PRODUCCIÓN Y TRANSFERENCIA DE 222RN EN EL ACUÍFERO KÁRSTICO DE LA SIERRA DE UBRIQUE (NE CÁDIZ)

El gas radiactivo 222Rn tiene múltiples aplicaciones en hidrogeología kárstica, entre las que destaca su uso como trazador para la evaluación de procesos de recarga y transferencia de flujo subterráneo. La red de control consta de una parcela experimental ubicada en el área de recarga, en la que se instalaron cuatro mini-piezómetros (a 10, 30, 50 y 70 cm de profundidad) en una depresión kárstica rellena de materiales arcillosos -terra rossa-, y dos manantiales permanentes (Algarrobal y Cornicabra) que drenan el sistema. Durante el presente año hidrológico, se han realizado medidas mensuales in-situ de la actividad de 222Rn en el aire del suelo y, con una frecuencia media semanal (mayor durante los períodos lluviosos), en el agua de las surgencias. A partir del análisis de la información isotópica e hidrodinámica obtenida es posible plantear las siguientes hipótesis: 1) la producción de 222Rn en la Sierra de Ubrique debe darse predominantemente en el horizonte más superficial del acuífero (suelo y epikarst), aunque podría tener una segunda fuente de origen geogénico (litologías carbonatadas), ya que, el corto tiempo de semidesintegración (3,8 días) del 222Rn, implica la existencia de una fuente continua; 2) el súbito decrecimiento de la actividad de 222Rn (asociado a procesos de dilución) permite identificar la llegada al manantial de flujos rápidos que circulan a través de los conductos kársticos; y 3) la transferencia de 222Rn desde el suelo y epikarst hasta los manantiales está directamente condicionada por la magnitud de la recarga.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Welfare Policies and Solidarity Toward the Elderly

In this paper we analyze the effect of welfare policies oriented toward the elderly on solidarity toward the elderly in a sample of European countries. The research question is whether more generous welfare policies crowd out solidarity. For this purpose, we analyze four waves of the SHARE database. We use multilevel analysis to estimate the effect of national variables on transfers toward the elderly, controlling for individual level variables. At the national level we focus on the effect of public spending on policies oriented toward the elderly after controlling for some other relevant variables, such as the proportion of elderly people, female labor force participation and unemployment. Our results indicate that expenditure in social protection toward the elderly has a positive and significant (albeit moderate) effect on the economic support received by the elderly (which is in line with the Crowding-in hypothesis). However, in the case of time transfers, we find that expenditure in social protection toward the elderly has a negative and significant impact on the time transfers received by the elderly (which is consistent with the Crowding-out hypothesis).Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Preliminary Assessment Of Sediment Transport And Associated Bacteriological Contamination In A Mountainous Rural Karst Area (Sierra De Ubrique, S Spain)

In rural karst areas, where agricultural and cattle activities are developed and quite often urban waste waters are not properly treated, the high probability of groundwater pollution occurrence together with the high vulnerability of carbonate aquifers poses a potential risk for human health. Sierra de Ubrique is a karstified carbonate aquifer system developed in Jurassic limestones and dolostones located in one of the wettest regions in Spain. This karst aquifer is recharged by rainfall infiltration through karst features, but also from concentrated runoff trough Villaluenga shaft. Groundwater discharge, which is mainly produced through three karst, is also used for drinking water supply of Ubrique town. During flooding conditions, high turbidity events at the two permanent springs are simultaneous to maximum discharge, hindering the exploitation of groundwater for human consumption. This work aims to identify and characterize the main contamination sources and to understand the role of sediment transport in the occurrence of polluted groundwater episodes. For that purpose, a complete climate and groundwater monitoring network has been installed including a weather station and field devices for continuous record of physical‐chemical parameters. Additionally, numerous surface and groundwater sampling campaigns were performed to take samples for chemical and bacteriological determinations. The obtained results allowed the identification of different contamination types of anthropogenic origin as (1) organic (poorly treated waste waters, fecal remains from cattle activity and food factories) and (2) inorganic. The response times in output signals of the two main springs, maximum thresholds of pollutants and statistical correlations among specific chemical/bacteriological‐like parameters lead to explain the main contaminant transport mechanisms, which greatly differ in the examined karst connections.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Políticas sociales y la solidaridad hacia los mayores

El propósito del presente trabajo es analizar los efectos de las políticas sociales orientadas hacia las personas mayores en una muestra de países europeos. La pregunta de investigación es la siguiente: ¿unas políticas sociales dirigidas a los mayores más generosas limitan la solidaridad hacia las generaciones de más edad? Con tal propósito se analizan cinco oleadas de la Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Se ha realizado un análisis multinivel para estimar el efecto de variables a nivel nacional en las transferencias realizadas hacia los mayores controlando por variables a nivel individual. A nivel nacional nos hemos centrado en el efecto del gasto público sobre las políticas orientadas a los mayores controlando por algunas variables relevantes tales como la proporción de personas mayores, la participación femenina en la fuerza de trabajo y desempleo. Los resultados indican que el gasto en políticas de protección social dirigidas a los mayores no tiene un efecto significativo en el soporte económico que los mayores reciben, pero sí en las ayudas relacionadas con el tiempo. En el caso de las transferencias de tiempo se ha observado que el gasto realizado en las políticas de protección social dirigidas a los mayores tiene un impacto negativo y significativo en el tiempo que los mayores reciben por parte de las redes de apoyo informal (ofreciendo consistencia a la hipótesis del Crowding-out).Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Coupling major ions and trace elements to turbidity dynamics for allogenic contribution assessment in a binary karst system (Sierra de Ubrique, S Spain).

