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Abstract: Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.) is a serious weed capable of piercing polyethylene (PE) plastic mulch used in horticulture. A biodegradable plastic, PE and four different papers were tested for 2 years in fields highly-infested with C. rotundus in Zaragoza (Spain). All four papers were able to withstand all weed species. C. rotundus plants penetrated the biodegradable plastic mulch most, possibly because this material had least resistance to slow perforation. Differences in weed biomass between mulching materials were lower because of small size and weight of C. rotundus. Therefore all mulching treatments had a similar impact on weed biomass reduction 63 days after transplanting; biodegradable plastic had most biomass and papers the least, the differences being significant some years, only. Tomato yield was very similar for all mulching treatments and significantly higher than in the non-mulched plots. No effect of treatment was observed on fruit quality parameters. Commercial paper used as mulch without special additives can satisfactory control C. rotundus in processing tomato provided that climate is appropriate to maintain the paper dry during most of the time. Also the crop needs to cover the soil fast enough before the buried part of the mulch degrades allowing wind to lift and tear the mulch. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article reports that Zaragoza, Spain-based Saica reached a world speed record on PM 9, a paper machine from Voith Paper Inc. The machine remains the fastest and most efficient packaging paper machine for corrugating medium at 75 gsm basis weight. It had set production and speed records in September 2004, February 2005 and September 2005. A maximum speed of 1530 m/min was reached by the machine on January 27, 2006.

Copyright of Pasado y Memoria. Revista de Historia Contemporánea is the property of Pasado y Memoria 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.)

In order to democratize the preventive conservation of most listed buildings, we need to have an affordable tool that allows controlling their main vital signs. Complex and costly control installations, such as large digital data collection campaigns or 3D laser scanning, are not always possible. Methods for analogue data collection, such as comparators and callipers, are much more affordable and discreet but require the use of auxiliary lifting platforms for both installation and reading and control, hence resulting too invasive. In this paper we study techniques for digital indoor monitoring of cracks of listed masonry buildings. 2D image-based crack monitoring technique was found to be sufficient, affordable, traceable, and respectful with the use of the building. To verify its effectiveness, we performed laboratory tests and implement it in a real case study, a church in Zaragoza, Spain, currently undergoing a reparation process. The obtained results show that the proposed 2D image-based inspection technique provides measurements closer to the comparator, used as a reference, than the calliper, with a mean difference of 0.15 mm with respect to the reference, and a standard deviation of 0.17 mm, and its use can be up to 56% cheaper than the comparator. Therefore, the technique is easily generalizable to different heritage buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the field performance of two cup anemometers installed in Zaragoza (Spain). Data acquired over almost three years, from January 2015 to December 2017, were analyzed. The effect of the different variables (wind speed, temperature, harmonics, wind speed variations, etc.) on two cup anemometers was studied. Data analysis was performed with ROOT, an open-source scientific software toolkit developed by CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire) for the study of particle physics. The effects of temperature, wind speed, and wind dispersion (as a first approximation to atmospheric turbulence) on the first and third harmonics of the anemometers' rotation speed (i.e., the anemometers' output signature) were studied together with their evolution throughout the measurement period. The results are consistent with previous studies on the influence of velocity, turbulence, and temperature on the anemometer performance. Although more research is needed to assess the effect of the anemometer wear and tear degradation on the harmonic response of the rotor's angular speed, the results show the impact of a recalibration on the performance of an anemometer by comparing this performance with that of a second anemometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of immigrant integration outcomes generally occur at the national scale and, to a lesser extent, at the urban scale. This paper argues that immigrant integration outcomes should be measured at other scales in order to better understand how the process of integration is affected by where people live. It uses existing large‐scale data sets for the Republic of Ireland to show differences in integration outcomes, measured using the Zaragoza indicators, for three of the country's eight NUTS 3 regions. The analysis shows that there are marked differences in immigrant integration outcomes across regions and highlights the different regional barriers to and enablers of integration. The paper concludes that geographers should advocate for a more nuanced understanding of immigrant integration as a spatialized process and should insist on the importance of making relevant data available at a range of spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the incompatibility of health and democratization policy goals in the promotion of sport and physical activity. Empirically the paper is based on a comparison of two population surveys (2009 and 2015) of behaviours and attitudes within a single city. Theoretically the paper extends previous explanations that have attributed changes in sports participation to differentiation and individualization by drawing on the works of Elias and Bourdieu in relation to social classes and embodied behaviour. The data reveal the changing social structure of participation, the relative popularity of different types of sport and peoples' attitudes towards being physically active. Specifically, the paper demonstrates that while sports participation has increased overall, the participation patterns of different social groups have become increasingly differentiated. It further argues that while the increase in health-oriented sports participation is partly driven by citizens' desires to self-regulate the body, the goals of democratizing sports participation are less likely to be achieved. In conclusion we suggest that while sports participation aligns closely with broader trends towards bodily and health self-management, health has concomitantly become an increasingly important marker of social stratification which thus counteracts the movement towards the democratization of sports participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana de Estudios de Desarrollo is the property of Revista Iberoamericana de Estudios de Desarrollo 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.)

