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During the sixteenth century, a relevant number of books related to practical arithmetic were published in Spain. This paper presents a comparative study that aims to identify the object and target of five old mathematics books and the main contents of these books. In order to do so, all the contents and all the examples found in five arithmetic books written during the first half of the 16th century were identified and categorised. A historical-mathematical analysis using a content analysis technique was then applied. The results show the authors' concerns about mathematics at the time and the different contents that were included in some arithmetic books of this century.

This study presents the perceptions of trainee teachers regarding the realisation of practical mathematical sessions to expand on the concepts that are taught in primary education using manipulatives. For a 4-month period, a practical session with the mentioned characteristics was carried out weekly with Year 1 students of the Primary Education Teaching Degree. After their completion of the module the students were requested to comment in writing on the utility of such practical sessions. The resulting information was analysed qualitatively through content analysis using ATLAS.ti software (Version 7.5.4). Six broad categories grouping the utilities considered by the students were found.

The objective of this research is to describe the situation of mathematical training in the early childhood education degree curricula in Spain through the analysis of the teaching guides of the subjects with mathematical content offered in the different Spanish universities. The aim is to identify the typology of subjects, the number of subjects offered, and the recommended bibliography. The methodology used is descriptive, exploratory, ex post facto, and census. For this purpose, the registry of universities, centers, and degrees was first consulted during the 2019-2020 academic year to obtain a list of all the Spanish universities that offer degrees in early childhood education and, therefore, to be able to download the corresponding teaching guides. Of the 91 universities in Spain, the early childhood education degree is taught in 66. Likewise, 101 subjects with mathematical content have been identified, although only 99 are available for analysis. Most are compulsory, have a study load of six European credit transfer system (ECTS) credits, and are taught in the third year of the degree. The recommended bibliography mainly concentrates on publications from 2001-2010 and mostly on book references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout history, the coasts have been an important source of wealth as well as strategic points for defending the territory. From the 1950s onwards, a vast number of buildings began to appear on the Spanish coasts, colonizing the surroundings and turning them into an enormous tourist space. Although a significant proportion of this construction is of appalling architectural quality, forming part of a chaotic urban development process which destroyed natural ecosystems, some alternative models also emerged, seeking a different kind of relationship with the environment. Fernando Higueras, who, together with his friend César Manrique proposed a distinctive approach to the island of Lanzarote, is an outstanding figure in this respect. Blending into and respecting the habitats in which they were planned, his proposals responded to the demands for new tourist accommodations by drawing on the traditions of local vernacular architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the principal challenges facing meteorological warnings in Spain is their lack of adaptability to the unique climatic and demographic characteristics of each region. This often results in the establishment of thresholds and warning zones that may not be entirely suitable for local conditions. In this study, we utilize maximum temperatures as a case study to develop a novel methodology aimed at addressing these issues specifically in the Region of Murcia. We collected data on daily maximum temperatures from 84 weather stations during the meteorological summer in the period 2000 - 2019. Utilizing this dataset, we calculated the 95th, 97th, and 99th percentiles for each station and generated three interpolated maps using universal kriging techniques. Warning zones were then delineated through overlap analysis, and maximum temperature thresholds were established based on three levels of risk. This methodological approach has resulted in the identification of 19 meteorological warning zones, delineated based on the aggregation of postcode polygons. This zoning strategy facilitates a more tailored adaptation of meteorological warnings to the local terrain and demographics, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of population protection and pre-emergency management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

