Double concentration explaining the outstanding increase in Spanish crop production

Aim of study: To evaluate the changes in Spanish agricultural production since 1950s in a context of intense transformations in terms of the regional and crop composition. Area of study: Spanish provinces during the second half of the twentieth century. Material and methods: We use index decomposition analysis to evaluate the changes in the value and volume of crop production, as well as the role of product composition and the regional distribution of production. Main results: Spanish agriculture have focused on certain regions in the south or in the east of Spain. Some products like vegetables or fruits have a positive prices and composition effects, encouraging the production in these provinces. Research highlights: We found a ‘double concentration’: Spanish agriculture has increasingly tended to produce high value-added pro-ducts, such as vegetables, fruit and olive oil. On the other hand, crop production is concentrated in the southern and eastern provinces of Spain

Un periodismo sin periodos: actualidad y tiempo en la era digital

La actualidad es –junto con el interés– uno de los criterios de selección de los acontecimientos que serán convertidos en noticia. De ordinario se interpreta este factor en relación al tiempo presente cronológico y a la eficacia de los medios de comunicación para reducir el tiempo que transcurre entre un hecho y su difusión y conocimiento público. La capacidad de las actuales tecnologías de la comunicación para registrar en tiempo real los acontecimientos y ponerlos inmediatamente a disposición de un público mundial a través de Internet, junto con la ubicuidad del consumo a través de múltiples dispositivos, hace necesaria una reflexión acerca de la vigencia de algunos de los paradigmas hasta ahora aceptados. La investigación en comunicación se ha desarrollado bajo dos paradigmas distintos: el de la transmisión y el de la integración. En el primero, relacionado tradicionalmente con la noción de actualidad, explica la comunicación desde los medios y la eficacia de los procesos para transmitir un contenido. El segundo entiende la comunicación como la integración social que crea una comunidad. Ante los cambios que los nuevos medios introducen en el papel del tiempo en el periodismo, ¿hasta qué punto puede sostenerse el criterio de actualidad en su relación con el presente cronológico? ¿Qué implica esto para los diarios impresos? El objetivo de este trabajo es explorar el criterio de actualidad desde el paradigma de la comunicación como integración social, abriéndolo a otras dimensiones, que demuestran la verdadera vigencia del periodismo hoy. El trabajo aborda dos cuestiones: una revisión el criterio de actualidad apoyándonos en la diferencia entre el tiempo cronológico y el tiempo interior; y la relación de esta dimensión temporal de la actualidad con los efectos de integración y cohesión social que genera. Concluimos señalando en qué sentido el criterio de actualidad sigue siendo hoy día relevante

El paleógeno del sector suroccidental de la Cuenca del Duero: nueva división estratigráfica y controles sobre su sedimentación

Como resultado de un detallado trabajo cartográfico, estratigráfico y sedimentológico, se propone la división del Paleógeno del sector suroccidental de la Cuenca del Duero en cuatro U.T.S. limitadas por discordancias. Estas D.T.S., que abarcan desde el tránsito Cretácico superior-Paleoceno hasta el Oligoceno, incluyen distintas unidades litoestratigráficas que sonreordenadas, modificando la sucesión estratigrática propuesta por los autores anteriores. Se asigna a la U.T.S. Me una edad Cretácico superior-Paleoceno. Se individualiza el Eoceno inferior (U.T.S. PI) en la zona de Salamanca. Se reinterpreta la relación existente entre los materiales del Eoceno mediosuperior y los del Eoceno superior-Oligoceno considerándolos en tránsito por lo que se asignan a una única U.T.S. (UT.S. P2, Eoceno medio Oligoceno inferior). Se incluyen en la U.T.S. P3 (Oligoceno superior) los sedimentos arcósicos anterionnente considerados como Vatlesienses. Así mismo, se considera que gran parte de los materiales asignados al mioceno inferior son sedimentos paleógenos afectados por un proceso de alteración de edad Miocena, lo que implica una variación en la extensión y límites de la cuenca neógena en su extremo SO. Se analiza la evolución de las distintas U.T.S. deduciendo un carácter tectónico para las megasecuencias propuestas relacionado con el progresivo levantamiento de las áreas fuente. El clima muestra un tránsito desde condiciones tropicales sin estaciones contrastadas (U,T.S. MC) hasta un clima mediterráneo árido (U.T.S. P3) con una estación seca muy marcada y una corta estación húmeda caracterizada por violentas avenidas. [ABSTRACT] A Paleogene four-fold stratigraphical division is proposed here as result fram the detailed studies carried out during the elaboration of 22 sheets of the Geological Map of Spain (E. 1 :50.000). This units (T.S.U.) are limited by regional discordances and they have a Upper Cretaceous to Oligocene ages. The previous stratigraphical schemes are rearranged due to the different stratigraphical relations observed between the lithostratigraphical units proposed by other workers (Jiménez, 1970; Corrochano, 1977; Alonso, 1981...). An Upper Cretaceous-Paleocene age is assumed to T.S.U. MC which is mainly composed by siliciclastic sediments strongly silicified forming a FU megasequence. It is intcrpretated as braided streams that flowed downslope filling paleovalleys erodcd onto Paleozoic materiaIs. Mineralogical features point to a tropical climate. Lower Eocene (T.S.U. P I ) is identified in the Salamanca area, where ir was considered as lacking. It is composed by arkosic sediments forming a CU megasequence. Fossil faunas of this T.S.U. record a subtropical clima te. It is observed a transition from high sinuosity streams to braided ones. T.S.U. P2 (Middle Eocene-Lower Oligocene) is composed of two lithostratigraphical units previously considered as bounded by a discordance (Alonso, 1981).It has a subarkosic to lithic nature and forms a CU megasequence. This unit records a subtropical climate with short arid periods and is interpretated as braided streams showing an increasing stability and enviromental energy to the topo T.S. U. P3 (Upper Oligocene) is composed by arkosic sediments previously considered of Vallesian (Middle to Upper Miocene) age. They form a CU megasequence that records braided streams prograding basinwardfrom higher arcas. Palinological associations and pedological features indicate an arid mediterranean climate with long arid periods and a short rainy season with strong floods. We consider that most of Lower Miocene sediments are of Paleogene age. They are afected by a widespread alteration profile developed along Lower Miocene that masked its more significative features. Sedimentological analysis of T.S.U. shows that its megasequentiality is related to the rates of tectonical uplift of source arcas whereas a distensive regime developed in the sedimentation basin

