Puente de ferrocarril sobre el Mittellandkanal en Braunschweig

The bridge over the Mittellandkanal is located in the municipality of Braunschweig, a city of Low Saxony located in Mid-North Germany, between Berlin and Hannover, 50 km away from this last city. The city of Braunschwig has 248.867 inhabitants (December 2010). The orography of the zone is practically even, with some slopes in the surrounding area, with a no important variation of the ground elevation, characterized by a big uniformity and a great visual quality. In this zone the canal flows from west to east, from the Dortmundkanal until the Elbe river, so it has a length of 325,3 km. The normal flora from the zone is farmland with some little forests not very big and not very important. But the Mittellandkanal lies at the North of Brauschweig, that means that in the zone of the canal there is a change between the urban area and the rural area. For this reason in the zone of the bridge we start to find farmlands and forest, however the constructions and buildings are still present in this area. The railway line that is going to be built will unite the North-center of Germany with the North-East of Germany because some of the following factors: •Overstress of the only existing line in the moment that connects Berlin with the North-East extreme of Germany. •No direct connection with the North-Easth Germany with other important German cities from South and West of Germany. •Replacement of the old existing one way line in the area that has to be renewed. •Modernization of the old railway lines of Germany. Schedule order by the European Union and the German Government. The actual lines of the zone do not have the necessary conditions and characteristics to satisfy the demand of the travelers that want to travel all over Germany with the railway avoiding using other transports like plan or car. For these reasons the necessity of the replacement of the old railway line and the aim to create a union with the North-East Germany that has a deficit of transport infrastructures and connections with the rest of the country and Europe. Although the new railway line provokes some disadvantages when constructing it is indispensable to build this railway line. The pass of the railway line through Braunschweig has not been random. The zone Braunschweig-Wolfsburg is a very industrialized area because of some companies like Wolkswagen and too because this zone is an important pass of important line from Berlin, South and East Germany. For all of these reasons the railway line goes through Braunschweig and connects to the city of Wolfsburg first, and after the North-East Germany zone.

Utilización de ingredientes tradicionales y nuevos productos derivados del haba de soja en piensos de lechones blancos e ibéricos: efectos sobre la fisiología digestiva y la productividad