History of mathematics and mathematics education research allows us to know, among other issues: the influence that certain textbooks have had on the teaching of school mathematics, in academic or professional training, during a certain historical period; as well as the scientific advances achieved in each historical period and their incorporation into the teaching of the subject matter. In this work, we focus our attention on the applications of the method of finding maxima and minima included in the textbooks published during the 18th century in Spain. Specifically, we identify the approach of the algorithm used, the shortcomings or deficiencies that the posing of the proposed problems may have, the verification of the nature of the optimal points obtained and the consideration—or not—of the negative solutions in the process of resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decades researchers in the History of Mathematics and Mathematics Education have developed a growing interest in analyzing mathematics textbooks which have influenced the teaching of this subject. This increase has been mediated by the relevance of the authors of the manuals or by the widespread use of those manuals. This study presents the analysis of the Spanish textbook Tratado de Álgebra Elemental (Elementary treatise on algebra) written by the 19th century author, Juan Cortázar, one of the first mathematics professors in Spain, whose books were approved for secondary education in 1848 and continued being reprinted until the 20th century. We designed a descriptive and qualitative study using the content analysis technique. The results show that the book included several didactic strategies. Representation systems and the phenomena which Cortázar used to model numerous situations through the mathematical contents included in the books were also categorized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The mining activities performed in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (south of Spain) have generated since long-time acid mining drainage (AMD) inputs to the Odiel River and its tributaries. These inputs are continuing nowadays, with origin mostly in the abandoned mines that cover the area, provoking a steady-state situation where the river waters present very low pH and very high concentrations of different heavy metals. In this work, the behavior of several natural radionuclides (210Po, Th- and U-isotopes) in water and sediment samples collected in the Odiel River and its tributaries have been analyzed and their levels determined looking for assessing the radiological environmental impact of the AMD. Highlights • Radioactive NORM impact associated to acid mining drainage (AMD) have been analyzed. • Enhanced U and Th concentrations are present in waters affected by AMD. • Very high 234U/238U activity ratios have been also observed in the affected waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity concentrations of 210Po have been determined in a total of 24 representative diet samples from Seville (south of Spain), inferring from the obtained values the annual intakes of 210Po by ingestion of the affected population and the corresponding committed effective doses. The annual intakes of 210Po and, consequently, the corresponding doses of this radionuclide show a high variability in correspondence with the variability in the composition of the analysed samples over time, and their magnitude is comparable with the estimated ones in other regions/countries of the world with similar diet habits (countries where the marine products have a considerable weight in the diets). Committed effective doses by ingestion higher than 0.1 mSv y-1 have been estimated exclusively for 210Po, reflecting the importance of this radionuclide and this route of incorporation in the magnitude of the total doses received by the affected population from natural sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the recent closure of certain phosphoric acid plants located in the South-West of Spain, it has been decided to restore a big extension (more than six hundred hectares) of salt-marshes, where some million tonnes of phosphogypsum (PG), the main by-product generated by these plants, had been disposed of. This PG is characterized by its content of high activity concentrations of several radionuclides from the uranium series, mainly 226 Ra, 210 Pb, and 210 Po and, to a lesser extent, U-isotopes. The PG disposal area can be considered as a potential source of radionuclides into their nearby environment, through the waters which percolate from them and through the efflorescences formed in their surroundings. For this reason, a detailed radioactive characterization of the mentioned waters and efflorescences has been considered essential for a proper planning of the restoration tasks to be applied in the near future in the zone. To this end, U-isotopes, 234 Th, 230 Th, 226 Ra, 210 Pb and 210 Po activity concentrations have been determined by applying both alpha-particle and gamma-ray spectrometric techniques to selected water and efflorescence aliquots collected in the area. The analysis of the obtained results has enabled to obtain information about the geochemical behaviour in the area of the different radionuclides analyzed; and the conclusion to be drawn that, in the restoration plan under preparation, both the prohibition of outflowing waters from the disposal area to the neighbouring salt-marshes, and the removal of all the efflorescences now disseminated in their surroundings are essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

