristics of each expert to estimate the importance of these activities. A wooden instrument with a numerical scale was designed for the elicitation process, controlling potential cognitive biases through structured protocols. Additionally, an algorithm was introduced to generate samples of elicited probability distributions using beta models, aiming to enhance result robustness. Findings highlight that watershed and soil restoration activities, along with live fences, are deemed of utmost importance by experts across the entire study area. These results suggest that environmental efforts in the region should be focused on these activities to generate a positive impact.La definición y priorización de actividades de restauración del paisaje en áreas deforestadas es esencial para la salud a largo plazo de los ecosistemas, la biodiversidad y las comunidades humanas que dependen de los servicios ecosistémicos de los bosques. Este estudio se enfocó en la compleja área de Belmira, Antioquia, en los Andes colombianos, donde el objetivo principal de la investigación se centró en la identificación de áreas y actividades de restauración mediante un análisis espacial multicriterio y un análisis multitemporal. Se presentó una metodología innovadora de elicitación que considera las características individuales de cada experto para estimar la importancia de estas actividades. Se diseñó un instrumento de madera con escala numérica para el proceso de elicitación, controlando posibles sesgos cognitivos mediante protocolos estructurados. Además, se introdujo un algoritmo para generar muestras de distribuciones de probabilidad elicitadas a partir de modelos beta con el objetivo de mejorar la robustez de los resultados. Los hallazgos destacaron que las actividades de restauración de cuencas y suelos, así como las cercas vivas, son consideradas de mayor importancia por los expertos en toda el área de estudio. Estos resultados sugieren que los esfuerzos ambientales en la región deben focalizarse en estas actividades para generar impacto positivo

Efectos de la alteración endocrina durante la gestación: una revisión sistemática

Los alteradores endocrinos son contaminantes ambientales, naturales y sintéticos, ubicuos, que pueden mimetizar, bloquear o alterar funciones hormonales. La exposición ambiental a estos contaminantes es prácticamente imposible de evitar debido a que están presentes en el aire, en el agua, en los suelos, en los alimentos, y en muchos de los materiales con los que estamos en contacto diariamente, como los plásticos. La gestación supone una etapa de vulnerabilidad para el feto porque su organismo está en proceso de desarrollo y cualquier alteración puede afectar su salud a corto o largo plazo. Hay cierta evidencia de que estas sustancias alteran procesos de crecimiento y diferenciación de tejidos, producen malformaciones y afectan la duración del embarazo. Hasta el momento se conoce algo de sus efectos en la etiología de la criptorquidia, hipospadias y micropene, abortos espontáneos, partos prematuros y el bajo peso al nacimiento, efectos que serán revisados en este documento que quiere aportar una actualización del conocimiento, concentrándose en la epidemiología ambiental y la literatura relacionada. La dificultad para estudiar este tema por la cantidad de factores que intervienen hace que los resultados existentes no sean concluyentes o incluso contradictorios, por lo que es necesario que se siga investigando Abstract.Endocrine disruptors are ubiquitous natural and synthetic environmental pollutants that can mimic, block or disturb normal hormonal function. Environmental exposure to these pollutants is almost impossible to prevent due to their presence in the air,water, soil, food and in many other materials with which we come in contact daily, such as plastics. Foetuses are vulnerable during pregnancy because their organism is in a developmental stage, and any disruption may affect their health in the short and/or long term. There is some evidence that these substances disrupt tissue differentiation and growth processes, cause birth defects and affect the length of pregnancy. In this review we will focus on environmental epidemiology and related literature in order to update current knowledge based on the actual evidence of the effects of these substances on the aetiology of preterm delivery, miscarriages, low birth weight, malformations, cryptorchidism, hypospadias and micropenis. The difficulty in studying this topic is due to the high number of involved factors, which makes the available results inconclusive or even contradictory. Consequently,further research is necessary

