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The contemporary university has evolved into a multifaceted institution, serving not only as a hub for research, professional training, and knowledge dissemination, but also as a pivotal component of economic machinery and societal advancement, especially within the context of globalization and intense competition. These institutions are now expected to significantly contribute to the socio-economic development of their surroundings, striving for excellence and competing within an increasingly interconnected global framework. To meet these heightened expectations, universities have undergone profound transformations over recent decades. This period of change is particularly notable within the Spanish context, mirroring the broader societal shifts since the onset of the democratic transition in 1975 through to the present day in 2024. This era has necessitated substantial reforms in university governance, equipping these institutions with the requisite tools to navigate and address emerging challenges effectively. A pivotal moment in this transformative journey was the enactment of the University Reform Law of 1983. Grounded in constitutional principles, this law marked a significant milestone in updating and revitalizing university education in Spain. After this, the Organic Law on Universities of 2001 further aligned the Spanish university framework with the broader European educational landscape, reinforcing the integration and competitiveness of Spanish institutions on a continental scale. However, to comprehensively grasp the magnitude and implications of these changes, it is essential to extend our analysis beyond the immediate past and explore the historical trajectory of Spanish universities over previous centuries. By examining this extensive historical context, we can better understand the foundational elements that have shaped the current state of higher education. This article aims to meticulously analyze the evolution of the Spanish university system, delineating the chronological progress, identifying persistent challenges, and engaging in a critical discourse on potential solutions. Through this examination, the article seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of the interplay between historical legacies and contemporary reforms, offering insights that are essential for shaping the future trajectory of higher education in Spain.

Purpose – Within the framework of EU policies and measures to develop a just and fair green energy transition model. This paper aims to offer valuable insights into a paramount concern not so well debated in the literature, i.e. the spatial variation of energy poverty. Design/methodology/approach – This empirical analysis investigates the regional variation of energy poverty we draw on a sample of more than 300,000 Spanish households, extracted from the Spanish Household Budget Survey (HBS) for the period 2006–2022. To characterize the probability of a household finding itself in a situation of energy poverty the authors use a discrete choice univariate probit model. Findings – The results confirm that energy poverty is a phenomenon that is asymmetrically distributed across Spain, and mainly occurs in un-densely populated regions. In addition, the findings demonstrate that the incidence of energy poverty drivers is highly heterogeneous across regions. Research limitations/implications – The paper ends with some recommendations for policymakers suggesting that countries need to design an energy poverty policy for the households that jointly pursue both a correct identification of vulnerable groups and a match with the type of measure to the characteristics of each region. Originality/value – This study enhances previous research by considering the case of areas at a lower level of aggregation (i.e. on the NUTS two regions in Spain called autonomous communities) and offers the opportunity to tailor policies to those regions most in need. Furthermore, to provide a more realistic picture of the complex phenomenon of energy poverty, the authors use the information for the period 2006–2022 differentiating by economic micro-cycle. This timespan allows the authors to understand the dynamics of energy poverty in periods of economic crisis, including the effects of the 2008 crisis and the present global energy crisis.

Although brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) are directly controlled by the modulation of a select local population of neurons, distributed networks consisting of cortical and subcortical areas have been implicated in learning and maintaining control. Previous work in rodents has demonstrated the involvement of the striatum in BMI learning. However, the prefrontal cortex has been largely ignored when studying motor BMI control despite its role in action planning, action selection, and learning abstract tasks. Here, we compare local field potentials simultaneously recorded from primary motor cortex (M1), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and the caudate nucleus of the striatum (Cd) while nonhuman primates perform a two-dimensional, self-initiated, center-out task under BMI control and manual control. Our results demonstrate the presence of distinct neural representations for BMI and manual control in M1, DLPFC, and Cd. We find that neural activity from DLPFC and M1 best distinguishes control types at the go cue and target acquisition, respectively, while M1 best predicts target-direction at both task events. We also find effective connectivity from DLPFC → M1 throughout both control types and Cd → M1 during BMI control. These results suggest distributed network activity between M1, DLPFC, and Cd during BMI control that is similar yet distinct from manual control.

