Home sharing or crime sharing? Evidences of the relationship between Airbnb, crime and structural factors in Malaga, Spain

Negative externalities stemming from overtourism have been widely reported in the literature. However, a consequence less explored in scientific research is the increase in crime rates derived from high levels of tourism. This article analyses the relationship between the concentration of Airbnb accommodation and crime density in the city of Malaga (Spain); both the social disorganization and the routine activities theories are used as the theoretical basis. The region under study has been defined by removing the non-urbanized part of the city and the unit of spatial analysis is the census tract. The relationship between Airbnb and crime has been measured by controlling for other factors traditionally related to crime. Two models that take into account the spatial nature of the data have been employed: a two-stage spatially weighted spatial least squares model and a geographically weighted regression model. Results show that Airbnb is significantly related to an increase in crime density in the census tract, as is the proportion of people born in countries with a Human Development Index below .825. Nightlife likewise shows a significant relationship with crime in the city, but this relationship is inverse. Nevertheless, the variable that shows the strongest link is crime itself in neighboring census tracts. An increase in crime in a given region leads to an increase in crime in the surrounding census tracts. However, the local model reveals that the impact of crime in adjacent units is not related in the same way to local crime in region analyzed as a whole. The policy implications of these results and other findings contrary to the original criminological theories are discussed.Plan Propio de la Universidad de Málaga. Instituto Andaluz Interuniversitario de Criminología - Sección Málag

Home sharing or crime sharing? Evidences of the relationship between Airbnb, crime and structural factors in Malaga, Spain

Negative externalities stemming from overtourism have been widely reported in the literature. However, a consequence less explored in scientific research is the increase in crime rates derived from high levels of tourism. This article analyses the relationship between the concentration of Airbnb accommodation and crime density in the city of Malaga (Spain); both the social disorganization and the routine activities theories are used as the theoretical basis. The region under study has been defined by removing the non-urbanized part of the city and the unit of spatial analysis is the census tract. The relationship between Airbnb and crime has been measured by controlling for other factors traditionally related to crime. Two models that take into account the spatial nature of the data have been employed: a two-stage spatially weighted spatial least squares model and a geographically weighted regression model. Results show that Airbnb is significantly related to an increase in crime density in the census tract, as is the proportion of people born in countries with a Human Development Index below .825. Nightlife likewise shows a significant relationship with crime in the city, but this relationship is inverse. Nevertheless, the variable that shows the strongest link is crime itself in neighboring census tracts. An increase in crime in a given region leads to an increase in crime in the surrounding census tracts. However, the local model reveals that the impact of crime in adjacent units is not related in the same way to local crime in region analyzed as a whole. The policy implications of these results and other findings contrary to the original criminological theories are discussed

Contribution of water-limited ecoregions to their own supply of rainfall

The occurrence of wet and dry growing seasons in water-limited regions remains poorly understood, partly due to the complex role that these regions play in the genesis of their own rainfall. This limits the predictability of global carbon and water budgets, and hinders the regional management of naturalresources. Using novel satellite observations and atmospheric trajectory modelling, we unravel the origin and immediate drivers of growing-season precipitation, and the extent to which ecoregions themselves contribute to their own supply of rainfall. Results show that persistent anomalies in growing-season precipitation—and subsequent biomass anomalies—are caused by a complex interplay of land and ocean evaporation, air circulation and local atmospheric stability changes. For regions such as the Kalahari and Australia, the volumes of moisture recycling decline in dry years, providing a positive feedback that intensifies dry conditions. However, recycling ratios increase up to40%, pointing to the crucial role of these regions in generating their own supply of rainfall; transpiration in periods of water stress allows vegetation to partly offset the decrease in regional precipitation. Findings highlight the need to adequately represent vegetation–atmosphere feedbacks in models to predict biomass changes and to simulate the fate of water-limited regions in our warming climate

Cough reflex testing with inhaled capsaicin in the study of chronic cough

AbstractObjectives: To assess the utility of capsaicin test in the differential diagnosis of non-productive causes of chronic cough and to examine the effects of treatment on this reflex. Participants: 86 healthy volunteers and 101 patients with chronic cough: asthma (n: 54), gastroesophageal reflux (n: 35) and post-nasal drip syndrome (n: 12). Design: Prospective intervention trial. Spirometry, bronchoprovocation test with histamine (PC20), and cough challenge with ascending concentrations of capsaicin (0.49–500 μM) were initially performed in all subjects. Patients were treated for 3 months according to the origin of the cough. Concentrations that elicited two (C2) and five or more coughs (C5) were determined before and after treatment.Results: In healthy subjects, cough sensitivity to capsaicin was not influenced by gender or smoking status; however, women with chronic cough were more sensitive to cough challenge than men. C2 and C5 were significantly lower in patients with asthma or gastroesophageal reflux than in post-nasal drip syndrome. No significant correlation was observed between the capsaicin cough threshold and PC20. Cough sensitivity did not improve significantly in most patients with asthma or gastroesophageal reflux despite adequate medical treatment during 3 months. Discriminative value of capsaicin test to differentiate healthy subjects from patients with asthma or reflux was poor. Conclusions: Cough sensitivity to inhaled capsaicin is a safe and reproducible tool in the study of chronic cough. However, its usefulness for the management and differential diagnosis is limited