Featured Application: A software tool for helping doctors in the automatic scheduling of elective patients is proposed. The tool has been developed considering the organizational structure of Spanish hospitals. However, it may be easily extended to any hospital (public or private) working under operation room block booking criterion. The operation room (OR) is one of the most expensive material resources in hospitals. Additionally, the demand for surgical service is increasing due to the aging population, while the number of surgical interventions performed is stagnated because of budget reasons. In this context, the importance of improving the efficiency of the surgical service is accentuated. The main objective of this work is to propose and to evaluate a Decision Support System (DSS) for helping medical staff in the automatic scheduling of elective patients, improving the efficiency of medical teams' work. First, the scheduling criteria are fixed and then the scheduling problem of elective patients is approached by a mathematical programming model. A heuristic algorithm is proposed and included in the DSS. Moreover, other different features are implemented in a software tool with a friendly user interface, called CIPLAN. Considering realistic data, a simulation comparison of the scheduling obtained using the approach presented in this paper and other similar approaches in the bibliography is shown and analyzed. On the other hand, a case study considering real data provided by the Orthopedic Surgical Department (OSD) of the "Lozano Blesa" hospital in Zaragoza (HCU) is proposed. The simulation results show that the approach presented here obtains similar occupation rates and similar confidence levels of not exceeding the available time than approaches in the bibliography. However, from the point of view of respecting the order of the patients in the waiting list, the approach in this paper obtains scheduling much more ordered. In the case of the Orthopedic Surgical Department of the "Lozano Blesa" hospital in Zaragoza, the occupation rate may be increased by 2.83%, which represents a saving of 110,000 euros per year. Moreover, medical doctors (who use this tool) consider CIPLAN as an intuitive, rapid and efficient software solution that can make easier the corresponding task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This arts-based inquiry research approach investigates learners' situated knowledge, experiences, and implicit theories based on previously gathered empirical and interpretive data. In this article, we discuss the use of experiential workshops to create a "third space" or "incubation" space as a way of facilitating effective learning environments. The "third space" is placed at the core of the higher educational curriculum to foster creativity, reflection, and critical thinking. The experience fosters transformative ways of thinking for both the teacher and student, leading to more engaging, meaningful, and contemplative interactions. To understand how creativity and reflective practice is fostered in adult learners, the experiential workshops scaffold (systematically structuring experience and knowledge) and embeds rituals, such as rhythmic breathing, into traditional Fresco molds through frottage (rubbing technique) into the learning environment of the "third space." The framework is conceptualized as participants' inward journeys "moving" through (in and out of) levels of creativity through action and reflection. Workshops were presented in Zaragoza and Valencia, Spain; and Athens, Greece, integrating traditional symbolic artifacts from classical Spanish and Greek, and Australian Indigenous mythologies to extend modes of expression through playful relaxation. Participants experimented with the different ways color and pattern can heighten self-awareness, reflection, and praxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a survey of 1,500 households in Zaragoza (Spain), we found that respondents did not accurately know what the price of water was, and what the characteristics of the water tariff were, how much water they consumed, or how much it cost them; they thought they consumed less water than they actually did, and thought that their consumption level was normal; they believed they paid more than they really did, and considered the payments to be appropriate or expensive. Based on this sample of households, this paper analyses what determines the level of accuracy in the perception of consumers about their water tariff, their water consumption, and their total water cost, or, in other words, what determines the closeness between their perception and reality. The methodology applied is based on maximum likelihood estimates using various probit/logit models. The results obtained allow to identify the collectives to whom an information policy should be directed in order to approximate their perceptions closer to the real tariff, consumption and cost of water in households, and to point out the kind of information that should be transmitted in order to contribute to the preservation of water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hype of Large Language Models manifests in disruptions, expectations or concerns in scientific communities that have focused for a long time on design-oriented research. The current experiences with Large Language Models and associated products (e.g. ChatGPT) lead to diverse positions regarding the foreseeable evolution of such products from the point of view of scholars who have been working with designed abstractions for most of their careers - typically relying on deterministic design decisions to ensure systems and automation reliability. Such expectations are collected in this paper in relation to a flavor of systems engineering that relies on explicit knowledge structures, introduced here as "semantics-driven systems engineering". The paper was motivated by the panel discussion that took place at CAiSE 2023 in Zaragoza, Spain, during the workshop on Knowledge Graphs for Semantics-driven Systems Engineering (KG4SDSE). The workshop brought together Conceptual Modeling researchers with an interest in specific applications of Knowledge Graphs and the semantic enrichment benefits they can bring to systems engineering. The panel context and consensus are summarized at the end of the paper, preceded by a proposed research agenda considering the expressed positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of RILCE. Revista de Filología Hispánica is the property of Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Navarra, S.A. 