Analysis of tourism competitiveness and the key influencers

The aim of this research is measure and analyse the tourism competitiveness, which has become one of the great challenges of tourism researchers in recent years. We analyze the relationship between tourism competitiveness and major tourist magnitudes, relations with most tourist destinations, and some pillars that measure competitiveness such as sustainability. A methodology for calculating an indicator of tourism competitiveness based on a double reference point is proposed, taking into account a level of aspiration and reserve level for each pillar of competitiveness. They are considered different degrees of offset between the pillars so that a series of synthetic indices are calculated. Later the rankings obtained for each country are analyzed and conducted a series of analyses. This tool provides managers with a useful and accurate tool, an interactive flexible and easy to use multi-criteria decision on their part. Allows simulation of situations, monitoring and control of various indicators. Later statistical tools for analyzing and comparing tourism competitiveness and other quantities are used.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Waveguide Model for Thick Complementary Split Ring Resonators

This paper presents a very simple analytical model for the design of Frequency Selective Surfaces based on Complementary Split Ring Resonators (CSRR) within the microwave range. Simple expressions are provided for the most important geometrical parameters of the model, yielding an accurate description of the CSRR resonance frequency and avoiding full-wave numerical simulations. Besides, a qualitative description of the band-pass filter behavior of these structures is described, considering its high quality factor Q.Comment: Paper accepted at the 2014 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting. paper submission #286

El salvamento en la nueva LNM

Este trabajo analiza la institución del salvamento en la nueva Ley de Navegación Marítima, examinando el concepto de salvamento y su delimitación con otras figuras afines, sin olvidar el nuevo contexto de la jurisdicción y el procedimiento derivados de la reforma legislativa. Se estudia asimismo cómo es el contrato de salvamento y cuáles son las obligaciones de las partes implicadas en los buques en peligro. Entre otros aspectos de la LNM, también se revisa la remuneración del salvador como premio del salvamento y el derecho de retención sobre las mercancías transportadas

The portuguese under the nobility (the inquisition against the vassals of the Duke of Pastrana accused of judaism in the 17th Century)

Este trabajo es el resultado de un detallado estudio acerca del modo como la justicia e institución inquisitorial consiguieron penetrar en los espacios propios de la jurisdicción señorial de Monarquía Hispánica durante el siglo XVII. Para realizar este análisis se ha tomado como objeto de estudio el ducado y la villa de Pastrana, situados en la Alcarria. Los protagonistas de esta compleja problemática estudiada fueron los grupos de portugueses que se asentaron en el territorio de este señorío y en su villa principal a lo largo de los siglos XVI y XVII, los cuales participaron en su vida social, económica y política de manera muy intensa. Su papel en la dinamización y organización interna de este espacio señorial fue notable. La acusación de judaísmo contra algunos de estos portugueses y el procesamiento inquisitorial al que fueron sometidos nos permite ver algunos aspectos fundamentales de esta interesante cuestión.This project is the result of a detailed study about how the justice system and the inquisitorial institution managed to penetrate the spaces belonging to the jurisdiction of the Spanish Monarchy during the seventeenth century. The duchy and the manor house of Pastrana, situated in the Alcarria district, are the subject matter of this analysis. The protagonists of the complex problem studied were the Portuguese groups who settled on the territory and the manor house of this estate during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These groups participated fully in the social, economic and political life of the estate. Their role in revitalizing and internally organizing the estate was remarkable. The accusation of Judaism against some of these Portuguese people and the inquisitorial process to which they were subjected provide a perspective on some of the fundamental aspects of this interesting topic

