Economic Growth or Electricity, what come First in Spain after 1958?

Purpose With the opening up of the economy since the 1959 Economic Stabilization Plan, was it the production of electricity that drove the growth of gross domestic product (GDP) in Spain or, on the contrary, was it the growth of GDP that drove the production of electricity well into the 21st century? The purpose of this paper is to answer this question. Design/methodology/approach A cointegration approach based on the studies conducted by Pesaran and Shin (1999) and Pesaran et al. (2001) is applied, as it is suitable for short data series like those used in this paper. Findings The results of this paper allow us to conclude that electricity production boosted economic growth in Spain during the period under study, confirming the growth hypothesis. Research limitations/implications The results of this paper should be interpreted with caution, as electricity today amounts to less than a quarter of the total amount of energy used in Spain. It was not possible to incorporate other inputs to the production function (such as other energy inputs, technological or human capital), but the methodology used avoids the problems of omitted variables and of autocorrelation. Practical implications The results show that a small economy with limited resources, such as the Spanish one, is more vulnerable to energy shocks than other energy-sufficient economies. As Spain is a country with high energy dependence from abroad, the government must first ensure the electricity supply. Increased availability and access to different sources of electricity will improve the outlook for the Spanish economy. Conversely, a shortage in supply of electricity will constrain the regular pace of economic growth. Social implications Spain should investigate and explore more efficient and cost-effective sources of energy, in particular the renewable energies, as traditional energy sources will be scarce before long. Originality/value This paper differs from previous ones carried out for Spain in several aspects: it considers a broader period of time, from 1958 to 2015; the relationships between electricity production and GDP are analysed for the first time in a neo-classical production function where electricity, capital and employment are considered as separate factors; and a cointegration approach based on the studies conducted by Pesaran and Shin (1999) and Pesaran et al. (2001) is applied, as it is suitable for short data series like those used in this paper

Vinculación de Ciempozuelos (Madrid) con sus aguas subterráneas

Ciempozuelos is located 35 km to the south of Madrid on the Miocene gypsum formations characteristic of the centre of Madrid basin. From old times (XIV century or former) the water supply was made mainly by means of a galleries dug by pick and shovel (denominated in the town “mines” of water). By this way, the public fountains were supplied. Given the easiness of excavation of the galleries in gypsum materials and the robustness of they without lining necessity, made proliferate the “mines” and also the excavation of caves in the basements of the housings with object of storage wines and other products. Finally it was a crossroad of galleries, holes, caves, mines… that extend for the underground of Ciempozuelos. The historians speculates, with foundation, that Spanish name of the city mentions this proliferation of wells and mines.Actually this rich hydraulic patrimony is abandoned and in phase of deterioration due to its partial destruction as the urbanization of the urban city progresses. The Town Hall has undertaken archaeological and hydrogeological studies in order to improve the knowledgement of the nature and singularities of these infrastructures and later to management them properly. The hydrogeological study made, has distinguished clearly among those denominated “mines” and other types of built hollows under the urban underground. Forty six wells have been inventoried. The equipotential lines map show that the direction of the groundwater flow in Ciempozuelos city is mainly from the southwest toward the northeast. Thirty five chemical analysis and fifteen bacteriological samples have been made and they confirm the calcium bicarbonate facies with high conductivity (1.700 ìS/cm) and the inadequate bacteriological quality in order to possible use in urban water supply. We recommend their use for ornamental uses, irrigation of streets, and cultural memory of the singular water supply that has persisted in the city during centuries.Ciempozuelos pertenece a la Comunidad de Madrid y se encuentra a unos 35 km al sur de la capital. Desde tiempos antiguos (siglo XIV o anteriormente) el abastecimiento en agua se efectuaba principalmente mediante una serie de galerías horizontales excavadas a “pico y pala” (denominadas en la localidad “minas de agua”). De esta forma se abastecían las fuentes públicas.La facilidad de excavación en el sustrato yesífero y la robustez de las cavidades sin necesidad de revestimiento, hizo proliferar tanto la construcción de “minas” como cuevas en los bajos de las viviendas con objeto de almacenaje de diversos productos. El resultado fue una encrucijada de pozos, galerías, huecos, cuevas y “minas” que se extienden por el subsuelo, y que posiblemente diese lugar al nombre del emplazamiento: Ciempozuelos.En la actualidad este rico patrimonio hidráulico está prácticamente abandonado y en fase de deterioro debido a su destrucción parcial a medida que progresa la urbanización del casco urbano. El Ayuntamiento ha emprendido estudios arqueológicos e hidrogeológicos para, en primer lugar, conocer la naturaleza y singularidades de estas infraestructuras y posteriormente gestionarlas con criterio.El estudio hidrogeológico efectuado ha distinguido claramente entre las denominadas “minas” y otros tipos de oquedades construidas bajo el subsuelo urbano. Se han inventariado 46 puntos de agua, se ha confeccionado el mapa de isopiezas bajo el subsuelo del casco urbano que ha determinado que el flujo de las aguas subterráneas es principalmente de sudoeste a nordeste. Se han efectuado 35 análisis químicos y 13 bacteriológicos de muestras de agua que han servido para confirmar la facies bicarbonatada cálcica con alta conductividad (1.700 mS/cm) de las aguas y la inadecuada calidad bacteriológica, de cara a su posible uso en abastecimiento.Se propone el uso del agua para fines ornamentales y baldeo de calles y cultural como recuerdo del singular abastecimiento que durante siglos ha persistido en la población