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 Arte, Individuo y Sociedad is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid 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 presents selected contributions from the 6th Meeting on Game Theory and Practice Dedicated to Development, Natural Resources and the Environment that was held in Zaragoza (Spain) from 10 to 12 of July 2006. The dramatic increase in the application and use of game theory models for policy making in natural resources and the environment justifies the attention that is devoted to such topics. We provide examples for such applications, underlying the role they played. The contributions of the papers in this special section and the links between them are presented, together with a short synthesis of the range of contributions that are worth mentioning and would support policy making in fishery, water, and environmental regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1957, Ángel Vega published two fragments of an apparent homily of Gregory of Elvira on Ecclesiastes (CPL 556b) interpolated in Taio of Zaragoza's Excerpta sancti Gregorii (CPL 1269). This paper presents the critical edition of these fragments based on the entirety of the manuscript tradition. Moreover, I provide for first time a study and edition of a commentary on Ecclesiastes which seems to be based, in part, on the very same homily of Gregory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas are increasingly adopting the tool of urban food policies (UFPs) to address food-related challenges, especially for a sustainable transition of their food systems (FS). Indeed, FS were assessed to have a great environmental impact, and cities are recognized as privileged actors to address this challenge. More recently, the problem of justice in such transition was raised. One dimension of vulnerability proven to crosscut all FS stages, and to increase exposure to climate change effects, is gender. However, literature on just food transition and UFPs does not seem to always consider this dimension of potential vulnerability. This paper firstly elaborates on the concept of "just food transition" (JFT), then presents relevant literature on gender differences in FS to argue that interventions aimed at JFT should apply gender mainstreaming. Later, it analyzes twenty relevant cases of UFPs to assess whether they consider gender differences, with the aim of demonstrating that, although theory seems to prove its relevance, a gender mainstreaming approach is still widely lacking from policy practice and rather some policies risk to reinforce existing gender stereotypes related to the FS. The paper ends with conclusions and suggestions for further research. • Gender differences have been proven to exist throughout all stages of the food system. • Just food transition literature tends to overlook implications of gender differences. • A gender mainstreaming approach is widely lacking from urban food policies. • The urban food policies of Zaragoza and Barcelona are innovative in their attention to gender differences in urban matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expected increase of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles has motivated the emergence of a significant number of studies on Hydrogen Refuelling Stations (HRS). Some of the main HRS topics are sizing, location, design optimization, and optimal operation. On-site green HRS, where hydrogen is produced locally from green renewable energy sources, have received special attention due to their contribution to decarbonization. This kind of HRS are complex systems whose hydraulic and electric linked topologies include renewable energy sources, electrolyzers, buffer hydrogen tanks, compressors and batteries, among other components. This paper develops a linear model of a real on-site green HRS that is set to be built in Zaragoza, Spain. This plant can produce hydrogen either from solar energy or from the utility grid and is designed for three different types of services: light-duty and heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles and gas containers. In the literature, there is a lack of online control solutions developed for HRS, even more in the form of optimal online control. Hence, for the HRS operation, a Model Predictive Controller (MPC) is designed to solve a weighted multi-objective online optimization problem taking into account the plant dynamics and constraints as well as the disturbances prediction. Performance is analysed throughout 210 individual month-long simulations and the effect of the multi-objective weighting, prediction horizon, and hydrogen selling price is discussed. With the simulation results, this work shows the suitability of MPC for HRS control and its significant economic advantage compared to the rule-based control solution. In all simulations, the MPC operation fulfils all required services. Moreover, results show that a seven-day prediction horizon can improve profits by 57% relative to a one-day prediction horizon; that the battery is under-sized; or that the MPC operation strategy is more resolutive for low hydrogen selling prices. [Display omitted] • Model Predictive control application for green hydrogen refuelling station. • Linear modelling of green hydrogen refuelling station. • Parameter sensitivity analysis of the multi-objective function. • Prediction horizon sensitivity analysis. • Model Predictive Control performance advantage compared to rule-based control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of OHM: Obradoiro de Historia Moderna is the property of Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Servicio de Publicaciones 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 Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica 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.)

