Tourism expenditure of EU-27 regions under the global economic crisis

This study focuses on the underpinnings of the households’ tourism expenditure decisions during the global economic crisis in 2009. In particular, this study tests if during an economic crisis, decisions on tourism expenditure depend on climate conditions of the place of origin, GDP and GDP growth, among other well-known determinants. It should be noted that cutback decisions on tourism expenditure are not independent of destination choice, and for that reason the model requires the estimation of both decisions simultaneously. The methodology proposed in this paper represents a new way of analyzing the impacts of an economic crisis on tourism expenditure. Two levels of analysis can be considered. On the one hand, macroeconomic data of tourism expenditure is usually explored. On the other hand, the microeconomic analysis of the household and regional variables of their environment that may enrich the analysis. If the econometric model takes into account all these variables simultaneously, then the linkage between GDP changes and tourists´ behavior is enriched and it may be estimated more accurately. As far as we know, this paper is the first study that models the cutback decision on tourism expenditure. Modeling such decision is a challenge because it is not independent of the destination choice. For instance, households that travel domestically may not be as sensitive to the crisis as those who travel abroad. For this purpose, the econometric model employed is a simultaneous system of cutback decision and destination choice. More precisely, Simultaneous Semi-Ordered Bivariate Probit has proved to be the most useful econometric model for the estimation because it deals with the simultaneity of the cutback and destination choice decisions as well as the endogeneity. This research has proved that during an economic crisis, households react cutting back their tourism expenditure depending on GDP, GDP growth, and climate in their place of origin. In that sense, there are marked differences between North-European and Mediterranean regions. It is interesting to note that regions with bad climate are less likely to cut back than those households located in regions with good climate.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Efecto de la sequía continua y la inmersión sobre la respuesta de eclosión de los huevos de Ochlerotatus albifasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) almacenados a baja temperatura

Se estudió el rol de los factores ambientales sobre la eclosión de los huevos de O. albifasciatus (Macquart), simulando condiciones de invierno. La hipótesis planteada fue que la respuesta de eclosión de los huevos depende de: (1) tiempo de permanencia a baja temperatura, (2) condiciones de almacenamiento, y (3) tiempo de aclimatación. Los huevos fueron almacenados a 5º C en condiciones de sequía y sumergidos durante 7, 21, 35, 90 y 146 días; luego fueron aclimatados a 22º C durante 24, 72, y 168 horas y posteriormente inundados para inducir la eclosión. El porcentaje de huevos eclosionados se analizó con un Modelo Lineal Generalizado con distribución binomial. Los resultados mostraron que: (1) largos períodos de almacenamiento en frío y largos tiempos de aclimatación mejoran la respuesta de eclosión, (2) la condición de almacenamiento tiene un efecto moderado en la eclosión, siendo más marcada en los huevos almacenados en seco; (3) tiempos prolongados de aclimatación mejoran aún más las eclosiones de los huevos sumergidos, que los almacenados en seco; (4) largo tiempo en frío mejora la eclosión de los huevos almacenados en seco, que los sumergidos; (5) los huevos que permanecieron más tiempo en frío respondieron mejor cuando el tiempo de aclimatación fue prolongado.The role of environmental factors on the hatching response of O. albifasciatus (Macquart) eggs is studied by simulating winter conditions in the laboratory. The hypothesis tested was that hatching response is affected by: (1) time that eggs remain at low temperature, (2) storage conditions, and (3) acclimatization time. Eggs were stored at 5ºC in drought and immersion conditions during 7, 21, 35, 90 and 146 days, immediately after, they were acclimatized at 22ºC during 24, 72, and 168 hours, and then eggs were flooded to induce hatching. Percent of hatched eggs was analyzed with a Generalized Lineal Model with a binomial distribution. Results show that: (1) a long storage period at cold temperature and long acclimatization periods improve the hatching response; (2) storage conditions have a moderate effect on hatching, being more evident in eggs stored dry; (3) a long time of acclimatization favors the hatching response in submerged eggs more than in eggs stored dry; (4) long time at cold favors the hatching response in eggs stored dry more than in submerged eggs; (5) the hatching response of eggs that remain for a long time at low temperature is higher when the time of acclimatization is long.Fil: Sy, Victoria Elena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología ; ArgentinaFil: Campos, Raul Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología ; ArgentinaFil: Castro, Luis Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

The Environmental Institution in Chile, A Political Representation of the Ecological Crisis

In the present scenario of increasing sustainable global governance for ecological issues, the approval of Law 19.300 “Environmental Bases” 1994 in Chile is presented generally as the beginning of a modernization process of environmental institution, which culminates with the creation of the Environmental Ministry 2010 through Law 20.417. The paper will challenge the common understanding of this modernization process simply as institutional improvement and will raise the alternative thesis of a co-production in the representation of the ecological crisis and its solution between the politics and scientific systems. With the historical emergence of the National Environmental Commission (1994) the research shows the emergence of a particular form of relation society-nature in Chile based on: i) the previous environmental institution existing in the country oriented to tackle pollution conflicts ii) the international influences by the official reports of United Nations Environmental Program and the Organization for the Economic Cooperation and Development with a center in the institutionalization of the environmental impact assessment and market instrument to regulate environmental problems and, iii) the global market integration of Chile as a supplier of raw material with a high pressure over land, water and energy in territories inhabited by indigenous population. Together, these three influences are at the bottom of a representation of the ecological crisis only in terms of pollution management and rational use of natural resources which exclude the possibility to understand the human and social consequences provoked. In this scenario, the emergence of social movements against mega extractive and energetic projects show the need to review the manner in which the political system renders the environmental crisis. The notion of socio- ecological conflict is presented to understand how the search for sustainability could reinforce environmental problems especially for the mining activity, forestry industry and energy production, milestones of the ecological debate, nowadays

