The Catalan countries project (1931-1939)

In the evolution of Catalan nationalism, as much politician as cultural, the period of II Spanish Republic (1931-1939) was essential. The obtaining of the Statute of Autonomy (1931-1932) supposed the beginning of a stage of expansion in multiple aspects. One of them were the contacts with the Catalanists nuclei of the rest of the cultural space of Catalan language in which, at that time, it would begin to call Catalan Countries (Balearic Islands, Valencian Country, Andorra, Rossell��, to l'Alguer). On Those Collaborations between cultural organizations, political and particular parties Catalonia always will be the model to follow. The Increasing connections will be visualized on press, as well as on cultural celebrations, policy of parties and Constituent Courts. This evolution will be cut by the Franco victory in the Civil War in 1939.

Testing of stair climbing point-of-choice prompts in Barcelona at an outdoor set of stairs and scalators on the Montju��c site

Regular stair climbing has well-documented health dividends, such as increased fitness and strength, weight loss and reduced body fat, improved lipid profiles and reduced risk of osteoporosis. The general absence of barriers to participation makes stair climbing an ideal physical activity (PA) for health promotion. Studies in the US and the UK have consistently shown that interventions to increase the accumulation of lifestyle PA by climbing stairs rather than using the escalators are effective. However, there are no previous in Catalonia. This project tested one message for their ability to prompt travelers on the Montju��c site to choose the stairs rather than the escalator when climbing up the Monju��c hill. One standard message, " Take the stairs! 7 minutes of stair climbing a day protects your heart" provided a comparison with previous research done in the UK. Translated into Catalan and Spanish, it was presented on a poster positioned at the point of choice between the stairs and the escalator. The study used a quasi-experimental, interrupted time series design. Travelers, during several and specific hours on two days of the week, were coded for stair or escalator use, gender, age, ethnic status, presence of accompanying children or bags by one observer. Overall, the intervention resulted in a 81% increase in stair climbing. In the follow-up period without messages, stair climbing dropped out to baseline levels. This preliminary study showed a significant effect on stair use. However, caution is needed since results are based on a small sample and, only a low percentage of the sample took the stairs at baseline or the intervention phase . Future research on stair use in Catalonia should focus on using bigger samples, different sites (metro stations, airports, shopping centers, etc) , different messages and techniques to promote stair climbing.

L'Educaci�� assistencial i social a Vic

A partir de les fonts documentals de la ���Casa Miseric��rdia��� i de ���Casa Caritat��� de Vic i tamb�� del testimoni de persones que hi havien viscut o hi havien treballat o les coneixien de prop, s���ha volgut explicar el naixement, evoluci�� i decad��ncia de les dues institucions centen��ries que van realitzar, gaireb�� sempre amb pocs mitjans per�� amb notable dedicaci��, una tasca ingent en favor dels m��s desfavorits i que van deixar d���existir a principis dels anys setanta. Casa Caritat atenia persones necessitades d���ambd��s sexes, encara que en dues instal���lacions diferents, com l���antic convent dels Trinitaris per al sexe femen�� i l���antic convent de Sant Dom��nec, per al mascul��. La Miseric��rdia va acollir durant poc m��s de dos-cents cinquanta anys nenes, noies, dones i velles pobres i desemparades. La raresa d���aquesta instituci�� estava en el r��gim d���autogesti��, sense la intervenci�� de cap ordre religiosa, com era costum en aquells temps. El tancament de les dues institucions va donar lloc a un nou model assistencial i educatiu per als menors, promogut pel bisbe de Vic Ramon Masnou i per Joan Riera, els impulsors de la Llar Juvenil. Es tractava d���un recurs modern i d���inspiraci�� cristiana, ubicat en una casa de nova construcci�� i sota un reglament molt m��s humanitzat i amb menys pes de les pr��ctiques religioses. La conflictivitat dels nens i nenes, a mesura que creixien, i amb les necessitats d���uns altres temps, a m��s d���assumpci�� de les compet��ncies de menors per part de la Generalitat el 1981, van propiciar la creaci�� per part de la Generalitat i de l���