Competitividad de los destinos turísticos: caso del Mediterráneo español

[SPA] En esta tesis doctoral se lleva a cabo un análisis del concepto de competitividad para, posteriormente, trasladar este concepto a los destinos turísticos. El objetivo principal es el análisis y la determinación de la competitividad turística en este trabajo aplicado a las provincias del Mediterráneo español. Tras la revisión de la literatura, se han seleccionado las variables que han permitido cuantificar el efecto de la competitividad en los citados destinos. Desde los resultados obtenidos, es posible ofrecer sugerencias a los gestores de tales destinos para la mejora de la competitividad en los mismos. Se comprueba, además, que una mejora en la competitividad turística debe llevar asociado un aumento en la calidad de vida de los residentes del destino.[ENG] In this doctoral dissertation an analysis of the concept of competitiveness is done, and then this concept is applied to tourism destinations. The main objective is the analysis and definition of tourism destination competitiveness regarding this work focused on the area of the Spanish Mediterranean coast. After review of literature, one can select the suitable variables for defining tourism competitiveness in the selected sample and determine their quantitative effect on tourism destination competitiveness. From the obtained results, it is possible to provide policy makers with suggestions to improve destination competitiveness. Additionally, the relationship between competitiveness and prosperity is validated.Escuela Internacional de Doctorado de la Universidad Politécnica de CartagenaUniversidad Politécnica de Cartagen

Desarrollo Económico de la Comarca de Cartagena 2016

El presente informe tiene la finalidad de servir como una herramienta de diagnóstico de la situación económica del tejido empresarial de la Comarca de Cartagena, promoviendo medidas que contribuyen al desarrollo estratégico de la Comarca. A partir del estudio y análisis del contexto socioeconómico sectorial que han realizado los investigadores especialistas en cada uno de los sectores de actividad, así como del análisis por parte de los paneles de expertos consultados, se incluye a continuación un estudio por sectores de actividad de las actuaciones que deberían considerarse para establecer las líneas estratégicas de contenido económico en la Comarca de Cartagena en los próximos años. Las políticas que permitan desarrollar dichas actuaciones asegurarán la competitividad de las pequeñas y medianas empresas en general y el adecuado progreso económico de la Comarca en particular. Los principales pilares de competitividad sobre los que deberían asentarse las actuaciones estratégicas para la comarca se han clasificado por sectores de actividad atendiendo a las infraestructuras, el conocimiento (formación y cualificación), el desarrollo de las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones, la innovación, la financiación y la eficiencia de las Administraciones Públicas. El informe se estructura en una primera aproximación a la situación macroeconómica de la Comarca en su contexto Regional y Nacional desde el punto de vista de la oferta y la demanda, así como un detalle prospectivo de la economía para los próximos meses. A continuación se detalla el análisis sectorial dividido en los sectores: turismo, comercio, industria, agroalimentación y tecnológico. Adicionalmente, se incluye un análisis y diagnóstico económicofinanciero a nivel microeconómico de las pymes de la Comarca. Por último, se incluyen a modo de resumen las principales conclusiones y recomendaciones derivadas del estudi

Biological Flora of the British Isles: Sorbus torminalis

1.This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz (Wild Service-tree) that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics and behaviour. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of the British Isles: distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biotic factors, responses to environment, structure and physiology, phenology, floral and seed characters, herbivores and disease, history, and conservation.2.Sorbus torminalis is an uncommon, mostly small tree (but can reach 33 m) native to lowland England and Wales, and temperate and Mediterranean regions of mainland Europe. It is the most shade-tolerant member of the genus in the British Isles and as a result it is more closely associated with woodland than any other British species. Like other British Sorbus species, however, it grows best where competition for space and sunlight is limited. Seedlings are shade tolerant but adults are only moderately so. This, combined with its low competitive ability, restricts the best growth to open areas. In shade, saplings and young adults form a sapling bank, showing reproduction and extensive growth only when released. Sorbus torminalis tolerates a wide range of soil reaction (pH 3.5-8.0) but grows best on calcareous clays and thin soils over limestone.3.Sorbus torminalis is a sexual, diploid, non-apomictic species that has hybridised with a number of other Sorbus species to form microspecies. The hermaphrodite flowers are primarily insect pollinated. Seed production is reliable only in warm years, especially at the edge of its range, although even then seed viability is low. The fruits are primarily dispersed by carnivorous mammals. Seeds display embryo dormancy but most will germinate the first spring after falling.4.This tree is very tolerant of short droughts but only moderately tolerant of frost, hence its southerly and lowland distribution. It faces no particular individual threats although the small size of most populations makes it susceptible to habitat loss and fragmentation, particularly through the loss of open coppiced areas. As a consequence it appears to be declining throughout Britain and Europe despite its wide range of historical uses and the high value of its timber. The extent to which these losses will be offset by increases due to climate change is unknown.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Search for eccentric black hole coalescences during the third observing run of LIGO and Virgo