Los objetivos principales de esta Tesis Doctoral fueron estudiar en 4 ensayos los efectos a) del procesado del maíz y la inclusión en los piensos de ingredientes de alta calidad como harina de pescado o fuentes de lactosa en lechones blancos b) inclusión en el pienso de diferentes productos derivados del haba de soja, con diferente contenido de proteína bruta (PB), tamaño de partícula y origen en lechones blancos e ibéricos y c) inclusión en el pienso de lechones ibéricos de ingredientes de alta calidad; forma de presentación del pienso y la duración del suministro del pienso prestárter sobre los parámetros productivos, la digestibilidad de los nutrientes, y las características morfológicas de la mucosa digestiva en lechones blancos e ibéricos recién destetados. En el experimento 1, los efectos de la complejidad del pienso prestárter sobre los parámetros productivos y la digestibilidad total aparente (TTAD) de los nutrientes fueron estudiados en lechones blancos recién destetados. Se utilizaron 10 tratamientos experimentales como resultado de 5 piensos prestárter (21 a 41 d de edad) y 2 piensos estárter (42 a 62 d de edad). Los piensos prestárter consistieron en un control negativo que incluía 40% de maíz crudo, 4% de harina de pescado y 7% de lactosa, un control positivo que incluía 40% de maíz cocido, 10% de harina de pescado, y 14% de lactosa, y 3 piensos adicionales con similares ingredientes que el pienso control positivo pero en los que a) 40% de maíz cocido fue sustituido por el mismo porcentaje de maíz crudo, b) se redujo el nivel de harina de pescado del 10 al 4%, y c) se redujo el nivel de lactosa del 14 al 7%. Cada tratamiento se replicó 6 veces (6 lechones/departamento). De 42 a 62 d de edad, la mitad de cada uno de los 5 piensos prestárter recibió un pienso estándar compuesto por harina de soja- maíz crudo y manteca y la otra mitad un pienso con similar perfil nutricional pero incluyendo un 20% de maíz cocido, 5% de harina de pescado, 1.3% de lactosa, 2% de concentrado de proteína de soja obtenido por fermentación y 1% de aceite de soja en lugar de harina de soja, maíz sin procesar y manteca. La complejidad del pienso no afectó a los parámetros productivos en ninguno de los periodos estudiados, pero el índice de diarreas durante la fase prestárter fue mayor en los lechones que recibieron el pienso control negativo que en los alimentados con cualquiera de los otros piensos (P<0.05). A los 30 días de edad (piensos prestárter), la digestibilidad de la materia orgánica (MO) y de la energía bruta (EB) fue menor (P<0.001) en los lechones que consumieron el pienso control negativo que en los lechones que consumieron cualquiera de los otros piensos. Sin embrago, la digestibilidad fecal de la PB no fue afectada. A los 50 días de edad (piensos estárter), la digestibilidad de los nutrientes fue similar en ambos piesnsos. Se concluye que la utilización de niveles elevados de ingredientes de alta calidad en los piensos no mejora los parámetros productivos de los lechones blancos en ninguno de los períodos estudiados. De 21 a 41 días de edad, el índice de diarreas se redujo y la digestibilidad de los nutrientes aumentó con la utilización de piensos de mayor calidad. Por lo tanto, la utilización de piensos con niveles elevados de ingredientes de calidad para reducir problemas digestivos y por lo tanto, mejorar los parámetros productivos podría estar justificada en algunos casos. En el experimento 2, se estudiaron los efectos de la inclusión en el pienso de harina de soja con diferente contenido de PB (44 vs. 49 % PB), la micronización de la harina de soja de alta proteína (AP-HS; 49% PB) y la utilización de concentrado de proteína de soja (CPS; 65% PB) sobre los parámetros productivos y la TTAD de los nutrientes en lechones blancos recién destetados de 28 a 63 días de edad. De 28 a 49 días de edad (fase I), hubo un pienso control positivo con un 10% de CPS, un pienso control negativo con 14.8% de harina de soja estándar (R-HS; 44% de PB) y otros 4 piensos que incluían 13.3% de AP-HS de origen Americano (USA) o Argentino (ARG) y molidas groseramente (980 μm) o micronizadas (80 μm). Cada tratamiento se replicó 8 veces (6 lechones/departamento). De 49 a 63 días de edad (fase II), todos los lechones recibieron un pienso comercial común en forma de harina. En el global de la fase I, el tratamiento experimental no afectó a ninguno de los parámetros productivos estudiados. Sin embargo, de 28 a 35 días de edad, los lechones alimentados con AP-HS micronizadas tuvieron un mejor índice de conversión (IC; 1.11 vs. 0.98; P<0.05) que los alimentados con AP-HS molidas groseramente. También, de 35 a 42 días de edad, los lechones que recibieron el pienso con AP-HS micronizada tendieron (P=0.08) a consumir más pienso que los lechones que consumieron el pienso con AP-HS molida. Durante la fase II (49 a 63 días de edad), cuando todos los lechones recibieron un pienso común, no se observaron diferencias en productividad de los lechones debido al tratamiento previo. En general, la digestibilidad de los nutrientes a los 35 días de edad fue mayor para los lechones que consumieron CPS que para los lechones que consumieron R-HS con los lechones que consumieron AP-HS en una posición intermedia. La digestibilidad de la PB fue mayor (P≤0.01) para el pienso que contenía CPS que para el promedio de los 5 tratamientos en base a HS. También, la digestibilidad de la MO y de la materia seca (MS) fue mayor para el pienso que contenía AP-HS micronizada o molida groseramente que para el pienso que contenía R-HS. La micronización de la AP-HS no tuvo efecto alguno sobre la digestibilidad de los nutrientes. Se concluye que cuando el CPS sustituye en el pienso a R-HS, la digestibilidad de la PB aumenta pero no tiene efecto alguno sobre los parámetros productivos. La utilización de AP-HS en sustitución de R-HS en el pienso mejora la digestibilidad de los nutrientes pero no afecta a los parámetros productivos. La utilización de harina de soja micronizada en los piensos mejora la eficiencia alimenticia durante la primera semana post-destete pero no tiene efecto alguno sobre la digestibilidad de los nutrientes. En general, la inclusión de productos derivados del haba de soja con un alto valor añadido (CPS o AP-HS) en el pienso presenta pocas ventajas en términos productivos al uso de AP-HS en lechones blancos recién destetados. En el experimento 3, se estudiaron los mismos productos de soja y piensos similares al experimento 2 en lechones ibéricos recién destetados. Además de los parámetros productivos y la TTAD de los nutrientes, en este ensayo se estudió también la digestibilidad ileal aparente (AID) de los nutrientes, así como las características histológicas y morfometría de la mucosa ileal. Cada uno de los 6 tratamientos fue replicado 6 veces (6 lechones/departamento). De 30 a 51 días de edad la fuente de harina de soja