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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 Iberian Peninsula is a climate change hotspot, where the temperature is increasing faster than the global annual mean surface temperature, with the largest reduction of precipitation. Consequently, freshwater availability is expected to decrease substantially. In this context, freshwater systems are especially vulnerable in terms of meeting the water demands and ecosystem requirements we know today. In this paper, we present an extension of the eco-engineering decision scaling (EEDS) method to explore trade-offs in agricultural and ecologic metrics at the catchment scale across a range of unknown future hydrological and climate states. The extended EEDS method evaluates current water resource management rules focusing on agricultural and ecologic objectives, identifies climate hazards that make the system fail and assesses climate risk in three time horizons for the design of adaptation measures. The case study is the Serpis River basin, Spain, where 72% of available water is used for agricultural purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is the construction of computerized 3D visualization of geological structures. Several Python applications have been used to adapt the paper map-based geological classical information to numerical geological maps represented in HTML files. The models include a map with the stratigraphic and structural contacts and symbols, five serial vertical sections, and a geological block diagram, all with real topography. This block diagram made with 2D figures allows a 3D visualization. Palomeque area (Murcia region, southeastern Spain) has been used as a key-case. This area consists of a deformed Upper Cretaceous to Oligocene succession belonging to the Internal Zone Malaguide Complex. The main structure consists of two thrust-fold sheets forming an imbricate system, also affected by a set of strike-slip faults with a sinistral regime. The constructed maps show a good agreement with the published classical geological maps and cross-sections demonstrating the benefits of using these Python applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical geopolitics conceives of the internal organization of the state as a relevant geopolitical subfield. In this context, this paper aims to develop a geopolitical interpretation of the covid-19 crisis management in Catalonia and Spain from March 2020 to mid-April 2020. The paper begins by providing an overview of internal geopolitics literature by Spanish geographers, focusing on the Catalonia/Spain conflict, followed by a thorough analysis of written and oral materials compiled for that purpose. Three discursive periods are identified: up until the declaration of the State of Alarm in mid-March 2020, the first two weeks with this in force, and the first half of April 2020. The paper evinces that the examined materials support contested visions about the distribution of territorial powers within Spain, while also unearthing some specificities that ultimately relate to the Catalan national question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early access programs (EAPs) generally refer to patient access to medicines/indications before marketing authorization, possibly extended to price and reimbursement approval. These programs include compassionate use, which is usually covered by pharmaceutical companies, and EAPs reimbursed by third-party payers. This paper aims at comparing EAPs in four European countries (France, Italy, Spain, UK) and providing empirical evidence on EAPs in Italy. The comparative analysis was conducted through a literature review (including scientific and grey literature), complemented by 30-min semi-structured interviews with local experts. The Italian empirical analysis employed data available on the National Medicines Agency website. Although EAPs are very different across countries, they exhibit some common features: (i) eligibility criteria refer to the absence of valid therapeutic alternatives and a presumed favourable risk–benefit profile; (ii) payers do not allocate a pre-determined budget to these programs; (iii) total spending on EAPs is unknown. The French EAPs seem to be the most structured, financed through social insurance, covering pre-marketing, post-marketing and pre-reimbursement phases and providing for data collection. Italy's approach to EAPs has been varied, with several programs covered by different payers, including the cohort-based 648 List (for both early access and off-label use), the nominal-based 5% Fund, and Compassionate Use. Most applications to EAPs are from the Antineoplastic and immunomodulating drug class (ATC L). Some 62% of indications in the 648 List are either not under clinical development or have never been approved (pure off-label use). For those subsequently approved, most approved indications coincide with those covered through EAPs. Only the 5% Fund provides data on economic impact (€ 81.2 million in 2021; average cost per patient € 61.5K). Diverse EAPs are a possible source of inequalities in access to medicines across Europe. A harmonization of these programs, though difficult to achieve, could be modelled on the French EAPs and provide key advantages, not least of which a common effort to collect real-world data in parallel with clinical trials and clear separation between EAPs and off-label use programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To establish pan-European consensus on tapering and discontinuing thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), we applied a three-step Delphi technique consisting of a one-to-one interview round and two online survey rounds. Three healthcare professionals (HCPs) from Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom formed the Steering Committee (SC), which advised on study design, panelist selection, and survey development. A literature review also informed the development of the consensus statements. Likert scales were used to collect quantitative data on panelists' level of agreement. Twelve hematologists representing nine European countries assessed 121 statements spanning three categories: (1) patient selection; (2) tapering and discontinuation strategies; (3) post-discontinuation management. Consensus was reached on approximately half of the statements in each category (32.2%; 44.6%; 66%). Panelists agreed on patients' main selection criteria, patients' involvement in decision-making, tapering strategies, and follow-up criteria. Areas not reaching consensus were risk factors and predictors of successful discontinuation, monitoring intervals, and rates of successful discontinuation or relapse. This lack of consensus signals knowledge and practice gaps among European countries and suggests the need for the development of clinical practice guidelines that outline a pan-European, evidence-based approach to tapering and discontinuing TPO-RAs. Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a condition that may cause extensive bruising and excessive bleeding. Another sign is a pattern of small reddish-purple dots resembling a rash. ITP is treated with a class of medications known as thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs), which include eltrombopag, avatrombopag, and romiplostim. Sometimes the beneficial effects of the medication last even after the patient stops taking it, which means that some patients can be tapered off it. This paper presents the results of a Delphi panel—a method of research that gathers insights from experts—about tapering and discontinuing TPO-RAs. There were 12 physicians from nine European countries on the Delphi panel, all practicing hematologists with expertise in tapering and discontinuing TPO-RAs in patients with ITP. Panelists were presented with a total of 130 statements over three survey rounds. At the end of Round Three, 52 statements (40%) achieved consensus (response pattern of ≥80% "Agree"), and six statements (4.6%) achieved dissensus (response pattern of ≥80% "Disagree"). Consensus was achieved on the appropriateness of tapering the dose of the TPO-RA for two to three months prior to attempting discontinuation. The panel also reached consensus on considering tapering in a slower fashion (six to 12 months) for patients showing suboptimal response to TPO-RAs. More than half the survey's statements did not achieve consensus or dissensus. This signals that knowledge gaps exist and highlights the importance of conducting prospective, real-world evidence studies to identify best practices and develop pan-European guidelines for tapering and discontinuing TPO-RAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a naïve map that attempts to reflect the vision that Philip II and his advisors probably had of the Spanish road network in the second half of the sixteenth century, a crucial aspect for the choice of the seat of the capital of the kingdom. The elaboration of the naïve map was carried out in two phases: in the first, the road network was reconstructed based on a thorough revision of the primary sources that have survived to the present day. As these sources showed evident problems of completeness, the network was completed using mathematical methods, which were statistically contrasted. The analysis carried out is an important novelty since it shows that most of the transport in the Iberian Peninsula was channeled through the center following a radial structure with six principal axes two centuries before what has been traditionally considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a map of the current state of vegetation and land use in a UTM square measuring 10 × 10 km in Utande (La Alcarria, Central Spain) at a semi-detailed scale of 1:20,000. The map presented here offers an example of how to carry out a series of maps of the plant landscape, using regular grid squares of 100 km² (hectads). The map was drawn up using a cartographic method scaled in levels, which can be updated in line with advances in territorial tracking, and enabled us to group together synthetic categories adapted to the biogeographical idiosyncrasy of territory. We recommend combining this phytocoenotic study with another focusing on the flora and the chorology in the same space. A map was obtained with 35 categories, which offers a large-scale image of the biophysical land covers. This will be useful for territorial planning and biodiversity protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last 3 ka, different human communities occupied the Bay of Cádiz (SW Spain), including Phoenician, Carthaginian, Roman, Medieval and Modern settlements. Traces of such historical occupations have been recognized along the bay from a geoarchaeological point of view. Some of them bear a palaeogeographical interest related to the historical location of the shoreline. At the same time, Holocene sedimentary units and geomorphological elements identified along the bay can be interpreted as evidences of its morphological evolution. The objective of the present paper is to represent all the available data about archaeological sites and geomorphology in the northern Bay of Cádiz, with the aim of combining both sources of data for elaborating a simple proposal of landscape evolution during the last 3 millennia. The base for mapping was multiple, from historical aerial photographs to satellite imagery and a digital terrain model with a maximum resolution of 0.35 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In small catchments, the time interval most commonly used for simulation – daily or monthly – may not be sufficient to accurately capture the time distribution of hydrological processes. In this paper, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to perform an hourly long-term streamflow and sediment load simulation in the small (4.8 km2) and forested Aixola catchment (northern Spain). From this simulation, 10 runoff events were tested; the most satisfactory results for streamflow were obtained under wet antecedent conditions. However, simulated sediment load was underestimated during the peaks and remained high towards the end of the event. Furthermore, the influence of the precipitation time step (1–4 h, daily) was not relevant in the streamflow simulation but does influence the sediment simulation. The best results were achieved with the daily step simulations obtained at an hourly time step. This paper shows that sub-daily modelling improves water and especially sediment yield results; however, improvements are still needed in timing-related routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of anthropic occupation of a territory over time play a central role in shaping the cultural landscape we see today. This paper presents a methodology for visually representing this phenomenon. The method consists of transforming data from archaeological records and historic cartography into a series of maps that allow historic settlement patterns to be interpreted and the historic depth of contemporary urban areas to be revealed. To create these maps, a series of geospatial analyses were carried out, including density analysis and weighted overlay. The methodology was applied to the peri-urban area of Seville in southern Spain, although it may be extrapolated to other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at describing the eating experience of people diagnosed with and treated for laryngeal cancer. Going beyond the mere conceptualization of "after-effect" or the quantification of the disease's impact on the basis of standardized questionnaires, we present a qualitative analysis of the narratives of such experiences. Ethnographic study. Data is obtained from conversations, semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and written documents. A discourse analysis of the narrative information was conducted, with process coding and using the constant comparative method, inductive content analysis, category analysis, units of meaning associated with each other, and triangulation. The impact of cancer on eating processes is not limited to nutrition, but also affects the social and cultural value of food, which is put into question. The symbolic and social values which accompany the traditional way of eating are modified, which is connected with impaired quality of life. The impact on the eating process and its relationship with quality-of-life impairment are clear and connect with the importance of eating ways in culture and social organization. Greater attention should be paid to these contexts in clinical practice, which can affect even more than the impact on communicative processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is fairly well-established in Spain, informing decision-makers on the likely environmental consequences of their plans and policies. However, limited attention has been paid to the study of SEA effectiveness in Spain, particularly with regards to practitioner and stakeholder views. This paper aims to bridge this knowledge gap by gathering and examining views on SEA's participatory aspects, the performance of the procedural elements and the overall role of SEA in decision-making. The paper describes the legal implementation of SEA in Spain, and discusses current views on its effectiveness, grounded on the authors' own experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the gradual eclipse of a water management paradigm