Structure and restructuring in the Spanish economy

Accompanying report for submission in partial fulfllment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy based on published works to the Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Luton.The changing character of the economic environment in the last quarter of the twentieth century has resulted in a continuous process of restructuring in the economy of Spain, mediated through the structure and regulatory framework of the economy. Three specific themes contributing to restructuring are addressed: globalisation of the economy, European integration, and the role of the public sector. Globalisation ofthe economy is demonstrated through increased international flows of goods, capital, people and information, and by the incorporation of businesses in Spain within the corporate networks of foreign multinational companies. Spanish businesses too have been extending their global reach, especially into Latin America. European integration has been part of the globalisation process. A substantial proportion of international flows are now concentrated within the European Union and business networks have been adapting to the 'Single European Market'. European integration has dominated economic policy, first in measures to secure membership of the European Economic Community, then in measures to adjust to the regulatory environment of the European Community and finally in the race to achieve the Maastricht criteria. The role of the public sector in restructuring has been to 'manage' the market forces unleashed by the liberalisation ofthe economy. Market forces, embracing increased competition and technological change, have driven the restructuring process demanding responses from the government. These responses have increasingly been constrained by the shedding of responsibilities upwards to international organisations and downwards to lower tiers of administration. Isolation, protection and goverrunent intervention in the economy have given way to a more liberal, open and international environment. Transformation in the mode of regulation from state corporatism to neo-liberalism has been accompanied by globalisation of the economy, particularly integration into the European economy and the corporate space of multinational companies. Nevertheless, despite the growing emphasis on globalisation, public policy continues to play a crucial role influencing the pace, if not the direction, of restructuring

Time for Spain to Support a New Direction on the Common Agricultural Policy?

During the lifetime of all farm workers in Spain, the agricultural sector has been highly regulated and protected. In the 1980s the regulatory framework that had evolved during the Franco regime was replaced by that of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Community. The European regime was not a static framework, but one which had already begun to shift from a 'productivist' to a 'post-productivist' system in the face of criticism both from inside and outside the Community. Agriculture was increasingly anomalous as other markets in the Community were liberalised. Since the mid-1980s the pressures for reform have continued unabated. In response the CAP has been subject to continuous modifications, which have never quite tackled fundamental policy weaknesses. At the beginning of 2003, with EU enlargement in sight, possibly some new political context for Europe, and in the midst of a new round of world trade negotiations (Doha Round) in which agriculture is the make-or-break issue, it seems a propitious time to reassess Spain's position on the CAP. Inside the EU there is a division of opinion, ranging from the British stance, which is extremely critical and seeks fundamental reform, to the French position that supports the status quo. Despite Spain's advocacy of liberalisation in other sectors of the economy, few voices in Spain have argued for liberalisation in agriculture. Protectionism has, after all, been the norm. In the face of new reform proposals under the Mid-term Review of the CAP, Spain has lined up with the French in opposition. This is unsurprising since Spain is the second largest net recipient of European transfers to the agriculture sector after France. But such a stance may not be the most beneficial one for Spain. Few studies in Spain have questioned the long-term continued support of agriculture in Spain despite the fact that EU enlargement and WTO proposals point to further reform. This paper sets out to examine the operation of the Common Agricultural Policy in Spain, to assess the present proposals for reform and to consider the Spanish position on the future of the CAP. It argues that in principle there is a strategic case for supporting an agricultural system more responsive to market forces and at least a shift from production to income support

La adaptación a una nueva relación de financiación con Europa: España y la política de cohesión

España ha disfrutado de importantes entradas de capital procedente de la Unión Europea (UE) desde su adhesión en 1986, lo cual ha contribuido a un fuerte crecimiento con respecto a otros Estados miembros de la UE. La reciente ampliación de la UE ha añadido un buen número de países de la Europa central y del este, mayoritariamente pobres. La ampliación ha modificado la posición relativa de España hacia la de un país de renta media de la Unión, ha planteado nuevas demandas a los fondos de cohesión y ha mermado el derecho de España a la financiación

Boom to Bust - Reconstructing the Spanish Economy Part 2: : Policy Responses to the Economic Crisis

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: Keith Salmon, ‘Boom to bust reconstructing the Spanish economy Part 2: Policy Responses to the Economic Crisis’, International Journal of Iberian Studies, Vol. 23 (2): 83-91, published 1 December 2010. The version of record is available online at doi: http://doi.org/10.1386/ijis.23.2.83_1 Publisher: IntellectRecession in Spain led to intervention by the government to stimulate the economy, a response that was replicated around the world. But as public finances deteriorated, financial markets and some policy makers demanded credible austerity measures (exit strategies) to reduce growing public sector debts. There was particular external pressure on Spain since any sovereign debt default would have serious repercussions at least throughout the European Union. Thus, from autumn 2009 stimulus measures began to be withdrawn and replaced by austerity ones. In addition, recession highlighted fundamental weaknesses in the Spanish economic model. Part one of this article (Salmon 2010) charted the passage of the Spanish economy into recession through examining key three features that were specific to Spain, the financial system, conditions in the property market, and the exceptional level of unemployment. The second part examines the macroeconomic policy measures taken in Spain and the outlook for a new economic model. It concludes that Spain had little alternative but to severely tighten fiscal policy and that a new economic model will be evolutionary rather than revolutionaryPeer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Unwinding into Being

