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Background: In recent years, significant advances have been made in the field of rare diseases (RDs). However, there is a large number of RDs without specific treatment and half of these treatments have public funding in Spain. The aim of the FINEERR project was to carry out a multidisciplinary strategic discussion on the challenge of funding and access to RD-targeted drugs in Spain, in order to agree on specific proposals for medium-term improvement and hence support decision-making in the Spanish National Healthcare System (SNHS). Results: The FINEERR Project was organized around a CORE Advisory Committee, which provided an overview, agreed on the design and scope of the project, and selected the members within each of four working groups (WG). Overall, 40 experts discussed and reached a consensus on different relevant aspects, such as conditioning factors for initial funding and access, evaluation and access to RD-targeted therapies, funding of these therapies, and implementation of a new funding and access model. From these meetings, 50 proposals were defined and classified by their level of relevance according to the experts. A descriptive analysis of responses was performed for each proposal. Thereafter, experts completed another questionnaire where they ranked the 25 most relevant proposals according to their level of feasibility of being implemented in the SNHS. The most relevant and feasible proposals were to improve: process of referral of patients with RDs, control over monitoring mechanisms, and communication between healthcare professionals and patients. Conclusions: The FINEERR project may provide a starting point for stakeholders involved in the process of funding and access to RD-targeted therapies in Spain to provide the necessary resources and implement measures to improve both the quality of life and life expectancy of patients with RDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allergy to Polistes dominula (European paper wasp) venom is of particular relevance in Southern Europe, potentially becoming a threat in other regions in the near future, and can be effectively cured by venom immunotherapy (VIT). As allergen content in extracts may vary and have an impact on diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, the aim was to compare five therapeutic preparations for VIT of P. dominula venom allergy available in Spain. Products from five different suppliers were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and LC-MS/MS and compared with a reference venom sample. Three products with P. dominula venom and one product with a venom mixture of American Polistes species showed a comparable band pattern in SDS-PAGE as the reference sample and the bands of the major allergens phospholipase A1 and antigen 5 were assignable. The other product, which consists of a mixture of American Polistes species, exhibited the typical band pattern in one, but not in another sample from a second batch. All annotated P. dominula allergens were detected at comparable levels in LC-MS/MS analysis of products containing P. dominula venom. Due to a lack of genomic information on the American Polistes species, the remaining products were not analyzed by this method. The major Polistes allergens were present in comparable amounts in the majority, but not in all investigated samples of venom preparations for VIT of P. dominula venom allergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eighteenth century books from the collection of the old digital library of the Library University Seville are analyzed to locate the parts made with decorated papers, in order to classify and describe them according to the proposals of specialized literature. For this, the records included in the repository of the digital collection are recovered, the digital reproductions of the books are visualized, the parts with decorated papers are identified and described following the decorated papers classification model, previously elaborated, based on the research of Professor Carpallo Bautista. The model is made up of 6 techniques and their variants. Of the more than 6.700 records from the 18th century in the collection of the digital ancient collection, 511 include decorated papers in their bindings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Spanish Association of Administrative Law Professors (AEPDA) will organize the XIX AEPDA Congress at the University of Lleida on January 31st and February 1st, 2025. The theme of the congress will be "Water Law in Spain: Forty Years Later". Communications and posters are invited to be submitted for the congress, with a deadline of December 10th, 2024. The call for communications and posters, as well as the provisional program of the congress, are attached. [Extracted from the article]

We carry out mesoeconomic and mesoanalytical analyses of the structure and economic dimension of the book production process in Spain. For this report, the following have been carried out: (1) 43 in-depth interviews with experts have been conducted; (2) the information provided by Panorámica de la edición española from 1996 to 2019 has been systematized; (3) financial information from 2,683 companies for the period 2019-2021 has been obtained through the Sistema de Análisis de Balances Ibéricos. The report contains: (1) an original and rigorous way of analyzing the book production process in Spain; (2) novel quantitative and qualitative information about publishing companies, as well as their suppliers of goods and services: editorial services, packagers, graphic arts divisions, the paper industry, and software providers; (3) relevant information about the context in which book production takes place in Spain and the national and international institutions involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper comprehends the global research scenario about incorporating cultural components in contemporary urban planning practice. Various urban cultural elements have been analysed under the umbrella of 'Urban Cultural Dynamics' (UCD). This study aims to identify hot spots and explore influential sources through a bibliometric investigation of the evolutionary patterns of cultural dynamics in urban planning research. Data was collected from the Web of Science core collection (1965-2021). The data mining tools VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, KNIME, and WordStat were used to analyse hot topics, keywords, influential journals, core papers, top authors, and cooperation networks of countries and institutions. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is employed in journal analysis. The analysis showed that publications on UCD increased exponentially between 2016 and 2022. Italy (32), China (26), and Spain (18) are the top countries in total publications. Technical universities of Dresden and Munich have the most significant influence on UCD's research, with 103 and 101 total citations, respectively. Landscape and Urban Planning, Journal of Cultural Heritage, and Tourism Geographies are the top three consistently influential journals. The top ten core papers were identified. The keywords and topic analysis charted out the evolution of multidisciplinary UCD research topics. The hotspot analysis revealed the significance of cultural dynamics in sustainable urban development. The results highlighted the need for intercontinental cooperation between developed countries and the third world. The future scope of research on UCD topics is discussed in the conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the global energy crisis in 2022, the Spanish and Portuguese governments introduced a subsidy to natural gas ("the Iberian exception"), attempting to lower the wholesale electricity market prices, with the understanding that gas-fired-combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) are price-setting technologies most of the time, directly or indirectly. The subsidy succeeded in lowering the market price but induced several other effects, such as (1) the increase in cleared energy in the Spanish market (mostly produced with gas), (2) the bias in the import/export cross-border position between