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The aim of this paper is to identify potential causal relationships between macroeconomic variables and the stock market in Spain. Numerous articles recognize the influence of macroeconomic variables on the stock market and value this knowledge as essential for good investment management. However, there are very few empirical studies that justify the influence of disaggregated macroeconomic variables on the stock market in Spain and vice versa. This article uses the general index of the Madrid Stock Exchange as a proxy variable of the stock market and numerous macroeconomic variables, analyzing monthly data from January 2001 to December 2020 from various published data sources. A descriptive analysis is carried out and a vector autoregressive model (VAR) is applied. Finally, the causality is analyzed identifying the transmission of effects between them. The results confirm the impact of lagged interest rate, monetary aggregate M1 and unemployment rate on the stock market but also identify new features, such as the influence of the stock market on the interest rate, industrial production index, manufacturing activity index and economic sentiment index. This research is useful for Public Administration to detect possible risks in the economy, and it enables investors to better manage their investments. [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]

The wide range of victimization experiences and life conditions of LGBTI individuals (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex), far from being homogeneous, shows a significant geographical variation. Within countries and global regions, but even within provinces and smaller territories, unequal experiences have caught both academic and media attention, providing key concepts and insights. The disparities between European Union member states, for instance, have fuelled comparisons between Western and Eastern countries. Drawing from Spanish survey data on victimization experiences and life conditions of LGBTI individuals, this paper explores how said experiences relate to the respondents' place of residence, within a rural–urban continuum. The chi-squared test of independence and the use of standardized residuals allows us to reject the apparent homogeneity of experiences among LGBTI individuals, as well as to distinguish between the specificities of each participant category along the spatial continuum. This paper argues for a nuanced perspective that prioritizes disparities and inequalities rather than commonalities, while also considering the shared system of oppression that informs said differences. [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]

This study aims to explore the differing online banking adoption in Spanish cities and towns through Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). This paper is the first to unveil such differences between cities and towns. Data was collected from the Centre for Sociological Research and analyzed with PLS-SEM through SmartPLS. The analyzed model comprised perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), and online banking use behaviour (UB) as variables directly associated. Perceived security (PS) was included as a mediator of the effects in UB. Multi-group analysis (MGA) and Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) were implemented. Most of the hypothesised direct and indirect effects were statistically significant and found support for both cities' and towns' populations. PEOU did not present a statistically significant influence over PS. The direct effects expected were found to be different in cities and towns, although differences were minimal. The study makes an outstanding contribution regarding the banking sector's social responsibility, which may be further studied to mirror inclusive practices. It also corroborates the importance of PS as a mediator that influences online banking services use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tapuya: Latin American Science, Technology & Society is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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]

Carefully examining the site map of a firm with a well-developed website can provide both patterns about its corporate strategy– considering all the elements that surround the organization – and a primary source for benchmarking. Our paper's aim is to use this technique: (a) to highlight the key strategic management issues which affect the top large Spanish firms; and (b) to show trends identified amongst such companies during the last ten years. Our methodology consists of a content analysis focused on websites of the Ibex35 companies listed on the Spanish Stock Market. It includes drawing a comparison with these same websites as two photos with a difference of ten years. Rather than carrying out a breakdown of the businesses developed by each corporation, the appropriate approach is the assessment of their respective corporate principles, as this would allow for a better identification of the underlying managerial, organisational and strategic realities of these organisations. The results evidence the high usefulness of this technique when it comes to detecting the most significant strategic management issues faced by the leading large Spanish firms, as well as their evolution over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the first months of 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has driven social distancing measures in many countries, which have made it potentially more attractive to reside in less populated areas. This paper visualizes whether the registered populations in municipalities with fewer than 2000 inhabitants in Spanish regions have changed during 2020 in a different way than previous years. The per cent variation of the rural population is measured, as well as the proportion of the rural population over the total population, in two periods: January 2000-January 2020 and during 2020. The results show an increase in the rural population in 13 of the 17 Spanish regions, and an increase in the proportion in 14 regions during 2020, in contrast to the declining trends prevailing in previous years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the evolution of tax morale in