Spontaneously arising physical expression is the birthright of every human being. This spontaneity is motivated by the intelligent dynamism of Life to facilitate our maturation into the fullness of our Being. Spontaneous expression began to guide our maturation even before our conception...and continued throughout our life in the womb. During our fetal development—and into our infancy— our movements were initiated by the activity of developing systems of motor neurons; the sensory impulses resulting from these movements in turn stimulated the development of sensory neuron systems that refined and defined higher neural centres…and thus played a pivotal role in our developing sense of Self. However, during childhood, our expression of spontaneity was increasingly restricted…until it was largely limited to yawns, hiccups and muscle twitches. This restriction resulted in tissue changes that compromised the neuroendocrinal capacities that are essential for our maturation into the full potential of our incarnation. Fortunately—regardless of how compromised our tissues and neuroendocrinal capacities may be—our Beings eagerly await the reawakening of spontaneous expression. The initial expressions of our reawakened spontaneity gradually evolve into expressions of profound devotion to Life/God/Love. These expressions initiate remarkable transformations of our neuroendocrinal system that can awaken extrasensory and transcendental capacities—including a stunning array of healing capacities

Rising incidence, progression and changing patterns of liver disease in Wales 1999-2019

BACKGROUND Liver disease incidence and hence demand on hepatology services is increasing. AIM To describe trends in incidence and natural history of liver diseases in Wales to inform effective provision of hepatology services. METHODS The registry is populated by International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) code diagnoses for residents derived from mortality data and inpatient/day case activity between 1999-2019. Pseudo-anonymised linkage of: (1) Causative diagnoses; (2) Cirrhosis; (3) Portal hypertension; (4) Decompensation; and (5) Liver cancer diagnoses enabled tracking liver disease progression. RESULTS The population of Wales in 2019 was 3.1 million. Between 1999 and 2019 73054 individuals were diagnosed with a hepatic disorder, including 18633 diagnosed with cirrhosis, 10965 with liver decompensation and 2316 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Over 21 years the incidence of liver diseases increased 3.6 fold, predominantly driven by a 10 fold increase in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); the leading cause of liver disease from 2014. The incidence of cirrhosis, decompensation, HCC, and allcause mortality tripled. Liver-related mortality doubled. Alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD), autoimmune liver disease and congestive hepatopathy were associated with the highest rates of decompensation and all-cause mortality. CONCLUSION A 10 fold increase in NAFLD incidence is driving a 3.6 fold increase in liver disease in Wales over 21 years. Liver-related morbidity and mortality rose more slowly reflecting the lower progression rate in NAFLD. Incidence of ArLD remained stable but was associated with the highest rates of liver-related and all-cause mortality

Georgia Abortion Law and Our Commitment to Patients

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153775/1/art41143.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153775/2/art41143_am.pd

Equating accelerometer estimates among youth : the Rosetta Stone 2

Different accelerometer cutpoints used by different researchers often yields vastly different estimates of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA). This is recognized as cutpoint non-equivalence (CNE), which reduces the ability to accurately compare youth MVPA across studies. The objective of this research is to develop a cutpoint conversion system that standardizes minutes of MVPA for six different sets of published cutpoint

Subcellular discharge of a serine protease mediates release of invasive malaria parasites from host erythrocytes.

The most virulent form of malaria is caused by waves of replication of blood stages of the protozoan pathogen Plasmodium falciparum. The parasite divides within an intraerythrocytic parasitophorous vacuole until rupture of the vacuole and host-cell membranes releases merozoites that invade fresh erythrocytes to repeat the cycle. Despite the importance of merozoite egress for disease progression, none of the molecular factors involved are known. We report that, just prior to egress, an essential serine protease called PfSUB1 is discharged from previously unrecognized parasite organelles (termed exonemes) into the parasitophorous vacuole space. There, PfSUB1 mediates the proteolytic maturation of at least two essential members of another enzyme family called SERA. Pharmacological blockade of PfSUB1 inhibits egress and ablates the invasive capacity of released merozoites. Our findings reveal the presence in the malarial parasitophorous vacuole of a regulated, PfSUB1-mediated proteolytic processing event required for release of viable parasites from the host erythrocyte