A Rational Expectations Model for Simulation and Policy Evaluation of the Spanish Economy

This paper describes a Rational Expectations Model of the Spanish economy, REMS, which is in the tradition of small open economy dynamic general equilibrium models, with a strongly microfounded system of equations. The model is built on standard elements, but incorporates some distinctive features to provide an accurate description of the Spanish economy. We contribute to the existing models of the Spanish economy by adding search and matching rigidities to a small open economy framework. Our model also incorporates habits in consumption and rule-of-thumb households. As Spain is a member of EMU, we model the interaction between a small open economy and monetary policy in a monetary union. The model is primarily constructed to serve as a simulation tool at the Spanish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance. As such, it provides a great deal of information regarding the transmission of policy shocks to economic outcomes. The paper describes the structure of the model in detail, as well as the estimation and calibration technique and some examples of simulations.general equilibrium, rigidities, policy simulations

The REMSDB Macroeconomic Database of The Spanish Economy

This paper presents a new macroeconomic database for the Spanish economy, REMSDB. The construction of this database has been oriented to conducting medium-term simulations for policy evaluation with the REMS model, a large Rational Expectations macroeconomic Model for Spain. The paper provides a detailed description of the data and documents its main statistical properties. The database is thought to be of major interest to related applications,whether strictly associated with the REMS model or, rather, with empirical macroeconomic studies.Spanish Data, Growth Data, Business Cycle Data, REMS

Climate and hydrological variability: the catchment filtering role

Abstract. Measuring the impact of climate change on flood frequency is a complex and controversial task. Identifying hydrological changes is difficult given the factors, other than climate variability, which lead to significant variations in runoff series. The catchment filtering role is often overlooked and thus may hinder the correct identification of climate variability signatures on hydrological processes. Does climate variability necessarily imply hydrological variability? This research aims to analytically derive the flood frequency distribution based on realistic hypotheses about the rainfall process and the rainfall–runoff transformation. The annual maximum peak flow probability distribution is analytically derived to quantify the filtering effect of the rainfall–runoff process on climate change. A sensitivity analysis is performed according to typical semi-arid Mediterranean climatic and hydrological conditions, assuming a simple but common scheme for the rainfall–runoff transformation in small-size ungauged catchments, i.e. the CN-SCS model. Variability in annual maximum peak flows and its statistical significance are analysed when changes in the climatic input are introduced. Results show that depending on changes in the annual number of rainfall events, the catchment filtering role is particularly significant, especially when the event rainfall volume distribution is not strongly skewed. Results largely depend on the return period: for large return periods, peak flow variability is significantly affected by the climatic input, while for lower return periods, infiltration processes smooth out the impact of climate change

Disk galaxies with broken luminosity profiles from cosmological simulations

We present SPH cosmological simulations of the formation of three disk galaxies with a detailed treatment of chemical evolution and cooling. The resulting galaxies have properties compatible with observations: relatively high disk-to-total ratios, thin stellar disks and good agreement with the Tully-Fisher and the luminosity-size relations. They present a break in the luminosity profile at 3.0 +- 0.5 disk scale lengths, while showing an exponential mass profile without any apparent breaks, in line with recent observational results. Since the stellar mass profile is exponential, only differences in the stellar populations can be the cause of the luminosity break. Although we find a cutoff for the star formation rate imposed by a density threshold in our star formation model, it does not coincide with the luminosity break and is located at 4.3 +- 0.4 disk scale lengths, with star formation going on between both radii. The color profiles and the age profiles are "U-shaped", with the minimum for both profiles located approximately at the break radius. The SFR to stellar mass ratio increases until the break, explaining the coincidence of the break with the minimum of the age profile. Beyond the break we find a steep decline in the gas density and, consequently, a decline in the SFR and redder colors. We show that most stars (64-78%) in the outer disk originate in the inner disk and afterwards migrate there. Such stellar migrations are likely the main origin of the U-shaped age profile and, therefore, of the luminosity break.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures. Accepted by ApJ

Effectiveness of dry needling for headache: A systematic review.

