Conservation and use of genetic resources of underutilized crops in the Americas - A continental analysis

Latin America is home to dramatically diverse agroecological regions which harbor a high concentration of underutilized plant species, whose genetic resources hold the potential to address challenges such as sustainable agricultural development, food security and sovereignty, and climate change. This paper examines the status of an expert-informed list of underutilized crops in Latin America and analyses how the most common features of underuse apply to these. The analysis pays special attention to if and how existing international policy and legal frameworks on biodiversity and plant genetic resources effectively support or not the conservation and sustainable use of underutilized crops. Results show that not all minor crops are affected by the same degree of neglect, and that the aspects under which any crop is underutilized vary greatly, calling for specific analyses and interventions. We also show that current international policy and legal instruments have so far provided limited stimulus and funding for the conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of these crops. Finally, the paper proposes an analytical framework for identifying and evaluating a crop’s underutilization, in order to define the most appropriate type and levels of intervention (international, national, local) for improving its statu

On the uniqueness of the helicoid and Enneper’s surface in the Lorentz-Minkowski space R31

In this paper we deal with the uniqueness of the Lorentzian helicoid and Enneper’s surface among properly embedded maximal surfaces with lightlike boundary of mirror symmetry in the Lorentz-Minkowski space R3Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología MTM2004-00160Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología MTM2007-61775Junta de Andalucía P06-FQM-01642Junta de Andalucía FQM32

Business Cycle and Speculative Pressures in a Target Zone

In the past time, most economies have suffered cyclical fluctuations in their activity which may influence the optimal use of productive factors in long slow-growth phases or price stability in periods of fast growth. This paper focuses on the possible interrelationship between business cycles and exchange rate ‡uctuations. We have chosen the European Monetary System framework in the nineties, from June 1989 to December 1998, because the Peseta belonged to the EMS during that time. This sample is specially interesting because it includes the worst crisis of the System in 1992-93 and the following ones affecting emerging countries like Mexico, Brazil or Russia at the end of the decade. We use a Binary Dependent Variable Logit Model to estimate the readjustment probability inside a band for two currencies, the Peseta and the french Franc . We calculate the dependent variable values from a Markov-Switching Regime Model with constant transition probabilities. We prove that it is a suitable method and that it allows both real and monetary variables to be identified in order to explain speculative pressures.Readjustment Probability, Speculative Pressures, Economic Fluctuations.

Complete minimal surfaces and harmonic functions

We prove that for any open Riemann surface N and any non constant harmonic function h : N → R, there exists a complete conformal minimal immersion X : N → R3 whose third coordinate function coincides with h. As a consequence, completeminimal surfaceswith arbitrary conformal structure andwhose Gauss map misses two points are constructed.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia MTM2007-61775Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia MTM2007-64504Junta de Andalucía P06-FQM-01642

Responsible research and innovation in science education: insights from evaluating the impact of using digital media and arts-based methods on RRI values

The European Commission policy approach of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is gaining momentum in European research planning and development as a strategy to align scientific and technological progress with socially desirable and acceptable ends. One of the RRI agendas is science education, aiming to foster future generations' acquisition of skills and values needed to engage in society responsibly. To this end, it is argued that RRI-based science education can benefit from more interdisciplinary methods such as those based on arts and digital technologies. However, the evidence existing on the impact of science education activities using digital media and arts-based methods on RRI values remains underexplored. This article comparatively reviews previous evidence on the evaluation of these activities, from primary to higher education, to examine whether and how RRI-related learning outcomes are evaluated and how these activities impact on students' learning. Forty academic publications were selected and its content analysed according to five RRI values: creative and critical thinking, engagement, inclusiveness, gender equality and integration of ethical issues. When evaluating the impact of digital and arts-based methods in science education activities, creative and critical thinking, engagement and partly inclusiveness are the RRI values mainly addressed. In contrast, gender equality and ethics integration are neglected. Digital-based methods seem to be more focused on students' questioning and inquiry skills, whereas those using arts often examine imagination, curiosity and autonomy. Differences in the evaluation focus between studies on digital media and those on arts partly explain differences in their impact on RRI values, but also result in non-documented outcomes and undermine their potential. Further developments in interdisciplinary approaches to science education following the RRI policy agenda should reinforce the design of the activities as well as procedural aspects of the evaluation research

Tourism and productivity: Case study of the hotel and catering industry in the Andalusian region

