Output composition and the US output volatility decline

We argue that the role played by output-composition changes on the decline in US output volatility has been incorrectly assessed in the recent literature. We obtain that shifts across broad sectors in the economy account for about thirty-percent of the volatility decline since the 1950’s.volatility, business fluctuations

Inflation and Factor Shares

We use results from the literature on the determinants of price-cost margins to derive an equation relating labor's share of national income to the inflation rate (as well as to the output gap, the unemployment rate and the capital stock per worker). The equation is tested with a panel of 15 OECD countries. We obtain a robust positive relationship between inflation and the labor share. Our results suggest that disinflation is not distributively neutral, provide empirical support for the distinct concern about price stability shown by trade unions and employers' organizations, and help explaining the negative impact of inflation on growth.Inflation, Functional Distribution of Income, Markups.

Currículum integrado e identidad y cultura docente universitaria. Los efectos de una actividad interdisciplinar

The results of an investigative process are reported that centre on the impact that modular curricular organization and its interdisciplinary activity are having on the teaching culture in the Degree in Social Education at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). This understanding of the curriculum is a seminal change for teaching staff and affects their professional identity by encouraging co-responsibility throughout the process. Communicative methodology is employed, which assists in the integration of the people in the investigation, so that they form part of the process of study under equal terms. The production of data was done through in-depth interviews, discussion groups, and documental analysis. The Interdisciplinary Activity Module (IAM) was developed in small groups, of 12-15 individuals, through active methodologies, and the university teachers needed to incorporate it into their discourse and relations with other colleagues and with their students. The results show that an integrated curriculum provides a worthwhile training opportunity to achieve learning of greater significance and depth, and that it happens through changes in their ways of relating and acting as teachers.Este trabajo muestra los resultados de un proceso de investigación centrado en el impacto que una organización modular del currículum y su actividad interdisciplinar están teniendo en las identidades y en la cultura docente del Grado de Educación Social (UPV/EHU). Esta forma de entender el currículum es un cambio de gran calado para el profesorado y afecta a su identidad profesional al hacerlo co-responsable de todo el proceso. La metodología empleada es la comunicativa desde la que se apoya que las personas investigadas formen parte del proceso del estudio en términos de igualdad. La producción de datos se ha realizado mediante entrevistas en profundidad, grupos de discusión y análisis documental. La Actividad Interdisciplinar de Módulo (AIM) se desarrolla en grupos pequeños, de unas 12-15 personas, a través de metodologías activas, y el profesional académico lo tiene que incorporar a su forma de entenderse y relacionarse con el resto de colegas y con el alumnado. Los resultados muestran que un currículum integrado proporciona una oportunidad formativa de valor para conseguir un aprendizaje más significativo y profundo, y que ello pasa por un cambio en las formas de entenderse y hacer como docente.This article is linked to the line of Active Education of the consolidated research group Ikasgura (GIU 14/08) of the University of Basque Country

Combined Effect of Temperature and Oil and Salt Contents on the Variation of Dielectric Properties of a Tomato-Based Homogenate

Tomato-based processed foods are a key component of modern diets, usually combined with salt and olive oil in different ratios. For the design of radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (MW) heating processes of tomato-based products, it is of importance to know how the content of both ingredients will affect their dielectric properties. Three concentrations of olive oil and salt were studied in a tomato homogenate in triplicate. The dielectric properties were measured from 10 to 3000 MHz and from 10 to 90 °C. Interaction effects were studied using a general linear model. At RF frequencies, the dielectric constant decreased with increasing temperature in samples without added salt, but this tendency was reversed in samples with added salt. The addition of salt and oil increased the frequency at which this reversion occurred. At MW frequencies, the dielectric constant decreased with increasing temperature, salt, and oil content. The loss factor increased with increasing salt content and temperature, except in samples without added salt at 2450 MHz. Penetration depth decreased with increasing frequency and loss factor. Salt and oil contents have a significant effect on the dielectric properties of tomato homogenates and must be considered for the design of dielectric heating processes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Why are you allowed to go to school on your own? Exploring children's voices on independent mobility

This study aims to analyse 1002 children's and adolescent's reasons for going to school alone or accompanied and to explore how parents influence their choice. The findings revealed that children who could go to school alone feel that their parents trust them more. Moreover, children who live close to school are more likely to commute autonomously and those who do so feel their environment is safer. Finally, there are significant gender differences in autonomous travel to school, largely due to parental influence. In conclusion, there is a real need to work with children and families to develop targeted interventions to support the normalisation of children's autonomous walking and to address the fears of parents.KideOn. Research Group of the Basque Government, Ref.: IT1342-19 (A category). UPV/EHU. Proyectos Universidad-Empresa-Sociedad. US20/15. Autonomia en la Movilidad de los Ninos/as

