Combined Effects of the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Arctic Oscillation on Sea Surface Temperature in the Alborán Sea

We explored the possible effects of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Arctic Oscillation (AO) on interannual sea surface temperature (SST) variations in the Albora´n Sea, both separately and combined. The probability of observing mean annual SST values higher than average was related to NAO and AO values of the previous year. The effect of NAO on SST was negative, while that of AO was positive. The pure effects of NAO and AO on SST are obscuring each other, due to the positive correlation between them. When decomposing SST, NAO and AO in seasonal values, we found that variation in mean annual SST and mean winter SST was significantly related to the mean autumn NAO of the previous year, while mean summer SST was related to mean autumn AO of the previous year. The one year delay in the effect of the NAO and AO on the SST could be partially related to the amount of accumulated snow, as we found a significant correlation between the total snow in the North Albora´n watershed for a year with the annual average SST of the subsequent year. A positive AO implies a colder atmosphere in the Polar Regions, which could favour occasional cold waves over the Iberian Peninsula which, when coupled with precipitations favoured by a negative NAO, may result in snow precipitation. This snow may be accumulated in the high peaks and melt down in spring-summer of the following year, which consequently increases the runoff of freshwater to the sea, which in turn causes a diminution of sea surface salinity and density, and blocks the local upwelling of colder water, resulting in a higher SST.CGL2009-11316 (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain, and FEDER

Introduction : analysing English syntax past and present

This book is an exploration of categories, constructions, and change in English syntax. A great many books are published on the syntax of English, both monographs and edited volumes, and yet another may seem unnecessary. However, we felt more than justified in adding to the sizeable literature here for two reasons. The first, to borrow from Richard M. Hogg and David Denison’s justification for A History of the English Language, is that ‘one of the beauties of the language is its ability to show continuous change and flexibility while in some sense remaining the same

A Rapid Road to Employment?: The Impacts of a Bus Rapid Transit System in Lima

Despite the growing interest in and proliferation of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems around the world, their causal impacts on labor market outcomes remain unexplored. Reduced travel times for those who live near BRT stations or near feeder lines, may increase access to a wider array of job opportunities, potentially leading to increased rates of employment, access to higher quality (or formal) jobs, and increased labor hours and earnings. This paper assesses the effects of the Metropolitano, a BRT system in Lima (Peru), on individual-level job market outcomes. We rely on a difference-in-differences empirical strategy, based on comparing individuals who live close to the BRT system with a comparison group that lives farther from the system, before and after the system started to operate. We find large impacts on employment, hours worked and labor earnings for those individuals close to the BRT stations, but not for those who live close to the feeder lines. Despite the potential to connect poor populations, we find no evidence of impacts for populations living in lower income areas

Design and Validation of Transversal Competences Assessment Instrument (TCAI) in Compulsory Secondary Education

The basic competences (such as Information Acquisition and Management; Understanding and Expression of Information and Emotions; Competence to Do and Undertake; Competence to Live Together; and Competence to Be) are necessary to achieve adequate personal, social and professional development. This study develops and validates, through Confirmatory Factor Analysis, an instrument for assessing them. Data were collected from 751 secondary students, with ages ranging from 11 to 18. The results confirm the structure of the instrument, comprising five independent scales. The instrument is valid for its application, either as a whole or separately.Las competencias básicas (tales como Búsqueda y gestión de la información; Comprensión y expresión de información y emociones; Competencia para hacer y emprender; Competencia para vivir juntos y Competencia para ser) son necesarias para un adecuado desarrollo personal, social y profesional. Este estudio diseña y valida, con Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio, un instrumento para evaluarlas. Se recopilaron datos de 751 estudiantes de Secundaria, con edades comprendidas entre 11 y 18 años. Los resultados confirman la estructura del instrumento, compuesto por cinco escalas independientes. El instrumento es válido para su aplicación de manera conjunta o separada

Freeze desalination by the integration of falling film and block freeze concentration techniques

Block and falling film freeze concentration are two technologies that separate water by freezing,with the potential to desalinate seawater. In this study, the integration of two freeze concentration techniques as an alternative to obtain potable water was analysed. Water with 0.5%–8% NaCl was freeze-concentrated by the falling film technique. The ice from each stage was fractionally thawed to recover the solids retained inPostprint (updated version

Influencia de los parámetros nutricionalesen cirugía de cadera

Bajo la hipótesis de que los parámetros nutricionales influyen en el desarrollo perioperatorio de la cirugía de cadera realizamos un estudio prospectivo observacional de tipo clínico sobre 100 pacientes con una edad media de 76 años. Realizamos una evaluación clínica al ingreso: talla, peso, pliegue cutáneo, circunferencia braquial y muscular. Medición de proteínas plasmáticas y linfocitos totales al ingreso, en el postoperatorio y cada 7 días. Definimos los pacientes según los valores nutricionales analíticos y clínicos. El 51% de nuestros pacientes presentaban desnutrición caloricoproteica. La media transfusional en malnutridos fue 600 c.c. frente a 350 c.c. del grupo nutrido (p < 0,05). El 73% de las complicaciones se presentaron en pacientes malnutridos. No hallamos diferencias en los períodos de sedestación y deambulación, aunque sí en la estancia hospitalaria, 15 días frente a 18,5 días (p < 0,01). La prealbúmina mostró variaciones de forma más precoz ante el acto quirúrgico.A prospective observation was conducted with the hypothesis that the nutritional situation has influence in postoperative development of hip surgery [n = 100; age 76 years (55-95)]. A nutritional evaluation was performed before surgery through the evolution of height, body weight, skin fold and braquial and muscular circunference. Serie proteins and lymphocytes levels were measured during hospital admission, in postoperative and each seven days. A 51% of patients showed protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). Transfusional haematic requirements were 600 c c . in malnutrition patients and 350 c.c. in the rest (p < 0.05). Complications appeared in PEM patients in 73% cases. The hospital stay was longer in those patients who presented PEM upon admittance (p < 0.01). Postoperatively, the prealbumin was the protein whose serie level had faster changes

Multiferroic behavior in the new double-perovskite Lu2_2MnCoO6_6

We present a new member of the multiferroic oxides, Lu$_2$MnCoO$_6$, which we have investigated using X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, specific heat, magnetization, electric polarization, and dielectric constant measurements. This material possesses an electric polarization strongly coupled to a net magnetization below 35 K, despite the antiferromagnetic ordering of the $S = 3/2$ Mn$^{4+}$ and Co$^{2+}$ spins in an $\uparrow \uparrow \downarrow \downarrow$ configuration along the c-direction. We discuss the magnetic order in terms of a condensation of domain boundaries between $\uparrow \uparrow$ and $\downarrow \downarrow$ ferromagnetic domains, with each domain boundary producing a net electric polarization due to spatial inversion symmetry breaking. In an applied magnetic field the domain boundaries slide, controlling the size of the net magnetization, electric polarization, and magnetoelectric coupling