This investigation deals with the application of a multi-technique approach combining data from turbidity, major ions, and trace elements to characterize the implications of allogenic recharge in a binary karst system and assess the relative hydrochemical contribution to karst springs captured for drinking use. Hydrodynamic and hydrochemical responses of the outlets to storm events were continuously monitored during four selected flooding events, and water samples were collected at the main sinking stream in the recharge area and discharge points (Cornicabra and Algarrobal springs) for chemical analysis. The obtained hydrogeochemical dataset was analyzed through mean of time-series and statistical analysis and allowed to describe the fate and origin of trace elements. Despite that most of analyzed components present a natural origin, the existence of a Wastewater Treatment Plant in the recharge area was determined to be the main source of P (phosphorus) concentrations measured in the karst springs. Sediment (particulate) transport constitutes the most important factor in the mobilization of Al, Mn, Ni, and Ba in both surface and groundwater, whilst Li, Sr, and P are mainly controlled by solute migration. The hydrochemical signature of allogenic water component was constrained by identifying characteristic correlations between Ba and Ca/Sr ratio in water samples. The combination of specific hydrogeological processes as ion solution and sorption processes onto solids between solutes and particles as well as water mixing processes (allogenic vs diffuse) result more evident in Algarrobal spring, which receives a higher contribution of allogenic component due to a greater feeding catchment.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBU

Exploring fitness centre consumer loyalty: differences of non-profit and low-cost business models in Spain

A number of studies have placed at the forefront variables that predict the loyalty of clients in fitness centres. In fact, no study has analysed the differences between these variables according to business models. The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between quality, value, satisfaction and the future intentions of clients of public and private low-cost fitness centres and their differences. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 1805 fitness centre clients. A confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group analysis was performed to test the difference between two invariance models. The findings indicate a greater weight in facilities and employees of the quality perceived from private low-cost fitness centres and a greater weight in programmes from public fitness centres. Furthermore, the relationship between the variables’ overall quality, perceived value, satisfaction and future intentions had a greater influence in private low-cost fitness centres than in public centres

A geometric inverse problem for the Boussinesq system

In this work we present some results for the inverse problem of the identification of a single rigid body immersed in a fluid governed by the stationary Boussinesq equations. First, we establish a uniqueness result. Then, we show the way the observation depends on perturbations of the rigid body and we deduce some consequences. Finally, we present a new method for the partial identification of the body assuming that it can be deformed only through fields that, in some sense, are finite dimensional. In the proofs, we use various techniques, related to Carleman estimates, differentiation with respect to domains, data assimilation and controllability of PDEs.Dirección General de Enseñanza SuperiorComisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (Chile)Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (Chile

Uniqueness and partial identification in a geometric inverse problem for the Boussinesq system

We analyze the inverse problem of the identification of a rigid body immersed in a fluid governed by the stationary Boussinesq system. First, we establish a uniqueness result. Then, we present a new method for the partial identification of the body. The proofs use local Carleman estimates, differentiation with respect to domains, data assimilation techniques and controllability results for PDEs.Sur l’unicité et l’identification partielle d’un problème inverse géométrique pour le système de Boussinesq. On analyse le problème inverse de l’identification d’un corps rigide dans un fluide régi par le système stationnaire de Boussinesq. On établit d’abord un résultat d’unicité. Ensuite on présente une nouvelle méthode pour l’identification partielle du corps. Les preuves utilisent des estimations locales de Carleman, la différentiation par rapport au domaine, des techniques d’assimilation de données et des résultats de contrôlabilité des EDPs.Dirección General de Enseñanza SuperiorFondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica) (Chile

Spatial Delimitation of Genetic Diversity of Native Maize and Its Relationship with Ethnic Groups in Mexico

Mexico, as a center of origin of maize, presents a high diversity of maize races. With the objective of spatially demarcating regions with high concentration of intraspecific diversity in Mexico, as a fundamental measure for the in situ conservation of their agrobiodiversity, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools have been used to generate diversity and richness indexes for 64 maize races cultivated in Mexico, using indexes to demarcate relationships to environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, and altitude; the presence of indigenous groups; and the type of maize used. These relations allowed defining seven environmental units spatially, with characteristic maize races in each of them, which constitute priority areas for in situ conservation. In addition, a close relationship was found between the diversity of maize races and of ethnic groups, from the center to the south of the country, associated with the differences in maize use in different ethnic groups. This geographical demarcation of races and uses of maize will favor food security through specific measures of in situ conservation, as well as an increase in added value of maize by-products based on specific maize races conserved by local ethnic groupsS