Spain in the post-Franco era. In contrast to the previous tax compliance literature, the current paper investigates tax morale as the dependent variable and attempts to answer what actually shapes tax morale. The analysis uses survey data from two sources: the World Values Survey and the European Values Survey, allowing us to observe tax morale in Spain for the years 1981, 1990, 1995, and 1999/2000. The study of the evolution of tax morale in Spain over nearly a 20-year span is particularly interesting because the political and fiscal system evolved very rapidly during that period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employee-owned firms (EOFs) form part of the so-called social economy, and they are seen as an alternative business model that aims to establish itself as a third way, different to conventional capitalist firms and public enterprises. These firms meet the Spanish legal requirements (Law 44/2015) for employee ownership designation. This paper assesses whether the capital ownership structure is a key factor determining operating performance, productivity and solvency, or in other words, the impact the firm's capital ownership structure may have on its economic performance, labour factor and capital factor. Based on a sample of small employee-owned firms and non-employee owned firms, the study develops an empirical methodology using a panel data analysis. The study shows the characteristics of Spain's EOFs as an alternative legal form of employee share ownership, which is included in the Social Economy, but different from cooperative societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of works proving the possible relationship empirically that Airbnb lodgings could have with crime in Spain is not known. This research analyzes the relationship between Airbnb lodgings and crimes against the properties and people in Barcelona's neighbourhoods. To achieve this, we use an ordinary least squares regression model and a geographically weighted regression model. The results show a significant and positive relationship between the higher density of Airbnb lodgings and the higher crime rates in the neighbourhoods, especially of patrimonial nature. Divided by type of leased space, the Airbnb homes, in which the guest shares a room with other guests, show a higher relationship with crimes against property and people. The results of the local model show a spatial heterogeneity in all variables used, indicating the need to address non-stationary spatial processes that reveal hidden patterns. However, the only variable that shows statistically significant local variability is the total Airbnb lodgings variable. Finally, we discussed some unexpected results, proposing some future lines of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to assist in a better understanding of the real role of patents by examining how Crossley Brothers – the world's main producer of gas engines before the First World War – and its partners (as well as the German inventor Nikolaus Otto) used the patent system to introduce the gas engine into Spain. The evidence suggests that patents were for them mainly an instrument to protect the market for their imported products. It is probable that the know-how transferred to the local agents and the engines imported could somehow enhance the domestic industrial abilities, but the supposed aim of the patent system – creating a local industry – was not achieved. Although the Spanish patent system was not well implemented, this was not the main explanation of this failure; rather it was the weak domestic technological abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is part of a special issue on the relation between war and military enterprises in the long eighteenth century. The focus is on artillery as a military enterprise providing for the needs of the army and the navy. The paper shows the difficulties faced by Spain in producing guns (cast iron and bronze). The structure of ownership of firms, the nature of production systems, and scarcity of funding and technological shortcomings are considered. The state turned to monopolistic practices from the 1760s onwards but this change did not produce significant technological change. Contrary to expectations, wars did not stimulate production in the long run. From the early years of nineteenth century, the sector found itself overwhelmed by military invasion, financial crisis, and the decline of naval demand. Together, these factors caused the collapse of gun production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most striking feature of the current economic situation in Spain is the huge unemployment rate, above 25 percent. From an orthodox perspective, we suggest that this unemployment is the result of a highly inflexible labor market, which needs to be reformed by introducing flexibility measures. The paper argues, however, that labor market reforms introduced since the early 1980s, allowing an excessive use of temporary employment contracts, have had perverse effects on the Spanish economy. They have affected negatively not only aggregate demand and supply, but also income distribution. The emergence of these market reforms helps explain the current rate of unemployment as well as the deep impact of the global financial crisis on overall Spanish economic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The main aim of this research was to explore experiences of care during the lockdown of the first wave of COVID-19 syndemic in Spain Methods: This is a qualitative and explorative study using self-photo-elicitation as a data collection method. Fifteen participants (Twelve women and three men) shared 25 photographs and one video between the June 18 and August, 2020. Participants' photographs and texts were collected online. Data were analysed based on Thematic Analysis. Results: Three emerging categories were constructed: 1) the deconstruction of care: self-care and collective care 2) the crisis of care and gendered care, 2) beyond anthropocentrism: animalism and ecology. Findings indicate the need to understand "care" in terms of social reproduction, including self-care, care towards other humans and non-human animals, and collective care. Also, the need to care for planetary health and to be in contact with nature as a form of