no afectó a los parámetros productivos, pero el índice de diarreas fue mayor (P<0.001) y la TTAD y AID de los nutrientes menor en los lechones alimentados con R-HS que en los alimentados con CPS o AP-HS. Sin embargo, no se encontró ninguna diferencia para éstos parámetros entre los piensos que contenían AP-HS y CPS. La TTAD de la MO (P=0.07) y de la EB (P=0.05) tendieron a ser mayores en los piensos basados en AP-HS micronizada que en los basados en AP-HS molida. La TTAD de la EB tendió (P<0.05) a ser mayor para la AP-HS de origen USA que para la AP-HS de origen ARG. Los lechones que consumieron R-HS presentaron villi de menor longitud (P<0.01) que los lechones que consumieron AP-HS o CPS, pero no se observaron diferencias en el caso de los lechones que recibieron los piensos que contenían AP-HS o CPS. Se concluye que la inclusión de AP-HS o CPS en el pienso en sustitución de R-HS reduce el índice de diarreas y mejora la digestibilidad de los nutrientes y las características morfológicas del íleon sin afectar a los parámetros productivos. La utilización de piensos basados en productos derivados del haba de soja con mayor valor añadido (CPS o AP-HS) en sustitución de la R-HS, mejora la TTAD de todos los nutrientes y reduce el índice de diarreas si llegar afectar a los parámetros productivos. En el experimento 4 se estudiaron los efectos del contenido de PB y la complejidad del pienso, la presentación física y la duración del suministro del pienso prestárter sobre los parámetros productivos y la TTAD de los nutrientes en lechones ibéricos recién destetados de 28 a 63 días de edad. Hubo 12 tratamientos experimentales con 2 tipos de pienso (AC; calidad alta y BC: calidad media), 2 presentaciones del pienso (gránulo y harina) y 3 duraciones de suministro del pienso prestárter (7, 14 y 21 días). Desde los 7, 14 y 21 días de experimento (dependiendo del tratamiento), hasta los 35 días, todos los lechones recibieron un pienso comercial en forma de harina. Cada uno de los tratamientos fue replicado 3 veces (6 lechones/departamento). En el global del experimento, la ganancia media diaria (GMD; P<0.05) y el consumo medio diario (CMD; P<0.01) fue menor en los lechones que recibieron el pienso AC que para los que recibieron el pienso de BC, si bien el IC no se vio afectado. La granulación del pienso prestárter no afectó a los crecimientos pero mejoró la eficiencia alimenticia. La utilización del pienso prestárter de 0 a 21 días de prueba mejoró el IC (P<0.05), pero redujo la GMD (P<0.01) en comparación con la utilización de éste pienso solo durante 7 o 14 días. El índice de diarreas tendió a ser mayor (P=0.06) en los lechones alimentados con los piensos AC que en los alimentados con los piensos BC. Asimismo, el índice de diarreas fue superior en los lechones que recibieron el pienso en gránulo que los que los recibieron en harina (P<0.001). Además, el índice de diarreas fue superior en los lechones que recibieron el pienso prestárter durante 14 o 21 días que en los que lo recibieron solo durante 7 días (P<0.01). De 28 a 49 días de edad, la GMD y el IC no se vieron afectados por la complejidad del pienso, pero la presentación en gránulo o el aumento en la duración de suministro del pienso prestárter mejoró el IC (P<0.01). También, en este periodo el índice de diarreas fue mayor en lechones alimentados con piensos granulados que aquellos alimentados con piensos en harina. Asimismo, fue superior para los lechones alimentados con el pienso prestárter durante 14 o 21 días que para los que recibieron éste pienso solo durante 7 días (P<0.01). De 49 a 63 días de edad, los lechones que previamente habían recibido piensos BC crecieron más que los que recibieron piensos AC (P<0.001). Asimismo, los lechones que recibieron el pienso prestárter durante 21 días comieron (P< 0.001) y crecieron menos (P<0.05) presentando una peor eficacia alimenticia (P<0.05) que los lechones que lo recibieron solo durante 7 14 días. La digestibilidad de la MO fue mayor en los lechones alimentados con los piensos AC que en los alimentados con piensos BC (P<0.05). La granulación del pienso mejoró la digestibilidad de los principales nutrientes. Los piensos prestárter AC mejoraron la digestibilidad de los nutrientes pero no la eficiencia alimenticia en lechones ibéricos de 28 a 63 días de edad. La granulación del pienso mejoró la eficiencia alimenticia. El aumento del suministro del pienso prestárter de 7 a 21 días mejoró la eficiencia alimenticia pero redujo la GMD. Por lo tanto, la utilización de piensos granulados de alta calidad durante el periodo prestárter es recomendable en lechones ibéricos, pero solo durante la primera semana post-destete. ABSTRACT The main objectives of this PhD Thesis were to study the effects of a) heat processing (HP) of corn and inclusion of high quality ingredients of animal origin such as fish meal (FM) and dried milk products in the diet, b) inclusion of different soy products varying in crude protein (CP) content, particle size, and origin of the beans in diets for conventional white and Iberian weanling pigs, and c) effects of ingredient quality, feed form, and duration of supply of the phase I diets on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal morphology of weanling pigs. In experiment 1, the effect of diet complexity on total tract apparent digestibility (TTAD) and growth performance was studied in piglets from 21 to 62 d of age. There were 10 experimental treatments which resulted from the combination of 5 phase I (21 to 41 d of age) and 2 phase II (42 to 62 d of age) diets. The 5 phase I diets consisted of a negative control diet that contained 40 % raw corn, 4% FM, and 7% lactose (LAC); a positive control diet that contained 40 % HP corn, 10% FM, and 14% LAC, and 3 extra diets that used similar ingredients to those of the positive control diet but in which a) 40% of HP corn was substituted by raw corn, b) 4% FM rather than 10% FM, and c) 7% LAC instead of 14% LAC were included in the diet. Each treatment was replicated 6 times (6 pigs per pen). From 42 to 62 d of age, half of the pens of each of the 5 phase I treatments received a standard soybean meal (SBM)–native corn–lard diet wheras the other half received a diet with similar nutrient profile but that included 20% HP corn, 5% FM, 1.3% lactosa, 2% fermented soy protein concentrate, and 1% soybean oil in substitution of variables amounts of non-processed corn, SBM, and lard. Dietary treatment did not affect piglet performance at any age, but the incidence of post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) was higher during phase I in piglets fed the negative control diet than in piglets fed any of the other diets (P<0.05). At 30 d of age (phase I diets), the TTAD of organic matter (OM) and gross energy (GE) was lower (P<0.001) in pigs fed the negative control diet than in pigs fed the other diets but CP