The Acoustics of the Choir in Spanish Cathedrals

One of the most significant enclosures in worship spaces is that of the choir. Generally, from a historical point of view, the choir is a semi-enclosed and privileged area reserved for the clergy, whose position and configuration gives it a private character. Regarding the generation and transformation of ecclesial interior spaces, the choir commands a role of the first magnitude. Its shape and location produce, on occasions, major modifications that significantly affect the acoustics of these indoor spaces. In the case of Spanish cathedrals, whose design responds to the so-called “Spanish type”, the central position of the choir, enclosed by high stonework walls on three of its sides and with numerous wooden stalls inside, breaks up the space in the main nave, thereby generating other new spaces, such as the trascoro. The aim of this work was to analyse the acoustic evolution of the choir as one of the main elements that configure the sound space of Spanish cathedrals. By means of in situ measurements and simulation models, the main acoustic parameters were evaluated, both in their current state and in their original configurations that have since disappeared. This analysis enabled the various acoustic conditions existing between the choir itself and the area of the faithful to be verified, and the significant improvement of the acoustic quality in the choir space to become apparent. The effect on the acoustic parameters is highly significant, with slight differences in the choir, where the values are appropriate for Gregorian chants, and suitable intelligibility of sung text. High values are also obtained in the area of the faithful, which lacked specific acoustic requirements at the time of construction

Sobre «La miseria del mundo» de Pierre Bourdieu: un análisis de las consecuencias sociales de la globalización económica en el primer mundo

Pierre Bourdieu (1932-2002), French sociologist whose work has important influence both on sociological theory and in social and political arenas, published «Poverty in the World» in 1993. Together with a team of collaborators, among whom are sociologists like Loïc Wacquant or Patrick Champagne, Bourdieu shows us an important compilation of in-depth interviews conducted with a broad spectrum of individuals. In these interviews, he studies the repercussions of the new economic and socio political situation on their lives. «Poverty in the World» seeks to reveal the structural relationships underlying different situations of «social poverty«, which form part of the daily life of thousands of ordinary citizens at different social levels in France in the nineties. Within their pages appear suburban youth, workers who retired early, teachers and social workers, immigrants of different generations, police officers, magistrates, businessmen… It is not a portrait of «dire poverty«, but rather the «difficult places» where, like the doctor confronting illness, the sociologist must go beyond the «symptoms» shown by the mass media or political discourse to make inquiries about the underlying authentic dialectic relationships, making visible the invisible in a consequential work of the social scientist in the world in which he lives. Pierre Bourdieu is one of the social scientists who most stood out in the political arena, especially in the last phase of his public life, where he sought to place his theoretical analyses at the service of the social problems of his day. His analyses continue being valid in contemporary situations, such as the riots that took place in the French slums last autumn

El técnico superior en integración social: apuntes sobre su perfil y formación

En este artículo se contextualiza la figura del Técnico Superior en Integración Social, título éste que surge con la reforma educativa y de la formación profesional que aportó la L.O.G.S.E. y que, en gran medida, viene a reemplazar con una formación específica y de carácter formal a los «monitores sociales» que venían desempeñando su labor en distintos programas, pero en muchas ocasiones desde el voluntariado o sin una formación homogénea. A través de un recorrido de lo más general a lo más particular en la formación de este técnico, se parte del ámbito de la Formación Profesional y sus actuales transformaciones, para ir descendiendo a la Familia Profesional de Servicios Socioculturales y a la Comunidad; al currículo y perfil del Técnico en Integración Social y al ejemplo del desarrollo formativo de algún módulo o asignatura de su programa formativo, mostrando la idoneidad de esta figura profesional en el amplio campo de los Servicios Sociales.In this article, the figure of the «Certified Social Integration Technician» is placed in context. This is a certificate which arises from the reform of the educational and vocational training system, contributed by L.O.G.S.E.*, and which, to a great extent, is replacing with specific training and a more formal nature, the «Social Monitors» who worked in different programmes but who, in many instances, did it as volunteer work or without any homogenous training. Going from a general perspective to a more specific one in the training of this technician, the main objective is to place the field of vocational training and its current transformations so as to descend to the Professional Family of Sociocultural and Community Services, to the curriculum and the profile of the aforementioned Social Integration Technician and to the example of the formative development of a module or subject of its training programme, thus showing the suitability of this professional figure in the broad field of Social Services

Genome-Scale in silico Reconstruction of the Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Generating Metabolism in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 and Study of the role of ROS in Different Metabolic Processes

The understanding of the genotype-phenotype relationship is a fundamental biological question widely studied, but still not understood in all its dimension. The existence of emergent systems' properties largely complicates the lineality of this relationship making it mandatory for the study of such properties to fully understand the biological systems. The robustness, understood as the porperty that allows the systems to maintain their functions despite external and internal perturbations, is a system-level phenomenom ubiquitously observed in living systems (Blanchini and Franco 2011). Metabolic networks can be affected by variables that have the power of modulating it as a whole and, most likely, of influencing the referred-to molecular mechanisms. Those variables, one of whihch being endogenous ROS generating metabolism, must be included in metabolic in silico models to study this robustness. We decided to model endogenous ROS generation in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 genome-scale model. P. putida is a model microorganism in biotechnology and possesses an extremely versatile metabolism, which makes it the perfect candidate to study complex metabolic processes (Belda et al. 2016). The objective of this project is to go deep in the understanding of endogenous ROS metabolism and to study the role of ROS in different metabolic processes. To do so, we built and validated the ROS generating genome-scale model and used it as a tool for two purposes: (1) to analyse, in silico, the main metabolic mechanisms to prevent the cell from ROS damage and (2) to generate hypothesis about the role of ROS in different metabolic processes that we approached experimentaly. As a result of this investigation, we have came up with (1) the theory that the main cellular mechanisms to fight back endogenous ROS generation are fuelled by NADH, and not by the activation of NADPH generating metabolic pathways, as we find in scientific literature (Mailloux, Lemire, and Appanna 2011). (2) We have also found that ROS plays an important role in different molecular mechanisms involving robustness, as the carbon flux deviation to the accumulation of  polyhydroxyalkanoate; and also influenciate the global metabolic regulator gen crc

