The role of innovation labs in advancing the relevance of Public Service Media: the cases of BBC News Labs and RTVE Lab

As part of their social function, Public Service Media (PSM) organizations are devoted to innovation. In this context, a number of European PSM outlets have created laboratories based on the implementation of products, services and formats for multiplatform audiences. Our research focused on two case studies: a) BBC News Labs (UK) and b) RTVE Lab (Spain). We applied both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. We used content analysis techniques to examine products generated by the two laboratories between 2013 and 2017, quantifying and classifying each one according to categories related to the type and nature of the innovation. We carried out ethnographic research using participant observation over five days in each laboratory, both in London and Madrid. We also conducted open-ended interviews with five professionals at the BBC and three at RTVE, as well as with the head of EBU’s Media Strategy & Development department. Our results show that BBC News Labs implements a global innovation strategy through the design and engineering of products that facilitate journalists’ work. Projects include speechto- text software, prototypes for voice recognition and text analysis, chatbots and object-based media. On the other hand, RTVE Lab focuses on designing and producing interactive formats, multimedia narratives and social media content, with an emphasis on experimentation. The findings reveal the main barriers and incentives to innovation within each lab and show how the transfer of innovation could increase the diversity, universality and quality of their overall output

Application of stages of change model to adolescents' physical activity in relation to psychological variables

AIM: This study investigated the stages of change in physical activity in relation to psychological variables: self-efficacy, physical self-concept and barriers to physical activity, as well as gender. Furthermore, cluster profiles were created based on psychological variables to be compared with stages of change groups. METHODS: Data were obtained from a representative sample of adolescents (N.=1618, 14.46±1.28 years) from Aragon region (Spain). The different strata were selected according to the geographical region, environment, type of school, age and gender. RESULTS: Males (75.5%) and very active adolescents (96.9% participant boys and 93.5% participants girls) were more prevalent in the action and maintenance groups. We found significant differences in psychosocial variables by stages of change and gender, showing higher scores in active groups for physical self-concept (effects of gender and stages of change: F(1, 1618)=313.82 P<0.001, ¿²=0.230) and self-efficacy (F(1, 1618)=324.34 P<0.001, ¿²=0.236), and lower scores in passive groups for intrapersonal (F(1, 1618)=179.73 P<0.001, ¿²=0.146) and extrapersonal barriers (F(1, 1618)=189.42 P<0.001, ¿²=0.153). Psychological cluster profiles created with these variables showed significant relationships with stages of change groups (¿²(1)=162,76, P<0.001; Pearson R=0.359 P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of the research suggest the importance of the study, showing strong determinants of PA, physical self-concept, self-efficacy and perceived barriers, in relation to the intention to change behaviour, not only stage of change model variables. Furthermore, the study can be relevant to designing more effective health promotion programmes in the adolescent population

Vegetation pattern modulates ground arthropod diversity in semi-arid Mediterranean steppes

The ecological functioning of dryland ecosystems is closely related to the spatial pattern of the vegetation, which is typically structured in patches. Ground arthropods mediate key soil functions and ecological processes, yet little is known about the influence of dryland vegetation pattern on their abundance and diversity. Here, we investigate how patch size and cover, and distance between patches relate to the abundance and diversity of meso-and microarthropods in semi-arid steppes. We found that species richness and abundance of ground arthropods exponentially increase with vegetation cover, patch size, and patch closeness. The communities under vegetation patches mainly respond to patch size, while the communities in the bare-soil interpatches are mostly controlled by the average distance between patches, independently of the concurrent changes in vegetation cover. Large patches seem to play a critical role as reserve and source of ground arthropod diversity. Our results suggest that decreasing vegetation cover and/or changes in vegetation pattern towards small and over-dispersed vegetation patches can fast lead to a significant loss of ground arthropods diversity in drylands

¿Difieren las influencias personales, sociales, ambientales y psicológicas en la actividad física en base al tipo desplazamiento al centro escolar?

El objetivo del estudio es conocer el papel de un desplazamiento activo o pasivo en un modelo con influencias económicas, como la ocupación del padre y de la madre, psicológicas, como la percepción individual de salud, y variables demográficas sobre la actividad física. 1618 adolescentes (734 chicas) de primero a cuarto curso de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (Medad = 14.46; DT = 1.28), muestra representativa de Aragón (3 %), contestaron cuestionarios sobre las variables estudiadas. El modelo de ecuaciones estructurales mixto multigrupo para clases conocidas muestra que en aquellos adolescentes que se desplazan activamente al centro escolar, su salud percibida está muy relacionada con su actividad física, y con el nivel socioeconómico parental, mientras que la influencia de género y edad permanece constante entre subpoblaciones. The study aim is to analyze the role of active vs. passive commuting in a model with socio economic influences, father and mother professional level, psychological influences, as perceived health, and demographic variables as gender and age related with physical activity. A representative sample of Aragon (3 %), 1618 adolescents (734 girls) between 1o and 4o years of Education Secondary Obligatory (Mean age = 14.46, SD = 1.28 years) completed questionnaires to assess the studied variables. The mixture structural modeling multigroup with known classes shows that the perceived health of active commuting adolescents are strongly related with physical activity and socioeconomic status. Gender and age are related with physical activity in sedentary and active commuting groups

RIP2 plays a role in cardiac Ca2+ mishandling prompted by chronic kidney disease

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Aplicación para la gestión del riego y la fertilización del olivar regado con aguas regeneradas

Comunicación presentada al XXXVII Congreso Nacional de Riegos, celebrado en Don Benito del 4 al 6 de Junio de 2019 y organizada por la Asociación Española de Riegos y Drenajes y la Universidad de ExtremaduraEn Andalucía el cultivo predominante es el olivar, el cual juega un papel fundamental en su sociedad, ya que no solo ha marcado su paisaje y cultura, sino que también es la principal actividad económica de muchos de sus pueblos. Dada su extensión, y pese a seguir estrategias de riego deficitario, es el cultivo con mayor demanda hídrica de la Cuenca del Guadalquivir. A esto hay que añadir que, por lo general, la fertilización del olivar no se realiza de forma precisa, ya que se siguen criterios basados en la tradición, sin utilizar métodos de diagnóstico ni conocer las características del suelo o del agua que se aplica. Esto provoca aportaciones en exceso de algunos nutrientes, especialmente nitrógeno, lo que ocasiona problemas medioambientales tales como contaminación atmosférica, de suelos o de acuíferos. Este problema puede agravarse en el caso de riego con aguas regeneradas ya que incorporan una cantidad considerable de nutrientes, siendo esta aportación, además, variable a lo largo del año, por lo que resulta esencial que se realice una gestión óptima de las mismas. Sin embargo, el empleo de aguas regeneradas para riego en olivar está generando gran interés como alternativa al uso de fuentes de agua convencionales con el objetivo de resolver los desequilibrios entre la disponibilidad y la demanda de agua. Para ello, este trabajo, propone una aplicación que gestiona en tiempo real el riego y la fertilización del olivar regado con este tipo de aguas. El modelo en el que se basa tiene en cuenta datos climáticos, características del suelo, del sistema de riego, dotación anual concedida, análisis del estado nutritivo del árbol y de la calidad del agua.Este trabajo forma parte del Grupo Operativo REUTIVAR, proyecto de innovación cofinanciado por la Junta de Andalucía y la Unión Europea a través del FEADER 2014-2020, en el marco de las ayudas de la Línea Olivar para el funcionamiento de grupos operativos de la Asociación Europea de Innovación (AEI) en materia de productividad y sostenibilidad agrícola