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to highlight the advantages that an intermodal logistics platform may provide to companies integrating a supply chain, both to manufacturers/distributors and to logistics providers. Design/methodology/approach -- This paper introduces a new logistics platform, PLAZA, the largest in Europe, and which was installed in Zaragoza, where some international companies, including Inditex, are established. Findings -- The intermodality and integration provided by an intermodal logistics platform may provide competitive advantages to global supply chains. Research limitations/implications -- This paper is based on a specific case study and, therefore, the conclusions may be only partially generalized to other domains. However, the case results from this example may offer a useful guide to assist managers of global supply chains. Practical implications -- Firms should consider the option of intermodality and the integration of some of the activities of its supply chain in order to decrease transportation costs and lead time, and increase customer service, among other advantages. Originality/value -- The paper provides some practical insights from an intermodal logistics platform and the advantages that may be generated for companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water rates seek at once to fund the service, to distribute the cost among users and to allocate water based on demand. Therefore, rates design is frequently subject to normative criteria such as full cost recovery, efficiency, equity and simplicity. This paper, proposes a method of ensuring the operational effectiveness of the equity criterion. Specifically, the objective is to resolve the problem of equity caused by pricing systems involving stepwise increments in the cost of aggregate household consumption. The problem is that it is more costly to meet basic individual water needs, the larger the household concerned. This paper analyses the water rates applied in the city of Zaragoza (Spain) and proposes a new rates design based on the normative criteria referred to above, which is applicable to any city and, therefore, may be of general interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern cities face pressing problems with transportation systems including, but not limited to, traffic congestion, safety, health, and pollution. To tackle them, public administrations have implemented roadside infrastructures such as cameras and sensors to collect data about environmental and traffic conditions. In the case of traffic sensor data not only the real-time data are essential, but also historical values need to be preserved and published. When real-time and historical data of smart cities become available, everyone can join an evidence-based debate on the city's future evolution. The TRAFAIR (Understanding Traffic Flows to Improve Air Quality) project seeks to understand how traffic affects urban air quality. The project develops a platform to provide real-time and predicted values on air quality in several cities in Europe, encompassing tasks such as the deployment of low-cost air quality sensors, data collection and integration, modeling and prediction, the publication of open data, and the development of applications for end-users and public administrations. This paper explicitly focuses on the modeling and semantic annotation of traffic data. We present the tools and techniques used in the project and validate our strategies for data modeling and its semantic enrichment over two cities: Modena (Italy) and Zaragoza (Spain). An experimental evaluation shows that our approach to publish Linked Data is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Southern Europe numerous areas suffer water scarcity. For public policies to be effective, a thorough study of water users must be conducted. This paper aims to analyse the key factors that influence the decision of industrial users in urban areas when choosing between withdrawing water from underground sources or using water supplied through the public network. Using a database of industrial firms in Zaragoza (Spain) the proportion of water drawn from wells is considered as the dependent variable of a fractional response model. This methodology provides an original contribution to the field of behavioural analysis of the industrial sector, enabling us to model industrial decisions on water sources. The results obtained show that the most significant decision-drivers are how the industries use the water, the firms' location and the accessibility of the different sources. Moreover, the findings indicate that firms use lower proportions of well water during the summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper brings to the fore the possibilities of art as a vehicle for artistic and scientific learning, addressing the concept of light and color, through the work of Ignacio Fortún. The need to introduce future teachers in more globalizing and interdisciplinary methodological approaches for learning and teaching such as STEAM, makes contemporary art a tool of special utility in promoting relationships between areas of Education apparently so distant as Education of art and of the physical and chemical environment within the Faculty of Education of the University of Saragossa. Proposals of this type can be approachable from a multitude of viewpoints thanks to the continuous overflow and tangential relations established in the fields of art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of BSAA Arte is the property of Universidad de Valladolid 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 presents an empirical study to estimate the urban residential water demand in Zaragoza, Spain; this allows the testing of the short-run sensitivity of water demand to changes in a set of socioeconomic variables and especially in prices. A residential water demand model is estimated using a dynamic panel data technique. Furthermore, three water demand equations have been proposed and two alternative process specifications are applied. The empirical application suggests that the linear demand specification is the most adequate. Finally, the results indicate that domestic demands are inelastic with respect to price. This paper was prepared under Project SEJ2005-06069/ECON, financed by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the involvement of women in business during the Late Middle Ages. Our research has focused on the activities undertaken by women living in the most important economic centres of the Crown of Aragon, taking into consideration the contributions made by female historians who have carried out their studies in other areas. The research hypothesis is that mothers and wives took over businesses in critical periods with such efficiencythattheybecaniea threat to the interests of their merchant fathers and husbands. To demonstrate this, unpublished records preserved in the Historical Protocols Archive of Barcelona, the Historical Notarial Protocols Archive of Zaragoza, the Crown of Aragon Archive, and the Archivio di Stato di Prato have been studied together with other published references. Data arising from these files demonstrate that, in the