Despite the growing number of confident binary black hole coalescences observed through gravitational waves so far, the astrophysical origin of these binaries remains uncertain. Orbital eccentricity is one of the clearest tracers of binary formation channels. Identifying binary eccentricity, however, remains challenging due to the limited availability of gravitational waveforms that include effects of eccentricity. Here, we present observational results for a waveform-independent search sensitive to eccentric black hole coalescences, covering the third observing run (O3) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors. We identified no new high-significance candidates beyond those that were already identified with searches focusing on quasi-circular binaries. We determine the sensitivity of our search to high-mass (total mass M>70 M⊙) binaries covering eccentricities up to 0.3 at 15 Hz orbital frequency, and use this to compare model predictions to search results. Assuming all detections are indeed quasi-circular, for our fiducial population model, we place an upper limit for the merger rate density of high-mass binaries with eccentricities 0<e≤0.3 at 0.33 Gpc−3 yr−1 at 90\% confidence level

Determinantes del estado de salud percibido tras padecer una depresión a través de la encuesta de salud española 2017

El estudio sobre el efecto de los medicamentos en el estado de salud de laspersonas es amplio y necesario. En salud mental, el estado de salud percibido puede serdeterminante para el tratamiento de algunas afecciones. El caso de la depresión es uno delos ejemplos en los que mejorar el estado de salud percibido puede incidir positivamenteen el tratamiento. En este artículo se ha realizado un análisis de algunos indicadoresrelevantes obtenidos en la encuesta española de salud de 2017, con el objetivo decontrastrar el efecto sobre el estado de salud percibido de algunas variables que seconsideran fundamentales tales como haber padecido depresión, haberse sometido aun tratamiento con homeopatía o antidepresivos, el nivel de estudios, la edad o lanacionalidad. Es conveniente señalar que los coeficientes de los sujetos que han tomadoantidepresivos y homeopatía son próximos entre sí para los estados de salud bueno omuy bueno, algo superior en el caso de los antidepresivos, lo cual se puede interpretarcomo que ambos tratamientos generan una mejor salud percibida pudiendo optar porcualquiera de ellos pero reduciendo los efectos adversos en el caso de la homeopatía.Por otra parte, cabe destacar que, para el caso de salud percibida muy mala, el uso dehomeopatía no empeora ese estado mientras que los antidepresivos sí, lo que confirmaesos menores efectos adversos generados por la homeopatía

Molecular Characterization of the Interplay between <i>Fasciola hepatica</i> Juveniles and Laminin as a Mechanism to Adhere to and Break through the Host Intestinal Wall

Fasciola hepatica is the main causative agent of fasciolosis, a zoonotic parasitic disease of growing public health concern. F. hepatica metacercariae are ingested by the host and excyst in the intestine, thereby releasing the newly excysted juveniles (FhNEJ), which traverse the gut wall and migrate towards the biliary ducts. Since blocking F. hepatica development is challenging after crossing of the intestinal wall, targeting this first step of migration might result in increased therapeutic success. The intestinal extracellular matrix (ECM) is constituted by a network of structural proteins, including laminin (LM) and fibronectin (FN), that provide mechanical support while acting as physical barrier against intestinal pathogens. Here, we employed ELISA and immunofluorescent assays to test for the presence of LM- and FN-binding proteins on a tegument-enriched antigenic fraction of FhNEJ, and further determined their identity by two-dimensional electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry. Additionally, we performed enzymatic assays that revealed for the first time the capability of the juvenile-specific cathepsin L3 to degrade LM, and that LM degradation by FhNEJ proteins is further potentiated in the presence of host plasminogen. Finally, a proteomic analysis showed that the interaction with LM triggers protein changes in FhNEJ that may be relevant for parasite growth and adaptation inside the mammalian host. Altogether, our study provides valuable insights into the molecular interplay between FhNEJ and the intestinal ECM, which may lead to the identification of targetable candidates for the development of more effective control strategies against fasciolosis

Proteomics coupled with in vitro model to study the early crosstalk occurring between newly excysted juveniles of Fasciola hepatica and host intestinal cells