Journalism and Art: two intertwined creative ways

El objetivo central de este artículo es la interpretación del proceso creativo del periodista a partir de las cualidades del arte: la originalidad, la esencialidad y la pureza. Además, el presente estudio muestra la transfiguración del mensaje periodístico en el contexto de la posmodernidad. Para ello hemos revisado el significado de la experiencia, la ruptura, la tradición y el espíritu realista en el arte y en la cultura contemporánea y cómo se ha aprovechado de ello el discurso periodístico.The main purpose of this article is the interpretation of the journalist's creative process from the characteristics of art: originality, essentiality and purity. Moreover, this study shows the transfiguration of press messages in the context of postmodernism. For that reason we have examined the meaning of experience, rupture, tradition and realistic spirit in art and contemporary culture and also how the journalistic discourse has taken advantage of that

Estudio crítico de la representación del estado de la pobreza en la televisión

This article offers an innovative research of the mediatic representation of poverty in mass media. This visual study, which compares Baroque Art to Neo-baroque mass media production, aims to notice similarities and differences and watch that there are cultural parameters that have settled in the collective ideals about the concept of poverty. Moreover, the paper proceeds to an analysis of media representation of social exclusion and its interpretation within popular culture.Este texto ofrece un estudio innovador de la representación mediática de lasituación de pobreza de las personas en los medios de comunicación masivamenteconsumidos. En este estudio visual, que compara similitudes entre la pinturabarroca y las cualidades neobarrocas que ofrece la televisión en la cultura demasa, pretende ver similitudes y diferencias y observar cómo existen unosparámetros culturales que sobre el concepto de pobreza se ha asentado en elideario colectivo. Además, se analiza la creación mediática de la marginación socialy su interpretación en el entramado de la cultura popular

A critical study of the representation of poverty on TV

Este texto ofrece un estudio innovador de la representación mediática de la situación de pobreza de las personas en los medios de comunicación masivamente consumidos. En este estudio visual, que compara similitudes entre la pintura barroca y las cualidades neobarrocas que ofrece la televisión en la cultura de masa, pretende ver similitudes y diferencias y observar cómo existen unos parámetros culturales que sobre el concepto de pobreza se ha asentado en el ideario colectivo. Además, se analiza la creación mediática de la marginación social y su interpretación en el entramado de la cultura popular.This article offers an innovative research of the mediatic representation of poverty in mass media. This visual study, which compares Baroque Art to Neo-baroque mass media production, aims to notice similarities and differences and watch that there are cultural parameters that have settled in the collective ideals about the concept of poverty. Moreover, the paper proceeds to an analysis of media representation of social exclusion and its interpretation within popular culture

Las visitas de navíos durante los siglos XVI y XVII: historia y documentación de una práctica inquisitorial

El Santo Oficio inspeccionaba sus propios distritos, tribunales y hacienda, pero también realizaba registros en barcos y librerías en busca de obras contrarias a la fe y perjudiciales para la moral. El presente estudio se centra en el análisis de las “visitas de navíos” en España durante el período austriaco, analizando tanto su origen, desarrollo histórico y actuación procedimental, como las repercusiones socio-culturales que supuso esta costumbre inquisitorial.The Spanish Inquisition inspected its own administrative districts, courts and finances, but also searched the ships and bookshops looking for heretical books or sheets, paintings, sculptures… This work analyzes the ships’ inspections, during the Habsburg period and tries to explain its origin, history, procedure and socio-cultural influence

“Validatio-autenticatio” y “expeditio-traditio” de la documentación inquisitorial: el sello y el correo del Santo Oficio español

Entre las fases ulteriores que conforman la “conscriptio” diplomática caben destacar, por una parte, la “validatio” y la “autenticatio” (referentes a la estampación de signos y suscripciones, con que se cerraba el texto documental, y a la aposición del sello), y, por otra, la “expeditio” y la “traditio” (concernientes a la remisión y entrega del original al destinatario). En el presente artículo, los autores abordan el estudio de estos elementos circunscribiéndose al ámbito inquisitorial, materia prácticamente inédita. De ahí que se analicen aspectos tales como el sello, los elementos validativos, el correo y el papel timbrado en relación con el Santo Oficio.Within those phases that constitute the diplomatic “conscription”, it's necessary to emphasize, firstly, the “validation” and the “autenticatio” (related to signs’ writing, that closes the document's text, and seal's apposition); and, secondly, the “expedition” and “tradition” (both concerning the original document´s sending and delivery to addressee), In this article, the authors deal with the study of these elements from the inquisitorial perspective (an almost unknown subject). They analyze topics such as the seal, validation methods, and the relationship between the Spanish Inquisition and mailing systems or sealed paper