governed by the dominance of hydropower and irrigation-driven development. With the advent of new values, the former approach has given way to an acknowledgement of the value of water for its intangible contribution to the landscape, among other things. The European Water Framework Directive has lent further impetus to changes in water management and governance. Future water authorities and stakeholders will face additional management challenges such as growing water scarcity, climate change and the predominant role of regional governments in water use negotiation and decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatio-temporal study of wildfires has two complex elements that are the computational efficiency and longtime processing. Modelling the spatial variability of a wildfire could be performed in different ways, and an important issue is the computational facilities that the new methodological techniques afford us. The Markov random fields methods have made possible to build risk maps, but for many forest managers, it is more advantageous to know the size of the fire and its location. In the first part of this work, Stochastic Partial Differential Equation with Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation is utilised to model the size of the forest fires observed in the Valencian Community (Spain) and so it does the inclusion of the time effect, and the study of the emergency calls. The most crucial element in this paper is the inclusion of the improved meshes for the spatial effect and the time, these are, 2d (locations) and 1d (time) respectively. The advantage of the use of spatio-temporal meshes is described with the inclusion of Bayesian methodology in all the scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Education systems rely on both teacher and test-based assessments. Where these assessments are used for summative purposes particularly, it is important to understand why, and for which groups of students, teachers’ assessments may produce different results from test-based assessments.Purpose:This paper assesses whether the difference between teacher and test-based summative assessment at age 11 and 15 – as a measure of bias or uncertainty in assessment – is linked systematically to observable pupil characteristics. We also consider the important question of whether these measures of uncertainty and bias in assessment have any relationship with pupils’ subsequent educational choices at age 16.Sample:To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper focused on the Spanish educational system that has compared teacher and test-based assessments for school-age children. The sample consists of 3000 primary and secondary students.Design and methods:This research is conducted using regression analysis on quantitative data, comparing teacher and test-based assessments conducted during the academic year 2009/10.Results:The gap between test scores and teacher assessments is particularly large for female students in mathematics, who obtain significantly higher teacher assessments compared with their test scores. Students from semi-private schools (concertadas), who are more likely to be socially advantaged, gain higher test scores in relation to their teachers’ assessments.This is particularly noticeable in reading.Conclusions:This finding is consistent with the notion that teachers overestimate the achievement of girls in mathematics, relative to their test scores. Teachers tend to assess pupils in a relative way and hence teachers in semi-private schools (with higher achieving pupils) underestimate the achievement of their pupils. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The literature shows how gender mandates contribute to differences in exposure and vulnerability to certain health risk factors. This paper presents the results of a study developed in the south of Spain, where research aimed at understanding men from a gender perspective is still limited. Objective: The aim of this paper is to explore the lay perceptions and meanings ascribed to the idea of masculinity, identifying ways in which gender displays are related to health. Design: The study is based on a mixed-methods data collection strategy typical of qualitative research. We performed a qualitative content analysis focused on manifest and latent content. Results: Our analysis showed that the relationship between masculinity and health was mainly defined with regard to behavioural explanations with an evident performative meaning. With regard to issues such as driving, the use of recreational drugs, aggressive behaviour, sexuality, and body image, important connections were established between manhood acts and health outcomes. Different ways of understanding and performing the male identity also emerged from the results. The findings revealed the implications of these aspects in the processes of change in the identity codes of men and women. Conclusions: The study provides insights into how the category 'man' is highly dependent on collective practices and performative acts. Consideration of how males perform manhood acts might be required in guidance on the development of programmes and policies aimed at addressing gender inequalities in health in a particular local context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundNetworks play an important role in today’s societies. As a consequence, changes are apparent in the political, economic, cultural, educational and social agendas. PurposeThe main goal of this article is to map the situation of school networks in Spain. The research questions are focused on what forms collaboration and networking take in the Spanish education system; how policy and practice are providing a framework for the development of networks; and what the main barriers to fostering school-to-school collaboration in this context are. MethodsA mix of case studies and documentary analysis was used. Two regions located in the Southwest (Extremadura and the Canary Islands) were selected to examine their legislation about networks in education. The following aspects were considered: aims and aspirations, areas of interest, organisational structure, benefits and incentives, network project and evaluation and improvement proposals. In this way, Spain is presented as an example of a country that is exploring the possibilities offered by networks. Findings and conclusionsThere is no common state policy to support networking between schools. Rather, every local educational authority acts with different purposes and a variable extent of development. This particular situation offers a diverse map of education networks. The case studies show that networks are being developed bottom-up, through topics of interest, such as library, ecology, health-promotion, equality, emotional intelligence, educational research, enterprise and physical education. The paper concludes by reflecting on and discussing the current landscape of educational networks. Some barriers identified are related to: the networks’ structures that could be more inclusive, the loose culture of collaboration, the weak mechanisms to link social and professional capital provided by policy-makers, the importance of belief in the network society and community power by stakeholders and also to the necessity to increase incentives for people involved, in terms of working-time conditions and resources. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a geomorphological analysis of the littoral zone of the Arosa-Pontevedra estuary mouth and identifies geomorphological units and categorizes them into morphogenetic systems. The different morphogenetic systems are used to establish a comprehensive evolutionary analysis, contrasting the depositional systems found in the continental littoral zone with the marine erosional systems (‘rasas’). The compiled cartography groups the geomorphological units into the following: the lithoestructural morphogenetic system with large-scale forms (domes, inselbergs, residual relief, etc.) and small-scale forms (gnammas, tafoni, channels, etc.); the littoral morphogenetic system comprised of marine (marine terraces, beaches, tidal bars, tombolos and coastal arrows), transition (marshes, lagoons and fan deltas) and eolian (dune systems) settings; the fluvial morphogenetic system with channelled (alluvial, flood plain and river terraces), transition (alluvial fans and alluvial cones) and sheet flood (pediments and glacis) systems; the gravitational morphogenetic system (colluvium); and the alteration morphogenetic system (sand-alteration). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, we report on a compilation of more than 2200 sites (more than 10,000 individual measurements) where anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) was studied in granites from the Variscan Pyrenees. The standardization and homogenization of this information has allowed us to produce threeMain Mapsthat synthesize all the information related with the AMS of the Pyrenean granites. We also describe the problems found during the construction of the database (variable geo-positioning, different published information, etc.). The information derived from 21 granite bodies, the database, and the synthesis maps (magnetic susceptibility, Km, and the orientation of the magnetic foliation, plane perpendicular to k3, and of the magnetic lineation, k1) allow us to see for the first time a complete image of this important kinematic and petrographic indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a geological map and cross-sections of the Cotiella thrust sheet at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scale, respectively. The map covers an area of 225 km2in the southern Pyrenees. The structure of the studied area is dominated by an upper Santonian – lower Miocene thrust system, which transported a middle Coniacian-lower Santonian extensional basin, the Cotiella Basin, 10 s of kilometres southwards during the Pyrenean orogeny. The map focuses on the internal structure of the Cotiella Basin, its partially inverted extensional faults and its up to 6.5 km of upper Albian – lower Santonian sediments that unconformably overlie Upper Triassic salts. The map and cross-sections, together with outcrop-scale observations, have led us to interpret the rising of passive diapirs in the area. This newly recognized salt tectonic event in the Cotiella Basin is important because of the insights it can provide for the paleogeographic reconstruction of the Upper Cretaceous paleomargin of the northern parts of the Iberian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spain is one of the main truffle-producing countries in the world, and truffle (Tuber spp.) cultivation in this country is currently undergoing a considerable surge. This work describes the Spanish research history and we list the Spanish references. Until 1993 the Spanish bibliography on truffles was very limited (28 references). However in the last 12 years, Spanish research has produced 200 references on truffles, developed in 13 centres (6 doctoral theses, 67 papers in international scientific congresses, 49 papers in Spanish scientific congresses, 7 documents on websites, 51 published Spanish papers, 12 published articles, and 8 papers submitted to international journals listed in the Journal Citation Report). Moreover, a comparative analysis of truffle research production in Spain, France, and Italy has shown how truffle research in Spain is now on a par with that of France, although it is still lower than Italian truffle research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the origin of superficial films on different rock types from rural and urban locations in Spain and Ireland, foxing mainly on oxalate films. There is little agreement on the origin of oxalate films coating building stone. Some authors state that they are man-made whereas others claim that they are naturally produced by micro-organisms. This paper presents evidence for the existence of three different types of film, each type with a different origin, composition and microstructure, and concludes that oxalate films can be both man-made and biologically produced. Analytical techniques including X-ray diffraction, petrographic microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry attachment, inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectrophotametry, percentage weight loss on ignition, colorimetry by titration and conductivity measurements coupled to expandable ion analysis were used to study films on sandstone, limestone, dolomite and granite from a number of monuments and quarries. The results provide evidence that the films studied fell into three distinctive types. A crystalline calcite film resulting from weathering was found in quarries, an oxalate film of biogenic origin was found on rural Irish monuments and man-made oxalate films containing gypsum were present on Spanish monuments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the description of the stucco (decorative plasterwork) and pigments used in the Alhambra (Granada, southern Spain). The nature, structure and deterioration of these materials are described in detail, as well as the painting and stucco techniques employed. A cast plaster technique is found throughout the Lions Palace (late Nasrid period, second half of the fourteenth century), whereas plaster carved in situ is only found in certain areas of the Partal Palace, one of the oldest constructions still extant in the Alhambra (1302-1309). Two original Nasrid palettes were also identified: an earlier, simpler palette of blue, red and black, and a later, more varied palette of red, blue, green, black and gold. In both cases white was the background colour. The gold decoration technique is described, as are the Christian interventions. Rich pigments were used throughout the history of the Alhambra (e.g. gold, lapis lazuli, azurite, malachite, cinnabar and red lead). Some pigments, red lead and malachite in particular, are severely decayed through introduction of chloride-based materials, resulting in discolorations. Cracking and loss of gold decoration is widespread. The paper gives the first description of the Nasrid palette used to colour the Alhambra stucco, as well as the gilding and the plasterwork techniques. These pioneering results clarify historical and artistic issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses project splitting in environmental impact assessment (EIA), investigating the current state of knowledge through literature, legislation, case-law and practice, discussing problems and providing solutions. The focus is on Spain, but many of the conclusions are applicable worldwide. Project splitting is a much more common practice than generally accepted. The main efforts have been focused on preventing salami-slicing as a mechanism to avoid the EIA, but it is a much more complex problem, with different ways of splitting and reasons for doing so. Measures to avoid this practice should include strengthening the strategic environmental assessment, a greater involvement of the approval authority, specific prohibitions in regulations, using case-by-case examinations instead of thresholds, compulsory scoping and avoid the exclusion of project parts during the EIA. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Like so much rock art, the Neolithic/Bronze Age petroglyphs of Galicia have been studied mainly as a source of stylistic information. This paper contends that it may be more rewarding to see them as a vital component of the prehistoric landscape. In this paper we study their siting in relation to Galician ecology and the movement of wild animals across the terrain. We also consider the organization of the panels of carved rock at a more local level and attempt to interpret their distinctive use of the local topography. We should not treat rock carvings as if they were portable artefacts. A more flexible approach to this material may help to break down the functionalist bias of landscape archaeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sheep production systems in regions with a Mediterranean climate are important in social, economic and environmental terms. Modeling these systems allows, among others, evaluation of the costs efficiencies which in turn permits assessing the expected effects of changes in production variables. This paper presents a prototype analysis of the economic sustainability of ecological dairy sheep systems of Castilla-La Mancha, Central Spain evaluated through the estimation of costs efficiencies. Costs functions were developed using data from 31 farms. Rate of supplementary feeding, labour use, and flock size were used to measure the cost efficiency. On average, cost efficiency was 61.7±15.5%, with significant differences among typological groups. High efficiency was found in only 29% of the farms. The economic analyses performed suggest that the continued existence of economically unsustainably farms is explained by the available subsidies, lack of amortization of fixed assets leading to progressive decapitalization, and subsistence incomes by family groups (gross family income). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we analyse all currently available simulated climate scenarios, proposed by the Spanish Agency of Meteorology (AEMET), for the period 2010–2040 on the geographical area covered by the Júcar River basin, located in eastern Spain. This is done through the validation of these scenarios using historical records, and by assessing the impact on water resources for the next 30 years by means of a hydrological model. By taking the period 1960–1990 as the control period, a careful comparison of its historical records against AEMET scenarios is performed. Although temperature records are modelled properly, precipitation data are widely underestimated in a range from 8% to 29%. This wide variability observed in the control period is also found in the precipitation scenarios for the period 2010–2040. The impact on water resources shows a great degree of dispersion, ranging from –13.45% to 18.1% with a mean value of –2.13%.Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor F. Hattermann [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring the biological diversity in a given area can provide valuable approaches not only to conserve ecological systems, but also to understand their functioning and organization. The current paper analyzes the species richness and diversity patterns of sarcosaprophagous Diptera across an elevational gradient of natural habitats in central Spain, and the relationship between the species diversity and the environmental variables defining each habitat. The calculation of randomized species richness curves and non-parametric estimators confirmed the representativeness of the inventories. Oromediterranean habitats, i.e. those located at highest elevation, showed significantly lower species richness than mesomediterranean and supramediterranean levels. Slope and solar radiation were significantly and negatively correlated with diversity, whereas the correlation between mean temperature and diversity was significantly positive. A significantly negative correlation was found between diversity and the percentage of forest surface, whereas the correlation between diversity and the percentage of urban surface was positive and close to significance. Possible explanations for these observed patterns are considered and discussed. This study also supports the use of different, complementary diversity measurements in order to obtain a proper assessment of the diversity of a given area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women experience poorer health than men despite their longer life expectancy, due to a higher prevalence of non-fatal chronic illnesses. This paper aims to explore whether the unequal gender distribution of roles and resources can account for inequalities in general self-rated health (SRH) by gender, across social classes, in a Southern European population. Methods: Cross-sectional study of residents in Catalonia aged 25-64, using data from the 2006 population living conditions survey (n = 5,817). Poisson regression models were used to calculate the fair/poor SRH prevalence ratio (PR) by gender and to estimate the contribution of variables assessing several dimensions of living conditions as the reduction in the PR after their inclusion in the model. Analyses were stratified by social class (non-manual and manual). Results: SRH was poorer for women among both non-manual (PR 1.39, 95% CI 1.09-1.76) and manual social classes (PR 1.36, 95% CI 1.20-1.56). Adjustment for individual income alone eliminated the association between sex and SRH, especially among manual classes (PR 1.01, 95% CI 0.85-1.19; among nonmanual 1.19, 0.92-1.54). The association was also reduced when adjusting by employment conditions among manual classes, and household material and economic situation, time in household chores and residential environment among non-manual classes. Discussion: Gender inequalities in individual income appear to contribute largely to women's poorer health. Individual income may indicate the availability of economic resources, but also the history of access to the labour market and potentially the degree of independence and power within the household. Policies to facilitate women's labour market participation, to close the gender pay gap, or to raise non-contributory pensions may be helpful to improve women's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the Iberian hare is important to Spanish ecosystems and a valued game species, little is known about the survival and spatial behaviour of the species, which are crucial for correct management decisions. This paper studies the survival, home range, probable causes of mortality and den-site selection for 23 wild Iberian haresLepus granatensis. We used radio telemetry to monitor hares on arable farmland in north-west Spain where habitat management measures were taken, control of predators was carried out and hunting was not allowed. Survival for the period studied (300 days) was 13% and average home range size (MCP 95%) was 39.6 ha. Probable causes of death included predation by wild canids (52%), disease (13%), roadkills (9%), and unknown (26%) for hares we studied. The red foxVulpes vulpeswas the main predator, whereas no raptor predation was reported. Den-site selection was affected by habitat type and hares showed a high preference for uncultivated land. Home range size tended to decrease when hares selected uncultivated land, grassland and lucerne, which were transition zones between shrubland, forest, and cultivated lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper are described the arvicolines from El Chaparral site (Villaluenga del Rosario, Cádiz, Southwestern Spain). Due to their wide geographical distributions and rapid evolutionary rates, arvicolines are especially useful for biostratigraphical purposes. The stratigraphic layers of El Chaparral have yielded arvicolines remains of the genera Allophaiomys, Iberomys, Pliomys, and Terricola. The presence of these rodents together