digestibility was not affected. At 50 d of age (phase II diets), dietary treatment did not affect TTAD of any dietary component. It is concluded that the use of high quality ingredients at high levels in the diet did not improve growth performance of piglets at any age. From 21 to 41 d of age, PWD was reduced and nutrient digestibility was increased in pigs fed the more complex diets. Consequently, the inclusion of high levels of high quality ingredients in piglet diets to maximize growth performance might not be justified under all circumstances In experiment 2, the effect of CP content (44 vs. 49 % CP) of SBM, micronization (fine grinding) of the high CP SBM (HP-SBM; 49% CP), and soy protein concentrate (SPC; 65% CP) on TTAD and growth performance was studied in conventional white piglets from 28 to 63 d of age. From 28 to 49 d of age (phase I), there was a positive control diet that included 6.5% CP from SPC and a negative control diet that supplied the same amount of CP as regular SBM (R-SBM; 44% CP) of Argentina (ARG) origin. The other 4 diets included the same amount of dietary CP from 2 sources of HP-SBM (USA or ARG origin), either ground (990 μm) or micronized (60 μm). Each treatment was replicated 8 times (6 pigs per pen). From 49 to 63 d of age (phase II), all pigs were fed a common commercial starter diet. For the entire phase I, type of soy product included in the diet did not affect growth performance of the pigs. However, from 28 to 35 d of age pigs fed the micronized HP-SBM had better feed conversion ratio (FCR; 0.90 vs. 1.01; P<0.05) than pigs fed the ground HP-SBM. Also, from 35 to 42 d of age, average daily feed intake (ADFI) tended to be higher (P=0.08) for pigs fed the micronized HP-SBM than for pigs fed the ground HP-SBM. During phase II, when all the pigs received the same diet, no differences among treatments were observed. In general, the TTAD of nutrients at 35 d of age was higher for the SPC than for the R-SBM diet with the HP-SBM diets being intermediate. The TTAD of CP was higher (83.8% vs. 81.9%; P≤0.01) for the SPC diet than for the average of 5 SBM containing diets. Also, the digestibility of OM and dry matter (DM) was higher (P<0.01) for the HP-SBM, either ground or micronized, than for the R-SBM diet. Micronization of the HP-SBM did not affect nutrient digestibility. It is concluded that when R-SBM was substituted by SPC, CP digestibility was improved but no effects on growth performance were observed. The use of HP-SBM in substitution of R-SBM in the diet improved nutrient digestibility but did not affect piglet performance. The inclusion of micronized HP-SBM in the diet improved FCR during the first week post-weaning but did not affect TTAD of nutrients. Therefore, the inclusion of added value soy products (SPC or micronized SBM) in the diet presents little advantage in terms of growth performance over the use of HP-SBM in pigs weaned at 28 d of age. In experiment 3, the effects of the same sources of soy protein used in experiment 2 on TTAD and growth performance of crossbreed Iberian pigs from 30 to 61 d of age were studied. In addition, the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients and mucosa ileum morphology were also determined. Dietary treatment did not affect growth performance of the pigs at any age but from 30 to 51 d of age (phase I diets), PWD was higher (P<0.001) and the TTAD and AID of all nutrients were lower for pigs fed the R-SBM diet than for pigs fed the HP-SBM or the SPC diets. However, no differences between the HP-SBM and the SPC containing diets were detected for digestibility of any dietary component. The TTAD of OM (P=0.07) and GE (P=0.05) tended to be higher for the micronized HP-SBM than for the ground HP-SBM and that of GE was higher (P<0.05) for the USA meal than for the ARG meal. Pigs fed R-SBM had lower villus height (P<0.01) than pigs fed HP-SBM or SPC but no differences in ileal mucosal morphology were detected between SPC and HP-SBM containing diets. It is concluded that feeding the HP-SBM or SPC in substitution of R-SBM reduced PWD and improved nutrient digestibility and ileal morphology in piglets as compared with feeding the R-SBM, but had no effect on growth performance. The inclusion in the diet of added value soy products (micronized SBM or SPC) in substitution of the R-SBM increased the TTAD of all nutrients and reduced PWD but had no advantage in terms of growth performance over the use of ground HP-SBM. In experiment 4, the effect of CP content and ingredient complexity, feed form, and duration of feeding of the phase I diets on growth performance and TTAD of nutrients were studied in Iberian pigs from 28 to 63 d of age. There were 12 dietary treatments with 2 type of feeds (HQ; higher quality and LQ; medium quality), 2 feed forms (pellets vs. mash), and 3 durations of supply (7, 14, and 21 d) of the phase I diets. From d 7, 14, or 21 (depending on treatment) to d 35 of experiment, all pigs received a common diet in mash form. Each treatment was replicated 3 times (6 pigs/pen). For the entire experiment, average daily gain (ADG; P<0.05) and ADFI (P<0.01) were lower with the HQ than with the LQ phase I diets but FCR was not affected. Pelleting of the phase I diets did not affect ADG but improved FCR (P<0.01). Feeding the phase I diets from d 0 to 21 improved FCR (P<0.05) but decreased ADG (P<0.01) as compared with 7 or 14 d of feeding. Post-weaning diarrhea tended to be higher (P=0.06) for pigs fed the HQ diets than for pigs fed the LQ diets and for pigs fed pellets than for pigs fed mash (P<0.001). Also, PWD was higher for pigs fed the phase I diet for 14 or 21 d than for pigs fed this diet for 7 d (P<0.01). From d 0 to 21, ADG and FCR were not affected by feed quality but feeding pellets or increasing the duration of feeding the phase I diets improved FCR (P<0.01). Also, in this period PWD was higher with pellets than with mash and for pigs fed the phase I diets for 14 or 21 d than for pigs fed this diet for only 7 d (P<0.01). From d 21 to 35, pigs previously fed the LQ diet had higher ADG than pigs fed the HQ phase I diets (P<0.001). Also, pigs that were fed the phase I diets for 21 d had lower ADG (P<0.05) and ADFI (P< 0.001) and poor FCR (P<0.05) than pigs fed these diets for 7 or 14 d. Organic matter digestibility was higher for pigs fed the HQ phase I diets than for pigs fed the LQ phase I diets (P<0.05). Pelleting improved TTAD of all nutrients (P<0.01). It is concluded that HQ phase I diets increased TTAD of nutrients but not feed efficiency of Iberian pigs from d 28 to 63 d of age. Also, pelleting improved nutrient digestibility and feed efficiency. Increasing the duration of supply of the phase I diets from 7 to 21 d improved feed efficiency but reduced ADG. Therefore, the use of LQ phase I diets in pellet form for no more than 7 d after weaning is recommended in Iberian pigs.