self-care and social care. Conclusions: Care in a period of social and health crisis puts human relationships and also non-human life at the centre. Care requires adopting taking an ecological one-health perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hydrological Sciences Journal/Journal des Sciences Hydrologiques is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Hydrological Sciences Journal/Journal des Sciences Hydrologiques is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Hydrological Sciences Journal/Journal des Sciences Hydrologiques is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Hydrological Sciences Journal/Journal des Sciences Hydrologiques is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Spanish canned fruit and vegetable industry has had a strong export orientation since its beginnings at the end of the nineteenth century. A growing foreign demand, the constraints of the domestic market and the need to find outlets for large quantities of fruit and vegetables resulting from the modernisation of farming were behind this intense move towards an international focus. In this paper we seek to show what constituted the bases of the competitive advantage of the Spanish canning industry. Three main conclusions can be drawn from applying the theory of industrial clusters: the absolute advantage of costs (in salaries and in raw materials) obtained from the geographical concentration of the sector, which allowed businesses to offer highly competitive prices; knowledge sharing throughout the history of the industry; and the importance of state help. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Spanish housing boom of the early 2000s has raised enormous attention at an international level. To better understand what is happening in the housing market, the current Spanish boom needs to be put into context. Housing demand, the motor of the boom, was triggered by population growth, employment generation, increase of per capita income, and favorable financial conditions. Supply has reacted in a very flexible manner and 2006 witnessed historic levels in residential construction. Yet this boom seemed to be coming finally to an end in 2007, mainly driven by mortgage rate increases. The aim of this paper is threefold: (1) to identify the determinants of the rise of house prices in the last decade, (2) to discuss the likely future of the housing market, and (3) to build an econometric model of the Spanish housing market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a number of proposals have claimed a decentralization of the collective bargaining structure in Spain. These proposals start from the premise that the current procedures for collective bargaining are inefficient, given the predominance of intermediate-level collective bargaining, leading to persistently bad outcomes in terms of inflation and unemployment. This paper tests the validity of these proposals, analyzing whether, first, the coverage and, second, the collective bargaining structure in Spain are a determinant factor of the rates of unemployment and inflation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to shed light on the ultimate causes of structural unemployment in the Spanish region of Andalusia where it persistently exceeds the already high national average. The origins of modern Andalusia hark back to the Early Modern Age when most Iberian states amalgamated into a single entity. Unlike its northern counterparts, Andalusia was mostly a Muslim country and its incorporation in the Western European world was implemented through forced assimilation. Five centuries after the conquest, the transposition of northern institutions into the South has resulted in a backward region with age-old problems of economic development and unemployment. I have brought together elements such as violence, landownership, trust, and the role of the state, from the point of view of the original institutional economics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a new approach to the concept of green budgeting within the context of green economy to analyse the different factors influencing the lack of consistency on environmental policies in Spain. It appears that structural issues have prevented Spain from becoming a real green economy, and thus from taking the right measures that could lead it into a sustainable growth path. This case study is presented as example of failure to integrate environmental issues in policy-making, with political factors being one of the main variables under analysis. A quantitative analysis on the approach to public environmental budget management during the period prior to the recent economic crisis is conducted at national and regional levels. Some of the findings are consistent with other European countries but some distinctive structural issues are also identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transfer of cattle and sheep from Spain to Mexico during the sixteenth century raises questions about regional evolution and variability of livestock economies in the source area, the regional and socioeconomic roots of the emigrants, and the ecological and economic integration of specific animals, management methods, and related products within New Spain. Such issues of diffusion, cultural adaptation and transformation must be disentangled before interpretation is attempted, and this paper focuses on the Old World antecedents. Traditional nineteenth- century patterns of livestock herding in different regions of the Iberian Peninsula were already established in Roman times and changed but little during the Islamic period. Long-distance sheep transhumance is verified prior to the Christian reconquest and was greatly amplified thereafter. Yet late Medieval Spain was not a great ranching frontier, but an agrosystem in which farming and livestock raising always formed a complementary but interlinked economy. This duality was ex- pressed in different forms of land ownership: cultivated land was intricately subdivided and carried clear title, while pasture zones remained to some degree in the public domain. Sheep raising, both within the mixed, Mediterranean economy and in the form of long-distance transhumance (the Mesta), was broadly familiar throughout Castile and was reflected in similar