absence of men, women carried out efficiently the management functions of the companies. Wives, widows, and daughters of merchants, were independent women that actively participated ill running the family businesses. The increase in women's involvement was at the root of men's unease and provoked a strong reaction from the male market sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effects of inserting graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as an interlayer between two zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films is studied comprehensively. This kind of sandwich structure offers various advantages over similar structures modified using GQDs. It is obvious that exploiting GQDs properties can thoroughly modify the optical and electrical properties of ZnO thin films. Due to the two Schottky barriers created at the interfaces, low amounts of dark current (about 127 nA) and a high signal to noise ratio (SNR) of 3.52 × 102 is measured for a sandwich structure comprised of ZnO/GQDs/ZnO (ZGZ) layers. Furthermore, the high-speed photodetector, referred in this paper, responded at least 23 times faster compared to pure ZnO (ZZ), resulting in 370 μs and 8.8 ms of response time for ZGZ and ZZ, respectively. The high amounts of responsivity and detectivity achieved by this visible-blind photodetector are other unique features this form of sandwich hybrid structures benefit from. Four orders of magnitudes enhancement in detectivity accomplished by inserting a thin film of GQDs. Unlabelled Image • Obtaining a lower amount of dark current for sandwich structured device • Enhancing SNR at least about two orders of magnitudes. • Recording higher response speed for the device with sandwich structure • Increasing in detectivity of the ZnO/GQD/ZnO device about four orders of magnitudes compared to that of ZnO/ZnO design. • Comprehensive discussion about the effects of using GQDs layer as an interlayer in sandwich structure [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessibility planning is a crucial alternative to mobility planning for reaching sustainable outcomes. Although there is a vast literature on accessibility, less attention is paid to accessibility as a relative concept, i.e., its relationship with the socio-economic characteristic of the population. While accessibility is known to vary by location, it also changes as a consequence of differences in individual willingness to reach destinations by certain transport modes. Using the city of Zaragoza, Spain as a case study, this paper evaluates relative non-motorized accessibility (walking and cycling) to three types of retail activities: daily, weekly, and incidental. First, a clustering process is used to identify four population groups according to their socio-economic characteristics (the young employed; the young unemployed; seniors and adults). Second, distance-decay functions based on time-willingness to reach retail destinations by non-motorized modes are compared between the four clusters of population. Third, relative accessibility maps based on gravity-based models are elaborated, highlighting places that exhibit statistical differences between the population clusters. The results indicate that willingness to reach retail stores on foot by seniors (>65 years old) was significantly different from the rest of groups analyzed, providing additional insights on how relative accessibility measurements can anticipate potential social exclusion risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods are one of the gravest natural hazards for societies, worsened by population growth, unchecked development, and climate change. From a Global Change perspective, past extreme events merit particular interest because they can be linked to wider climate and environmental changes, introduce perturbations. During the last decade, knowledge of long-term flood frequency and magnitude has been improved by extracting data from different types of archive. But, despite advances in dating methods, proxies and statistical techniques and efforts to identify atmospheric drivers, some fundamental questions remain unresolved. The Special Issue entitled "Pluridisciplinary analysis and multi-archive reconstruction of paleofloods" in the journal Global and Planetary Change addresses these uncertainties and complexities by assembling a selection of studies, which were first presented at the Past Climate Changes (PAGES) Open Scientific Meeting held at Zaragoza in 2017. In this introductory paper, the guest editors outline the 17 research contributions and meta-data from the 17 paleoflood studies were systematically analyzed in terms of i) geographical distribution; ii) methodologies applied; iii) types of archives; iii) numbers of flood series compiled and iv) spatial and temporal resolution of paleoflood data. The data indicate that paleoflood studies focused on fluvial depositional environments show a higher rate of integration with other types of paleoflood archive (mean of 4.5 types of archive) than studies focused on documentary sources (mean of 3.5) and lake sediments (mean of 2.4). We suggest that this strategy of archive integration has been adapted to effectively compensate for the higher uncertainties of fluvial deposition in floodplains. Statistical processing of the meta-data shows quantitative associations between specific types of flood archive and offers a solid platform for designing the optimal approach for multi-archive paleoflood research. A qualitative review and visual comparison of the 17 paleoflood series shows some consistent trends and breaks but also notable differences within and between regions. While a trend of increased flooding since 4-5 ka BP is evident, the lack of synchronicity between breaks and the coeval increases and decreases in fluvial activity is manifest. The majority of studies in the Special Issue do denote the 19th century – including the youngest cool climate pulses during the Little Ice Age – as a particularly flood-rich period. It is more difficult to assess the 20th century because of social changes, population growth and extensive river modification. Despite the mentioned uncertainties, 10 of 14 papers do not record the 20th century as an exceptional flood period. Assessing the effects of human impact on paleoflood calendars and disentangling anthropogenic from natural drivers are major challenges in integrated paleoflood analysis. It is concluded that the interpretation of flood series is complex as landscapes and flood drivers are heterogeneous and systems show different sensitivities to flood control and drivers. Thus, the study of past floods, from historical and natural archives, is challenging but also offers unparalleled opportunities to document low-frequency, large-magnitude flood events, which occurred under a broad range of climate and/or environmental scenarios, and, probably, the only way to reconstruct robust paleoflood series. • Guest editor's introduction in the Special Issue (SI) on paleofloods. • Meta-data and factor analysis (FA) of 17 paleoflood studies of the SI. • Conceptual model of multi-archive paleoflood integration. • Trends of paleofloods, natural and human drivers from the early Holocene to