Key factors affecting the efficiency of transport interchanges

This paper provides a meta-analysis of long/short distance passenger interconnectivity within the European context. The analysis is based on the results of the European project HERMES of the 7th EU R&D Programme. The study collected stakeholders and travelers’ valuation and preferences in 5 interchanges in 3 EU countries. To that end a common survey was conducted in the following sites: Gothenburg Central Station (Sweden), Avenida de America Interchange in Madrid, Lleida-Zaragoza railway stations (Spain), and the Intermodal Station of Part Dieu in Lyon (France). The first survey addresses the analysis of the different stakeholders’ opinion on the interchange management and characteristics. The second survey gives an insight into the key requirements of long/short distance intermodal passengers in the selected case studies. This included the following aspects: on one hand, trip origin and destination, connecting transport services and modes, trip characteristics, type of ticket, trip motive and socioeconomic characteristics of the traveller. On the other hand, it was structured in such a way to ask passengers to rate importance/satisfaction of a series of common quality and functional aspects like information, accessibility, transfer times, service supply, etc. In conclusion, the paper highlights which elements of the interchange are considered as relevant and how different groups of stakeholders value them, both theoretically and in the selected case studies. They also have identified some key barriers as the lack of internal coordination among operators, managers and decision makers, as well as the the poor signage, particularly among connecting services. Travellers seem to have different priorities depending on their age, purpose of trip and mode chosen. In some cases time appears as the most relevant factor, whilst price is decisive in others.