Spain and France (Spain became a net exporter to France immediately), or (3) the consequent increase in congestion rents, which serve to lightly finance the subsidy, among other effects. This paper provides a framework for clustering the different effects based on the market participation phases: the subsidy, the market bidding, the market results, and surplus and rents. Moreover, this paper builds on the theoretical market models, with and without subsidies, and with and without cross-border exchanges. Based on the real market bids, the subsidies, and the generators' data, we reconstruct the supply and demand curves and simulate the counterfactual market scenarios in order to illustrate and quantify the effects. We highlight the quantification of the theoretical effect of the transfer of rents, from non-fossil to fossil fuel producers, induced by the gas subsidy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Paper industry generates a considerable amount of wastes. Their composition mainly depends on the type of paper produced and the origin of cellulose fibres. Nowadays, in Spain, 40% of solid wastes generated by the paper and pulp industry are deposited directly in landfill, 25% are used in the agriculture, 13% in the ceramic industry and 7% in the concrete production. In the last years, thermal treatment methods like combustion, pyrolysis and gasification have been widely study as alternative techniques for the valorization of different organic waste materials. The main objective of the present work is to study the pyrolysis behaviour of different paper mill waste materials. For this reason, a wide characterization of eight paper mill waste materials from different origins was performed using SEM, FTIR, DRX and thermogravimetric techniques. Paper mill sludges from recycled paper, mainly wastes obtained from deinking process, showed high CaCO3 and clays contents. Compared with the elevated total organic matter content (TOM) of paper mill waste materials their low organic carbon content determined by Cr2O7 2− oxidation reveals the elevated chemical stability of organic matter, due to high content on cellulose fibres. Analysis of samples by SEM indicates that successive recycled processes of paper leads to paper mill waste materials with more degraded fibres. XRD analyses show as crystalline cellulose was present in reject and primary sludge from paper mills that produced paper from virgin wood. However, crystalline cellulose content significantly decreased in waste materials from recycled paper. Finally, thermogravimetric analysis indicates that presence or mineral matter and degradation of cellulose significantly influences their pyrolysis behaviour. In general, weight loss of paper mill waste materials started at lower temperatures than pure cellulose. In waste materials from recycled paper weight loss continues at temperatures highest than 500°C due to kaolinite dehydration and carbonates decomposition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) is a tool to address social impacts from a life cycle perspective. This work presents the first S-LCA of the Portuguese pulp and paper sector. It presents the social risks and the positive social impacts of the sector, which have not been extensively covered in the scientific literature. Two different approaches were used to compile the social life cycle inventory based on input-output analysis. Approach 1 was based on impact analysis of changes in added value. Approach 2 was based on structural path analysis, supporting the disaggregation by production levels (or tiers). The functional unit was the production of 1 United States Dollar in the Portuguese pulp and paper sector. In the social life cycle impact assessment, the social risk assessment was conducted using the Social Hotspots Database. The positive impacts were addressed considering indicators of employment and remuneration, namely total employment, number of employees, labor compensation, and compensation of employees. Based on Approach 1, the results of the social risks showed the Portuguese pulp and paper industry, commerce and forestry sectors, and the Spanish forestry sector as the critical sectors. Based on Approach 2, Portugal and Spain continued to be the countries having the greatest social risks. Other contributions of countries were identified at different production levels, particularly China in tier 3. In both approaches, the stakeholder category 'worker' was the most critical. Regarding the positive social impacts, Approach 1 showed that Portugal and Spain contribute to the highest employment level linked to the pulp and paper, commerce, and forestry sectors. Approach 2 supported the differentiation of employment and remuneration at different production levels. Tier 2 (direct suppliers) presented the highest employment level and persons engaged and the lowest remuneration level. The results showed that Approach 1 provides a faster and more aggregated assessment of social risks and positive social impacts. Furthermore, Approach 2 allowed a more detailed evaluation, providing a better understanding of the social risks and positive social impacts on the supply chain. Thus, Approach 2 is encouraged for different applications since it produces a better understanding of where social risks and positive social impacts occur, providing better guidance for corrective measures and decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the survivors in Spain of the free distribution press is the specialized publication Diario Médico, which has been disseminating health issues among professionals of the National Health System for 25 years. We did an exploratory-descriptive study about its origins and current situation, paying attention to its labour in paper, through the printed product, and in Red, through diariomedico.com. The techniques are the interview with its deputy director and the analysis of its products. The mixed format defines Diario Médico: it maintains its commitment to offer information on paper, despite having reduced the periodicity from daily to weekly; leads its paper readers to Orbyt, the digital press kiosk of the promoter group, Unidad Editorial, where it offers seven pages a day in pdf format with information for subscribers, and on the Web, with an edition that opens to the participation of the user. The informative tone of its contents and its usefulness for society, together with the growing interest of the non-specialized public in medicine and health, lead to Diario Médico, in our opinion, to have a double objective public: society in general and professionals of the System in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decades, Nigerian migrant women in the European sex market, described as victims of trafficking, have generated consistent concern and outrage. This article analyzes data from an ethnographic study of more than 800 Nigerian sex workers in southern Spain, describing the networks used by these women to carry out their migration projects and the relationships they establish with their agents. Thus, it contributes to refuting the hegemonic narrative about trafficking and its victims by contrasting it with data collected and systematized over almost a decade of participant observation and informal conversation. This paper argues that the stereotypical image of the Nigerian migrant women as victims of abuse and violence by transnational trafficking networks functions to justify strict migration-control policies and the denial of labor rights to sex workers. As an antidote to the dominance of narratives based on stereotypes and pseudoscientific claims, this paper underscores the urgent need for ethnographic research and its focus on emic (participant) perspectives. The goal is to develop tailored and effective policies and practices for the prevention of and intervention in migrant women's experience of exploitation, abuse, and violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citation networks enable analysis of author groups, defining in-group dynamics, and mapping out inter-group relationships. While intellectual diversity and inclusiveness is one of the important principles of modern scholarship, it is intriguing to explore