Transgressing boundaries? Jesuits, astrology and culture in Portugal (1590-1759)

Esta tese estuda a pratica e o ensino da astrologia pela Companhia de Jesus nos seculos XVI, XVII e principio do XVIII. Numa primeira analise esta ligação parece inesperada pois a astrologia não era vista favoravelmente pela Igreja e os Jesuítas, uma das ordens mais poderosas da contrarreforma, e firmes defensores da ortodoxia. Com base nesta premissa, muitos historiadores assumiram que o fervor religioso dos jesuítas seria acompanhado por uma igualmente intensa rejeição da astrologia. Esta noção era aparentemente consolidada por publicações anti-astrológicas de autores da Companhia. No entanto, um estudo detalhado de textos e ensinamentos jesuítas sobre a astrologia revelam uma atitude de maior aceitação deste assunto. Este estudo mostra que embora alguns membros da Companhia tivessem uma postura anti-astrológica de base religiosa, outros aceitavam-na como um conhecimento valido, compatível com os limites estabelecidos pela teologia tomista e pelas regras do Índex e das bulas papais (1586 e 1631). Esta aceitação da astrologia e mais evidente entre os astrónomos jesuítas, que a consideravam parte do corpus cientifico pré-moderno, no contexto das ciências matemáticas. Embora presente de forma mais discreta nos textos impressos, e no corpus de manuscritos científicos jesuítas que esta postura se torna plenamente evidente. No centro do presente estudo estão as sebentas de astrologia lecionadas na Aula da Esfera do Colégio de Santo Antão, uma das principais instituições Jesuítas de ensino em Portugal. Aqui a astrologia foi ensinada em conjunto com outras ciências matemáticas, como a astronomia e a navegação. Paralelamente a estas lições foram também analisados outros documentos astrológicos jesuítas originários da Europa, do Extremo Oriente e do Novo Mundo. Este grupo documental permitiu uma visão detalhada das relações dos jesuítas com a astrologia, incluindo textos defendendo a sua pratica, um currículo jesuíta de astrologia ajustado a pratica religiosa, e vários exemplos de julgamentos astrológicos feitos por membros da Companhia. A primeira parte da tese oferece uma visão da astrologia neste período: a sua pratica, as mudanças e divulgação impulsionadas pelo advento da imprensa, os grandes debates antiastrológicos, e a crescente marginalização no final do seculo XVII. Na segunda parte são abordadas as opiniões dos Jesuítas em relação ao tema: os textos anti-astrológicos, os argumentos teológicos e o seu posicionamento no discurso cientifico pela voz dos matemáticos e astrónomos da Ordem. A terceira parte aborda as lições de astrologia da Aula da Esfera do Colégio de Santo Antão, demonstrando que estas faziam claramente parte do currículo publico do colégio. Em seguida e apresentado um estudo detalhado do programa das aulas de astrologia, revelando as suas especificidades cientificas e adequação religiosa. A quarta e ultima parte apresenta alguns exemplos de juízos astrológicos por autores jesuítas demonstrando que o seu uso da astrologia não se restringia a reflexão teórica e ao ensino, estendendo-se também a prática. Desta analise resulta uma nova visão da relação dos jesuítas com a astrologia, colocando esta pratica como parte integrante do corpus de conhecimentos estudados pela ciência jesuíta.This thesis addresses the use of astrology by the Society of Jesus in the early modern period; an almost unexplored topic in both the history of astrology and Jesuit historiography. At first, this connection is unexpected since astrology was not viewed favourably by the Church, and the Jesuits, one of the most powerful orders of this period, were strong defenders of the Catholic faith and orthodoxy. From this premise, many historians assumed that their religious fervor was matched by an equally strong rejection of astrology. This was apparently confirmed by some well-known anti-astrology publications authored by Jesuits. However, a detailed study of what Jesuits wrote and taught in the field of astrology reveals a much more positive, practical, and nuanced attitude towards the subject. This study shows that, while some members of the Society actively opposed astrology based on religious grounds, others accepted it, albeit under the strictures established by Thomistic theology and the rules of the Index and the papal bulls. This acceptance was more evident among Jesuit scholars who debated astrology as a part of the established corpus of premodern scientific knowledge, placed within the fields of mathematics and astronomy. Although this attitude towards astrology is already incipient in Jesuit printed works, it is in their corpus of scientific manuscripts that these views come into full expression. At the core of this study are several manuscripts containing lessons on astrology taught in one of the main Jesuit educational institutions in Portugal, the ‘class on the sphere’ of the college of Santo Antao. To these were added other testimonies of Jesuit authorship from Europe, the Far East, and the New World. This corpus of documents has allowed an in-depth study of their writings defending astrology, their religious and scientifically tailored astrological curricula, and the existing testimonies of Jesuit astrological practice. The result is a novel view on the relationship of Jesuits with astrology, revealing them as competent teachers and prudent practitioners