Introducción El uso de tratamientos no farmacológicos en pacientes con cefalea, como la punción seca (PS), está asociado a una baja morbimortalidad y a un bajo coste sanitario. Algunos han demostrado utilidad en la práctica clínica. El objetivo de esta revisión fue analizar el grado de evidencia de la efectividad de la PS en la cefalea. Métodos Revisión sistemática de ensayos clínicos aleatorizados sobre cefalea y PS en las bases de datos biomédicas PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus y PEDro. Se evaluó la calidad de los estudios incluidos mediante la escala PEDro por 2 evaluadores de forma independiente. Resultados De un total de 136 estudios, se seleccionaron 8 ensayos clínicos publicados entre 1994 y 2019, incluyendo en total 577 pacientes. Dos estudios evaluaron pacientes con cefalea cervicogénica, otros 2, pacientes con cefalea tensional, y otro, pacientes con migraña. Los otros 3 estudios evaluaron pacientes con cefalea de características mixtas (tensional/migraña). La calidad de los estudios incluidos osciló entre «baja» (3/10) y «alta» (8/10). La eficacia de la PS sobre los episodios de cefalea fue similar a la de los tratamientos con los que se comparó. No obstante, obtuvo mejoras significativas respecto a variables funcionales y de sensibilidad. Conclusiones La punción seca es una técnica a considerar para el tratamiento de las cefaleas en la consulta, pudiendo utilizarse de forma rutinaria, bien de forma aislada, bien en combinación con terapias farmacológicas. Introduction Non-pharmacological treatment of patients with headache, such as dry needling (DN), is associated with less morbidity and mortality and lower costs than pharmacological treatment. Some of these techniques are useful in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to review the level of evidence for DN in patients with headache. Methods We performed a systematic review of randomised clinical trials on headache and DN on the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and PEDro databases. Methodological quality was evaluated with the Spanish version of the PEDro scale by 2 independent reviewers. Results Of a total of 136 studies, we selected 8 randomised clinical trials published between 1994 and 2019, including a total of 577 patients. Two studies evaluated patients with cervicogenic headache, 2 evaluated patients with tension-type headache, one study assessed patients with migraine, and the remaining 3 evaluated patients with mixed-type headache (tension-type headache/migraine). Quality ratings ranged from low (3/10) to high (7/10). The effectiveness of DN was similar to that of the other interventions. DN was associated with significant improvements in functional and sensory outcomes. Conclusions Dry needling should be considered for the treatment of headache, and may be applied either alone or in combination with pharmacological treatments

Another beauty of analytical chemistry: chemical analysis of inorganic pigments of art and archaeological objects