the extent to which these principles apply to historical communities of leaders and intellectuals. This paper introduces a novel methodological framework aimed at assessing the degree of viewpoint plurality and diversity of historical scholarship communities, through an in-depth analysis of the citations used in their literature, which has become possible due to the recently developed advanced computational analysis techniques. To achieve this goal, we have devised a set of new network-based indicators grounded in standard network metrics. These indicators can be applied at both the individual author and community levels. The developed methodology was applied to a citation network automatically constructed from a corpus of Rabbinic Halachic literature spanning the 10th to 15th centuries. This corpus includes over 5,000 citations from hundreds of books authored by approximately 140 Rabbinic scholars from six diverse geographic communities. We found that most of the authors and communities cite many more external resources from other communities than their own reflecting a willingness to engage with a diverse range of viewpoints. A more in-depth analysis based on the novel proportional diversity measures unveils more intriguing insights. Contrary to expectations, communities with the greatest number of external citations, such as Spain and Ashkenaz, surprisingly exhibit lower levels of viewpoint plurality compared to others, such as Italy and North Africa, elucidating a key finding of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The demand for urgent psychiatric care is increasing, but in Spain there are no clear recommendations for emergency departments (ED) on how to optimize care for patients with psychiatric emergencies. We aimed to provide expert consensus recommendations on the requirements for general hospitals´ emergency departments to treat patients with urgent psychiatric symptoms. Methods: We used a modified Delphi technique. A scientific committee compiled 36 statements based on literature search and clinical experience. The statements covered the organizational model, facilities, staffing, safety, patient interventions, and staff training. A panel of 38 psychiatry specialists with expertise in psychiatric emergencies evaluated the questionnaire in two rounds. Results: After two rounds of voting, 30 out of 36 proposed items (83%) were agreed upon. The panel agreed that psychiatric emergencies should be managed in a general hospital, with dedicated facilities for patient assessment, direct supervision of patients at risk, and an observation unit run by the psychiatric service. In addition to the psychiatrist, the ED should have specialist nurses and security staff available 24/7. Social workers should also be readily available. ED and consulting rooms should be designed to ensure patient and staff safety. A triage system should be established for patients with psychiatric symptoms, with medical evaluation preceding psychiatric evaluation. Guidance on supplies, equipment, and staff training is also provided. Conclusion: All ED in general hospitals should have adequate resources to handle any psychiatric emergency. This paper provides recommendations on the minimum requirements to achieve this goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we leverage multimodal data to classify minerals using a multi-stream neural network. In a previous study on the Tinto dataset, which consisted of a 3D hyperspectral point cloud from the open-pit mine Corta Atalaya in Spain, we successfully identified mineral classes by employing various deep learning models. However, this prior work solely relied on hyperspectral data as input for the deep learning models. In this study, we aim to enhance accuracy by incorporating multimodal data, which includes hyperspectral images, RGB images, and a 3D point cloud. To achieve this, we have adopted a graph-based neural network, known for its efficiency in aggregating local information, based on our past observations where it consistently performed well across different hyperspectral sensors. Subsequently, we constructed a multi-stream neural network tailored to handle multimodality. Additionally, we employed a channel attention module on the hyperspectral stream to fully exploit the spectral information within the hyperspectral data. Through the integration of multimodal data and a multi-stream neural network, we achieved a notable improvement in mineral classification accuracy: 19.2%, 4.4%, and 5.6% on the LWIR, SWIR, and VNIR datasets, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epistemological debate is an inherent part of Geography, given the constant lack of definition and noted absence of unity within the discipline. Epistemological reflection not only shapes Geography's identity, but also enables it to establish its position as an independent academic field. However, in Spain, epistemological reflection in Geography has been weak. In recent years, its significance appears to be diminishing, with researchers and professors showing less concern for matters related to geographical thought, and a reduced emphasis on these topics in university education. This paper examines the content of Geography theory in Spanish university programs and assesses the epistemological discourse among Spanish geographers in academic discussions and publications. The findings indicate a regressive trend, both in the teaching of the theory of Geography and in the contributions to epistemology within academic discussions and media. This trend poses a risk to the ongoing processes of updating teaching staff and curricula in Spanish Geography. It could lead to the fragmentation of the discipline into numerous subfields, each with different theories and methods, lacking a cohesive theoretical framework. It is crucial to propose new avenues for accommodating this epistemological reflection and integrating it into university teaching. There is interest among Spanish geographers, but this interest lacks a platform in the preferred channels for publishing and disseminating academic knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wartime violence and authoritarian repression against civilians take various forms. Past research has explored the causes and consequences of violence, but no previous work simultaneously assessed the long-term effects of different types of violence on political identities. This paper contends that indiscriminate attacks can reinforce ingroup identity, whereas the role of civilian agency in selective violence may have a detrimental impact. Equipped with original data capturing municipality-level exposure to both selective and indiscriminate violence during the Spanish civil war (1936–1939) in Biscay (Basque Country), this study examines its legacy on voting behavior (1983–2015). Results indicate that fascist airstrikes increased Basque nationalism while selective violence diminished the popularity of Basque parties. Individual and community-level evidence suggests that airstrikes fostered the intergenerational transmission of political attitudes. Violence can boost national identities, but it can also erode them: it depends on the type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the central decades of the 19th century, Spain developed a banking system based on plurality of issuance. Various banks were authorized by the state to circulate their banknotes in their respective provinces. This process gave rise to a mosaic of issuing banks. Their existence facilitated the acceptance of banknotes, at the same time as these banks provided means of payment in the territories in which they operated. The effects were important both for the spread of the banknote and for the economy. This paper summarizes the Spanish issuing experience, which was affected by the crisis of 1866 and ended in 1874 with the issuing monopoly in the hands of the Banco de España. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse mortgage is one of the products (perhaps the main one) that is good to obtain additional income by using the habitual residence as collateral. The main objective of this paper is to analyse the effects that reverse mortgage contracting has on household finances over the lifetime of a family according to the socioeconomic group to which it belongs in Spain. Four indicators are employed to measure the immediate and long-term effects. We use a stochastic model with a double source of randomness, survival and entry into dependency, and apply it to the three socioeconomic groups obtained with cluster methodology from the 2017 Spanish Household Financial Survey data. We conclude that the effects are very different depending on the group: regarding only the effects of hiring a reverse mortgage on the income of the family, widowed women aged between 81 and 85 years, with low income and expenses as well as little net wealth, and a habitual residence that represents half of her net wealth (Cluster 1) are the most benefited; considering that the highest impact indicators are on the probability of illiquidity and on the value of lack of liquidity, the use of reverse mortgages benefits more the families in Cluster 3 (high income and expenses and really high net wealth, head of household aged between 76 and 80 years) and less the families in Cluster 2 (medium income, net wealth and expenses, head of household aged between 65 and 75 years). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the diverse multiethnic setting of colonial New Spain, women faced challenges in separating themselves from marriages they considered unendurable. The Catholic Church, which exercised hegemony over definitions of marriage in the colony, controlled access to permanent, formal separation or "ecclesiastical divorce", while secular courts offered shorter-term separations generally aimed at reunifying couples. Outside of these options, flight, concealment, and bigamy, or "self-divorce," offered the only recourse for women seeking to leave an untenable relationship. While it is well known that few women sought (and even fewer were granted) ecclesiastical divorce, it is clear that many women sought separation through formal and informal means. Using ecclesiastical petitions for divorce, this paper investigates the experience of deposit (depósito) for New Spain's separated women. Deposit was likely a primary goal of women's divorce petitions. Moreover, the hegemony of marriage was less complete in reality than in ideology; the number of single women in the colony is now known to be vast, and their networks substantial. Building on Bird's and Megged's insights on separation and singleness, this paper argues that studying deposit reveals a custom that offered women of all classes a substantial degree of respite and agency in separation, particularly in the early colony, when institutional options were less formalized. Sometimes, depósito permitted lengthy separations that blurred into permanency, while at other times it served as a crucial safety valve. Nonetheless, the practice was a contested terrain on which husbands also sought to exercise power and control. Deposit, therefore, was a highly ambivalent form of "separation" in Latin America. This was undoubtedly true both in the early-colonial period and thereafter, but as colonial society matured and institutional deposit became more possible and common, men's power was enhanced. Studying the practice before the late seventeenth century therefore reveals some of the ways that early colonial societal flux authorized female agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The etiology of anorexia nervosa is still unknown. Multiple and distributed brain regions have been implicated in its pathophysiology, implying a dysfunction of connected neural circuits. Despite these findings, the role of white matter in anorexia nervosa has been rarely assessed. In this study, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to characterize alterations of white matter microstructure in a clinically homogeneous sample of patients with anorexia nervosa. Methods: Women with anorexia nervosa (restricting subtype) and healthy controls underwent brain DTI. We used tract-based spatial statistics to compare fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) maps between the groups. Furthermore, axial (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) measures were extracted from regions showing group differences in either FA or MD. Results: We enrolled 19 women with anorexia nervosa and 19 healthy controls in our study. Patients with anorexia nervosa showed significant FA decreases in the parietal part of the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF; pFWE < 0.05), with increased MD and RD but no differences in AD. Patients with anorexia nervosa also showed significantly increased MD in the fornix (pFWE < 0.05), accompanied by decreased FA and increased RD and AD. Limitations: Limitations include our modest sample size and cross-sectional design. Conclusion: Our findings support the presence of white matter pathology in patients with anorexia nervosa. Alterations in the SLF and fornix might be relevant to key symptoms of anorexia nervosa, such as body image distortion or impairments in body-energy-balance and reward processes. The differences found in both areas replicate those found in previous DTI studies and support a role for white matter pathology of specific neural circuits in individuals with anorexia nervosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to analyze how global research cooperation patterns in the secondary battery industry have changed over recent years and to identify the evolution in the focus of research. To this end, network analysis was performed using the nationality information of the authors of a 10-year multinational joint research paper related to lithium-ion batteries. Furthermore, keyword analysis and topic modeling were performed using the abstract data from the study. The results of this study confirm that some countries that are not well-known in the field, such as Australia, Spain, and France, showed high centrality, compared with the level of cooperation scale. Additionally, six research topics were identified. According to a comparison over the first half of the decade, no difference was observed in the appearance of keywords indicating high energy density and conductivity with lithium, a key mineral. Keyword distribution was high for topics like battery charging and discharging in the first half of the decade, and for next-generation battery materials, such as solid electrolytes, lithium metal anodes, and lithium–sulfur batteries in the second. These results provide insights into the establishment of research and development (R&D) cooperation strategies by countries and pre-planning by companies in the battery industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tension between the equality of citizens and the autonomy of regions continues to be a topic of debate in decentralised states. In this context, the clauses that allow the central government to interfere in jurisdictions that are not its own in order to achieve certain objectives (equal rights and duties, the essential level of benefits, or uniformity in living conditions) are still unclear elements that can disrupt the system of distribution of powers as a whole. This article analyses this problem in Spain, Italy and Germany, with a special focus on the confusion caused by Article 149.1.1 of the Spanish Constitution (CE in Spanish) in our system: both in relation to its overlap with other jurisdictions and its abuse. Therefore, this paper reviews the use of Article 149.1.1.1 CE, accompanied by the Constitutional Court’s interpretation of it and concludes with some guidelines for its current application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents simulations of different concentration plants that use Inert Construction and Demolition Waste as feed to generate coarse aggregates from old concretes. Different feed materials were studied: CDW generated in Spain; low-strength concretes, C16/20, which are ordinary concrete used in civil construction; and high-strength concretes, C50/60, from specific demolitions, such as old viaducts and bridges. Granulometric and densimetric analyses were performed, and the composition of the granulometric fractions of the proposed concretes were analyzed based on