210Po is a naturally occurring radionuclide, belonging to the uranium series, which is present in minute amounts in the different environmental compartments (water, soil, biota). Through its route along the trophic chain, it can be incorporated in the human body via ingestion of waters and/or food. This radionuclide is highly radiotoxic, being one of the main contributors to the committed effective dose via ingestion by the general population. In this work, the contribution of this radionuclide to the committed effective dose received by the Spanish population via consumption of bottled mineral waters is evaluated. With this end, the 210Po activity concentrations in a total of 32 different commercial bottled mineral waters have been determined by alpha-particle spectrometry. The determined contribution is also compared with the contributions of other natural radionuclides such as 234U and 238U. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Trauma care systems in Spain are provided by the Nacional Health Service in a decentralized way by the seventeen autonomous communities whose process of decentralization was completed in January 2002. Its organisation is similar in all of them. Public sector companies of sanitary emergencies look after the health of citizens in relation to medical and trauma emergencies with a wide range of up to date resources both technical and human.In the following piece there is a description of the emergency response teams divided into ground and air that are responsible for the on site care of the patients in coordination with other public services. They also elaborate the prehospital clinical history that is going to be a valuable piece of information for the teams that receive the patient in the Emergency Hospital Unit (EHU).From 1980 to 1996 the mortality rate per 10.000 vehicles and the deaths per 1.000 accidents dropped significantly: in 1980 6.4 and 96.19% and in 1996, 2.8 and 64.06% respectively.In the intrahospital organisation there are two differentiated areas to receive trauma patients the casualty department and the EHU. In the EHU the severe and multiple injured patients are treated by the emergency hospital doctors; first in the triage or resuscitation areas and after when stabilised they are passed too the observation area or to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and from there the EHU or ICU doctors call the appropriate specialists. There is a close collaboration and coordination between the orthopaedic surgeon the EHU doctors and the other specialists surgeons in order to comply with treatment prioritization protocols. Once the patient has been transferred an entire process of assistance continuity is developed based on interdisciplinary teams formed in the hospital from the services areas involved in trauma assistance and usually coordinated by the ICU doctors.There is also mentioned the assistance registry of trauma patients, the ICU professional training in the ATLS and the future guidelines for trauma care in the ICU based on epidemiological studies carried out in both the North Spanish Group and the Southern one to promote development and improvement in several areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Along the industrial process devoted to the production of titanium dioxide pigments by using ilmenite as main raw material, small residues amounts are generated, remaining clearly enriched in natural radionuclides and chemical pollutants. Between them, we can remark the scales enriched in both radium isotopes and lead, which are formed in the internal walls of pipes and some equipment. These scales are radiological anomalies that demand its mineralogical, elemental and radiometric characterization as a basis for a detailed radiological and toxicological assessment from the occupational and public point of view. In this work, several scales collected in a TiO 2 pigment production plant in South of Spain have been mineralogically characterized by XRD, while information about their elemental composition and morphology have been obtained by applying the XRF and SEM techniques. In addition, radiometric determinations have been performed by gamma-ray and alpha-particle spectrometry. The performed study indicates that the radiological doses received due to the scales by the workers performing its conventional activities are clearly lower than 1 mSv/y. Special dosimetric and chemical controls could be needed for the workers in charge of the maintenance labours (which include the removal of the scales) if these workers belong to an external company devoted to perform maintenance operations in several NORM industries. • Samples of scale throughout the process of a titanium dioxide plant were collected. • Physico-chemical and radiological characterization of scales were performed. • High concentrations of radionuclides in scales "hot points" were analysed. • External and internal doses for workers were measured and estimated respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different studies consider the possibility of including history of mathematics in the classroom. However, its inclusion in the teaching and learning of mathematics depends on the conceptions of it that teachers have, among other factors. This study displays a