counterparts on the Mexican plateau. But cattle raising was small-scale and of subordinate importance in Spain, except in the estuarine marshland below Seville. Whereas the early cattle owners in Mexico came from all over Spain, their highly extensive management style appears to derive from the Marismas of Sevilla. This evidence may be explained by the interplay of cattle owners and cattle herders as they adjusted to a new ecology in the tropical lowlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the long-term development of two strategic alliances between major Spanish (RUI and Iberostar) and German (TUI and Neckermann) tourist firms. Our research builds on the literature on foreign direct investment and institutionalism applied to cross-border cooperation, yet using business history research methods. The study aims to understand how the local Spanish context shaped the interaction between foreign and domestic firms and how this interaction influenced the development of the Spanish companies. Our cases suggest that the Spanish institutional framework affected the nature and strength of alliances. Foreign partners were crucial in providing financial and commercial support, brand consolidation, market knowledge and reputation. However, local actors also played an important role as proactive partners eager to develop their domestic business and upgrade their existing capabilities. Ultimately this strategy would contribute to the internationalisation of Spanish firms after 1990. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article distinguishes between attitudes towards extremism and attitudes towards violence and illegal acts. It operationalizes both groups of attitudes based on the proposed scales by Ozer and Bertelsen (2018), which are validated for the Spanish case. The combination of the two sets of attitudes favours the use of violence to pursue radical ideological, religious, or political views. The literature on the subject is reviewed, and the results of an exploratory study based on a questionnaire administered to adolescents attending 4 schools in Almería and 1 in Madrid (n = 1170), carried out in May 2022, are presented. The results of two multiple regressions on the indices of extremism and pro-violent and illegal acts, allow us to conclude that the boys, the youngest, of foreign parents, of mothers with a low educational level, right-wing, those who most frequently attend religious centres, show more extremism, and pro-violence and illegal acts attitudes. Those who believe that there is discrimination against LGTBI+ people are more extremist but not more pro-violence. Finally, those who belong to poor families, use many social networks a day, and have suffered physical violence show more pro-violence attitudes and illegal acts, but not more extremism. These results suggest that it is necessary to prioritize transforming violent extremism, especially among the most vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of population changes across space and time of cohorts at different life stages is relevant for regional planning, but it is often not taken into account. We focus on a case study along the urban-rural gradient of continental Spain from 2002 to 2017 at a municipal scale. Making use of longitudinal data from the municipal registers, we studied changes in total population and three birth cohorts: the cohort joining the workforce, the cohort at a mature working age and the cohort reaching retirement during the study period. The results showed key spatiotemporal population variations. The absolute population increased in 36% of the municipalities, but at least one of the study cohorts showed an increase in 75% of the municipalities. While the cohort joining workforce tended to concentrate in urban and suburban areas, the retiring cohort tended to move to small suburban and rural municipalities. In the next decades the retirement of large birth cohorts in Spain will be a relevant issue for planning. This methodological approach allows us to understand life cycle residential movements across urban, suburban and rural areas and better enables spatial planning decisions. The method can be applied to other study areas at different spatial and temporal scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfemoral access (TFA) is the primary access approach for neurointerventional procedures. Transradial access (TRA) is established in cardiology due to its lower complications, yet, it is at its early stages in neuroprocedures. This study performs an early exploration of the economic impact associated with the introduction of TRA in diagnostic and therapeutic neuroprocedures from the Spanish NHS perspective. An economic model was developed to estimate the cost and clinical implications of using TRA compared to TFA. Costs considered access-related, complications and recovery time costs obtained from local databases and experts' inputs. Clinical inputs were sourced from the literature. A panel of eight experts from different Spanish hospitals, validated or adjusted the values based on local experience. Hypothetical cohorts of 10,000 and 1000 patients were considered for diagnostic and therapeutic neuroprocedures respectively. Deterministic sensitivity analysis was performed. TRA in diagnostic procedures was associated with lower costs with savings ranging between €486 and €157 depending on the TFA recovery time considered. TRA is estimated to lead to 158 fewer access-site complications. In therapeutic procedures, TRA resulted in 76.4 fewer complications and was estimated to be cost-neutral with an incremental cost of €21.56 per patient despite recovery times were not included for this group. Variation of the parameters in the sensitivity analysis did not change the direction of the results. Clinical data was obtained from literature validated by experts therefore results generalizability is limited. In therapeutic neuroprocedures, there is an experience imbalance between approaches and recovery times were not included hence the total impact is not fully captured. The early economic model suggests that implementing TRA is associated with reduced costs and complications in diagnostic procedures. In therapeutic procedures, TRA lead to fewer complications and it is estimated to be cost-neutral, however its full potential still needs to be quantified. [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]