present. • Scoop and limitations of multi-archive paleoflood integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper builds upon qualitative research in El Museo del Bucardo - The Bucardo Museum - an exhibition space in the village of Torla, high in the Spanish Pyrenees. The bucardo was declared extinct on 6 January 2000 and rose to international fame three years later when scientists in Zaragoza delivered a bucardo clone; this event is commonly portrayed around the world as 'the first de-extinction'. Taxidermic remains of the last bucardo were absent from public view for years, yet they finally returned to Torla in 2013 following years of campaigning from local activists, and El Museo del Bucardo was founded. I draw upon interviews and archival material to present an environmental history of the bucardo as told through the lens of the museum, one which sets out to 'recover memory' and institutionalize the bucardo's legacy. In the museum, bucardo afterlives continue to shape understandings of situated Pyrenean wildlife. I examine El Museo del Bucardo's role in generating meaning in an epoch characterized by mass extinction and the spectacle of technofixes in the form of de-extinction science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The five tested paper mulches were not pierced by Cyperus rotundus. • Above-soil degradation of the biodegradables mulches was variable within years. • In-soil degradation of the paper mulches was faster than for the plastics. • Similar pepper yield was obtained for all mulched treatments. More than half of the plastic used in Spain for mulching in agriculture is black polyethylene (PE) mulch. It has been widely adopted due to its low price and ease of installation. The mass use of this material entails a number of disadvantages: the cost of removing fragments from fields after use, the difficulty of managing the waste, and deficient weed control of some species such as purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.), which is capable of piercing the film. The objective of this work was thus to find alternative materials in horticultural crops in order to reduce these drawbacks. In the present document, we describe the trials carried out in Zaragoza (Spain) from 2012 to 2015 in pepper with various different biodegradable materials in order to find agronomically viable alternatives to PE. Plots were distributed randomly in four blocks and 6–9 different treatments were studied depending on the year, including an unweeded plot. In total, 11 different mulches were tested: 5 biodegradable plastic films, 5 paper mulches and PE. Weed density, mulch degradation and pepper production were evaluated. Biodegradable plastic films and PE were not good options for purple nutsedge control (mean efficacy of 48 %) and only paper mulches controlled this species effectively, as the leaves were unable to pierce the material. The above-soil part of most mulches was intact 15 days after transplant (DAT) and degradation increased in time in all materials excepting PE. In-soil degradation was generally faster for papers than for biodegradable plastics, except in 2015, when the plastic mulching materials suffered early fractures due to a windy spring with exceptionally high solar radiation. Rapid degradation of some paper mulches occurred before the crop covered the soil, which can be a serious problem in windy areas because the material can be lifted by gusts of wind. Earthing up along the edges of the materials 10–15 days after transplanting would solve this problem. Pepper production was similar for all materials in 2012–14 and the differences found in 2015 cannot be attributed to the mulches but to the irregular crop density due to high mortality of pepper seedlings during that year. The biodegradable mulches tested are thus considered to be technically viable alternatives to PE. Paper mulches are recommended for purple nutsedge infestations, while biodegradable films can be used for annual weed infestations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to model urban distribution vehicle routing problems by means of hubs in large cities. The idea behind the urban distribution center (DC) is to provide buffer points where cargo and packages which are to be delivered to shops and businesses can be stored beforehand. At these centers, there will be other kinds of routing problems corresponding to other fairly similar distribution problems. In this paper, a new vehicle routing model (based on the known Time-Dependent Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows, TDVRPTW) has been carried out and a change in the traditional approach is proposed, by adopting a system in which some customers are served by urban DCs while remaining customers are served by traditional routes. This study is also motivated by recent developments in real time traffic data acquisition systems, as well as national and international policies aimed at reducing concentrations of greenhouse gases emitted by traditional vans. By using k DCs, the whole problem is now composed of k+1 problems: one special VRPTW for each DC in addition to the main problem, in which some customers and k DC are serviced. The model has been tested by simulating one real case of pharmaceutical distribution within the city of Zaragoza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased efforts to improve urban water management are focused on demand side policies, seeking to affect the behavior of users so that a 'reasonable' use of water resources is reached. In this framework the accurate characterization of water demand play a major role in obtaining sufficient knowledge about this behavioral response to changes in price. In this paper we focus on the water demand of the services and industries connected to the public water network. To this end, we carry out an empirical estimation of urban water demand for service and industrial use in Zaragoza (Spain). The proposed model is a Koyck flow adjustment demand model, and a price specification, which is constructed as a function of the lagged average price, current marginal price and a price perception parameter. We use a dynamic panel data methodology to estimate the water demand function. As far as we are aware, this approach to service and industrial urban water demand is new in the literature. The analysis suggests that although price has a negative relationship with consumption, such an effect is reduced given that the price elasticity is lower than one in absolute value. Another relevant finding is that service and industrial urban users think that they pay a lower price than the actual price they pay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colored glass in the form of stained-glass windows has been used to decorate buildings for over a thousand years. Due to various late-twentieth-century technological achievements, this material allows for a broad spectrum of design solutions. Glass can be used both in contemporary and historical buildings. This paper presents an analysis of the work of Tomasz Urbanowicz, an artist who works with glass, and its objective is to present not only the body of work of this artist but also the means of using colored glass in creating new values