previous studies carried out, to understand the materials that can be recovered and considered for reinvestment in the market. Investment analysis considering the CAPEX, OPEX, revenue, IRR, MIRR, NPV, and DPP of the different concentrating plants with varying streams of concentration to recover the materials of interest (coarse aggregates) are presented and discussed. The results of the analyses indicate greater viability in plants that use mobile plants and the use of water jigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the rights of children in the family, child victims of gender violence have the right to live free of this violence. This article examines the legislative reforms in 2015 and 2021 and judicial praxis of shared custody, contact and communications orders in cases of gender violence in Spain. More specifically, the paper analyses the incompatibility of shared custody, contact and communications orders in cases of gender violence in the framework of these legal reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy management systems allow the Smart Grids industry to track, improve, and regulate energy use. Particularly, demand-side management is regarded as a crucial component of the entire Smart Grids system. Therefore, by aligning utility offers with customer demand, anticipating future energy demands is essential for regulating consumption. An updated examination of several forecasting techniques for projecting energy short-term load forecasts is provided in this article. Each class of algorithms, including statistical techniques, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and hybrid combinations, are comparatively evaluated and critically analyzed, based on three real consumption datasets from Spain, Germany, and the United States of America. To increase the size of tiny training datasets, this paper also proposes a data augmentation technique based on Generative Adversarial Networks. The results show that the Deep Learning-hybrid model is more accurate than traditional statistical methods and basic Machine Learning procedures. In the same direction, it is demonstrated that more comprehensive datasets assisted by complementary data, such as energy generation and weather, may significantly boost the accuracy of the models. Additionally, it is also demonstrated that Generative Adversarial Networks-based data augmentation may greatly improve algorithm accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research deals with the editorial positioning of 15 Spanish and Portuguese newspapers and magazines on Marcelo Caetano's official visit to Spain in 1970. The editorials and opinion articles are analysed using a quantitative, qualitative and comparative methodology. We identify different ideological orientations. The paper concludes that the official newspapers and some moderate ones were triumphalist in the opinions expressed; few opinions distanced themselves from the official political slogans; and the opposition press oscillated between keeping silent and expressing reservations about both regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avocado production has boomed worldwide in recent years, and Spain, including the Canary Islands, has been no exception. The number of avocado growers in the region has increased significantly as growers recognize the potential of this crop. However, several species of spider mites (Tetranychidae) pose a risk to this crop, with the genus Oligonychus being the most diverse and having the greatest economic impact. In particular, Oligonychus perseae (Tuttle, Baker and Abbatiello) has been reported as the one mainly responsible for the economic damage in major avocado-producing regions worldwide. In this paper, we aim to present an overview of the studies conducted and the measures implemented to mitigate the impact of O. perseae after its arrival in the Canary Islands. Our objective is to provide a detailed description of the current status of this pest (O. perseae), with special attention to its situation 17 years after its first appearance in avocado crops in the Canary Islands. In doing so, we aim to provide valuable insights and knowledge to understand and manage better the challenges posed by O. perseae in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural tourism is one of the most sustainable and fastest-growing types of tourism, and so has been widely studied. Despite countless works analyzing the possible factors that can condition the choice of the tourist destination, few have addressed how they may differ by sex and within cultural tourism, and they contradict. This paper analyzes this phenomenon through the dimensions of cultural offerings, services and motivations in the city of Málaga, a very tourist city in Spain, which is the fourth country out of 167 with the most world heritage sites—UNESCO. Partial least squares—structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and importance-performance map analysis (IPMA) were performed for a database of 415 cultural tourists survey responses. The results showed differences between constructs depending on the sex of the tourists. For men, the factor that most affects the choice of destination is tourist motivation—namely, the reason for their visit—followed by services. Conversely, services are first for women, followed by cultural offerings and motivations. The results of this study can be valuable when designing more specific tourism strategies adapted to the profile of tourists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic identities of the two largely neglected Scolopendra Linnaeus, 1758 species from continental Spain, S. viridipes Dufour, 1820 and S. chlorotes L. Koch in Rosenhauer, 1856, are examined in this paper. After efforts in locating both species' type series in eight European institutions, the specimens are considered to be lost. Consequently, the identifications of both taxa were approximated by collating their descriptions with the morphology of all other sympatric Scolopendromorpha. Then, compatible topotypes for both species were collected, and among these a neotype for each taxon were selected and compared with the type series of their respective closest relatives. Finally, both S. viridipes and S. chlorotes are proposed to be conspecific with S. oraniensis Lucas, 1846. Therefore, the name S. viridipes is here established as (senior) syn. nov. and nomen oblitum of S. oraniensis, S. oraniensis is declared as nomen protectum , and S. chlorotes (junior) syn. nov. is reallocated to S. oraniensis. Moreover, the specimens making up the type series of S. oraniensis are also indicated and redescribed, the genitalia are illustrated for the first time, and its specific epithet is briefly reviewed, remaining unaltered in respect of its original spelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses recent archaeological fieldwork conducted at El Castillejo, a medieval Islamic settlement in Los Guájares, Granada, southern Spain. Results from combined archaeological excavation and archaeoseismological assessment of standing structures suggest that the site was affected by a destructive earthquake during its occupation. Radiocarbon samples and OSL analysis point to a seismic event in the period CE 1224–1266. The earthquake occurred within an area marked by a 'seismological gap' in terms of historic seismicity and the causative fault has been tentatively identified in the Nigüelas-Padul Fault System which lies north of the settlement. This event is not recorded by national or European seismic catalogues and represents the oldest historic earthquake in the Granada area. Our work stresses the significant impact that targeted archaeological investigations can generate in our understanding of the local historic seismicity, thus providing clear implications for seismic disaster prevention and reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the research was to translate, culturally adapt and validate the Caring Behaviors Assessment (CBA) tool in Spain, ensuring its appropriateness in the Spanish cultural context. Methods: Three-phase cross-cultural adaptation and validation study. Phase 1 involved the transculturation process, which included