A general framework to testing the effect of transport policy measures to achieve a modal shift: a sequental hybrid model

In order to achieve to minimize car-based trips, transport planners have been particularly interested in understanding the factors that explain modal choices. In the transport modelling literature there has been an increasing awareness that socioeconomic attributes and quantitative variables are not sufficient to characterize travelers and forecast their travel behavior. Recent studies have also recognized that users? social interactions and land use patterns influence travel behavior, especially when changes to transport systems are introduced, but links between international and Spanish perspectives are rarely deal. In this paper, factorial and path analyses through a Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Cause (MIMIC) model are used to understand and describe the relationship between the different psychological and environmental constructs with social influence and socioeconomic variables. The MIMIC model generates Latent Variables (LVs) to be incorporated sequentially into Discrete Choice Models (DCM) where the levels of service and cost attributes of travel modes are also included directly to measure the effect of the transport policies that have been introduced in Madrid during the last three years in the context of the economic crisis. The data used for this paper are collected from a two panel smartphone-based survey (n=255 and 190 respondents, respectively) of Madrid.

Win-win transport strategies: searching for sinergies

In order to achieve to minimize car-based trips, transport planners have been particularly interested in understanding the factors that explain modal choices. In the transport modelling literature there has been an increasing awareness that socioeconomic attributes and quantitative variables are not sufficient to characterize travelers and forecast their travel behavior. Recent studies have also recognized that users? social interactions and land use patterns influence travel behavior, especially when changes to transport systems are introduced, but links between international and Spanish perspectives are rarely deal. In this paper, factorial and path analyses through a Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Cause (MIMIC) model are used to understand and describe the relationship between the different psychological and environmental constructs with social influence and socioeconomic variables. The MIMIC model generates Latent Variables (LVs) to be incorporated sequentially into Discrete Choice Models (DCM) where the levels of service and cost attributes of travel modes are also included directly to measure the effect of the transport policies that have been introduced in Madrid during the last three years in the context of the economic crisis. The data used for this paper are collected from a two panel smartphone-based survey (n=255 and 190 respondents, respectively) of Madrid.

