Religious experiences of travellers visiting the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe (Spain)

El Real Monasterio de Guadalupe ha sido uno de los destinos religiosos más importantes de España desde el siglo XIV, cuando se encontró la escultura de madera negra de la Virgen María (esculpida en el siglo I d. C.). Fue declarado Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (UNESCO) en 1993 y actualmente es un turismo atracción de interés internacional. Es visitado por más de 60,000 turistas anualmente, incluidos peregrinos y otras personas interesadas en el patrimonio cultural y natural de la zona. El objetivo de este estudio fue descifrar las formas en que los turistas experimentan la religiosidad con diferentes motivaciones, es decir, para comprender mejor cómo la religión está vinculada al turismo a través de nociones encarnadas de la piedad en diferentes modalidades de turismo. Se entrevistó a un total de 242 visitantes en el verano de 2017. Se les preguntó sobre las principales motivaciones para sus visitas, que se clasificaron en cinco grupos (razones religiosas, culturales, ambientales, sociales y educativas) y se utilizaron como variables latentes en un modelo de ecuación estructural de camino (SEM). El modelo mostró un fuerte poder predictivo (R2 = 87.5%) informando una influencia positiva significativa de las motivaciones religiosas, culturales y ambientales en el turismo religioso en esta región.The Royal Monastery of Guadalupe has been one of the most important religious destinations in Spain since the 14th century, when the black wooden sculpture of the Virgin Mary (sculpted in the 1st century AD) was found. It was declared a World Heritage Site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization (UNESCO) in 1993 and is presently a tourism attraction of international interest. It is visited by more than 60,000 tourists annually, including pilgrims and other people interested in the cultural and natural heritage of the area. The aim of this study was to decipher ways that religiousness is experienced by tourists with different motivations, i.e., to better understand how religion is linked to tourism through embodied notions of godliness in different modalities of tourism. A total of 242 visitors were interviewed in the summer of 2017. They were asked about the main motivations for their visits, which were classified into five groups (religious, cultural, environmental, social, and educational reasons) and used as latent variables in a path structural equation model (SEM). The model showed strong predictive power (R2 = 87.5%) reporting a significant positive influence of religious, cultural, and environmental motivations on religious tourism in this region.peerReviewe

Religious travellers' improved attitude towards nature

La peregrinación es una de las formas más antiguas de turismo. Hoy en día, se está convirtiendo en un fenómeno de masas que puede conducir a graves problemas de degradación ambiental en sitios valiosos. En este trabajo, hemos analizado mediante un modelo de ecuación estructural cómo la conciencia religiosa se inspira en la religiosidad / espiritualidad de cada peregrino. Podría predecir sus efectos en los turistas con respecto a una actitud mejorada (es decir, sensibilizada y más sostenible) hacia la naturaleza. El estudio se llevó a cabo en Guadalupe, España, que es un destino de peregrinación comúnmente conocido desde 1389. Se encuestó a un total de 203 visitantes utilizando un cuestionario compuesto por 16 preguntas, divididas en 4 dimensiones (actitudes enriquecidas hacia la naturaleza, conciencia religiosa, desarrollo sostenible y desarrollo humano ambiental), que se utilizaron como construcciones en el modelo. Los resultados mostraron cómo la conciencia religiosa influye positivamente en el desarrollo sostenible (β = 0.657, t = 11.306) y el desarrollo humano ambiental (β = 0.566, t = 8.255) explicando el 75.6% de las actitudes más sensibles de los viajeros religiosos hacia la naturaleza. Nuestros hallazgos sugieren que aún se necesita una investigación más profunda, sobre el papel desempeñado por la religiosidad como una semilla para fomentar la sostenibilidad.Pilgrimage is one of the most ancient forms of tourism. Nowadays, it is becoming a mass phenomenon that can lead to serious problems of environmental degradation in valuable sites. In this work, we have analysed by means of a structural equation model how religious consciousness is inspired in the religiosity/spirituality of each pilgrim. It could predict its effects on tourists regarding an improved (i.e., sensitised and more sustainable) attitude towards nature. The study was carried out in Guadalupe, Spain, which is a commonly known pilgrimage destination since 1389. A total of 203 visitors were surveyed using a questionnaire composed of 16 questions, divided into 4 dimensions (enriched attitudes toward nature, religious consciousness, sustainable development, and environmental human development), which were used as constructs in the model. The results showed how religious consciousness positively influences sustainable development (β = 0.657, t = 11.306) and environmental human development (β = 0.566, t = 8.255) explaining 75.6% of religious travellers’ more sensitive attitudes towards nature. Our findings suggest that a deeper research, on the role played by religiosity as a seed of fostering sustainability, is still needed.• Research Institute for Sustainable Territorial Development (INTERRA). Patrocinio • Universidad de Extremadura. AyudapeerReviewe

The Availability of Water in Chile: A Regional View from a Geographical Perspective