Emprendimiento femenino y financiación social: un estudio comparado

En el actual entorno económico mundial organismos como la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico (OCDE) o el Banco Mundial reconocen el emprendimiento de nuevos negocios como un motor de crecimiento indiscutible y a los mecanismos financieros para ponerlo en práctica como determinantes. La literatura económica desde hace tiempo viene estudiando los procesos de emprendimiento desde diferentes perspectivas; aunque no tanto atendiendo al género de quien toma la iniciativa empresarial y a las singularidades de esta circunstancia, ya que hay situaciones que pueden llegar a condicionar la puesta en marcha de negocios por mujeres como el menor acceso a la financiación bancaria frente a sus homólogos masculinos, lo que puede justificar una menor actividad emprendedora. En ámbitos específicos como el emprendimiento social, donde el componente del lucro se ajusta con la dimensión social y medioambiental del proyecto, se pone de manifiesto esta situación. El presente artículo se centra en la demanda de financiación por parte de las emprendedoras a partir de tres bloques de análisis. En el primero, se estudian las necesidades de recursos financieros de las emprendedoras frente a los emprendedores con el propósito de establecer si hay diferencias relevantes, contrastando si las primeras precisan menos financiación que los segundos a la hora de llevar a cabo iniciativas empresariales. En el siguiente bloque, se analizan las fuentes de financiación principal declaradas por las emprendedoras de 69 países en la encuesta del Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), identificando varios clústeres relevantes con resultados diversos. Esto último hace posible, para terminar, contrastar empíricamente las diferencias en las fuentes principales expresadas por hombres y mujeres para financiar sus negocios

Carbohydrate-DNA interactions at G-quadruplexes: Folding and stability changes by attaching sugars at the 5′-End

Quadruplex DNA structures are attracting an enormous interest in many areas of chemistry, ranging from chemical biology, supramolecular chemistry to nanoscience. We have prepared carbohydrate-DNA conjugates containing the oligonucleotide sequences of G-quadruplexes (thrombin binding aptamer (TBA) and human telomere (TEL)), measured their thermal stability and studied their structure in solution by using NMR and molecular dynamics. The solution structure of a fucose-TBA conjugate shows stacking interactions between the carbohydrate and the DNA G-tetrad in addition to hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic contacts. We have also shown that attaching carbohydrates at the 5′-end of a quadruplex telomeric sequence can alter its folding topology. These results suggest the possibility of modulating the folding of the G-quadruplex by linking carbohydrates and have clear implications in molecular recognition and the design of new G-quadruplex ligands. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.We thank the MICINN (grants CTQ2009–13705, CTQ2010–20451, CTQ2010–21567-C02–02), EU COST project MP0802, Generalitat de Catalunya (2009/SGR/208), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERBNN, CB06 01 0019) for financial support. IGP and RL thank CSIC for a JAE contract. EVC thanks the Ministry of Education for an FPU doctoral fellowship.Peer reviewe

Impulse oscillometry reference values and bronchodilator response in three- to five-year old children living at high altitude

Q2Q1Introduction: Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is used to measure airway impedance. It is an effective tool for diagnosing and treating respiratory diseases, and it has the advantage that it does not require forced respiratory maneuvers. IOS reference values are required for each population group. Objective: This study aimed to determine the IOS reference values and bronchodilator response in healthy preschool children living in Bogotá, Colombia. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study in preschool children who had no history of respiratory disease; 96 children fit the parameters for testing to determine normal values according to the American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society criteria. Results: Values for respiratory resistance (Rrs) and reactance (Xrs) at 5, 10, and 20 Hz, respiratory impedance (Zrs, and resonance frequency (Fres) were established. Height was the most influential independent variable for IOS values; an increase in height led to a reduction in Rrs5 and Rrs20 and an increase in Xrs5. After the administration of 400 mcg of salbutamol the values for Rrs5(-17.48%), Rrs20(-8.63%), Fres (-10.68%), and area of reactance (-35.44%) were reduced, meanwhile Xrs5 (15.35%) was increased. Conclusions: Normal IOS values before and after the administration of 400 mcg of salbutamol were determined for a population of children aged 3-5 years at 2,640 m. Reference IOS equations for these children are presented. A relative change of up to -28% and 36% after the use of salbutamol for respiratory resistance and reactance, respectively, should be considered as an upper limit of the normal range, and possible appropriate cut-off values for defining significant response for evaluating therapeutic interventions. Keywords: children; cross-sectional studies; high altitude; oscillometry; reference values; respiratory function tests.N/

Predictive assessment of plasma dynamics effects on the shock transformation of metallic alloys by laser shock processing

Laser shock processing (LSP) has been presented as an effective technology for improving surface mechanical and corrosion properties of metals, and is being developed as a practical process amenable to production engineering. The main acknowledged advantages of the laser shock processing technique consist on its capability of inducing a relatively deep compression residual stresses field into metallic alloy pieces allowing an improved mechanical behaviour, explicitly, the life improvement of the treated specimens against wear, crack growth and stress corrosion cracking. In the present paper, practical results at laboratory scale on the application of Laser Shock Processing are presented showing the obtained tensile residual stresses relaxation along with corresponding preliminary results about the resulting mechanical properties improvement induced by the treatment