translation of the CBA tool from English to Spanish, back-translation, and refinement of the translated tool based on pilot testing and linguistic and cultural adjustments. Phase 2 involved training research assistants to ensure standardized administration of the instrument. Phase 3 involved administering the transculturally-adapted tool to a non-probabilistic sample of 402 adults who had been hospitalized within the previous 6 months. Statistical analyses were conducted to assess the consistency of the item-scale, demographic differences, validity of the tool, and the importance of various caring behaviors within the Spanish cultural context. R statistical software version 4.3.3 and psych package version 2.4.1 were used for statistical analyses. Results: The overall internal consistency of the CBA tool was high, indicating its reliability for assessing caring behaviors. The subscales within the instrument also demonstrated high internal consistency. Descriptive analysis revealed that Spanish participants prioritized technical and cognitive aspects of care over emotional and existential dimensions. Conclusions: The new version of the tool proved to be valid, reliable and culturally situated, which will facilitate the provision of objective and reliable data on patients beliefs about what is essential in terms of care behaviors in Spain. Key points: • This paper provides a culturally translated, adapted, and validated version of the Caring Behaviors Assessment tool in the Spanish context, which can be used to obtain reliable and culturally adapted data on essential aspects of patient care. • The findings of this study contribute to the wider global clinical community by demonstrating the importance of considering cultural factors when assessing and evaluating patient care from patients' own perspective, and also emphasizes the need for culturally sensitive approaches in healthcare settings. • This validated instrument facilitates the measurement of caring behaviors in the Spanish context, allowing for objective evaluation and improvement. Use of the Caring Behaviors Assessment tool could thus serve as a valuable resource for both future research and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shortages of mechanical ventilation have become a constant problem in Emergency Departments (EDs), thereby affecting the timely deployment of medical interventions that counteract the severe health complications experienced during respiratory disease seasons. It is then necessary to count on agile and robust methodological approaches predicting the expected demand loads to EDs while supporting the timely allocation of ventilators. In this paper, we propose an integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Discrete-event Simulation (DES) to design effective interventions ensuring the high availability of ventilators for patients needing these devices. Methods: First, we applied Random Forest (RF) to estimate the mechanical ventilation probability of respiratory-affected patients entering the emergency wards. Second, we introduced the RF predictions into a DES model to diagnose the response of EDs in terms of mechanical ventilator availability. Lately, we pretested two different interventions suggested by decision-makers to address the scarcity of this resource. A case study in a European hospital group was used to validate the proposed methodology. Results: The number of patients in the training cohort was 734, while the test group comprised 315. The sensitivity of the AI model was 93.08% (95% confidence interval, [88.46 − 96.26%]), whilst the specificity was 85.45% [77.45 − 91.45%]. On the other hand, the positive and negative predictive values were 91.62% (86.75 − 95.13%) and 87.85% (80.12 − 93.36%). Also, the Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve plot was 95.00% (89.25 − 100%). Finally, the median waiting time for mechanical ventilation was decreased by 17.48% after implementing a new resource capacity strategy. Conclusions: Combining AI and DES helps healthcare decision-makers to elucidate interventions shortening the waiting times for mechanical ventilators in EDs during respiratory disease epidemics and pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the influence of functional value in the relationship with suppliers, functional value in communication with suppliers and functional value in business activities on the attitudinal and behavioural loyalty towards the WeChat social network by Chinese entrepreneurs based in Spain. To this end, several research hypotheses were proposed and tested by studying a sample of 57 Chinese entrepreneurs based in Spain. The results obtained from the regression models carried out show the key importance of the functional value variable in business activities on both types of loyalty; the functional value of communication with suppliers only exerted a significant influence on attitudinal loyalty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of artificial intelligence on people’s lives is demonstrated today. Previous literature has shown that the use of a specific technology is directly linked to the individuals’ intention to use it. The aim of this paper is to study the factors that determine the adoption and use of artificial intelligence and big data in Spain, using a research model based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), proposed by Venkatesh et al. (2003). This work addresses the specific gap in the validation of the original theoretical model of UTAUT in two dimensions, with respect to the adoption of artificial intelligence by citizens and with respect to the factors that influence this adoption, evaluating the previous ones and proposing some new ones considering the current context. The methodology used is based on a national survey, and it analyzes the research model using the statistical technique of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), which details the mediating and moderating relationships between constructs. The results show that Intention to Use has a direct positive influence on the Use of artificial Intelligence and big data, confirming previous literature. Performance Expectancy is the strongest predictor of Intention to Use, and indirectly of the adoption of artificial intelligence and big data applications. Effort Expectancy, in its application to the adoption of AI and big data by citizens, is an indirect determinant mediated by the Intention to Use, but its total effect (direct + indirect) is not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consolidation of digital television via subscription video on demand (SVOD) services has created an unprecedented increase in the consumption of serialised TV shows, which has had direct consequences on the content production sector. Faced with an increasingly demanding, hyperconnected and discerning audience and a supply of content never previously seen, television production and distribution strategies are involved in a process of change and adaptation. This paper seeks to analyse the production of Spanish television series created to be distributed on SVOD platforms. The aim is to know the role that production companies play in the creation of television series for SVOD so as to identify strategies and cooperative alliances between production companies and platforms and to detect possible patterns and trends in the operations of the audiovisual market. Using a mixed methodology that combines quantitative study with qualitative data analysis, the 88 Spanish TV series and miniseries that premiered on SVOD platforms from 2016 to 2021 are analysed, taking as a starting point the year in which these platforms began operating in Spain. The results confirm a trend towards cooperation between independent production companies and the platforms themselves, while no presence of in-house production is observed. Likewise, the atomisation of the role of production companies in the context of SVOD is shown, a phenomenon that already existed in generalist television production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper briefly examines the studies that have focused on the agrarian organizations' role during the transition to democracy in Spain. The present review goes from the first contributions from the field of Sociology in the 1980s to the new approaches provided by Historiography from the 2000s onward. Likewise, this study has aimed to assess the explanatory virtues of existing research as well as the important shortcomings that still remain in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to reflect politically and ideologically on the representation of the 2008 crisis and its repercussions on the rural habitat in recent Spanish literary fiction. To this end, it proposes the analysis of five (neo)rural novels, but not before a brief historical-cultural introduction to the post-15M repoliticization process of the novel in Spain, as well as the explanation of the problems surrounding the nomenclatures "rural" and "neo-rural". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main identified causes of energy poverty (EP) is the low energy efficiency of housing. In this line, since 2018, public administrations and NGOs collaborating with the Naturgy Foundation's Energy Renovation Solidarity Fund have implemented several shallow renovation interventions in 3660 Spanish vulnerable households. However, the effects of these measures on domestic energy affordability were not evaluated before because of a lack of a proper method. This paper presents a methodology to objectively assess the impact of these interventions on EP. In particular, this work proposes calculating a hidden EP indicator using data from a primary survey and applies it to a local case study (54 vulnerable households in Catalonia—10% of dwellings renovated by the Fund in the region) by processing their characteristics and energy bills before and after the implementation of the interventions. Considering the whole sample of households analysed, the hidden EP indicator drops by 10% in absolute terms (11.2% in relative terms) after the retrofit, and the average EP gap goes from 423 €/year to 313 €/year, thus marking a significant positive effect of the analysed interventions on the EP situation of this population. Eventually, extrapolating the results to the vulnerable population in Spain, this paper points out a series of recommendations that could be useful for decision-makers and organisations when designing and implementing shallow renovation interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Methods for combining cloning techniques with genetic engineering techniques (gene manipulation) are currently being developed in order to enhance predetermined biological or mental characteristics. Admissibility of conducting research on human embryos is justified by the fact that it will help to improve the human species and free it from serious diseases. However, two competing rights stand in the way of legality of this practice. On the one hand, the right of a human embryo to development and life. On the other hand, the right of mankind to use all scientific means to fight more effectively against diseases and to receive organs and tissues for transplantation to improve the quality of life. Some researchers believe that human life, if regarded as a moral value, cannot be absolute. Aims and Objectives: This paper examines the relevant legislation on both international and national levels and the Spanish doctrine in terms of defining acts against genetics and evaluating effectiveness to criminalize them in order to ensure the balance between medical ethics and community best interests. Materials and Methods: This study is a description paper on gene-manipulation regulation in Spain, the EU and worldwide. It is based primarily on genetic, systematic-functional and systematization methods with regard to special legal ones. Results and Conclusion: There is a wide of international, supranational and national acts that governs gene manipulation and secures society from illegal actions. Still, there are vague issues to revise either by enacting amendments or referencing to doctrine. The perfect way to ensure community interests is to elaborate both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To test the reliability of dietary intake data measured with an online food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) applied to a university population by comparing the results with those from a paper and pencil version. Materials and methods: A total of 50 students were recruited from the second-year Food Technology course at the Universitat Politècnica de València (Comunidad Valenciana, Spain) in the academic year 2008-2009. The students were between the ages of 20-32. The participants completed both presentation modes of the FFQ (paper and pencil and online) in a cross-over study with a time interval of 3-week. To study the effect of ordering of the questionnaires, participants were randomly assigned to group A (paper and pencil FFQ first) and group ? (online FFQ first). Both self-administered semi-quantitative presentations of the FFQ included 84 food items divided into six groups (dairy products; eggs, meat and fish; vegetables, legumes and fruits; bread, cereals and similar; oils, fats and sweets; beverages and pre-cooked). Participants were asked how frequently and how much each food item they had consumed in the previous year. Results: The response rate was 78% (39 students, 23% men and 77% women). For the total sample, the median dietary intakes were higher for the paper and pencil FFQ than the online version for energy (2,077 vs. 1,635 kcal/day), proteins (96 vs. 88 g/day), carbohydrates (272 vs. 211 g/day), and fat (70 vs. 58 g/day), respectively. These differences were statistically significant. However, there were not significant differences between the two presentations when the consumption by groups of food was calculated, except for "beverages and pre-cooked" group. Conclusions: The pilot testing showed that this online FFQ is a useful tool for estimating the intake of food groups in this university population. On the other hand, the differences found in the results of the absolute quantities of energy and nutrients intakes were not clear. These differences could be due to the problems that the participants had for reporting portion size in the paper and pencil FFQ as photographs of portion sizes were not presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the emergence of the new paradigm in the linguistic arena in which all the citizens are required to be competent in more than one language, an issue outlined in the White Paper in 1995 by the European Commission, schools had to undergo a radical transformation and implement new language policies in the curricula to comply with the new emerging requirements, and it is within this context that Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has been brought up to the fore. Thus, the present systematic review has undertaken a search of empirical studies into the primary and secondary school teachers' perceptions of CLIL implementation with the main aim of providing a thorough evaluation of bilingual education in Spain. For this purpose, a total of 46 publications that met the inclusion criteria have undergone an in-depth analysis and the results reveal that despite prevailing enthusiasm among CLIL teachers and the numerous benefits that the implementation of the bilingual programme offers to students, the programme presents several serious shortcomings such as insufficient and inadequate teacher training, increased workload, scarce collaboration, the paucity of well-designed materials or the lack of special attention to diversity. Overall, this systematic review highlights the urgent need to address these issues to ensure a success-driven implementation of the bilingual programme and guarantee high-quality education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explains the logic for using the concept of gender-related violence (GRV) as a broad category that problematises homophobia, transphobia and the policing of gender norms and the gender binary, as well as gender-based violence—understood as primarily violence against women and girls (VAWG). It then evaluates the utility of this concept and its capacity to introduce theoretical refinement to the study of gendered violence, by