in architecture. The work is based on a study of the literature that covers the contemporary application of colored glass, on-site analysis of projects, and a series of interviews with the artist before, during, and after project completion, as well as the authors' personal experience in the matter. One of the main research methods used was an analysis of the artist's stance, as to him, the very process of pursuing creative inspiration is a fundamental procedure. Glassworks by Urbanowicz were displayed at the EXPO 2000 in Hanover (Germany), the EXPO 2005 in Aichi (Japan), and the EXPO 2008 in Saragossa (Spain). The United Earth glass sphere has been decorating the agora of the European Parliament building in Strasbourg (France) since 2004. In the paper, the artist's projects are presented in two groups: The first includes solutions that employ monochromatic color schemes, whereas in the second, color has been used to create a strong contrast. The analysis presented includes interventions in historical buildings under heritage conservation, but also compositions from architectural glass in newly built buildings and that reference place-based history. Both the initial vision and the final effect of the glass architectural compositions are site-specific. The analysis of these differences and how the artist works allowed us to formulate a scheme of how he operates. Urbanowicz's glass interventions affect the quality of the spaces they create and highlight their existing or expected features. The influence of the works can either play a primary and dominant role in relation with the surrounding space or be a secondary and delicate addition. Applied color may have different functions, from highlighting specific aspects of a building to introducing symbolic or direct reference. In many projects, color works as a source of a building interior's atmosphere. The artistic interventions in historic spaces emphasize their features without disrupting pre-existing authenticity, whereas contemporary projects with no historic reference offer a wide variety of color applications that focus on the function and form of architecture, landscape, or surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While adequate integration of land use and transport is seen as crucial for achieving sustainable outcomes, the reciprocal interconnection between retail activity and non-motorised accessibility is yet to be adequately examined. To address this gap, this paper proposes the concept of Retail Mobility Environment (RME) and develops a methodological process for identifying and mapping RMEs, using the city of Zaragoza, Spain, as a case study. The concept of RME is developed through three methodological phases: (i) definition of non-motorised Accessibility Zones (AZs), using three indicators (walking accessibility, bicycling accessibility, betweenness); (ii) definition of Retail Zones (RZs), also using three indicators (retail density, retail diversity, retail contiguity); and (iii) definition of RMEs, where both retail activity and non-motorised indicators were weighted and combined using multi-criteria analysis. In total, four RMEs were identified and mapped: short-distance environments, motorised environments, non-motorised environments, and long-distance environments. The paper concludes with a discussion on the need to unravel the relationships between retail activity and non-motorised accessibility, in order to reach sustainable planning goals, as well as the potential usefulness of RMEs for transport policy-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Japanese plum, like other temperate fruit tree species, has cultivar-specific temperature requirements during dormancy for proper flowering. Knowing the temperature requirements of this species is of increasing interest due to the great genetic variability that exists among the available Japanese plum-type cultivars, since most of them are interspecific hybrids. The reduction of winter chilling caused by climate change is threatening their cultivation in many regions. In this work, the adaptation perspectives of 21 Japanese plum-type cultivars were analyzed in two of the main plum-growing regions in Spain, Badajoz and Zaragoza, to future climate conditions. Endodormancy release for subsequent estimation of chilling and heat requirements was determined through empirical experiments conducted during dormancy at least over two years. Chill requirements were calculated using three models [chilling hours (CH), chilling units (CU) and chilling portions (CP)] and heat requirements using growing degree hours (GDH). Chilling requirements ranged 277-851 CH, 412-1,030 CU and 26-51 CP, and heat requirements ranged from 4,343 to 9,525 GDH. The potential adaption of the cultivars to future warmer conditions in both regions was assessed using climate projections under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP), RCP4.5 (effective reduction of greenhouse gas emissions) and RCP8.5 (continuous increase in greenhouse gas emissions), in two time horizons, from the middle to the end of 21st century, with temperature projections from 15 Global Climate Models. The probability of satisfying the estimated cultivarspecific chilling requirements in Badajoz was lower than in Zaragoza, because of the lower chill availability predicted. In this region, the cultivars analyzed herein may have limited cultivation because the predicted reduction in winter chill may result in the chilling requirements not being successfully fulfilled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planning a well-structured urban green infrastructure (UGI) is essential for cities to counteract the impacts of climate change. Soil carbon and air temperature differences between open and plant-covered sites were used as proxies of carbon sequestration (CS) and temperature regulation (TR) to evaluate the current conditions of UGI in Zaragoza, a medium-sized city in northeastern Spain. Alternative scenarios were constructed, after a stakeholder consultation, at both city and municipal (city plus peri-urban zone) scales, extrapolating the highest values of CS and TR to two groups of UGI types grouped based on the state of their ecological functioning. We employed analysis of variance to compare mean values of CS and TR across diverse scenarios at both city and municipality scales. Statistically significant differences were found in city-scale and municipality-scale scenarios for both CS and TR. Multiplying CS by area did not show significant variation in city scale. Significant differences were found when multiplying TR by area at both scales, with exceptions in certain scenario combinations. These results suggest favoring the restoration of UGI sites in peri-urban zones (such as forests and steppe zones) to increase CS and those in densely urbanized zones (such as urban parks) to provide TR benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of eHumanista is the property of Professor Antonio Cortijo-Ocana 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 ZARCH: Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Architecture & Urbanism is the property of Universidad de Zaragoza 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.)

