Comportamiento presupuestario y crecimiento económico en los países de la Unión Europea, 1984-2003

El trabajo expone, en primer lugar, los argumentos con los que se defiende la necesidad de reducir la actividad presupuestaria del Estado y de minimizar el déficit fiscal conforme al consenso institucionalizado en el Tratado de Maastricht y el Pacto de Estabilidad y Crecimiento. Después analiza la evolución de las principales variables presupuestarias en las economías de la Unión Europea y establece una tipología de países conforme a la dimensión de su actividad presupuestaria. En tercer lugar realiza tres aproximaciones a la evidencia empírica desde las que se argumenta la gran dificultad de establecer algún tipo de relación causal entre la evolución de las variables fiscales o el tamaño de la actividad presupuestaria y el crecimiento económico de los países europeos en el intervalo 1984-2003. Finalmente, se presentan las conclusiones del análisis.This paper starts off explaining the arguments put forward to defend the need to reduce the State’s budgetary activity and minimize fiscal deficit in accordance with the institutionalized consensus reached under the Maastricht Treaty and the Stability and Growth Pact. Secondly, it sheds light on the evolution of the main budgetary variables of the European Union economies and develops a typology of countries based on their degree of budgetary activity. Thirdly, it offers three approaches to the empirical evidence that is being used to explain that it is very difficult to establish any kind of causal relation between the evolution of fiscal variables or the degree of budgetary activity and the economic growth experienced by European countries during 1984 and 2003. Finally, it describes the conclusions drawn from the study

Impactos sociales del proceso de transición económica de Europa del Este

El artículo pretende conocer cómo se han repartido entre las diferentes capas sociales los resultados negativos y positivos del cambio sistémico de Europa del Este. Quiénes son los ganadores y perdedores del proceso y qué oportunidades tienen los más desfavorecidos para afrontar sus problemas. Para ello, se analiza, en primer lugar, la contribución del mercado de trabajo al aumento de las desigualdades y la capacidad del sector público para corregir esas desviaciones. A continuación se estudia la distribución de la renta y las características de la población afectada por la pobreza. _______________________________________The paper seeks to know how the negative and positive results of sistemic change in Eastern Europe have been shared among different social levels. Who are the winners and the losers of this process and what opportunities have the most marginal groups to face up their problems. Thus, it analyses, first of all, the labor market contribution to increase inequality and the public sector capacity to correct these deviations. Later on is examined the income distribution and the features of the population concerned by poverty

Las reformas liberalizadoras en el sector energético de la Unión Europea

Este breve trabajo trata sobre las dificultades planteadas en la Unión Europea para construir una política energética común. Más concretamente, analiza en qué medida las reformas que están impulsando las instituciones de la UE desde los años noventa en los sectores de electricidad y gas natural facilitan o, por el contrario, acentúan las dificultades para construir esa política energética. El análisis muestra que el nuevo escenario energético europeo se caracteriza por el predominio de grandes corporaciones transnacionales y la débil capacidad regulatoria de los gobiernos nacionales y de las instituciones comunitarias. ____________________________________________This briefly paper discusses the difficulties existing in the European Union to construct a common energy policy. More specifically, it studies in what extent the reforms that have been boosted by the institutions of EU on the electricity and gas sectors since the nineties facilitate or accentuate the difficulties to construct an European energy policy. The analysis shows that the new energy stage is characterized by the dominance of big transnational corporations and the weak regulation capacity of the national governments as the European institutions

Festulolium and annual ryegrass pastures associated with white clover for small-scale dairy systems in high valleys of Mexico