[EN] This lecture text shows what fascinating tasks analytical chemists face in Art Conservation and Archaeology, and it is hoped that students reading it will realize that passions for science, arts or history are by no means mutually exclusive. This study describes the main analytical techniques used since the eighteenth century, and in particular, the instrumental techniques developed throughout the last century for analyzing pigments and inorganic materials, in general, which are found in cultural artefacts, such as artworks and archaeological remains. The lecture starts with a historical review on the use of analytical methods for the analysis of pigments from archaeological and art objects. Three different periods can be distinguished in the history of the application of the Analytical Chemistry in Archaeometrical and Art Conservation studies: (a) the "Formation'' period (eighteenth century1930), (b) the "Maturing'' period (1930-1970), and (c) the "Expansion'' period (1970-nowadays). A classification of analytical methods specifically established in the fields of Archaeometry and Conservation Science is also provided. After this, some sections are devoted to the description of a number of analytical techniques, which are most commonly used in routine analysis of pigments from cultural heritage. Each instrumental section gives the fundamentals of the instrumental technique, together with relevant analytical data and examples of applications.Financial support is gratefully acknowledged from Spanish ‘‘I+D+I MINECO’’ projects CTQ2011-28079-CO3-01 and CTQ2014-53736-C3-1-P supported by ERDEF funds.Domenech Carbo, MT.; Osete Cortina, L. (2016). 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In: Proceedings of the International School of Physics “Enrico Fermi”. IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp 407–432Doménech-Carbó A, Doménech-Carbó MT, Valle-Algarra FM, Domine ME, Osete-Cortina L (2013) On the dehydroindigo contribution to Maya Blue. J Mat Sci 48:7171–7183Lovric M, Scholz F (1997) A model for the propagation of a redox reaction through microcrystals. J Solid State Electrochem 1:108–113Fitzgerald AG, Storey BE, Fabian D (1993) Quantitative microbeam analysis. Scottish Universities Sumer School in Physics and Institute of Physics Publishing, BristolDoménech-Carbó A (2015) Dating: an analytical task. ChemTexts 1:5Mairinger F, Schreiner M (1982) New methods of chemical analysis-a tool for the conservator. Science and Technology in the service of conservation, IIC, London, pp 5–13Malissa H, Benedetti-Pichler AA (1958) Anorganische qualitative Mikroanalyse. Springer, New YorkTertian R, Claisse F (1982) Principles of quantitative X-ray fluorescence analysis. 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Springer, BerlinGoldstein JI, Newbury DE, Echlin P, Joy DC, Lyman CE, Echlin P, Lifshin E, Sawyer L, Michael JR (2003) Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis. Plenum Press, New YorkDoménech-Carbó A, Doménech-Carbó MT, Más-Barberá X (2007) Identification of lead pigments in nanosamples from ancient paintings and polychromed sculptures using voltammetry of nanoparticles/atomic force microscopy. Talanta 71:1569–1579Reedy TJ, Reedy ChL (1988) Statistical analysis in art conservation research. The Getty Conservation Institute, Los AngelesEastaugh N, Walsh V, Chaplin T, Siddall R (2004) Pigment compendium, optical microscopy of historical pigments. Elsevier, OxfordFeller RL, Bayard M (1986) Terminology and procedures used in the systematic examination of pigment particles with polarizing microscope. In: Feller RL (ed) Artists’ pigment. A handbook of their history and characteristics, vol 1. National Gallery of Art, Washington, pp 285–298Feller RL (ed) (1986) Artists’ pigment. 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AA Balkema Publishers, London, pp 171–182Švarcová S, Kočí E, Bezdička P, Hradil D, Hradilová J (2010) Evaluation of laboratory powder X-ray micro-diffraction for applications in the fields of cultural heritage and forensic science. Anal Bioanal Chem 398:1061–1076Van de Voorde L, Vekemans B, Verhaeven E, Tack P, DeWolf R, Garrevoet J, Vandenabeele P, Vincze L (2015) Analytical characterization of a new mobile X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction instrument combined with a pigment identification case study. Spectrochim Acta B 110:14–19Hochleitner B, Desnica V, Mantler M, Schreiner M (2003) Historical pigments: a collection analyzed with X-ray diffraction analysis and X-ray fluorescence analysis in order to create a database. Spectrochim Acta B 58:641–649Middleton PS, Ospitali F, Di Lonardo F (2005) Case study: painters and decorators: Raman spectroscopic studies of five Romano-British villas and the Domus Coiedii at Suasa, Italy. 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J Solid State Electrochem 2:367–377Doménech A, Doménech-Carbó MT, Gimeno-Adelantado JV, Bosch-Reig F, Saurí-Peris MC, Sánchez-Ramos S (2001) Electrochemical identification of iron oxide pigments (earths) from pictorial microsamples attached to graphite/polyester composite electrodes. Analyst 126:1764–1772Doménech A, Doménech-Carbó MT, Moya-Moreno MCM, Gimeno-Adelantado JV, Bosch-Reig F (2000) Identification of inorganic pigments from paintings and polychromed sculptures immobilized into polymer film electrodes by stripping differential pulse voltammetry. Anal Chim Acta 407:275–289Doménech-Carbó A, Doménech-Carbó MT, Valle-Algarra FM, Gimeno-Adelantado JV, Osete-Cortina L, Bosch-Reig F (2016) On-line database of voltammetric data of immobilized particles for identifying pigments and minerals in archaeometry, conservation and restoration (ELCHER database). 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Experimental comparison between R152a and R134a working in a refrigeration facility equipped with a hermetic compressor

[EN] The EU Regulation 517/2014 has recently been approved in a further attempt to curb the effects of GlobalWarming. As a consequence, the refrigeration sector is moving towards refrigerants with a low GlobalWarming Potential (GWP100) in accordance with the limit fixed by these regulations (150). In this regard, the old refrigerant R152a attracts renewed interest due to its low GWP (138) and its similarity to R134a. The present work shows the results of using R152a in a vapour compression plant equipped with a hermetic compressor and an IHX designed for R134a. The refrigerant was replaced by a conventional drop-in process in order to carry out an energy comparison. The results have revealed an improvement in the COP with R152a up to 13% despite a reduction in the cooling capacity of about 10%. During the test campaign, R134a hermetic compressors have been shown to be capable of operating with R152a.The authors acknowledge Jaume I University of Spain, who financed partially the present study through the research project P1.B2013-10.Cabello, R.; Sanchez, D.; Llopis Doménech, R.; Armendáriz Araúzo, LM.; Torrella Alcaraz, E. (2015). Experimental comparison between R152a and R134a working in a refrigeration facility equipped with a hermetic compressor. International Journal of Refrigeration. 60:92-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2015.06.021S921056