Teach writing in a foreign language: A teacher training proposal

En el ámbito de la formación de docentes de lengua extranjera (LE), la preparación a la enseñanza de la escritura suele circunscribirse a la exposición de determinados enfoques didácticos, soslayando la discusión de aspectos conceptuales, metodológicos y curriculares imprescindibles para motivar la acción reflexiva de los futuros docentes. Para el abordaje de dicha discusión, este artículo plantea tres ejes: el acto de escribir y sus características, los aspectos que intervienen en la enseñanza de la escritura en LE y la definición de metas de enseñanza. Con el fin de que el estudiante-docente articule estos ejes de forma congruente, se proponen dos tareas: la elaboración, para un contexto específico, de un constructo de escritura en LE y, con base en éste, el diseño de metas de enseñanza y su traducción en un itinerario didáctico.Dans le domaine de la formation des professeurs de langue étrangère (L.E.) la préparation à l’enseignement de l’écriture est le plus souvent circonscrite à l’exposition de certaines approches didactiques, contournant la discussion des aspects conceptuels, méthodiques et curriculaires indispensables pour motiver l’action réflexive des futurs enseignants. Pour aborder cette discussion, cet article propose trois axes: l’acte d’écriture et ses caractéristiques, les aspects qui interviennent dans l’enseignement de l’écriture en L.E. et la définition des objectifs d’enseignement. Afin que le professeur en formation articule ces trois actes de façon adéquate nous proposons deux tâches: l’élaboration pour un contexte spécifique d’un concept d’écriture en L.E. et à partir de ce dernier l’élaboration des objectifs d’enseignement et leur traduction dans un parcours didactique.In the field of training foreign language (FL) teachers, the activity of preparing to teach writing is usually circumscribed to the exposition of certain didactic approaches, setting aside the discussion of conceptual, methodological and curricular aspects which are essential in order to motivate the reflective action in future teachers. In order to address this discussion, this paper elaborates on three topics: the act of writing and its characteristics, the intervening aspects in teaching to write in a foreign language, and the delineation of learning goals. With the purpose of promoting that the teacher trainee link these themes coherently, two tasks are proposed: the creation of a FL writing construct for a specific context and, based on it, the design of learning goals and its transposition into a didactic itinerary

Hydrodynamic changes in Guadalquivir estuary (Spain) due to a hypothetical tidal marsh restoration project

Tidal marsh restoration will be an important management issue in Guadalquivir Estuary in the near future. The Guadalquivir Estuary has been anthropologically modified several times, the river is bounded by embankments to protect rice and cotton plantations from tidal inundation, the meanders have been transformed into straight sections, about 80 % of the original marsh surface has been lost and approximately one-fourth of the total surface of the estuary is now part of two protected areas, one of them is a UNESCO, MAB Biosphere Reserve. A hypothetical restoration of tidal marshes will benefits different species and functions based on location, elevation, adjacent habitats, degree of hydrodynamic connectivity and would reduce the present high levels of turbidity. The restoration projects should be accompanied by studies for a better understanding of the environmental changes expected. A Large-scale construction of tidal marsh will change tidal dynamics, modify the tidal inundation regime and the freshwater flow over the surrounding areas. A hydrodynamic model has been developed to study changes in the tidal propagation and the flow regime due to a hypothetical marsh restoration. The model has been calibrated and the output has been validated with in situ water elevation and good agreement between modelled and real measurements have been obtained. A sensitivity test changing the size, locations from the estuary mouth and depth has been carried out to highlights impacts over the tidal propagation, flow regime, salinity intrusion and the tidal inundation regime. Our preliminary results show that the tidal elevation and the current speed will be considerably affected in the estuary. The model open the possibility to study interactions among the tidal marsh restoration project, Seville port operations, fisheries and agricultural activities. The numerical model will be a powerful tool in restoration projects in a complex socio-ecological system.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Autoridad Portuaria de Sevill

Distribution and structure of the southernmost Caribbean coral reefs: golfo de Urabá, Colombia

The Gulf of Urabá represents the southernmost portion of the Caribbean Sea. Due to the large amounts of sediment and freshwater discharged by the Atrato river and several minor streams, water conditions in the area are far from being optimal for coral settlement and growth. However, fringing and patch reefs are developed along the rocky shores of the northwest margin of the Gulf. Based on field observations performed at 44 sites (12 of them assessed quantitatively), interpretation of air photography of the area and depth profiles, the distribution, structure and zonation of the reefs are described. Classification analysis of the 12 sample sites yielded four coral assemblages: Diploria strigosa, crustose algae, Siderastrea siderea, Agaricia spp., and mixed massive corals. Other two assemblages, dominated respectively by Millepora complanata and thickets of Acropora palmata were noticed during reconnaissance dives. The distribution of these zones within the reef seems likely to be mainly controlled by wave exposure, bottom topography, sedimentation, and light penetration. Reef development, coral diversity and live coral cover increase along the coast in a SE-NW direction, with an evident maximum near to the cove of Sapzurro, suggesting an overall improvement of conditions for coral growth and settlement in that direction. A total of 33 species of hard corals were recorded during the survey. It is apparent that the live coral cover, particularly of foliose and branching species, has notably declined recently