Idas y venidas. Los viajes de arquitectura en España entre 1920 y 1960

Esta tesis se propone indagar en las vias por las que la arquitectura española cambió en el periodo comprendido entre 1920 y 1960 y el papel que los viajes tuvieron en dicho cambio. La investigación busca demostrar que, junto a otros factores como la llegada de revistas y libros y las conferencias de arquitectos de la talla de Le Corbusier, Gropius, Mendelsohn, Neutra o Aalto, los viajes tuvieron un papel clave en el proceso de apertura de miras y que provocó que, bien a traves de lo publicado en las revistas por los “arquitectos viajeros” o por el reflejo que tuvo lo conocido fuera de nuestras fronteras en proyectos y obras concretas, un buen numero de arquitectos, que no tuvieron la posibilidad de viajar, pudieron conocer que existía una realidad muy distinta a la que los profesores en la Escuela les habían enseñado o a la que estaban acostumbrados a ver en otros arquitectos de generaciones anteriores basada, en buena medida, en la recuperación de un estilo propio nacional centrandose en los historicismos. A lo largo de la investigación trataremos de ver que efecto produjo la apertura de fronteras y que papel tuvieron los viajes en dicho proceso. También nos centraremos en comprobar hasta qué punto cambió la manera de ver la arquitectura de los protagonistas del viaje y de aquellos que recibieron la información por ellos encontrada. Veremos cómo dicha información es cuantificable, clasificable y demostrable en propuestas concretas. Será importante ver que motivó su salida, que buscaban y que encontraron así como, entre las influencias recibidas, cuales tuvieron un mayor calado: las propuestas europeas o las americanas, y dentro de las primeras, las holandesas, las alemanas o las francesas. Los objetivos que se persigue conseguir son: contribuir a un mayor conocimiento de la arquitectura entre 1920 y 1960 a través de las conexiones internacionales y el ensanchamiento de horizontes, recopilar, clasificar y analizar todo el material obtenido relacionando los viajes con las biografías de los arquitectos protagonistas, estudiar qué interesa a los arquitectos españoles cuando van fuera y porqué (será importante ver quiénes de entre los arquitectos son más abiertos a las corrientes europeas y que motivó su salida en busca de nuevos lenguajes), ordenar las reflexiones que exponen los arquitectos a la vuelta de sus viajes y ver en que propuestas y de qué forma los arquitectos plasman lo encontrado en su búsqueda en el extranjero. Para conseguir estos objetivos estructuraremos la investigación en tres bloques: En el primero de ellos nos centraremos en profundizar como era la arquitectura española a principios del siglo XX. Para poder entender mejor las transformaciones que los viajes provocaron será necesario conocer cuál era la arquitectura predominante en estos años que, como veremos, consistía en la búsqueda de un estilo nacional propio dirigiendo su mirada al pasado. También veremos cómo un grupo de arquitectos (Palacios, Flórez, Torres Balbás o Anasagasti) fueron pioneros en el deseo de mirar fuera de nuestras fronteras así como dedicaremos especial atención a cómo era la formación en la Escuela. El segundo capítulo, que abarca desde principios de los años 20 hasta la Guerra Civil, tratará de demostrar la importancia que tuvo en el proceso de permeabilidad frente a las corrientes extranjeras los viajes que los arquitectos realizaron y que, sumados a la llegada de revistas y las visitas de los principales arquitectos modernos, provocaron una primera apertura como respuesta a los historicismos predominantes. Entre los arquitectos viajeros destacaremos las figuras de Fernando García Mercadal (incidiendo en su importancia como difusor de la arquitectura moderna), Rafael Bergamín, Ramón Sánchez Arcas y Luis Lacasa. También nos detendremos en ver la importancia que tuvieron las exposiciones (con especial atención a la de Artes Decorativas de París de 1925 y la de la Deutscher Werkbund en Stuttgart en 1927) que se realizaron estos años y como llegó la información a nuestro país. El tercer y último capítulo arranca con el periodo de posguerra, una época de transición pues los viajes que se realizaron fueron escasos y en la mayoría de las ocasiones no se llevaron a cabo en busca de nuevos caminos. Veremos cómo tras la Guerra y de la mano de la dictadura se produce, de la misma forma que en la Alemania nazi, una vuelta al interés por los historicismos de principios de siglo. Para entender mejor este periodo haremos un repaso a la obra de Luis Gutiérrez Soto por ser explicativa de lo cambiante de las corrientes arquitectónicas de estos años. Tras el análisis de los sucedido en posguerra nos dedicaremos a analizar, de la misma forma que en el primer periodo, la manera en que se produjo el rechazo al estilo nacional de nuevo gracias a la llegada de libros y revistas, lo publicado por las revistas españolas, las visitas de arquitectos de prestigio así como los viajes de un grupo de arquitectos que, de manera individual, salieron al extranjero en busca de apoyo, de referencias en los que cimentar su arquitectura. De este grupo, por la importancia que los propios protagonistas dieron al hecho de viajar como complemento a su formación y por la manera en la que reflejaron lo aprendido en proyectos concretos destacamos a Francisco de Asís Cabrero, Miguel Fisac, Ramón Vázquez Molezún y Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza. De nuevo, igual que en el primer capítulo finalizaremos la investigación dedicando un apartado a las exposiciones (fundamentalmente la Interbau de Berlín de 1957) celebradas en estos años. Para finalizar estableceremos las conclusiones que nos llevarán a comprobar hasta qué punto la arquitectura española en los periodos previo y posterior a la guerra cambió y en qué medida tuvieron importancia los viajes que los arquitectos españoles realizaron al extranjero en dicho cambio… ABSTRACT This thesis aims to look at the ways which Spanish architecture changed in the period between 1920 and 1960, and the way it was effected by travelling . The research will demonstrate that, together with other factors, such as the arrival of magazines, books, conferences and architects like Le Corbusier, Gropius, Mendelsohn, Neutra or Aalto, travelling played a key role in architecture. Also, it changed the way we look at architecture. Travelling, thanks to the published journals by "travelling architects” and the influence that they had - known beyond our borders in projects and concrete works, caused the arrival of a new type of architects. Even those who were not able to travel, knew that there was a very different reality than the reality the teachers at the school had taught them. Also, the “new reality” was different from the one that they were used to seeing in other architects of earlier generations, based mainly on the recovery of a national style focused on historicism. Throughout the investigation I will try to show the effect that the opening of borders and travelling had on this process. We will also focus on checking how it changed the way we see the architecture, from the point of view of the protagonists of the travels and those who received the information . We will see how that information is quantifiable and demonstrably classifiable into concrete proposals. It will be important to see which led to their departure. They sought and found among the influences, which had a major impact: the proposed European or American, and within the first, Dutch, German or French. The objectives to be achieved are: To contribute to a better understanding of architecture between 1920 to 1960 by the international connections, and widening the horizon. To collect, classify and analyze all obtained materials related to travelling with biographies of architects protagonists. To study what the interests of the Spanish architects were when they went abroad and why ( it will be important to see who among those architects were more open to European trends and prompted their departures for new languages). To order reflections exhibited by architects around his travels and to see what proposals and how architects reflected what they found in their search abroad. To achieve these objectives we will structure this research in three areas: In the first one, we will focus on how the Spanish architecture in the early twentieth century was. To better understand the changes that travelling caused it is necessary to understand that the predominant architecture in these years was in pursuit of its own national style, directing its gaze to the past, like we shall see. We will also see how a group of architects (Palacios, Flórez, Torres Balbás or Anasagasti) pioneered by looking beyond our borders and devote special attention to how the training was in the School. The second chapter, ranging from early 20s to the Civil War, will try to demonstrate the importance that travelling had in the process of diffusion currents. That, together with the arrival of magazines and visits by leading modern architects, led to a first opening in architecture, in response to the prevailing historicism. Among the travelers we highlight architects like Fernando García Mercadal (stressing his importance as a disseminator of modern architecture), Rafael Bergamín, Ramón Sánchez Arcas and Luis Lacasa. We will also stop to see the importance of exhibitions (with special attention to the Decorative Arts in Paris in 1925 and the Deutscher Werkbund in Stuttgart in 1927) that were held over the years and how the information came to our country . The third and final chapter starts with the post war period, a time of transition for the travels, which were scarce and in most cases were not conducted on new roads. We will see that after the war and with the dictatorship, a return to interest in historicism of the century occurred, just as in Nazi Germany. For better understanding of this period we will review the work of Luis Gutiérrez Soto. His work is explanatory of the changing of architectural trends over these years. After analyzing the case in post war, we turn to analyze, in the same way as in the first period, the manner in which rejection occurred in national style again with the arrival of books and magazines. Visits by prestigious architects and group travels of architects who, individually, went abroad in search of support, references on which to base their architecture. In this group of architects, due to the importance that the protagonists gave to the act of traveling to improve their training and the way in which they reflected what they learned in practical projects, I include Francisco de Asís Cabrero, Miguel Fisac, Ramon Vazquez Molezún and Francisco Javier Saenz de Oiza. Again, as in the first chapter, we will conclude the investigation dedicating a section to the exhibitions held in these years (mainly Interbau Berlin, 1957). Finally establishing conclusions lead us to see how far the Spanish architecture in the pre- and post -war periods changed and how much the trips were important to Spanish architects who performed abroad on the change...