Molecular insights into mitochondrial protein translocation and human disease

In human mitochondria, mtDNA encodes for only 13 proteins, all components of the OXPHOS system. The rest of the mitochondrial components, which make up approximately 99% of its proteome, are encoded in the nuclear genome, synthesized in cytosolic ribosomes and imported into mitochondria. Different import machineries translocate mitochondrial precursors, depending on their nature and the final destination inside the organelle. The proper and coordinated function of these molecular pathways is critical for mitochondrial homeostasis. Here, we will review molecular details about these pathways, which components have been linked to human disease and future perspectives on the field to expand the genetic landscape of mitochondrial diseases. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

La marcha: diferencias según el sexo

Objetivo: La finalidad de este trabajo ha sido valorar la movilidad de las articulaciones de la extremidad inferior y la actividad electromiográfica de los principales músculos de la misma, en un grupo de hombres y de mujeres, con la finalidad de establecer las diferencias entre ambos, al caminar por terreno llano y al ascender y descender escaleras. Material y método: En el estudio han participado 22 hombres y 18 mujeres sanos a los que se ha determinado la movilidad articular con un sistema de análisis tridimensional denominado Orthobío y la actividad muscular mediante telemetría con un aparato MT8-3 Biological de MIE Medical Research Ltd y con con electrodos de superficie. Resultado y discusión: Los resultados obtenidos muestran respecto a la movilidad articular, que para la marcha en terreno llano no hay diferencias significativas entre ambos grupos mientras que en el ascenso y descenso de escaleras se realizan algunas adaptaciones. Sin embargo respecto a la actividad muscular aparece una clara tendencia a una mayor actuación de los músculos en el grupo femenino, tanto al caminar por terreno llano como subiendo y bajando escaleras, sobre todo en los de marcada acción estabilizadora de la extremidad inferior. Este hecho puede deberse a las diferencias en la composición corporal, ya que las mujeres presentan un mayor porcentaje de masa grasa, por lo que, proporcionalmente, con su masa muscular tienen que movilizar un peso mayor.Peer Reviewe

Antimicrobial promotion of pig growth is associated with tissue-specific remodeling of bile acid signature and signaling

The spread of bacterial resistance to antimicrobials (AMA) have intensified efforts to discontinue the non-therapeutic use of AMA in animal production. Finding alternatives to AMA, however, is currently encumbered by the obscure mechanism that underlies their growth-promoting action. In this report, we demonstrate that combinations of antibiotics and zinc oxide at doses commonly used for stimulating growth or preventing post-weaning enteritis in pigs converge in promoting microbial production of bile acids (BA) in the intestine. This leads to tissue-specific modifications in the proportion of BA, thereby amplifying BA signaling in intestine, liver, and white adipose tissue (WAT). Activation of BA-regulated pathways ultimately reinforces the intestinal protection against bacterial infection and pathological secretion of fluids and electrolytes, attenuates inflammation in colon and WAT, alters protein and lipid metabolism in liver, and increases the circulating levels of the hormone FGF19. Conceivably, these alterations could spare nutrients for growth and improve the metabolic efficiency of AMA-treated animals. This work provides evidence that BA act as signaling molecules that mediate host physiological, metabolic, and immune responses to the AMA-induced alterations in gut microbial metabolism, eventually permitting the growth-promoting action of AMA. Consequently, BA emerge as a promising target for developing efficacious alternatives to AMA

Compensation in Swedish infrastructure projects and suggestions on policy improvements

Environmental compensation includes a range of activities intended to counterbalance such negative impacts of development projects that remain in the environment after all preventive and corrective measures have been fully implemented. Sweden, being a member state of the European Union (EU), must implement environmental compensation under EU directives such as the Habitat Directive. However, like in other countries, implementation is not yet widespread in Sweden, and new practices and guidelines remain to be developed both nationally and at European level. This need is all the more urgent considering that the European Commission estimates that, within the EU, about 100,000 hectares of land is converted from its natural state each year. The aim of this paper is to describe current environmental-compensation practices in Swedish road and railway projects and to discuss issues of vital importance to the development of compensation policy, such as what to compensate for, how much, and how. A national inventory was performed, for the first time in Sweden, to identify compensation measures in road and railway projects. Data were collected from a national mailing list including 141 officials at county administrative boards (CABs), internal e-mail correspondence within the Swedish Transport Administration and databases of court decisions. The inventory focused on compensation measures ordered by virtue of the Swedish Environmental Code. In addition, two case studies were carried ..

Manifiesto: geología para una nueva cultura de la tierra

Depto. de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y PaleontologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasTRUEpu

Ecological compensation: from general guidance and expertise to specific proposals for road developments

The main scientific bibliography addressing the rationale behind ecological compensation is reviewed in order to examine general guidelines. This contains interesting general guidance on how to implement compensation, and provides the basis for future developments in compensation practice. On this basis, we propose a further step in compensation practice, advancing compensation proposals or rules for specific kinds of projects and contexts, focusing on road projects in the Spanish Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Three main residual impacts of roads are identified which usually remain uncompensated for: the loss of natural and semi-natural land use, the increase in emissions resulting from any new road, and the fragmentation, severance or barrier effect on the landscape and its wildlife. To counteract these, four proposals, or “rules”, are advanced: conservation of natural and semi-natural land use area, conservation of dominant plant species physiognomy, compensation for emissions, and the rule of positive defragmentation