the other vertebrates recovered allows to determinate the age of the El Chaparral site and compare our data with other Iberian Pleistocene sites, such as of the Sierra de Atapuerca. El Chaparral site ranges between the Jaramillo Subchron (1.07-0.99 Ma) and shortly after the Brunhes-Matuyama transition at 0.78 Ma covering a important time span for the knowledge of the earliest humans occupations in western Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impacts on water resources produced by climate change can be exacerbated when occurring in regions already presenting low water resources levels and frequent droughts, and subject to imbalances between water demands and available resources. Within Europe, according to existing climate change scenarios, water resources will be severely affected in Spain. However, the detection of those effects is not simple, because the natural variability of the water cycle and the effects of water abstractions on flow discharges complicate the establishment of clear trends. Therefore, there is a need to improve the assessment of climate change impacts by using hydrological simulation models. This paper reviews water resources and their variability in Spain, the recent modelling studies on hydrological effects of climate change, expected impacts on water resources, the implications in river basins and the current policy actions. Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz Citation Estrela, T., Pérez-Martin, M.A., and Vargas, E., 2012. Impacts of climate change on water resources in Spain. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (6), 1154–1167. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several new fossil remains of Felidae from the late Miocene (Turolian age, MN 13, local zone M2) locality of Las Casiones (near the village of Villalba Baja, Teruel, Spain) are studied in the present paper. This felid community includes the machairodontines Amphimachairodus giganteus, Paramachaerodus orientalis, and Metailurus major, and the felines Pristifelis attica and a small, undetermined species, previously unknown in the late Miocene. With this high diversity of felids, the environment of Las Casiones was probably relatively vegetated, with shrubs and trees that allowed smaller felid species to avoid dangerous encounters with the larger ones. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Inland wetlands are numerous in Spain and have been classified in a broad range of categories. At present, the most relevant classification is that applied by River Basin Authorities for the identification of water bodies, according to the EU Water Framework Directive. This typology recognises up to 27 different types of inland lake in Spain. The aims of this paper are to review current knowledge about the evaluation of the ecosystem services provided by inland wetlands, and to present a discussion about two cases that have been subject to economic evaluation. The results obtained highlight the fact that little work has been done in Spain on this topic, thus opening up new lines of research. In particular, a significant amount of work is required to identify and characterize specific ecosystem services provided by wetlands in Mediterranean conditions, which in turn will do a great deal to highlight the importance of their conservation. Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Guest editor M.C. Acreman Citation de la Hera, A. Fornés, J.M. and Bernués, M., 2011. Ecosystem services of inland wetlands from the perspective of the EU Water Framework Directive implementation in Spain. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 56 (8), 1656–1666. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, the rodents from the composite section of Torrent de Vallparadis (Terrassa, northeastern Spain) are described, with particular emphasis on the arvicolines. Due to their wide geographical distributions and rapid evolutionary rates, arvicolines are especially useful for biostratigraphical purposes. Eight stratigraphic layers have yielded rodent remains, including representatives of the genera Mimomys, Allophaiomys, Stenocranius, Iberomys, Microtus, Arvicola, Apodemus, Eliomys, and Hystrix. The presence of different rodent species, together with the available magnetostratigraphic data, allows a precise determination of the age of each layer and a detailed correlation with other Spanish Pleistocene sites, particularly those of the Sierra de Atapuerca. The complete studied sequence ranges from the pre-Jaramillo Biharian (1.4-1.2 Ma) to the early Toringian (less than 0.6 Ma.), constituting one of the most complete sequences of the Spanish Pleistocene and covering a time span of especial relevance in relation to the earliest human dispersal into western Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the processes that control nitrate migration and its geochemical evolution in the subsurface are fundamental for the regional management of polluted aquifers. In this paper, the spatial distribution and transient variations of nitrate concentrations, associated with manure fertilization, are used to depict hydrogeological dynamics within the sedimentary aquifer system of la Plana de Vic in the Osona region of Spain. Flow systems are identified from geological, hydraulic head, hydrochemical and isotopic data, and by considering nitrate itself as a tracer that indicates how flow paths are modified by human pressures. In this area, nitrates move through fractured aquitards in flows induced by groundwater pumping. Moreover, the lack of casing in the boreholes permits a mixing of groundwater from distinct layers inside the wells, which negates any benefits from the low-nitrate groundwater found in the deepest aquifer layers. Therefore, impacts on groundwater quality are related to intensive manure fertilization as well as to inadequate well construction and exploitation strategies. Citation Mencio, A., Mas-Pla, J., Otero, N. & Soler, A. (2011) Nitrate as a tracer of groundwater flow in a fractured multilayered aquifer. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(1), 108-122. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a method for assessing the renewable groundwater reserves of large regions for an average year, based on the integration of the recession curves for their basins' springs or the natural baseflow of their rivers. In this method, the hydrodynamic volumes (or renewable reserves), were estimated from the baseflow. It was assumed that the flow was the same as the natural recharge, and the recession coefficients were derived from the hydrogeological parameters and geometric characteristics of the aquifers and adjusted to fit the recession curves at gauging stations. The method was applied to all the aquifers of Spain, which have a total renewable groundwater reserve of 86 118 hm3-four times the mean annual recharge. However, the spatial distribution of these reserves is highly variable; 18.6% of the country's aquifers contain 94.7% of the entire reserve. Citation Sanz, E. & Recio, B. (2010) A method to assess annual average renewable groundwater reserves for large regions in Spain. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(1), 99-107. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the vetlatori dance performed on the occasion of a baptised infant's death in the Valencia region of Spain until about fifty years ago. Analyses of historical sources that emphasise the noble spirituality of the vetlatori dance are shown to be based on romantic views of traditional culture and emotions related to the loss of an infant, rather than on authentic information. Ethnographic and ethnomusicological data are presented to illustrate that the music and dances performed during the vetlatori dance were meant for entertainment rather than for spiritual impact. Recourse is also had to oral sources, particularly interviews carried out in the 1960s and 1980s with former infant wake participants who experienced the vetlatori dance, and who confirmed the popular nature of the music, song, and dances that were performed. Analysis of written sources and of the choreographic and musical characteristics of the dance also shows that the kind of music performed was typical of festive celebration in the Valencia region. Functional outcomes for such wakes are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the temporal dynamics of soil water balance components in a representative recharge area of the Sierra de Gador (Almeria, southeastern Spain) in two hydrological years. Two approaches are used to estimate daily potential recharge (PR): Approach 1 based on deriving PR from the water balance as the difference between measurements of rainfall (P) and actual evapotranspiration (E) obtained by eddy covariance; and Approach 2 with PR obtained from the dynamic pattern of the soil moisture (θ) recorded at two depths in the site's thin soil (average 0.35 m thickess). For the hydrological year 2003/04, which was slightly drier than the 30-year average, E accounted for 64% of rainfall and occurred mainly in late spring and early summer. The PR estimated by Approach 1 was 181 ± 18 mm year-1 (36% of rainfall), suggesting an effective groundwater recharge in the study area. In the unusually dry hydrological year 2004/05, E was about 215 mm year-1, close to the annual rainfall input, and allowing very little (8 ± 12 mm year-1) PR according to Approach 1. Estimation of PR based on Approach 2 resulted in PR rates lower than those found by Approach 1, because Approach 2 does not take into account the recharge that occurs through preferential flow pathways (cracks, joints and fissures) which were not monitored with the θ probes. Moreover, using Approach 2, the PR estimates differed widely depending on the time scale considered: with daily mean θ data, PR estimation was lower, especially in late spring, while θ data at 30 min resolution yielded a more reliable prediction of the fraction of total PR resulting from the downward movement of soil water by gravity. Citation Canton, Y., Villagarcia, L., Moro, M. J., Serrano-Ortiz, P., Were, A., Alcala, F. J., Kowalski, A. S., Sole-Benet, A., Lazaro, R. & Domingo, F. (2010) Temporal dynamics of soil water balance components in a karst range in southeastern Spain: estimation of potential recharge. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(5), 737-753. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is likely that ritual activity existed (and even played an important role) in the life of Upper Palaeolithic groups. However, rites are among the aspects of human behaviour most elusive to archaeological research. In this paper, we will analyse the evidence from several Magdalenian cave sites where the existence of 'sanctuaries' or other kinds of ritual activity has been claimed. The available methods for the evaluation of this kind of area will be discussed, and a preliminary assessment of some recently documented sites will be proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first part of this paper presents four old Spanish explanations of the witches' flying: (1) that (with the Devil's help) they actually did fly; (2) that the experience of flying was the result of narcotic stimulation; (3) that their flying was pure imagination—methodologically demonstrated in the investigations of the Spanish inquisitor Alonso de Salazar Frias; and (4) that they fly by means of the soul. The latter, although strongly rejected by the Church, remained the most popular opinion. The second part discusses the flying of the Sicilian donni di fori [“women from outside”] of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These were cunning women who served as mediators between the local community and the fairy world. On their nightly excursions “in spirit” they would enter the houses with the fairies, who bestowed their blessing on the homes. Or they would join the fairies in a sort of “white sabbath” where everything was reflective of beauty and delight. In the last part, the author describes his encounter with a contemporary Sicilian “night-goer” who claimed to be able to travel “in spirit.” In the concluding discussion, the author asserts that none of the rationalistic approaches used so far leads to a full understanding of the phenomenon. In his reconstruction of the Sicilian fairy cult, the author leaves open the possibility of out-of-the-body experiences and collective dreaming (reve a deux) being potential explanations for the phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case studies of hydraulic systems in al-Andalus prove them to be inextricably linked with specific forms of local clan procedure of water allocation. On the basis of the past and ongoing research on the irrigation systems of al-Andalus, especially in the Balearic Islands, amounting to just under 200 cases studied, it can be safely said that they were conceived, created and managed by peasant groups without any significant intervention by the state. Consequently the diffusion of plants from the east and the water technologies associated with their cultivation are best understood as a part of peasant knowledge, a technical transmission that took effect outside the Wittfogelian paradigm. In this paper I will try to show that the size of irrigated areas is important and that its modifications are key aspects of the discussion on the peasant management of the hydraulic systems of al-Andalus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of funerary customs in antiquity has enjoyed a long tradition in archaeology. By contrast, there has been little research of such a kind from the late Middle Ages onwards. This paper attempts to demonstrate what archaeology can contribute to the knowledge of funerary and death-worship practices, by analysing practices undertaken between the thirteenth and eighteenth century in the collegiate church and cemetery apud ecclesiam of Gandia in Valencia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since Spain's transition to democracy, abortion has been a public policy issue both inside and outside parliament. This paper describes the history of abortion law reform in Spain from 1979 to 2004 and analyses the discourse on abortion of members of the Spanish parliament by sex and political allegiance. The analysis is based on a retrospective study of the frequency of legislative initiatives and the prevalence of different arguments and positions in debates on abortion found through a systematic search of the parliamentary database. Little time was given to abortion in the parliamentary agenda compared to other women's issues such as violence against women. There were 229 bills and other parliamentary initiatives in that period, 60% initiated and led by pro-choice women. 