How sustainable is the increase in the water footprint of the Spanish agricultural sector? A provincial analysis between 1955 and 2005-2010

In the context of a relatively scarce water country, the article analyzes the changes in 50 years in the water footprint (WF) in Spain evaluating its sustainability. For that purpose, firstly we make use of the regional information of the water footprints and crop production to estimate the WF of production over the 50 provinces in Spain, looking at the variation between the years 1955 and 2005–2010. The detail in the information of crops (more than 150 of them) statistics allows us to examine the types and origin of changes (in volume produced, shifts towards more or less water intensive crops). Secondly, we estimate sustainability indicators also at the provincial level, which let us evaluate whether this change has created or incremented the risk of physical and economic water stress. Thirdly, we introduce the economic perspective, providing evidence on the infrastructures built and public sector expenditure, as an approximation to the costs of the increases in WF, particularly meaningful for those water stressed areas

A diet rich in cocoa attenuates N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced liver injury in rats

The effects of cocoa feeding against N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN)-induced liver injury were studied in rats. Animals were divided into five groups. Groups 1 and 2 were fed with standard and cocoa-diet, respectively. Groups 3 and 4 were injected with DEN at 2 and 4 weeks, and fed with standard and cocoa-diet, respectively. Group 5 was treated with DEN, received the standard diet for 4 weeks and then it was replaced by the cocoa-diet. DEN-induced hepatic damage caused a significant increase in damage markers, as well as a decrease in the hepatic glutathione, diminished levels of p-ERK and enhanced protein carbonyl content, caspase-3 activity and values of p-AKT and p-JNK. The cocoa-rich diet prevented the reduction of hepatic glutathione concentration and catalase and GPx activities in DEN-injected rats, as well as diminished protein carbonyl content, caspase-3 activity, p-AKT and p-JNK levels, and increased GST activity. However, cocoa administration did not abrogate the DEN-induced body weight loss and the increased levels of hepatic-specific enzymes and LDH. These results suggested that cocoa-rich diet attenuates the DEN-induced liver injury. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This work was supported by the grants 200870I198, AGL2004-302, AGL2007-64042 and CSD2007-00063 from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. A.B. Granado-Serrano is a predoctoral fellow of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education.Peer Reviewe

Elite coaches’ approach to quantifying technical actions and relative participation in volleyball players’ performance

This study sought to identify elite coaches’ perception of the importance of technical actions and the consideration of relative participation to measure individual volleyball players’ performance. An instrument was elaborated to gather the opinions of elite coaches on the importance of technical actions reported by the data volley (excluding setting), as well as considering relative participation. Twenty elite coaches with at least three years of experience in national teams or top leagues participated in the study. Variables considered in the study were analysed using descriptive statistics and reliability was measured with Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s Omega coefficients (> .70). The results assessed the importance of scoring actions, which received values of (1 point). All errors (terminal and continuity) were scored with (−1). Non-scoring actions were given values [.00, .80], except for poor attack (−.35), poor serve (−.60), free freeball (−.60) and reception free (−.50). Relative participation was considered according to the percentage of points and/or contacts played by each athlete. We concluded that for the player’s points and/or contacts, priority is given to actions that win points directly or are excellent, followed by those that contribute to building comfortable attacks, while penalising errors

Saturday night purpura: An uncommon presentation of exercise-induced vasculitis

Exercise-induced vasculitis (EIV) is a benign cutaneous vasculitis that affects healthy individuals. We report a case of EIV in a 15-year-old male patient with a striking clinical appearance triggered by a combination of prolonged standing and disco dancing in a warm environment. Pediatric dermatologists should be aware of this activity as a possible trigger of EIV, especially in teenagers