Chile is famous for being the longest country in the world from north to south. It means it ranges from polar to desert conditions, water being one of the main limiting factors. In fact, Chile stores a high amount of water (695 mm y−1), but people are not located in the regions where water is more abundant (e.g. in the south). This territorial imbalance is accompanied both by a global context of climate change in which water will be presumably scarcer and by the effects of the current economic activities that are progressively more demanding in water consumption. In this work, we have compared both the current and future availabilities of water for the different regions of Chile in order to provide relevant and useful information on the water balance for land planners. The Metropolitan and Valparaíso regions (Mediterranean climate) along Antofagasta, Atacama, and Tarapacá regions (desert climate) showed the lowest mean values of water availability from 1970 to 2000 (<125 m3 person y−1). In addition, both the optimistic and pessimistic projections for 2050 forecast a significant increase in the aridity of these two central regions, where the crucial axis between the two most important cities (Santiago and Valparaíso) is located

Localización óptima de estaciones de medición de humedad del suelo mediante clasificaciones del relieve a partir de modelos digitales del terreno

Las formas del relieve están directamente relacionadas con los procesos ambientales que sobre ellas se desarrollan, como los hidrológicos. Para estudiar estos procesos se utilizan numerosas técnicas, como la instalación de estaciones de medición de la humedad del suelo, las cuales tienen un alto coste, tanto instrumental como asociado a su montaje. A partir de Modelos Digitales del Terreno (MDT) se han realizado una serie de análisis espaciales para obtener clasificaciones geomorfométricas de las formas del relieve. Estas clasificaciones han permitido la delimitación de áreas que pueden diferenciarse por tener una humedad edáfica distinta y por desarrollar procesos hidrológicos diferentes, según el tipo de unidad geomorfométrica que representen. De esta forma se ha facilitado la selección de zonas para la instalación de las estaciones. Los resultados se han corroborado con trabajo de campo. Esta técnica se presenta como una herramienta eficaz para la obtención de la localización potencial de zonas con distinta humedad edáfica según su posición en las áreas de estudio, lo que permite reducir el tiempo y costes asociados al trabajo de campo, y permite delimitar de antemano las áreas óptimas para la instalación de las estaciones.Landforms are directly related to environmental processes that are developed on them, such as hydrology. To study these processes many techniques are used, as installation of monitoring stations for soil moisture, which have a high cost associated with both instrumental and assembly. From Digital Terrain Models (DTM) spatial analyses have been conducted in order to obtain geomorphometric landform classifications. These classifications have allowed the delimitation of areas of different soil moisture content and hydrological processes, according to the type of geomormophetric units. This has facilitated the selection of sites for the installation of soil moisture monitoring stations. Results have been verified by fieldwork. This technique appears as an effective tool for obtaining the potential location of different soil moisture content areas reducing time and economical costs associated with fieldwork and allow defining in advance the optimal areas for soil moisture monitoring installation

Inventario de recursos hídricos en espacios adehesados de Extremadura mediante técnicas SIG

El agua es un recurso natural imprescindible para la vida y para el desarrollo de las actividades económicas. En áreas de clima mediterráneo su disponibilidad es muy variable en el espacio y en el tiempo, debido, por un lado, a la irregularidad de las precipitaciones y, por otro, a la presencia regular de veranos secos y ocasional de periodos prolongados de sequía, lo que la hace ser un bien valioso que ha de ser gestionado correctamente. En esta comunicación se exponen trabajos realizados por el GIGA (Grupo de Investigación Geoambiental de la Universidad de Extremadura) con distintas aplicaciones ambientales en los que fue necesario llevar a cabo un inventario de recursos hídricos en fincas de gestión privada de espacios adehesados dedicadas a la ganadería extensiva. Para ello se han utilizado procedimientos metodológicos basados en SIG (Sistemas de Información Geográfica) usando información cartográfica digital fácilmente asequible como los MTN (Mapa Topográfico Nacional) a escala 1:10.000 e imágenes aéreas del SIGPAC (Sistema de Información Geográfica de Parcelas Agrícolas) con el objetivo de generalizar una metodología que permita un proceso continuo de recopilación y seguimiento de los recursos hídricos que se disponen, aplicable a diferentes escalas espaciales: finca, municipio, provincia, comunidad autónoma, etc.Water is a natural resource essential to life and development of economic activities. In Mediterranean type climate areas its availability is very variable in space and time due to, first , erratic rainfall and, secondly, the regular presence of dry summers and occasional long interannual drought periods that makes it a valuable asset that must be managed properly. This paper shows works done by GIGA (GeoEnvironmental Research Group, University of Extremadura, Spain) with different environmental applications in which it was necessary to conduct an inventory of water resources in privately owned ranching farms in dehesa land system. Methodological procedures based on GIS (Geographical Information Systems) were used working with digital map information readily available as MTN (National Topographic Map) sheet at 1:10.000 scale and aerial images of SIGPAC (Geographical Information System of Farming Land of Spanish Environment Ministry) in order to generalize a methodology that allows a continuous process of collecting and monitoring water resources applicable at different spatial scales: farm, municipality, province, region, etc