Definition of a Coordinated Project-Based Learning Teaching Guide at Computer Science Studies

[EN] The well-known active methodology of Project-Based Learning (PBL) is being used more and more at different educational levels due to the large number of advantages it presents. PBL has demonstrated that increases students' motivation, develops their autonomy and capacity for self-criticism, reinforces the ability to exchange ideas and collaborate, and promotes creativity, among other advantages. Due to these benefits, several educational institutions are introducing the PBL methodology in their teaching-learning processes. The implementation phase of this type of methodology should be planned, managed, and carried out carefully, considering several aspects. One of utmost importance is to collect and register all the critical information related to the contents, materials and activities of the subjects participating in the coordinated project through the PBL methodology. In this sense, the objective of this paper is to propose the definition of a coordinated PBL Teaching Guide that includes all this relevant information; containing, mainly: (i) PBL Project description; (ii) recommended previous knowledge; (iii) learning objectives and outcomes; (iv) PBL model milestones; (v) PBL model planning; (vi) evaluation; and (vii) bibliography. Furthermore, this proposal will define the formal guidelines for students and lecturers to define and frame all the related aspects to carry out the proposed PBL model. The definition of the PBL Teaching Guide will be based on a case study that involves the following two subjects from the Computer Engineering Degree that are taught at the Escola Politècnica Superior d¿Alcoi (EPSA) - Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV): ¿Programming¿ and ¿Data Structures and Algorithms¿. This proposal has been developed in the context of an innovation and educational improvement project applied in the EPSA during the last two years, covering five degrees, 55 subjects, and more than 10 different PBL models.This article has been supported by the Vice-rectorate for Digital Resources and Documentation (Vicerrectorado de Recursos Digitales y Documentación) and Vice-Rectorate for Studies, Quality and Accreditation (Vicerrectorado de Estudios, Calidad y Acreditación) under the Call for Learning + Teaching (Convocatoria Aprendizaje + Docencia (A+D 2019)) and Project Code: A-157. The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the Institute of Educational Sciences (Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación) of Universitat Politècnica de València, the Evaluation and Monitoring Commission for Educational Innovation and Improvement Projects (Comisión de Evaluación y Seguimiento de Proyectos de Innovación y Mejora Educativa - CESPIME) and Escuela Politécnica Superior de AlcoyIzquierdo-Doménech, JJ.; Jordán, J.; Linares-Pellicer, J.; Silvestre Cerdà, JA.; Sanchis, R. (2021). Definition of a Coordinated Project-Based Learning Teaching Guide at Computer Science Studies. ICERI Proceedings. 7342-7348. https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2021.1646S7342734

The Non-Canonical Wnt/PKC Pathway Regulates Mitochondrial Dynamics through Degradation of the Arm-Like Domain-Containing Protein Alex3

The regulation of mitochondrial dynamics is vital in complex cell types, such as neurons, that transport and localize mitochondria in high energy-demanding cell domains. The Armcx3 gene encodes a mitochondrial-targeted protein (Alex3) that contains several arm-like domains. In a previous study we showed that Alex3 protein regulates mitochondrial aggregation and trafficking. Here we studied the contribution of Wnt proteins to the mitochondrial aggregation and dynamics regulated by Alex3. Overexpression of Alex3 in HEK293 cells caused a marked aggregation of mitochondria, which was attenuated by treatment with several Wnts. We also found that this decrease was caused by Alex3 degradation induced by Wnts. While the Wnt canonical pathway did not alter the pattern of mitochondrial aggregation induced by Alex3, we observed that the Wnt/PKC non-canonical pathway regulated both mitochondrial aggregation and Alex3 protein levels, thereby rendering a mitochondrial phenotype and distribution similar to control patterns. Our data suggest that the Wnt pathway regulates mitochondrial distribution and dynamics through Alex3 protein degradation