Symptomatic therapy of multiple sclerosis (MS) is an important part of a comprehensive treatment plan that aims to improve patients' quality of life. In the current era of medical progress, several factors have led to the development of guidelines for MS management. There is continued need for an evidence-based approach supported by high-quality data from controlled clinical trials. Most healthcare systems require this approach and include it in the reimbursement process. Guidelines are usually committed by national or continental neurological societies. The Spanish Society of Neurology demyelinating diseases working group has developed a consensus document on spasticity in patients with MS. MS experts from the group used the metaplan method to sum up the most important recommendations about spasticity for inclusion in the guidance. Recommendations were classified according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network system and approved by all members of the group. In Germany, the guideline panel of the German Neurological Society endorsed the national competence network for multiple sclerosis (Krankheitsbezogenes Kompetenznetz Multiple Sklerose) to update the existing recommendations. The most recent fifth edition of the guidelines (dated April 2012) now also includes recommendations for treatment of key symptoms such as spasticity. More than 30 MS neurologists contributed to the new edition reflecting the need for broad expertise. After a first round in which key topics were defined, a web-based decision process was undertaken to further develop individual topics such as symptomatic therapy. The draft manuscript was reviewed once again by the group prior to submission to the official review process. The aims of spasticity treatment are to improve mobility and dexterity, achieve physiological movement patterns, reduce pain, facilitate nursing measures and avoid complications such as contractures. Representative antispasticity medications include baclofen, tizanidine, gabapentin, dantrolene, tolperisone, benzodiazepines and Sativex® oromucosal spray. Botulinum toxin and intrathecal baclofen may also be required in selected cases. Plans are currently in motion to develop next-level European guidelines through a concerted approach coordinated by the European Federation of Neurological Societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

History can represent an effective marketing resource because it can establish an emotional relationship with consumers. This article examines trademark applications in order to show how Spanish companies used the past in their branding strategy during the twentieth century. The article analyses which historical themes were used the most, over which periods, for what types of products and services and according to which Spanish regions. The study indicates that this commercial use of the past was closely linked to the spread of Spanish nationalism. Brands try to connect emotionally with consumers by evoking historical national myths and, therefore, their use increased during the periods of intensive nationalist expression. [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]

Throughout most of the sixteenth century, and despite objections from experienced navigators, cosmographers in Spain had been trying to introduce new methods of celestial navigation in an attempt to change navigation from a craft to an applied science. At the end of the century, a Portuguese-educated cosmographer, Andrés García de Céspedes, approached the issue of navigational techniques from a different perspective. He argued that charts should be adapted to the navigation methods preferred by pilots and that their reports could still provide reliable data about the location of places, so long as both reports and charts were properly interpreted. Driven more by the desire to validate Spanish territorial claims overseas than by navigational reform, he published a book explaining and justifying the charts used by the pilots and convinced a committee of expert cosmographers to approve the charts. In this paper, I show how the arguments chosen by García de Céspedes indicate the importance of boundaries and coordinate location to discussions of navigational methods and nautical cartography, even as Spanish cosmographers continued to debate the role of theoretical knowledge in the practice of navigation and cartography. Pendant la majeure partie du XVIe siècle, les cosmographes se sont efforcés, en Espagne, d'introduire progressivement les méthodes de navigation astronomique, essayant de faire passer la navigation de l'artisanat à la science appliquée malgré les objections des navigateurs expérimentés. A la fin du siècle, un cosmographe formé au Portugal, Andrés García de Céspedes, aborda le problème des techniques de navigation d'un point de vue différent. Il affirma que les cartes nautiques devaient être adaptées aux méthodes de navigation utilisées de préférence par les pilotes, et que leurs rapports pouvaient toujours fournir des informations valables sur la position des lieux, pourvu qu'ils soient, ainsi que les cartes, correctement interprétés. Plus soucieux de légitimer les revendications territoriales espagnoles outre-mer que de tenter de réformer la navigation, il publia un livre expliquant et justifiant les cartes utilisées par les pilotes et persuada un comité d'experts cosmographes d'approuver ces cartes nautiques. Dans cet article, j'explique en quoi les arguments retenus par García de Céspedes montrent l'importance des frontières et des localisations astronomiques dans les discussions sur les méthodes de navigation et la cartographie nautique, quand bien même les cosmographes espagnols continuaient à débattre du rôle de la connaissance théorique dans la pratique de la navigation et de la cartographie. Den größten Teil des 16. Jahrhunderts bemühten sich Kosmographen in Spanien um die Einführung von Methoden astronomischer Ortsbestimmungen in die Praxis der Navigation, um diese--gegen den Widerstand erfahrener Seefahrer--von einem Handwerk zu einer angewandten Wissenschaft zu entwickeln. Einen anderen Ansatz in Bezug auf die Frage der Navigationstechniken verfolgte zum Ende des Jahrhunderts Andrés