Nickel-Catalyzed cascade Cyclization-Negishi coupling of redox active esters for the synthesis of pyrrolidines

We have developed a Ni-catalyzed cascade cyclization/Negishicoupling reaction for the formation of pyrrolidines and pyrrolidinones starting from N-protected allylamines and acrylamides which contain a redox active ester group. The reaction provides two C C bonds in a single operation and takes place with both alkylzinc and arylzinc bromides as nucleophiles. Activation of RAE by low valent Ni complexes involving a radical pathway followed by a fast cyclization of intermediate carbon radicals is proposeWe thank the support by MICIU(CTQ2016-79826-R and PID2019- 109088GB I00) and for a FPI fellowship to J. C. N

Expression of Novel Opsins and Intrinsic Light Responses in the Mammalian Retinal Ganglion Cell Line RGC-5. Presence of OPN5 in the Rat Retina

The vertebrate retina is known to contain three classes of photoreceptor cells: cones and rods responsible for vision, and intrinsically photoresponsive retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) involved in diverse non-visual functions such as photic entrainment of daily rhythms and pupillary light responses. In this paper we investigated the potential intrinsic photoresponsiveness of the rat RGC line, RGC-5, by testing for the presence of visual and non-visual opsins and assessing expression of the immediate-early gene protein c-Fos and changes in intracellular Ca2+mobilization in response to brief light pulses. Cultured RGC-5 cells express a number of photopigment mRNAs such as retinal G protein coupled receptor (RGR), encephalopsin/panopsin (Opn3), neuropsin (Opn5) and cone opsin (Opn1mw) but not melanopsin (Opn4) or rhodopsin. Opn5 immunoreactivity was observed in RGC-5 cells and in the inner retina of rat, mainly localized in the ganglion cell layer (GCL). Furthermore, white light pulses of different intensities and durations elicited changes both in intracellular Ca2+ levels and in the induction of c-Fos protein in RGC-5 cell cultures. The results demonstrate that RGC-5 cells expressing diverse putative functional photopigments display intrinsic photosensitivity which accounts for the photic induction of c-Fos protein and changes in intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. The presence of Opn5 in the GCL of the rat retina suggests the existence of a novel type of photoreceptor cell

Neurons along the auditory pathway exhibit a hierarchical organization of prediction error

Perception is characterized by a reciprocal exchange of predictions and prediction error signals between neural regions. However, the relationship between such sensory mismatch responses and hierarchical predictive processing has not yet been demonstrated at the neuronal level in the auditory pathway. We recorded single-neuron activity from different auditory centers in anaesthetized rats and awake mice while animals were played a sequence of sounds, designed to separate the responses due to prediction error from those due to adaptation effects. Here we report that prediction error is organized hierarchically along the central auditory pathway. These prediction error signals are detectable in subcortical regions and increase as the signals move towards auditory cortex, which in turn demonstrates a large-scale mismatch potential. Finally, the predictive activity of single auditory neurons underlies automatic deviance detection at subcortical levels of processing. These results demonstrate that prediction error is a fundamental component of singly auditory neuron responses

The process of curriculum making in secondary school students. A narrative inquiry

El propósito del artículo es conocer cómo el alumnado construye el currículum en la experiencia vivida en la escuela. Mediante una indagación narrativa ahondamos en el sentido que tres estudiantes de educación secundaria dan a las experiencias vividas en el aula y cómo construyen conocimiento a partir de ellas. La información ha sido recogida a través de observación y entrevistas. Los resultados y su discusión giran en torno a tres ejes: el conocimiento se construye de forma narrativa, a partir de la experiencia vivida; el relato que cada estudiante hace de su experiencia es continuo, por lo que debemos escuchar toda la historia del alumnado y no centrarnos únicamente en su experiencia en la escuela; al construir cada persona su propio relato de lo que ha vivido, la creación curricular se convierte en un proceso de múltiples historias en interacción. El estudio concluye mostrando el currículum como una composición de historias construidas por profesorado y alumnado en relación.The proposal of this paper is to know how students make curriculum through lived experience at school. By means of a narrative inquiry, we delve into the meaning that three high school students give to lived experience at school and how they construct knowledge. Information has been gathered through observation and interviews. Results and discussion address three themes: knowledge is built narratively from lived experience; students’ stories are continuous, thus we shouldn´t focus only on their experience at school but we have to listen their whole story; given that every person makes his/her own story, curriculum making becomes an interconnected and multistoried process. The study concludes by showing curriculum as a composition of stories constructed in relation by teachers and students