O Background: The implementation of polyphytic pastures composed of grasses and legumes is an important component of agricultural systems in temperate zones, since grazing pastures which can reduce feed costs— are a viable option for small-scale dairy systems (SSDS). Objective: To evaluate the continuous grazing of dairy cows in Festulolium pastures associated with annual and perennial ryegrass and with clover in two farmrs. Methodology: Two experiments were carried out. The first experiment was established in the municipality of Almoloya of Juárez using eight cows that were divided into two groups of four; the cows grazed on two pastures with Festulolium associated with annual ryegrass and they were fed with 3.6 kg DM/cow/day of commercial concentrate, for 16 weeks. The second experiment was carried out in the Northwest of State of Mexico; six multiparous cows grazed on two pastures, under a cross over design arrangement; one pasture features Festulolium cv Spring Green and the other, annual ryegrass. Milk and body condition ere measured every 3 and 12 d, respectively. Variables from both experiments were analyzed using a split-plot experimental design. Results: Neither experiment recorded significant differences for the net accumulation of forage, the height of the pastures, and their chemical composition (P>0.05). No significant differences between treatments (P>0.05) were recorded regarding the yields and chemical composition of the milk. Study Limitations/Implications: The study of mixed pastures can be an alternative for feeding grazing cows, helping to reduce costs in SSDS. Findings/Conclusions: Festulolium/annual ryegrass pastures with white clover are a viable forage alternative for small-scale dairy systems

Falls Predict Acute Hospitalization in Parkinson's Disease

[Background] There is a need for identifying risk factors for hospitalization in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and also interventions to reduce acute hospital admission.[Objective] To analyze the frequency, causes, and predictors of acute hospitalization (AH) in PD patients from a Spanish cohort.[Methods] PD patients recruited from 35 centers of Spain from the COPPADIS-2015 (COhort of Patients with PArkinson’s DIsease in Spain, 2015) cohort from January 2016 to November 2017, were included in the study. In order to identify predictors of AH, Kaplan-Meier estimates of factors considered as potential predictors were obtained and Cox regression performed on time to hospital encounter 1-year after the baseline visit.[Results] Thirty-five out of 605 (5.8%) PD patients (62.5±8.9 years old; 59.8% males) presented an AH during the 1-year follow-up after the baseline visit. Traumatic falls represented the most frequent cause of admission, being 23.7% of all acute hospitalizations. To suffer from motor fluctuations (HR [hazard ratio] 2.461; 95% CI, 1.065–5.678; p = 0.035), a very severe non-motor symptoms burden (HR [hazard ratio] 2.828; 95% CI, 1.319–6.063; p = 0.008), falls (HR 3.966; 95% CI 1.757–8.470; p = 0.001), and dysphagia (HR 2.356; 95% CI 1.124–4.941; p = 0.023) was associated with AH after adjustment to age, gender, disease duration, levodopa equivalent daily dose, total number of non-antiparkinsonian drugs, and UPDRS-IIIOFF. Of the previous variables, only falls (HR 2.998; 95% CI 1.080–8.322; p = 0.035) was an independent predictor of AH.[Conclusion] Falls is an independent predictor of AH in PD patients.Peer reviewe

Non-motor symptom burden in patients with Parkinson's disease with impulse control disorders and compulsive behaviours : results from the COPPADIS cohort

The study was aimed at analysing the frequency of impulse control disorders (ICDs) and compulsive behaviours (CBs) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and in control subjects (CS) as well as the relationship between ICDs/CBs and motor, nonmotor features and dopaminergic treatment in PD patients. Data came from COPPADIS-2015, an observational, descriptive, nationwide (Spain) study. We used the validated Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease-Rating Scale (QUIP-RS) for ICD/CB screening. The association between demographic data and ICDs/CBs was analyzed in both groups. In PD, this relationship was evaluated using clinical features and treatment-related data. As result, 613 PD patients (mean age 62.47 ± 9.09 years, 59.87% men) and 179 CS (mean age 60.84 ± 8.33 years, 47.48% men) were included. ICDs and CBs were more frequent in PD (ICDs 12.7% vs. 1.6%, p < 0.001; CBs 7.18% vs. 1.67%, p = 0.01). PD patients had more frequent previous ICDs history, premorbid impulsive personality and antidepressant treatment (p < 0.05) compared with CS. In PD, patients with ICDs/CBs presented younger age at disease onset, more frequent history of previous ICDs and premorbid personality (p < 0.05), as well as higher comorbidity with nonmotor symptoms, including depression and poor quality of life. Treatment with dopamine agonists increased the risk of ICDs/CBs, being dose dependent (p < 0.05). As conclusions, ICDs and CBs were more frequent in patients with PD than in CS. More nonmotor symptoms were present in patients with PD who had ICDs/CBs compared with those without. Dopamine agonists have a prominent effect on ICDs/CBs, which could be influenced by dose

Análisis de las cooperativas de trabajo asociado en Madrid

Tesis doctoral inédita. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, 198