García de Céspedes, ein in Portugal ausgebildeter Kosmograph. Er verlangte, dass die Seekarten den von den Steuerleuten (Piloten) bevorzugten Verfahren angepasst werden sollten und behauptete, dass deren Berichte durchaus verlässliche Daten zur Lokalisierung von Orten liefern könnten, wenn sie nur zusammen mit den Karten richtig interpretiert würden. Eher vom Verlangen getrieben, die spanischen Gebietsansprüche in Übersee zu belegen, als eine Reform der Navigation durchzuführen, publizierte er ein Buch, in dem er die von den Steuerleuten verwendeten Karten erklärte und rechtfertigte. Er überzeugte ein Komitee von Experten auf dem Gebiet der Kosmographie so weit, dass sie die Seekarten akzeptierten. Anhand der Argumentationsweise des García de Céspedes zeigt die Autorin die Bedeutung der Einzeichnung von Grenzen und von über Koordinaten bestimmten Orten in der Auseinandersetzung um Navigationstechniken und der Herstellung von Seekarten, während die spanischen Kosmographen an einer Diskussion der Rolle theoretischer Kenntnisse für die angewandte Navigation und Kartographie festhielten. En el siglo XVI los cosmógrafos españoles de la Casa de la Contratación intentaron mejorar los métodos de navegación astronómica y trataron de cambiar los métodos tradicionales de los pilotos por otros más científicos, a pesar de las objeciones de estos. Al final del siglo, el cosmógrafo portugués Andrés García de Céspedes, enfocó la cuestión de las técnicas de navegación desde una perspectiva diferente. Argumentó que las cartas naúticas debían adaptarse a los métodos de navegación tradicionales de los pilotos, y que sus derroteros podían proporcionar importante información sobre la situación de lugares geográficos, siempre que ambos, derroteros y cartas, fueran interpretados correctamente. Movido por el deseo de apoyar las reclamaciones territoriales españolas, más que por reformar la navegación, publicó Céspedes un libro para explicar y justificar las cartas usadas por los pilotos y para convencer al comité de expertos cosmógrafos de que aprobasen dichas cartas. En el artículo se muestra como los argumentos elegidos por García de Céspedes indican la importancia que tenía el trazado de fronteras y su acertada posición geográfica en las discusiones de los cosmógrafos españoles sobre métodos de navegación y cartografia náutica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-nature connectedness is key to foster environmental and socio-cultural sustainability in agricultural landscapes since it promotes the establishment of belonging, stewardship, and connections to nature. Cooperation, collective action, and the role of women at sustainable agroecological practices could be leverage points in which small interventions may hold great potential for system transformation. We analyse the different types of human-nature connectedness mediated by the Agrolab participatory collective farming initiative running in Madrid (Spain). Our results described and quantified a participatory collective farming initiative using the leverage point perspective, and identified factors explaining nature relatedness of participants (i.e. social importance of agricultural landscapes, linkages with farming activities, time spent outdoors, gender and a negative relationship with the rural residence). We found that women showed a stronger and broader worldview on the philosophical arguments about their connection with nature, while men identified themselves and nature through more cognitive responses. Our results give indication of participatory collecting farming as a leverage point to foster human-nature connectedness. Finally, we discussed how participatory collective farming activities are suitable for introducing nature into people's daily lives and may help to identify pathways towards a stronger human-nature connectedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the development of Spanish capitalism under Franco's dictatorship (1939–1975) through the interaction between two major actors: the book publishing industry, a fast growing and internationally minded sector, and the Spanish Government. We argue that Spanish publishers, by defending their interests and redefining their strategies in an extremely restrictive and vulnerable environment, strengthened their coordinating capacities while shaping Spain's economic institutions. The main conclusion of this empirical study is that engaged and/or legitimacy seeking actors can effectively contribute to change the rules of the economic game. We contend that this ability of entrepreneurial actors to shape the rules over time needs to be better integrated into the VOC theoretical framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyse the relationship between tourist growth in urban destinations and certain transformations apparent in main recipient cities. Particular attention is paid to the impact of tourism on housing in popular tourist destinations, and on the people who live there. We focus on the case of San Sebastian, in Spain, which is a major tourist destination and, together with Dubrovnik, Venice, Barcelona and Amsterdam, is one of the European cities which has seen a growing concern over mass tourism. Firstly, this study seeks to analyse different research approaches conducted over recent years on the complex relationship between tourism and the rental-housing sector. Secondly, the study examines whether the increase in the intensity of use of the Airbnb platform is related to the price asked when renting a property long-term. The analysis conducted shows that a one standard deviation increase in Airbnb intensity is associated with an increase of 7.3% in rental prices. Our suggestions for urban planners and managers in charge of urban tourist destinations are for greater regulation of tourist accommodation in line with long-term house rentals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the role of commercial and technological alliances with Japanese firms in the internationalisation of Spanish healthcare corporations between the 1960s and the 1980s. These alliances taught the local partners to operate in global healthcare markets, particularly in legal, organisational, and financial terms. Firms like Almirall, Hubber, and Grifols benefitted from Japanese knowledge transfer to enter Asian