Leisure as a Space for Inclusion and the Improvement of Life Satisfaction of Immigrants

Immigration has increased as a transnational phenomenon in Europe in recent years. A total of 2.4 million people migrated to one of the EU-28 Member States during 2018 as discussed by Eurostat (2020). This new reality presents us with new challenges, barriers, and paradigms of intervention. In this context, leisure has become one of the most important tools for the inclusion of this population and the development and strengthening of civic values that are essential in these times of constant mobility and social and cultural hybridization as discussed by Ashcroft, Griffiths & Tiffin (2006). The aim of this study was to analyze the role of leisure in processes related to inclusion, improvement of life satisfaction, and those related to covering the needs of migrants. For this purpose, a questionnaire was used which was administered to 373 people from different countries of origin in the Basque Country (Northern Spain). The variables under study were participation in leisure activities, needs covered, life satisfaction, and perception of inclusion. The results indicate that the participation of these people in leisure activities and free time, their inclusion in the territory, and their perceived life satisfaction are all low, while their needs (physical, psychological, educational, social, relaxation, physiological, and artistic) are not satisfactorily covered. Furthermore, the extent to which their needs are covered, strength of the social network, inclusion, and life satisfaction all show a correlation with free time and engagement in leisure activities.Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This research was supported by the KideOn Research Group of the Basque Government, Ref.: IT1342-19 (A category)

Validation of Pasteurisation Temperatures for a Tomato–Oil Homogenate (salmorejo) Processed by Radiofrequency or Conventional Continuous Heating

Salmorejo is a viscous homogenate based on tomato, olive oil and breadcrumbs commercialised as a “fresh-like” pasteurised–chilled purée. Due to its penetration, dielectric heating by radiofrequency (RF) might improve pasteurisation results of conventional heating (CH). The objective was to validate the pasteurisation temperature (70–100 °C, at 5 °C intervals) for salmorejo processed by RF (operating at 27.12 MHz for 9.08 s) or conventional (for 10.9 s) continuous heating. The main heat-induced changes include: orangeness, flavour homogenisation, loss of freshness, thickening, loss of vitamin C and lipid oxidation. Both CH and RF equivalent treatments allowed a strong reduction of total and sporulated mesophilic microorganisms and an adequate inhibition of the pectin methylesterase, peroxidase and, to a lesser extent, polyphenol oxidase but did not inhibit the polygalacturonase enzyme. Pasteurisation at 80 °C provided a good equilibrium in levels of microbiological and enzymatic inhibition and thermal damage to the product. Increasing this temperature does not improve enzyme inactivation levels and salmorejo may become overheated. A “fresh-like” good-quality salmorejo can be obtained using either conventional or radiofrequency pasteurisers.This research was funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain under the project No. RTI2018-098052 and by the CERCA programme from the Generalitat of Catalunya.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bioallethrin degradation by photo-Fenton process in acetonitrile/water and aqueous β-cyclodextrin solutions

Bioallethrin (Bio) is an insecticide that chemically and functionally belongs to the family of the synthetic insecticides named pyrethroids. In this work the degradation of Bio is studied by the photo-Fenton and photo-Fenton-modified processes. The first one produces the complete mineralization of Bio in less than one hour of irradiation. However, due to the low solubility of Bio in water, different modifications of the photo-Fenton process were tested. First, the photo-Fenton process was carried out in mixtures of different acetonitrile/water proportions. Although acetonitrile deactivates the hydroxyl radical, the main oxidizing agent in the photo-Fenton process, a Bio degradation greater than 90% is achieved in 80 min of reaction. Second, degradation of Bio was evaluated by photo-Fenton in a medium with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), where the Bio solubility could be increased at least thirty-five times. The association constant of Bio to β-CD was measured to be 1933 ± 300 M−1 and molecular simulation results indicate a 1:1 inclusion complex stabilized by the formation of intermolecular H-bonds. The Bio degradation rate in this medium was similar to that observed in aqueous media. The use of β-CD presents a friendly alternative to the environment for the degradation of the pyrethroid insecticide.Fil: Possetto, David Ivan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; ArgentinaFil: Natera, Jose Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Sancho, Matias Israel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Garcia, Norman Andino. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; ArgentinaFil: Massad, Walter Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentin

Riboflavin sensitized photodegradation of Furaneol in a β-cyclodextrin complex

A study on the photodegradation of the widely employed flavoring compound Furaneol (FUR), in the presence of vitamin B2 (Riboflavin, Rf) was carried out, in aqueous and microheterogeneous media. The system as a whole allows the evaluation of FUR stability, since the vitamin is an endogenous natural photosensitizer. In a visible-light-irradiated solution of Rf plus FUR, a complex mechanism of competitive reactions occurs. FUR quenches the singlet (2.7 x 109 M-1s-1) and triplet (6.0 x 108 M-1s-1) Rf electronically excited states and reacts with singlet molecular oxygen (O2(1g)) generated from the triplet excited state of the sensitizer, with a reactive rate constant of 1.97 x 107 M-1s-1. In the oxidation process, two oxygen molecules are incorporated. In the presence of β-cyclodextrin (CD), experimental and theoretical results show the formation of an inclusion 1:1 complex of FUR with the oligosaccharide. The Rf- photosensitized oxidation rates of FUR were higher in the microheterogeneous medium, probably due to the incorporation of FUR in the non-inclusion complex between Rf and CD which may produce O2(1g) near the oxidizable substrate. The overall result of this study demonstrates that visible-light exposure of formulations containing Rf and FUR may cause significant oxidation of the flavoring agent.Fil: Gambetta, Carolina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Reynoso, Agustina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Natera, Jose Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Sancho, Matias Israel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Montaña, Maria Paulina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Massad, Walter Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud; Argentin

Estudio del efecto de B-ciclodextrina sobre la actividad de polifenoloxidasa de pera blanca de Aranjuez

Introducción: La Polifenoloxidasa (PFO) es la enzima que produce el pardeamiento enzimático en frutas y vegetales. En la reacción que cataliza, se forman quinonas (pigmentos pardo-marrones) a partir de compuestos fenólicos (sustrato de la enzima), como el 4-tert-butilcatecol (TBC). Las ciclodextrinas (CD) son azúcares macrocíclicos naturales que debido a su estructura forman complejos con compuestos poco solubles en agua, como el TBC. Debido a las pérdidas económicas que ocasiona la acción de la PFO en la industria frutihortícola, se busca constantemente limitar y/o inhibir su acción. Por ello, en el presente trabajo se investigó si la disminución de la actividad enzimática de PFO de Pera Blanca de Aranjuez (PFOA) en presencia de β-ciclodextrina (βCD) se debe a la formación de un complejo de inclusión con el sustrato (βCD-TBC). Con la finalidad de comprobar la formación del mencionado complejo, se determinó su constante (KC) utilizando el método de Higuchi-Connors (1). Además, se obtuvieron los espectros FTIR del complejo βCD-TBC, de las drogas puras y de la mezcla física de ambos en relación 1:1. Resultados y Conclusiones: Del análisis del diagrama de solubilidad de fases se pudo inferir una estequiometria 1:1 para el complejo de inclusión, βCD-TBC, y se obtuvo para la KC un valor de 12899±1195 M-1. Observando los FTIR obtenidos, se notaron diferencias entre los espectros de TBC y de βCD-TBC, que además no se podrían atribuir a la mezcla física y/o a la βCD pura. Esto se consideró como evidencia de la formación del complejo de inclusión. Posteriormente, se evaluó el efecto de la βCD sobre la actividad de PFOA. Teniendo en cuenta que existe una relación no lineal entre la velocidad de reacción enzimática y la concentración de βCD presente en el medio de reacción, se obtuvo el valor de KC utilizando la ecuación de velocidad de Michaelis-Menten modificada (2). Para la aplicación de esta ecuación se utilizaron los valores de Vmáx y KM (9,36 mM min-1 y 13,19 mM, respectivamente) obtenidos a partir de la evaluación de la actividad de PFOA frente a TBC en ausencia de βCD. El valor de KC fue 16888 M-1, similar al obtenido por otros autores. Se pudo observar que al incluir βCD en el medio de reacción, los compuestos fenólicos de la fruta fueron oxidados por PFOA a la misma quinona producida en ausencia de βCD. Además, se observó que la velocidad de oxidación (dAbs/min) disminuyó progresivamente a medida que se aumentó la concentración de βCD, evidenciando que el efecto inhibitorio de la actividad enzimática se debe a la formación del complejo de inclusión.Fil: Melo, Gisela Mabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Sancho, Matias Israel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Gasull, Estela Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis; ArgentinaXXII Congreso Argentino de Fisicoquímica y Química InorgánicaArgentinaAsociación Argentina de Investigación Fisicoquímic