Assessment methodology applied to demand measures to change urban mobility behavior

In order to minimize car-based trips, transport planners have been particularly interested in understanding the factors that explain modal choices. Transport modelling literature has been increasingly aware that socioeconomic attributes and quantitative variables are not sufficient to characterize travelers and forecast their travel behavior. Recent studies have also recognized that users’ social interactions and land use patterns influence travel behavior, especially when changes to transport systems are introduced; but links between international and Spanish perspectives are rarely dealt with. The overall objective of the thesis is to develop a stepped methodology that integrate diverse perspectives to evaluate the willingness to change patterns of urban mobility in Madrid, based on four steps: (1st) analysis of causal relationships between both objective and subjective personal variables, and travel behavior to capture pro-car and pro-public transport intentions; (2nd) exploring the potential influence of individual trip characteristics and social influence variables on transport mode choice; (3rd) identifying built environment dimensions on travel behavior; and (4th) exploring the potential influence on transport mode choice of extrinsic characteristics of individual trip using panel data, land use variables using spatial characteristics and social influence variables. The data used for this thesis have been collected from a two panel smartphone-based survey (n=255 and 190 respondents, respectively) carried out in Madrid. Although the steps above are mainly methodological, the application to the area of Madrid allows deriving important results that can be directly used to forecast travel demand and to evaluate the benefits of specific policies that might be implemented in the area. The results demonstrated, respectively: (1st) transport policy actions are more likely to be effective when pro-car intention has been disrupted first; (2nd) the consideration of “helped” and “voluntary” users as tested here could have a positive and negative impact, respectively, on the use of public transport; (3rd) the importance of density, design, diversity and accessibility underlying dimensions responsible for land use variables; and (4th) there are clearly different types of combinations of social interactions, land use and time frame on travel behavior studies. Finally, with the objective to study the impact of demand measures to change urban mobility behavior, those previous results have been considered in a unique way, a hybrid discrete choice model has been used on a 5th step. Then it can be concluded that urban mobility behavior is not only ruled by the maximum utility criterion, but also by a strong psychological-environment concept, developed without the mediation of cognitive processes during choice, i.e., many people using public transport on their way to work do not do it for utilitarian reasons, but because no other choice is available. Regarding built environment dimensions, the more diversity place of residence, the more difficult the use of public transport or walking.

Wheat allergy in celiac children

Gluten is the main structural protein complex of wheat with equivalent toxic proteins found in other cereals (rye, barley, and oats) which are responsible for different immunologic responses with different clinical expressions of disease. The spectrum of gluten-related disorders has been classified according to pathogenic, clinical, and epidemiological differences in three main forms: (i) wheat allergy (WA), an IgE-mediated disease; (ii) autoimmune disease, including celiac disease (CD), dermatitis herpetiformis, and gluten ataxia; and (iii) possibly immune-mediated, gluten sensitivity [1]. WA is an immunologic Th2 response with typical manifestations which can vary from dermatological, respiratory, and/or intestinal to anaphylactic reactions. In contrast, CD is an autoimmune disorder, a gliadin-specific T-cell response which is enhanced by the action of intestinal tissue transglutaminase (tTG), with a wide clinical spectrum including symptomatic cases with either intestinal (e.g., chronic diarrhea, weight loss) or extraintestinal features (e.g., anemia, osteoporosis, neurologic disturbances) and silent forms that are occasionally discovered as a result of serological screening [1]. We studied wheat allergy in two children with early diagnosis of CD, who developed immediate allergic symptoms after eating small amounts of wheat flour.