and American healthcare markets. The case of Grifols, for which more archival sources are available, is the focus of the article, and demonstrates that alliances with Western subsidiaries of the Japanese Green Cross Corporation played an instrumental role in teaching the managers and technical staff of the Spanish healthcare firm to go beyond their previous exports and undertake foreign direct investments in the US health market. The study suggests a future research agenda to explore more about East–West alliances in the internationalisation of peripheral economies of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the evolution of the machine-tool industry in Spain between 1960 and 2015, its international competitiveness and its adaptability to the changes that have taken place in this industry worldwide as regards markets, technology and competitors. Drawing on the theoretical literature on the resilience of regions, cities and production systems, the article offers an exploratory analysis of the three main factors that account for the resilience of this industry in Spain: business size, flexibility and production specialisation; absorptive and innovative capacity; and geographical concentration in a region with an ecosystem that is highly supportive of skilled human capital training and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to the widespread view which posits that large current account deficits and net international debt were at the epicenter of the crisis in the Euro Zone, with diverging competitiveness playing a central role, this article points to the huge volume of bank credit that banks refinanced in international markets. With a focus on the Spanish economy, we ground our view in an analysis linking gross—not net—capital flows, bank credit, and gross external debt, which provides more adequate information about a country's international financing patterns and its external exposure. The main conclusion of this article is that the principle driver of gross external debt in Spain was bank credit, with accumulated current account deficits accounting for less than 50 percent of gross external debt. Other consequences in keeping with this view are: the measures of economic policy required to sort out current account imbalances—particularly wage devaluation to improve competitiveness—may do more harm than good and they do not prevent the problem of too much bank credit from occurring again, and the residence of debt holders in the Euro Zone crisis is relevant for the understanding of the crisis as the result of a power imbalance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incentives banks face, such as the Basel Capital Accords, motivate them to favor lending with collateralized assets, rather than lending to Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs), with associated profound economic consequences for society. Since the 1970s there has not been any direct oversight of whether or not credit contributes to GDP. We need a macroeconomic policy tool that can discriminate among different categories of credit extended to curb speculation in existing assets (non-GDP) and promote new business investment (GDP). Government money creation and private credit growth are often presumed the only two ways to enhance nominal demand, yet the Swiss Economic Circle (Wirtschaftsring-Genossenschaft or WIR) is a Swiss Bank whose creation of purchasing power for SMEs has counter-cyclically stabilized the Swiss economy for over 80 years. The Financial Stability Board (FSB) should create localized credit-creation architectures utilizing a Swiss-WIR type currency to funnel credit that reflects systemic and macroeconomic risks that individually will never be rational for banks left to themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is implemented unevenly in the Spanish tourism industry. The hotel infrastructure of the country is not an exception. This study analyses the environmental, social and economic dimensions of initiatives with respect to the hotel offer which consumers living in Spain appreciate and value more based on their gender. Empirical analysis is approached using a model of structural equations in which the intensity and sign of differences between men and women can be seen. The main results show that aspects related to the environment are the most important for both genders. The dimensions in which differences are defined are the economic, more valued by men; and social, more valued by women. The document provides relevant information, filling a knowledge gap in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Models of human-caused ignition probability are typically developed from static or structural points of view. This research analyzes the intra-annual dimension of fire occurrence and fire-triggering factors in NE Spain and moves forward towards more accurate predictions. Applying the Maximum Entropy algorithm (MaxEnt) and using wildfire data (2008–2011) and GIS and remote sensing data for the explanatory variables, we construct eight occurrence data scenarios by splitting wildfire records into the four seasons and then separating each season into working and non-working days. We assess model accuracy using a cross-validation k-fold procedure and an operational validation with 2012 data. Results report a substantial contribution of accessibility across models, often coupled with Land Surface Temperature. In addition, we observe great temporal variability, with WAI strongly influencing winter models, whereas distance to roads stands out during working days. Model performances stand consistently above 0.8 AUC in all temporal scenarios, with outstanding predictive effectiveness during summer months. The comparison among static-to-dynamic approaches reveals superior performance of simulations considering temporal scenarios, with AUC values from 0.7 to 0.85. Overall, we believe our approach is reliable enough to derive dynamic predictions of human-caused fire occurrence. Wildfires exhibit differential spatial patterns at seasonal and daily levels. Accessibility by road and human pressure on wildlands govern ignition probability. Dynamic modelling through temporal scenarios enhances prediction. Winter fires display a stronger relationship to agricultural activities (WAI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the economic and environmental impacts that have arisen from the adoption and use of genetically modified (GM) insect resistant (IR) maize in Spain and Portugal in the 21 years since first planted in Spain in 1998. A total of 1.65 million hectares have been planted to maize containing these traits since 1998, with farmers benefiting from an increase in income of €285.4 million. For every extra €1 spent on this seed relative to conventional seed, farmers have gained an additional €4.95 in extra income. These income gains have mostly arisen from higher yields (+11.5% across the two countries using the technology). The seed technology has reduced insecticide spraying by 678,000 kg of active ingredient (−37%) and, as a result, decreased the environmental impact associated with herbicide and insecticide use on these crops (as measured by the indicator, the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ)) by 21%. The technology has also facilitated cuts in fuel use, resulting in a reduction in the release of greenhouse gas emissions from the GM IR maize cropping area and contributed to saving scarce water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the influence of early exposure to advanced markets of the United States and Germany in the growth and internationalization of health care firms from Spain, a late industrialised country. Based on the case studies of the Spanish corporations Grifols and Ferrer, the study shows that early exposure to advanced markets helped them grow in their national markets, and in the world health care industry. It shows further that the specific capabilities developed by both firms were determined by path-dependent networks with scientists and institutions, on the one hand; and strategic alliances, acquisitions and mergers with German and US corporations on the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crisis of welfare states in Europe has offered a growing market share to private health insurance companies. Health insurance is currently one of the fastest growing branches of private insurance business in developed countries. However, much remains to investigate about the origin and evolution of the companies in this sector. This article analyses the genesis, growth and organisational changes of health insurance companies in Spain from the creation of the first medical associations in the 1930s to the modern health insurance companies of today. Spain represents an interesting case study to investigate how changes in the public health model for the long period under study allowed private companies to maintain a changing relationship competitive and partnership with the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total polyphenol content (TPC) of 52 fruits sold in Spain were evaluated by FRAP, ABTS, DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteu. For berries, TAC was 9, 17 and 31 times greater than for oranges, bananas and apples, respectively. Consumption of unpeeled fruit increases TAC and TPC by 2.4 times. Oranges contribute most to TAC and TPC (33% and 32% respectively) in the Spanish diet. Oranges, strawberries, tangerines, grapes and bananas account for 76% of the TAC of fruits consumed in Spain. The consumption of fruit in Spain has remained stable for the last eight years, but falls below WHO recommendations for daily intake. Greater consumption of fruits is recommended, to increase TAC and TPC and to reduce the risk of developing chronic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the major threats for the poultry industry, testing of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has been carried out since 2010 in cases of mortality in wild birds (passive surveillance) in Catalonia. The objective is to provide an early warning system to prevent the infection of poultry. Since 2010, 35 episodes of mortality in wild birds were attributed to NDV infection. Throughout this period there was a progressive expansion of NDV to new areas, with an increase in the episodes of mortality, although it is not clear whether they were the result of the spread of the virus, or of the improvement of the surveillance. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that two distinct sublineages of NDV, 4a and 4b, were circulating in Catalonia. Both sublineages seem to be endemic in the wild bird population, affecting mainly Eurasian-collared doves, with a clear pattern in relation to its spatial distribution (coincident with the distribution of this species), and its temporal distribution (with the majority of cases between September and February). So far, endemicity in wild birds has not resulted in ND outbreaks in poultry. However, there are still many uncertainties about, for example, whether NDV may expand to new areas of Catalonia (with higher poultry density), or about the threat that the apparently more novel sublineage 4a may represent. Hence, efforts should be made so that measures to prevent infection of poultry farms (particularly in high-risk areas and periods) are encouraged, and surveillance is maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this article is to analyse the trajectory of FASA-Renault during the stagflation crisis. In late 1972, the Spanish government enacted the so-called Ford decrees. The intention was to stimulate specialisation in the European arena by inserting the Spanish subsidiaries within the international strategies of large transnational corporations. In doing so, the effects of the economic crisis were compounded by the restructuring of the sector. The goal is to understand how, in the midst of this situation, FASA-Renault was able to increase production and the size of its workforce, ultimately becoming the leading firm in the sector in terms of production and sales in Spain. This is remarkable, due to the fact that labour force participation in Spain fell by nearly 3 million people from 1974 to 1985. The article argues that FASA-Renault, albeit with nuances, kept its commitment to diversification, neither adopting practices inspired by the production systems of the large Japanese manufacturers nor following the model put forward by the US giants based on large-scale production of a single low- to mid-range car for export. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]