The object of this paper is to analyse the situation and evolution of the productivity of the tourism industry in the Andalusian region, and more specifically of the hotel and catering branch, relating it to the organisational structure of its businesses. First of all, the issue of the definition and limitation of the concept of productivity applied to the services sector is addressed, as traditionally this concept is focused on manufacturing, and the different ways of measuring and the analysis methods are reviewed. Then, using the accounting information provided by the Balances Centre of Andalusia (CBA), the general features of the organisational structure of the hotel and catering industry in de Andalusian region, stratifying the samples by the size of the companies and examining the medium size of the Andalusian hotel and catering businesses. Once the organisational structure of the sector is analysed, it is related to the state and evolution of its productivity, using a simple ratio between the brute added value and the personnel expenses, and completing this analysis with a relative efficiency index, the Baldwin efficiency index, with which the technical efficiency of each company is compared to the mass of most efficient companies. As a result of this research it is observed that the productivity indexes increase as web as the size of the companies and during the considered period, especially in the case of the medium sized and large companies. Nevertheless, these productivity increases are less relevant than the increase of employment, especially in case of smaller companies.

Digital Competence and Literacy: Developing New Narrative Formats. The «Dragon Age: Origins» Videogame

The approach of this article is centered on the concepts of digital competence and new narrative formats. We aim to apply these dimensions to the videogame «Dragon Age Origins», winner of the 2009 videogame of the year award. Its features - plot, characters and interactivity – make it ideal reading material in other formats and are highly motivational for young people. The development of digital competence signifies new literacy, and it is necessary to find new stimulating resources that combine the fun and formative dimensions. Equally relevant are multimodal texts (Kress & Van Leeuwen, 2001), especially new narrative formats that imply social progress, as the ways of reading are different. The texts have acquired new formats with the same quality as books but they sometimes motivate users more. This is the case of «Dragon Age Origins», a dark heroic fantasy role-playing game set in a unique world containing a story to be read and experienced. Our analysis of the videogame discusses whether it should be considered a form of reading or not

La nueva realidad familiar: su incidencia en la infancia

El presente trabajo intenta dar cuenta de la repercusión que sobre los niños tiene la separación y/o divorcio de sus padres así como el presenciar el maltrato doméstico sin ser víctimas directas. Tras una breve descripción de ambas situaciones, se explican las posibles consecuencias que pueden tener, así como intervenciones para eliminar o reducir las mismas.The present work tries to explain the repercussion that on the children has the separation and/ or divorce of their parent as well as attend the domestic mistreatment without being direct victims. After a brief description of both situations, are explained the possible consequences that can have, this way as interventions that they can eliminate or diminish the same ones

Ritos y sociedad a través del conjunto iconográfico funerario de "Las Cuevas" (Osuna, Sevilla)

This work its a review to the sculptures appeared with anteriority to the arrival of A. Engel and P. Paris to Osuna, rendering special attention to the excavations of the XVIII century in the necropolis of the Caves. It is not only tried to extend the knowledge that has of this necropolis, but also to justify that many of the know funeral reliefs were not reused in the construction of the republican wall.En este trabajo se hace un repaso a los hallazgos escultóricos aparecidos con anterioridad a la llegada de A. Engel y P. Paris a Osuna, prestando especial atención a las excavaciones del siglo XVIII en la necrópolis de Las Cuevas. Se pretende no sólo ampliar el conocimiento que se tiene de este necrópolis, sino también justificar que muchos de los relieves funerarios conociedos no fueron reutilizados en la construcción de muralla republicana

La justícia global: una resposta alternativa a la desigualtat i la pobresa extrema

Resum: En aquest article presentem la possibilitat de mantenir propostes de justícia global com a alternativa a les solucions existents de justícia internacional davant el problema de la desigualtat i la pobresa extrema al món. Considerem que la resposta a aquest tipus de situacions no pot ser de caràcter humanitari sinó de justícia, perquè els qui les pateixen no arriben a ser reconeguts com a éssers valuosos, dignes ni són respectades les seves llibertats més bàsiques. Presentem així mateix de forma succinta dues propostes de justícia global: la de Thomas Pogge, que segueix la línia de Rawls però ampliant la perspectiva del Dret de Gents a l’àmbit global, i la d’Amartya Sen, que es basa en l’enfocament de la capacitat i centra la justícia en la llibertat real de les persones.Paraules clau: justícia global, justícia internacional, pobresa extrema, Pogge, Sen.Abstract: This paper presents the possibility of defending proposals of global justice as an alternative to the existing international justice solutions to the problem of inequality and extreme poverty in the world. We believe that the response to such situations should not be humanitarian but in terms of justice, otherwise those who suffer extreme poverty and inequality do not become recognized as worthy and valuable beings and their basic freedoms are not guaranteed. I succinctly present two proposals for global justice: Thomas Pogge’s, which is in line with Rawls but widening the perspective of the Law of Nations at the global level, and Amartya Sen’s, which is based on the capability approach and focuses justice on the real freedom of individuals.Keywords: global justice, international justice, extreme poverty, Pogge, Sen.