comparative analysis between the opinions of primary education teachers-to-be and the opinions of mathematics teachers-to-be at secondary school and A-levels after the realization of an activity related to two historical or unusual multiplication methods. These trainee teachers were asked to identify the differences between these methods and the multiplication algorithm usually used in Spain. We collected these data and conducted an exploratory, descriptive and qualitative study. In order to analyse the information obtained, we used the technique content analysis. The answers given by these trainee teachers show their lack of knowledge about other multiplication methods and the various differences which they observed. These differences are mainly related to the structure of each method, the procedure and application of these methods and the mathematical processes carried out for each method. The comparison between the opinions of the teachers-to-be at different levels shows similarities but also some differences, probably due to the different mathematical knowledge they have. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical and experimental studies have shown that activity concentrations of fallout radionuclides (such as 137Cs and excess 210Pb) decrease with particles size in aqueous suspensions. This paper is aimed at reviewing the theoretical fundamentals for granulometric speciation of radionuclides, and at exploring its practical use in the analytical context of gamma spectrometry for the radiometric dating of recent sediments, with view to: i) improving the detection of 137Cs (since its use as independent chronostratigraphic mark is challenging in the southern hemisphere because its low fallout rate), ii) supporting refined CIC models and normalization techniques in 210Pb-based radiogeochronologies. The work uses surface sediments sampled from the Tinto Estuary (SW Spain), affected by mining and phosphate-fertilizer industries, and from the Ankobra Estuary (Ghana), affected by intensive artisanal gold-mining. Granulometric classes have been separated by a sieving column with decreasing mesh sizes and the obtained cumulative percentage of mass mathematically described by a Rosin-Rammler particle-size distribution. The target radionuclides for gamma spectrometry were 210Pb, 226Ra and137Cs, complemented with 40K, 234Th and 228Ra. Results revealed that, far from ideal experiments, under actual environmental conditions the increase in activity concentrations with decreasing particle sizes is too moderate, and in general they are affected by larger counting uncertainties due to the small available amount of mass. Indeed, there was no correlation between grain-size and 137Cs concentrations (p = 0.25), and similarly for excess 210Pb (p = 0.53). No effect of the organic matter content was observed in 137Cs (p = 0.58) and excess 210Pb (p = 0.85) concentrations. Present results pose some concerns to the general use of granulometric speciation in the context of gamma spectrometry for supporting the radiometric dating of recent sediments. A detailed discussion on the use of normalization methods is also presented. • Radionuclide uptake in aqueous suspensions is proportional to particles surface. • Measuring 137Cs and 210Pb in physically separated grain-size class in sediment core. • Target: improving detection of 137Cs in southern hemisphere and 210Pb normalization. • Results reveal weak particle-size effects under actual environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, radiological, chemical, and also morphological characterization was performed in phosphate rock and phosphogypsum samples, in order to understand the behavior of toxic elements. Characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), gamma spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX). Our results show that the phosphate rock was mainly composed of fluorapatite, calcite, perovskite, quartz, magnetite, pyrite and kaolinite, whereas phosphogypsum only exhibited dihydrated calcium sulfate. The activity concentration of U-series radioisotopes in phosphate rock was around 1640Bq/kg. 226Ra and 210Pb tend to be distributed into phosphogypsum by up to 80%, whereas the fraction of U-isotopes is 10%. The most abundant trace elements in phosphate rock were Sr, Cr, V, Zn, Y, Ni and Ba. Some elements, such as Ba, Cd, Cu, La, Pb, Se, Sr, Th and Y, were enriched in the phosphogypsum. This enrichment may be attributed to an additional input associated to the sulfuric acid used for the phosphoric acid production. Furthermore, results from SEM-EDX demonstrated that toxic elements are not distributed homogeneously into phosphogypsum. Most of these elements are concentrated in particles <20μm of high porosity, and could be easily mobilized by leaching and/or erosion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the last decade irrigation districts in the Ebro Valley of Spain have started to use database applications to enhance their management operations. Such applications often put more emphasis on administrative issues than on water management issues. A new irrigation district management software called “Ador” is presented in this paper. This database application has been designed to overcome limitations identified in an analysis of the software used in the study area. Ador can be used in irrigation districts independently of the type of irrigation system (surface, sprinkler or trickle) and the type of irrigation distribution network (open channel or pressurised). It can even be used in irrigation districts combining different types of irrigation systems and different types of irrigation distribution networks. The software can be used with minimum district information. The goals are to manage detailed information about district water management and to promote better on-farm irrigation practices. Ador is currently used to enhance management of 62 irrigation districts accounting for some 173,000 hectares in the Ebro Valley. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A radiological evaluation associated to the future mining of grey monazite nodules enriched in light rare-earths, from a modest superficial deposit located in the centre of Spain, has been performed at pre-operational level, and the main results are shown in this paper. Although the monazite nodules in the deposit are clearly enriched in radionuclides from the uranium and thorium series with activity concentrations higher than 1 Bq/g, the size of these nodules (in the 0.5 mm–2 mm grain size interval), its refractory behaviour that prevents the leaching or dissemination of natural radionuclides to waters or other ecosystem compartments and consequently the impact in the food chain, and its presence quite diluted in the deposit at concentrations of 2.5–3 kg/m 3 , conducted to conclude that pre-operationally the area to be mined for the extraction of the monazite is generating a negligible radiological impact in the public and the nearby environment. Additionally, the extraction of the raw material and the restoration of the area after mining (i.e. the mining activities which will be done in-situ, in the mining area) will be exempted of any radiological regulation attending to the European Union legislation being expected that will not generate a radiological impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents measurements of the effect of the atmospheric radioactive release from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station at three sites belonging to the Spanish environmental monitoring system. Measured values varied depending on the locations of the sites in Spain and their respective climatic characteristics. 134Cs, 136Cs, 137Cs, 131I, and 132Te activity concentrations in filter samples were studied and associated levels of 131I fallout were estimated from wet and dry deposition. Particulate aerosol activity concentrations ranges, in μBq/m3, were 1.63–3080 (131I), 2.8–690 (137Cs), 1.3–620 (134Cs) and 3.6–330 (132Te), while the associated 131I fallout was roughly estimated to be less than 20 Bq/m2, Gaseous 131I was also detected and the 131I-gaseous/131I-total ratio increased at the three stations from approximately 0.75 at the end of March to 0.85–0.9 during the first few days of April. Finally, the presence of 131I in some crucial parts of the food chain was also studied. 131I was detected in samples from goat''s and cow''s milk (maximum levels of 1.11 Bq/L) and in broadleaf plants (maximum level 1.42 Bq/kg). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Huelva Estuary in Huelva, Spain, has been one of the most studied environmental compartments in the past years from the point of view of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) releases. It has been historically affected by waste releases, enriched in radionuclides from the U-decay series, from factories located in the area devoted to the production of phosphoric acid and phosphate fertilizers. Nevertheless, changes in national regulations forced a new waste management practice in 1998, prohibiting releases of phosphogypsum into the rivers. The input of natural radionuclides from phosphate factories to rivers was drastically reduced. Because of this there was a unique opportunity for the study of the response of a contaminated environmental compartment, specifically an estuary affected by tidal influences, after the cessation of the contaminant releases to, in this case, the Huelva Estuary (henceforth referred to as the Estuary). To investigate the environmental response to this new discharge regime, the specific activities of radionuclides 226Ra and 210Pb in water and sediment samples collected in four campaigns (from 1999 to 2005) were determined and compared with pre-1998 values. From this study it is possible to infer the most effective mechanisms of decontamination for the Estuary. Decontamination rates of 210Pb and 226Ra in the sediments and water have been calculated using exponential fittings and corresponding half-lives have been deduced from them. The cleaning half-life in the whole area of the Estuary is about 6 and 3.5years for 226Ra and 210Pb respectively. The observed trend clearly shows that contamination of the Estuary by natural radionuclides is now decreasing and radioactive levels in waters and sediments are approaching the natural background references. This work attempts to evaluate whether it can be expected that the decontamination of the enhanced levels of natural radioactivity in the Estuary can be performed via natural processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]