Urban green infrastructure (UGI) can provide key ecosystem services (ES) for human well-being. For this purpose, it is critical to ascertain which characteristics regulate the provision of ES by UGI. In this study, eight ES (water supply, water regulation, waste regulation, nutrient regulation, soil formation, carbon sequestration, air temperature regulation and air humidity regulation) of thirty UGI sites of Zaragoza (Spain), were evaluated using proxy indicators derived from analyzed soil samples, and in-situ measured air temperature and humidity. A principal component analysis was performed to group different ES, and to study the dispersion of different types of UGI along the distinct ES. Additionally, relationships, between the evaluated ES and predictors; flatness, imperviousness, regularity, naturalness and functioning of the UGI sites were studied through linear and quadratic regressions. Large UGI sites such as riparian zones, meanders and natural forests showed relatively high values of ES in contrast with more artificial sites. Moreover, the study showed that water supply, water regulation, soil formation, carbon sequestration and air temperature regulation were significantly and positively related to ecological naturalness and functioning, while imperviousness was the main predictor explaining the reduction of five ES. Our findings provide evidence for the existence of important interactions between predictor variables and ES in UGI. It also showed that the provision of urban ES can be improved expanding the variety and type of green infrastructure sites, decreasing impervious area, and increasing the naturalness and functioning of UGI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Quaderni della Ri-Vista is the property of Firenze University Press 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 phenomenon that occurred with the restoration of Ecce Homo in Borja (Zaragoza) has not gone unnoticed by the mass media in countries around the world since a small notice of this restoration appeared in the blog of the Borjans’ Studies Center in early August 2012. Thus, the paper aims to deepen the triple determination that we believe has caused an isolated incident to become a worldwide media boom. We refer to the phenomenon on the communicative global level, its collaborative or dialogued nature, and the interaction that has been generated by the creators and observers. From here we reflect on the social phenomenon that this new pictorial creation has generated both from the mass media and from various samples of creativity and different conceptions of art. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The economics literature offers many examples of studies of the economic impact of transportation infrastructure such as highways, ports, and airports; however, little attention has been paid to other types of infrastructure such as logistics platforms. This article is a first assessment of the economic effects of the largest logistics platform in Europe – PLAZA, the Zaragoza Logistics Platform – located in Spain. More precisely, this paper analyzes the economic significance of PLAZA on the economy of the Aragon region where it is located. The methodology is based on the application of input–output analysis to the final demand of logistics platform-based companies in a manner that is similar to well-established studies of the economic impacts of tourism on tourist expenditure. This makes it possible to quantify the various levels of economic effects (direct, indirect, and induced) in terms of jobs, salaries, and wages, turnover, gross operating surplus (GOS), and gross value added (GVA). The conclusions reveal the economic importance PLAZA has for the regional economy of Aragon, representing just over 2% of total GVA and 3% of turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the results of the complete life-cycle assessment (LCA) analysis of the water cycle in two Spanish urban areas are presented. First case study was Zaragoza city (700,000 inhabitants), with enough surface water resources for drinking purpose. Second case was the Mancomunidad del Sureste, a highly populated and touristic area in a water-scarce island (Gran Canaria). Main objective of the paper was to show, from an environmental global perspective, which was the relative pollutant weights of the diverse water cycle stages in an urban area, in order to put the efforts in reducing the environmental penalties associated to the water cycle. Results showed that environmental load associated to energy consumed in dwelling uses (to produce hot sanitary water) exceeded by far the environmental impact provoked by water cycle infrastructures (water treatment plants, water supply and drainage networks, and wastewater treatment plants). Additionally, it is very important to remark that new water supply alternatives (seawater desalination plant as well as reclaimed wastewater) studied here were energy intensive solutions, and the environmental charge during its life cycle was also very significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools are required to educate students in community and citizenship. This overall aim comprises a number of specific objectives: to communicate a set of contents, to foster certain values and attitudes, and to develop a range of skills. The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from a survey dealing with issues related to Citizenship Education (CE); 1,557 third-year students in secondary education in the Zaragoza region were surveyed. The paper is structured as follows: first, the international framework within which CE is promoted is described. The issue is then discussed in relation to established Spanish legislation in this regard. Thereafter, the empirical results from a case-study survey carried out among students attending schools in Zaragoza are presented. The focus of the survey was to evaluate student responses to EC as a subject, and its objective was to analyze the views of students both before and after their participation in the subject during academic year 2008-2009, the first year the subject was taught in the Spanish school system. The results show that there is significant improvement in the theoretical knowledge block, which is consistent with student experience on a taught course at school; however, there is no appreciable improvement in the blocks relating to values and attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Arabic Sciences & Philosophy is the property of Cambridge University Press 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.)