143 female and 72 male parliamentarians took part in the debates. The inclusion of socio-economic grounds for legal abortion (64%), and making abortion on request legal in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (60%) were the most frequent forms of law reform proposed, based most often on pro-women's rights arguments. Male and female members of anti-choice parties and most male members of other parties argued for fetal rights. Pro-choice parties tabled more bills than anti-choice parties but till now all reforms proposed since 1985 have been voted down. Depuis la transition de l'Espagne vers la démocratie, l'avortement est une question politique à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur du Parlement. Cet article retrace l'histoire de la réforme de la législation sur l'avortement en Espagne de 1979 à 2004 et analyse le discours des députés espagnols, par sexe et appartenance politique. L'analyse est fondée sur une étude de la fréquence des initiatives législatives et de la prévalence des différents arguments dans les débats sur l'avortement, effectuée à l'aide d'une recherche systématique dans la base de données parlementaire. Les travaux parlementaires ont consacré peu de temps à l'avortement par comparaison à d'autres questions intéressant les femmes, comme la violence contre les femmes. On a recensé 229 propositions de lois et autres initiatives parlementaires pendant cette période, dont 60% lancées et dirigées par des femmes favorables à l'avortement. Parmi les députés ayant participé au débat, il y avait 143 femmes et 72 hommes. L'inclusion de motifs socio-économiques pour l'avortement légal (64%) et la légalisation de l'avortement pendant les 12 premières semaines de grossesse (60%) étaient les propositions les plus fréquentes, basées le plus souvent sur le droit des femmes à choisir. Les membres masculins et féminins de partis opposés à l'avortement et la plupart des membres masculins d'autres partis militaient pour les droits du fłtus. Les partis pour le libre choix ont présenté davantage de propositions de loi que les partis contre l'avortement, mais, depuis 1985, toutes les réformes ont été refusées. Desde la transición de España a la democracia, el aborto ha sido asunto de políticas públicas dentro y fuera del parlamento. En este artículo se describe la historia de la reforma de la ley de aborto en España desde 1979 hasta 2004, y se analiza el discurso sobre el aborto por parte de los parlamentarios españoles, por sexo y afiliación política. El análisis se basa en un estudio retrospectivo de la frecuencia de iniciativas legislativas y la prevalencia de diferentes argumentos y posiciones en debates sobre aborto, encontradas mediante una búsqueda sistemática en la base de datos parlamentaria. No se dedicó mucho tiempo al aborto en la agenda parlamentaria, comparado con otros asuntos relacionados con las mujeres, como la violencia contra éstas. Hubo 229 iniciativas parlamentarias en ese período, el 60% iniciadas y dirigidas por mujeres por el derecho a decidir; 143 diputadas y 72 diputados participaron en los debates. La aceptación de motivos socioeconómicos para tener un aborto legal (64%) y la legalización de la práctica de abortos a petición en el primer trimestre del embarazo (60%) fueron las formas más frecuentes propuestas para reformar la ley, principalmente a raíz de argumentos referentes a los derechos de las mujeres. Hombres y mujeres afiliados a partidos contra el derecho a decidir, y la mayoría de los hombres afiliados a otros partidos abogaron por los derechos del feto. Los partidos por el derecho a decidir presentaron más proyectos de ley que aquellos en contra, pero hasta ahora, se ha votado en contra de todas las reformas propuestas desde 1985. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychiatric care and mental hygiene in Spain during the 1930s was influenced by the presence of ideological, social, and political polarization. This peculiarity of Spain's history makes it impossible to find more or less uniformed discourses and attitudes in the country. This paper analyzes the eugenic discourse developed by Spanish pro-Fascist psychiatrists, concerning mental and racial hygiene. Some special cases are highlighted that illustrate the situation of the mentally ill during the Spanish Civil War: the evacuation of asylums near the front and the attempt to apply the psychiatric reform promoted by the Second Republic regime. Despite ideological and scientific differences, both mass sterilization of mentally disabled patients and physical extermination of the mentally ill cannot be identified as typical features of Spanish psychiatry, before or after the Civil War. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack of methods for the strategic assessment of ecological connectivity, specially for fast growing metropolitan areas. This paper presents a new geographic information systems (GIS) methodology with this aim. It allows the diagnosis of the connectivity of terrestrial landscape ecosystems, on the basis of ecological functional areas and a cost-distance model that includes two compound indices: one for the barrier effect, and another for ecological connectivity, with three variations for the latter, designed for different applications. We applied this model to the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (Spain) assessing the identification of the direct and cumulative impacts on ecological connectivity within this area, resulting from the current artificial barriers, the planned urban growth, and a high-speed train project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at studies which highlight how, in the first phase of expansion of the industrial system in Catalonia, Spain, the greater harshness of industrial work and reproductive burdens led married women to keep their jobs right up to the moment when their wages could be replaced by their children's. They could then devote their time to the non-remunerated domestic tasks that were considered more important than income. Therefore, women's work changed throughout the family life-cycle, depending mostly on the ratio of active/inactive family members. From the mid-19th-century to the first third of the 20th century, Barcelona maintained a diversified and flexible demand for female labor. European historiography has gathered evidence suggesting that employment strategies also changed on the opportunities available to women in the labor market, and on cultural, ideological and institutional factors. The author argues that more research is needed into what underlies the differing intensities with which working-class families resorted to married women and child labor in various places in Catalonia.

This article examines an obscure custom found in Iberian ethnography: that of having one's eldest children serve as godparents for their own youngest siblings, starting with the seventh. The paper's main working hypothesis is that this custom is to be understood in the context of underlying conceptions that fairytales convey in a symbolical guise. The argument highlights the relationship of examined notions with the "Dragon Slayer" theme, to bring out stable themata concerning ontological complexity and metamorphosis, in the light of which the Iberian custom is interpreted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrating and explaining the fairly emancipated women in al-Andalus has been fraught with ambiguity for the approximately one century of scholarship on the subject. There has been much stereotyping depending upon the investigator's particular perspective. This paper clarifies the roles of Andalusian women in political relations from the Muslim Conquest in 711 through the fall of Granada in 1492. The interpretations used in historiography pit a traditionalist trend, in which continuity from the pre Islamic past is stressed, against the anti-continuist trend, in which an Oriental culture of the Muslims added the distinctive features of Iberian character today. In order to evaluate the two historiographic approaches, the contributions of seven prominent women are presented and evaluated for their social contexts during the eight centuries of al-Andalus. Comparisons are then made to prominent women in other political contexts within the Arab world in order to evaluate the strength of the two competing historiographic perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]