reviewing its reception within a large international feminist project on gendered violence in the lives of children and young people. The aim of this study was to improve knowledge and understanding of forms of violence and discrimination among practitioners who have everyday contact with general populations of children and young people. It sought to improve their ability to identify and challenge sexist, sexualising, homophobic or transphobic language or behaviour, and their knowledge of how and when to refer children and young people to appropriate support. The paper reports my view of the contribution that the concept of gender-related violence made in each of the four project sites: Ireland, Italy, Spain and the UK. The findings are mixed: in Spain and the UK the concept seemed helpful, but in Italy and Ireland it was initially expected to be helpful but, in practice, a conceptualisation closer to gender-based violence plus homophobia was employed. It is tentatively concluded that where LGBTQIA+ rights were well-established as well as the problematisation of VAWG, this framework was successful, but that it was less successful in more heteronormative sites where homophobia was less problematised. It is suggested that, as a concept, GRV can make a valuable intervention in sites like the former. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

These past decades have seen an emergence of studies on speech acts. Condolences, however, are among the least addressed out of them. Bibliography on this subject is scarce if compared to that of petitions, promises, offers, and so on, more so in Spanish, where papers on this subject are few and far between. This gap is especially notable in diachronic studies. This paper aims to offer a first approach to strategies for delivering condolences in 18th and 19th century letters written in the Canary Islands, Spain. Its goal is to describe which are the most common semantic formulas used to give condolences, and how much they resemble those described by different authors regarding this speech act in modern languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses the case of Spain to investigate whether and how disruptive technology impacts banking stock returns under a high volatility regime and a low volatility regime. For this purpose, a two-factor model with heteroscedastic Markov switching regimes has been applied. The results indicate that disruptive technologies have an impact on Spanish banking stock returns and that the effects are volatility regime dependent, having a relevant positive impact in high volatility regimes and a less relevant negative impact in low volatility regimes. These findings suggest that investors are informed about and acknowledge the advantages of disruptive technologies and will use their adoption as a business strategy to offset adverse market circumstances. During stable market conditions, on the other hand, Spanish banking seems to have less expectations about disruptive technology as a business strategy. To summarise, this paper provides insights into the role of the pricing of banking-related assets and has other relevant implications for investors that include disruptive technology or banking exposed investments in their portfolios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sideritis royoi is found in the rocky limestone habitats of the Port Massif (southern Catalonia, Spain). The species was first collected by the local botanist Lluís de Torres in the late part of the 20th century, but the specimens have remained unidentified positively in herbaria for over 40 years. Sideritis royoi likely belongs to section Sideritis subsection Hyssopifoliae and shows some morphological affinities with the relatively widespread South European species S. hyssopifolia L., but it differs from this species because it has subspinescent upper leaves, the main surfaces of its leaves are glabrous or glabrescent, the main abaxial surface of its bracts is without eglandular hairs, and due to the fact that it has shorter inflorescences. Weaker similarities have also been observed with some species belonging to S. subsection Fruticulosae Obón & D.Rivera. In this paper, a description for the new orophilous species is provided, along with a detailed illustration, field photographs, and a comparison with closely related species. We include an assessment of its conservation status and a dichotomous key for the identification of all the species of Sideritis subsection Hyssopifoliae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to contrast the reports of the observations made of the passage of the comet of 1652 by three Novohispano scholars: Juan Ruíz, Gabriel López de Bonilla, and Fray Diego Rodríguez, with the thesis that each one held about the nature of comets. Fray Diego argued that they were superlunary; Ruíz and López de Bonilla, that they were not. Our results show that the quality of the observations, estimated from the reports that were made of them, is disparate. On the other hand, although the observations were presented as material evidence for and against the superlunary nature of comets, in actuality, in all cases the three scholars only seemed to be justifying their preexisting scholastic beliefs. Indeed, the main finding of our study is that both Rodríguez and López de Bonilla used the same argument, i.e., that the angular velocity of the comet was smaller than that of the Moon, to justify their views, in one case that the comet was superlunar, in the other that it was sublunar; in both instances, they backed their conclusions with texts from Aristotle. This shows that their observations and calculations were most likely not the deciding factor in taking a position regarding the nature of comets. Another tantalizing discovery is that Diego Rodríguez may have been the first person to observe and record the appearance of Comet C/1652 Y1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on university education and its role in developing personality traits essential to achieving success in entrepreneurship is required because of the significance of entrepreneurship for advancements in the economic, social, technological, and environmental spheres. Additionally, the value of a university education in shaping an individual's personality, and the necessity of emphasizing entrepreneurship in higher education for students to achieve real success, should be a priority in our society. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore how university education influences personality traits that are key to success in entrepreneurship in Spain. To achieve this objective, a qualitative methodology based on the study of 11 cases has been adopted. The results allow us to conclude that university education has a decisive influence on the development of the personality traits that integrally determine entrepreneurial success as the culmination of the final stage of the maturation process; however, a university education is not fundamental to the development of these traits. Nevertheless, entrepreneurs emphasized that the personality traits analyzed need to be reinforced explicitly in university education since they effectively positively impact the success of entrepreneurial initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation is centered on two objectives: one is to determine whether in Tomelloso, which from 1950 onwards was characterised as being a city linked to literature, this activity is still relevant in the distribution of its spare time. The second objective is to verify whether this city is still a place from which new writers regularly emerge. In addition, this paper aims to provide a sociological explanation of this social phenomenon. Methodological triangulation was used, with qualitative exploratory interviews, surveys, and the management of the bibliography and documentary archives. It is confirmed that there is still a major link to literature in Tomelloso and that writers are still continuously emerging. The phenomenon is explained by relating it to the theories of symbolic interactionism and Robert K. Merton's concept of self-fulfilling prophecies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]