This study presents the virtual anastilosis of the Baroque dome in the presbytery of Valencia Cathedral, a significant architectural piece demolished two decades ago to reveal Renaissance frescoes. Employing a novel integration of multi-temporal laser scanning data, the research reconstructs the dome’s previous state, showcasing the potential of digital techniques in preserving architectural heritage. Initially, the dome was digitally documented before its removal in 2005, following the discovery of frescoes by Paolo de San Leocadio and Francesco Pagano, hidden behind of it. This documentation utilized phase difference laser scanning, a method that captured the dome’s geometry with high precision. Recently, further scanning of the cathedral’s main chapel was conducted, providing a detailed current state against which the previous model could be aligned and integrated. The methodology involved evaluating and optimizing both sets of data to accurately position the digitally reconstructed Baroque vault within its original context, overcoming challenges such as the absence of normal information in earlier scans. The result is a high-fidelity 3D model of the cathedral’s main chapel, with the Baroque vault accurately reinstated, illustrating the harmony between Baroque and Renaissance elements that was disrupted by the dome’s demolition.This project highlights the critical role of digitized surveying and 3D modelling in architectural heritage preservation, offering insights into the importance of maintaining a digital archive for heritage sites, allowing for virtual reconstructions that honor their historical integrity and complexity.DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.32.2024.14

l-glutamate is one of the major neurotransmitters in the central nervous system, directly and indirectly involved in numerous brain functions. In several neurodegenerative diseases, it has been observed that an excess of extracellular glutamate overstimulates glutamate receptors, leading to exacerbated neuronal excitation in a process of excitotoxicity and oxidative damage that promotes neuronal death. A number of l-glutamate transporters have been identified in the membrane of neurons and astrocytes. They are responsible for the reuptake of glutamate released into the synaptic cleft after excitatory neurotransmission concomitantly regulating the extracellular concentration of glutamate, protecting neurons from its excitotoxic action. Among all of them, literature highlights glutamate transporter 1, known as excitatory amino acid transporter type 2 in humans and glutamate transporter type 1 in rodents, also known as solute carrier family 1 member 2. It is the predominant glutamate transporter in the brain and ensures the majority of l-glutamate reuptake. Decreased expression of this transporter along with increased levels of oxidative stress have been observed in several chronic and acute neurodegenerative disorders. For this reason, the use of drugs capable of both increasing the expression of glutamate transporter 1 and mitigating oxidative damage has been proposed as an effective therapeutic strategy for these pathologies. We present in this work an overview of the main drugs displaying such a double effect.

There were 6,491,502 foreign residents living in Spain in January 2024, a number that indicates a significant increase since the beginning of the 21st century. Among this foreign population, the largest communities are Moroccans, Romanians and British, whose mother tongue is not Spanish. According to the results from several studies conducted over the last decades, when these allophone residents use the Spanish healthcare services, they frequently ask their children to help them communicate with healthcare providers through linguistic and cultural mediation, even when professional interpreting or mediation services are available. How did these children feel while mediating for their parents in this context? Did they have any negative experiences? We intend to provide answers to these questions through semi-structured individual interviews with adults who had mediated for their parents in healthcare settings in Spain when they were children or young adults. These answers contribute to a clear understanding of the consequences of language brokering, thus promoting the use of professional interpreting and mediation services in these settings.