Time to better integrate paleoecological research infrastructures with neoecology to improve understanding of biodiversity long-term dynamics and to inform future conservation

Anthropogenic pressures are causing a global decline in biodiversity. Successful attempts at biodiversity conservation requires an understanding of biodiversity patterns as well as the drivers and processes that determine those patterns. To deepen this knowledge, neoecologists have focused on studying present-day or recent historical data, while paleoecologists usually study long-term data through the composition of various biological proxies and environmental indicators. By establishing standard protocols or gathering databases, research infrastructures (RIs) have been instrumental to foster exchange and collaboration among scientists within neoecology (e.g. Global Information Biodiversity Facility or National Ecological Observatory Network) and paleoecology (e.g. Paleobiology Database, Neotoma Paleoecology Database or European Pollen Database). However, these two subdisciplines (and their RIs) have traditionally remained segregated although both provide valuable information that combined can improve our understanding of biodiversity drivers and underlying processes, as well as our predictions of biodiversity responses in the future. For instance, integrative studies between paleo- and neoecology have addressed the global challenge of biodiversity loss by validating climate and ecological models, estimating species fundamental niches, understanding ecological changes and trajectories, or establishing baseline conditions for restoration. Supporting and contributing to research infrastructures from both paleo- and neoecology, as well as their further integration, could boost the amount and improve the quality of such integrative studies. We argue this will enable improved capabilities to anticipate the impacts of global change and biodiversity losses. To boost such integration and illustrate our arguments, we (1) review studies integrating paleo- and neoecology to advance in the light of global changes challenge, (2) describe RIs developed in paleoecology, and (3) discuss opportunities for further integration of RIs from both disciplines (i.e. paleo- and neoecology).publishedVersio

Aerobiological and allergenic analysis of Cupressaceae pollen in Granada (Southern Spain)

Cupressaceae pollen has been cited in recent years as one of the major airborne allergens of the Mediterranean region, prompting us to conduct an exhaustive analysis on the aerobiological behaviour of this pollen in the Iberian Peninsula and the repercussion that it has had on the atopic population. The aerobiological study, performed from 1996 to 2003 in the city of Granada (S. Spain), used a volumetric Hirst collector. The results indicate that this pollen is present in the air most of the year, registering a high incidence during the winter months. This type of pollen behaved irregularly in the air, fluctuating yearly, seasonally, and within the same day. Temperature and humidity were the parameters that most directly influence the variability of this allergen, while rainfall prior to flowering increased pollen production. The predictive models used estimated a high percentage of the levels reached over the short term by this pollen in the atmosphere of Granada. The clinical study performed with atopic patients showed that some 30% of the population with pollinosis are sensitive to Cupressaceae pollen, affecting people of both genders equally. On the other hand, the most sensitive age group was 21-40 years of age, while children and the elderly registered almost negligible values. Most of the sensitive subjects resided within the city or in the metropolitan area, where environmental pollution reached high levels, while the pathology was found to be less frequent in rural zones. The most frequent symptoms were upper-respiratory ailments and an asthmatic profile.En los últimos años el polen de Cupressaceae se ha considerado uno de los principales alérgenos aéreos de la región Mediterránea, lo que motivó la realización de un análisis exhaustivo del comportamiento aerobiológico de este polen en la Península Ibérica y de la repercusión que tenía en la población atópica. En el estudio aerobiológico, llevado a cabo entre 1996 y 2003 en la ciudad de Granada (sur de España), se utilizó un captador volumétrico tipo Hirst. Los resultados indican que este polen se encuentra presente en el aire la mayor parte del año, pero registra una alta incidencia en los meses de invierno. Este tipo de polen mostró un comportamiento irregular en el aire, con fluctuaciones anuales, estacionales y en un mismo día. La temperatura y la humedad fueron los parámetros que influyeron más directamente en la variabilidad de este alérgeno, mientras que la lluvia antes de la floración incrementó la producción de polen. Los modelos predictivos utilizados estimaron un porcentaje elevado de los niveles alcanzados a corto plazo por este polen en la atmósfera de Granada. El estudio clínico realizado con pacientes atópicos mostró que un 30% de la población con polinosis es sensible al polen de Cupressaceae, afectando a ambos sexos por igual. Por otra parte, el grupo de edad más sensible fue el de 21 a 40 años, mientras que los niños y los ancianos registraron valores casi insignificantes. La mayoría de los sujetos sensibles residían en el núcleo urbano o en el área metropolitana, donde la contaminación ambiental alcanza niveles elevados, mientras que la patología fue menos frecuente en la zona rural. Los síntomas más frecuentes fueron afecciones de las vías respiratorias altas y un perfil asmático.The authors wish to thank the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology for financing this study with the “Análisis de la actividad alergénica de la atmósfera” project (BOS2002-03474)