Patient-reported outcomes in NAFLD/NASH clinical trials: A blind spot that needs addressing

Health-related quality of life; Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; Patient-reported outcomesCalidad de vida relacionada con la salud; Esteatohepatitis no alcohólica; Resultados informados por el pacienteQualitat de vida relacionada amb la salut; Esteatohepatitis no alcohòlica; Resultats informats pel pacien

The Thermal Dissipation of LED Outdoor Lighting Luminaires: Comparative Analysis for a Real Case of Study

Today LED technology is being imposed, day by day, in our cities and homes as an efficient way of lighting. The performance of its lighting, durability, energy efficiency, and light, coupled with the economy of its use, is shifting to other classic forms of lighting. However, some problems associated with the durability of equipment associated with thermal dissipation and high-temperature problems, which end up affecting the light intensity and service life, are beginning to be detected. The objective of this paper is to compare the results obtained previously, at different contour temperatures, with the current practical results obtained with a FLUKETI25 thermal imaging camera. The theoretical results will be compared with the current results applied to the different luminaires. Where real thermal dissipation is studied, it is obtained for each of them in the laboratory of illumination with the thermographic camera FLUKE TI. The theoretical and experimental results are evaluated, and the results are discussed. This study shows that instead of LED technology, it is less risky for quality depreciation and durability of lighting if a project has already been achieved that favors optimal thermal dissipation, supported by the importance of choosing an appropriate design and appropriate materials

Changes in Land Management of Iberian Rangelands and Grasslands in the Last 60 Years and their Effect on Vegetation

Rangelands and grasslands occupy now more than 3 million ha in the Iberian Peninsula representing one of the most valuable ecosystems. They are particularly interesting due to their great geographical spread and heterogeneity in land management. Significant changes have been undergone in the last 60 years affecting vegetation. The main goal in this study was to compile existing information about the changes in the Iberian rangelands and grasslands, their geographical distribution, typologies, main characteristics as well as past and recent land management based on a thorough bibliographical review and serious research. This has been subdivided into five large groups according to climate and human drivers: (1) Mediterranean rangelands and steppes, (2) oceanic grasslands, (3) mountainous meadows, (4) semi-arid steppes and (5) Portuguese rangelands and grasslands. Two milestones over the past 60 years were remarkable as main driving forces: rural exodus in the 1960s and 1970s and Spain and Portugal joining the European Union in 1986. They have provoked both processes of intensification and extensification at the same time on different scales. Many farms have been progressively fragmented using wire fences, and the numbers of livestock have been significantly increased. Land abandonment and grazing exclusion have provoked a large shrub encroachment of species such as Retama sphaerocarpa or Cistus ladanifer

La fotografía aérea en España y su aplicabilidad al seguimiento y la estimación de la erosión por flujo concentrado

Son numerosos los trabajos que muestran la creciente preocupación por los procesos de erosión hídrica por flujo concentrado en los países mediterráneos en los últimos años. Los métodos y técnicas existentes para el seguimiento y cuantificación de la erosión hídrica por flujo concentrado son muy diversos, resultando de especial interés, relevancia y potencial aquellos relacionados con las modernas tecnologías geoespaciales (sistemas de posicionamiento global diferenciales, equipos laser terrestres o aerotransportados, fotogrametría digital aérea y terrestre, etc.). Sin embargo, la utilización de dichas técnicas en numerosas ocasiones se encuentra limitada por la fecha de aparición del instrumental, por tanto, algunas fuentes históricas son todavía necesarias para comprender la evolución a medio y largo plazo de las formas de erosión por flujo concentrado. Sin embargo, en ocasiones, la localización de las fotografías aéreas existentes para una determinada zona puede resultar laboriosa y tediosa lo que da lugar a grandes pérdidas de tiempo en los proyectos y equipos de investigación. Por todo ello, los principales objetivos del presente trabajo son i) presentar una guía respecto al material fotográfico aéreo disponible para España, ii) resumir sus características principales y iii) analizar su utilidad para el seguimiento y cuantificación de la erosión ocasionada por flujo concentrado.Erosion produced by concentrated water flow has been highlighted as an important soil degradation phenomenon in the Mediterranean catchment. Several kinds of methodologies and techniques have been used indeed in order to monitor and quantify erosion produced by concentrated flow, mainly those related with modern geospatial technologies (DGPS, LIDAR, LTS, aerial and terrestrial photogrammetry, etc.). However the time scale of the studies based exclusively on modern techniques is constrained by the date of appearance of those techniques. Therefore, some historical sources are still necessary in gully erosion studies (medium, short time scale). Sometimes, however, finding these documents is laborious and tedious, being the researchers forced to spend a lot of time in localizing and acquiring it. Therefore, the main objectives of this work are i) to provide a guidance regarding the available aerial photographs and orthophotographs for rill and gully erosion studies in Spain and covering the whole country, ii) to summarize the main characteristics of these materials and iii) to analyze the suitability of using these materials for soil loss monitoring and assessment produced by concentrated flow