Introduction: This article analyses the impact of an intercultural learning intervention in a Spanish university post-European Higher Education Area implementation. Objective: Our research's main objective consisted of measuring the development of intercultural competence in the first cohort of a Translation and Intercultural Communication bachelor's degree in a Spanish university, before and after taking specific courses in intercultural studies and spending a study abroad semester. Methodology: A mixed methodology was implemented, in which the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) was used as a measuring instrument. Additionally, in-depth personal interviews were conducted to complement the data obtained. Results: The results of this study show that the programming and sequencing of specific courses, together with experiences abroad, contribute to the development of intercultural competence. Conclusions: More intercultural learning interventions are needed in higher education courses to develop and build an intercultural campus and educate global citizens. When applying intercultural learning interventions and intercultural methodologies, students develop their intercultural competence, a key competence for 21st-century graduates.

This study introduces a novel surrogate safety indicator, the ‘effective radius’, and a dynamic tracking methodology for assessing the safety of micromobility (MM) users on isolated bike lane curves, with a focus on geometric characteristics. The methodology involves six main pillars, including site selection, geometric data collection, video recording, speed and position extraction, visualization, and analysis. Naturalistic video data of bike lane users are captured to observe user behavior, and specific points along the curve centerline are identified for monitoring lateral position and speed on a selected curve site in Valencia, Spain. The analysis centers on a bidirectional bike lane featuring a sharp horizontal curve, incorporating the effective radius criteria to evaluate MM users' responses to geometry and environmental conditions. Findings reveal significant variation in effective radius, especially during left turns, primarily due to the geometry factor and the lane's positioning outside the curve. Lateral displacement heat maps indicate that left-turn users often have higher tendencies to violate dedicated lanes, posing collision risks. The speed analysis underscores potential conflicts and reduced handling capabilities for users breaching lane boundaries. The imperative need for well-informed design and safety measures in micromobility infrastructure is emphasized, considering the impact of geometric factors on user behavior and safety.

Objective Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is characterised by widespread pain and is associated with mood disorders such as depression as well as poor sleep quality. These in turn have been linked to increased risk of suicidal ideation. Clinical guidelines generally do not recommended opioids in FMS, but they are routinely prescribed to a considerable proportion of FMS patients. We assessed the association of long-term opioid prescription for FMS with risk of depression, sleep disorders and suicidal ideation, when compared with short-term opioid use.Methods Retrospective cohort study combing several population-wide databases covering a population of five million inhabitants, including all adults who received an initial opioid prescription from 2014 to 2018 specifically prescribed for FMS. We examined the occurrence of depression, sleep disorders or suicidal ideation outcomes in patients with an initial long-term opioid prescription (>90 days) versus those who received a short-term treatment (

Heat pumps can have soft faults that cause them to keep operating but not as efficiently as they should. Detecting them is essential for proper maintenance. Nowadays, heat pumps usually include as expansion device electronic expansion valves (EEV), which generally control the superheat (SH) at the outlet of the evaporator. When soft faults occur, such as an undercharge or liquid line restrictions, the EEV opens to continue controlling the SH but becomes fully open at some point. Therefore, its behavior becomes a fixed orifice, and it can no longer continue to control. This study models the performance of the EEV for different conditions in heat pumps under soft faults, and it is validated with an experimental campaign in which the EEV opening is measured at different operating conditions and refrigerant charge levels. The evolution of the main system variables affected by the imposed fault levels of undercharge, overcharge, and liquid line restrictions are also analyzed.

Objetivos: analizar en qué medida el tercer procedimiento de estabilización se alinea con los principios constitucionales que regulan el acceso a la función pública en España. Metodología: se realiza un análisis de las causas que han llevado a la precarización del empleo temporal en el sector público, complementado con un estudio crítico de la normativa aplicable y la jurisprudencia pertinente. Resultados: el estudio revela que la estructura del tercer procedimiento de estabilización presenta conflictos significativos con los principios de igualdad, mérito y capacidad, fundamentales en el acceso a la función pública. Conclusiones: se recomienda una reforma integral del régimen jurídico del personal temporal y la implementación de una política de planificación más coherente, con el objetivo de asegurar el pleno cumplimiento de los principios constitucionales y fomentar una estabilidad laboral efectiva en el ámbito público.