24 páginas, 9 figurasFasciolosis caused by the trematode Fasciola hepatica is a zoonotic neglected disease affecting animals and humans worldwide. Infection occurs upon ingestion of aquatic plants or water contaminated with metacercariae. These release the newly excysted juveniles (FhNEJ) in the host duodenum, where they establish contact with the epithelium and cross the intestinal barrier to reach the peritoneum within 2-3 h after infection. Juveniles crawl up the peritoneum towards the liver, and migrate through the hepatic tissue before reaching their definitive location inside the major biliary ducts, where they mature into adult worms. Fasciolosis is treated with triclabendazole, although resistant isolates of the parasite are increasingly being reported. This, together with the limited efficacy of the assayed vaccines against this infection, poses fasciolosis as a veterinary and human health problem of growing concern. In this context, the study of early host-parasite interactions is of paramount importance for the definition of new targets for the treatment and prevention of fasciolosis. Here, we develop a new in vitro model that replicates the first interaction between FhNEJ and mouse primary small intestinal epithelial cells (MPSIEC). FhNEJ and MPSIEC were co-incubated for 3 h and protein extracts (tegument and soma of FhNEJ and membrane and cytosol of MPSIEC) were subjected to quantitative SWATH-MS proteomics and compared to respective controls (MPSIEC and FhNEJ left alone for 3h in culture medium) to evaluate protein expression changes in both the parasite and the host. Results show that the interaction between FhNEJ and MPSIEC triggers a rapid protein expression change of FhNEJ in response to the host epithelial barrier, including cathepsins L3 and L4 and several immunoregulatory proteins. Regarding MPSIEC, stimulation with FhNEJ results in alterations in the protein profile related to immunomodulation and cell-cell interactions, together with a drastic reduction in the expression of proteins linked with ribosome function. The molecules identified in this model of early host-parasite interactions could help define new tools against fasciolosis.Financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Science Innovation (Projects AGL2015-67023-C2-2-R and PID2019-108782RB-C22), JIN project (RTI2018-093463-J-100) funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCIU), and the Project“CLU-2019-05 – IRNASA/CSIC Unit of Excellence”, funded by the Junta de Castilla y León and cofinanced by the European Union (ERDF “Europe drives our growth”).Peer reviewe

Prevalence, Abundance, and Virulence of Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli in Ulcerative Colitis, Colorectal Cancer, and Coeliac Disease

Adherent-invasive E. coli (AIEC) has largely been implicated in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD). E. coli strains with similar genetic backgrounds and virulence genes profiles have been associated with other intestinal disorders, such as ulcerative colitis (UC), colorectal cancer (CRC), and coeliac disease (CeD), but the role of AIEC in these diseases remains unexplored. We aimed to assess the distribution, abundance, and pathogenic features of AIEC in UC, CRC, and CeD.This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science through projects SAF2010-15896, SAF2013-43284-P, and SAF2107-82261-P (MINECO/AEI/FEDER/UE) and the grant AGL2017-88801-P from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN, Spain). MLS is a Serra Húnter Fellow.Peer reviewedSAF2010-15896, SAF2013-43284-P, and SAF2107-82261-P (MINECO/AEI/FEDER/UE) and the grant AGL2017-88801-

Study of the cross-talk between Fasciola hepatica juveniles and the intestinal epithelial cells of the host by transcriptomics in an in vitro model

9 páginas, 5 figurasFasciolosis is a globally widespread trematodiasis with a major economic and veterinary impact. Therefore, this disease is responsible for millions of dollars in losses to the livestock industry, and also constitutes an emerging human health problem in endemic areas. The ubiquitous nature of Fasciola hepatica, the main causative agent, is one of the key factors for the success of fasciolosis. Accordingly, this parasite is able to subsist in a wide variety of ecosystems and hosts, thanks to the development of a plethora of strategies for adaption and immune evasion. Fasciolosis comprises a growing concern due to its high prevalence rates, together with the emergence of strains of the parasite resistant to the treatment of choice (triclabendazole). These facts highlight the importance of developing novel control measures which allow for an effective protection against the disease before F. hepatica settles in a niche inaccessible to the immune system. However, knowledge about the initial phases of the infection, including the migration mechanisms of the parasite and the early innate host response, is still scarce. Recently, our group developed an in vitro host-parasite interaction model that allowed the early events to be unveiled after the first contact between the both actors. This occurs shortly upon ingestion of F. hepatica metacercariae and the emergence of the newly excysted juveniles (FhNEJ) in the host duodenum. Here, we present a transcriptomic analysis of such model using an approach based on RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), which reveals changes in gene expression related to proteolysis and uptake of metabolites in FhNEJ. Additionally, contact with the parasite triggered changes in host intestinal cells related to pseudogenes expression and host defence mechanisms, including immune response, among others. In sum, these results provide a better understanding of the early stages of fasciolosis at molecular level, and a pool of targets that could be used in future therapeutic strategies against the disease.M.S.L. acknowledges the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (grant numbers AGL2015-67023-C2-2-R and PID2019-108782RB-C22) and the Junta de Castilla y Leon ´ “IRNASA/ CSIC Unit of Excellence” co-financed by the European Union (ERDF “Europe drives our growth”) (grant number CLU-2019-05). D.B.R. and J. S. acknowledge the support of the Junta de Castilla y León for their Predoctoral contracts. M.L.G. acknowledges the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for her FPU Predoctoral contract. J. G.M. is supported by the ‘Ramón y Cajal’ program of the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (grant number RYC2020-030575-I). M.T. V. acknowledges the support of the European Commission NextGenerationEU Fund (grant number EU 2020/2094), through CSIC’s Global Health Platform (PTI Salud Global)Peer reviewe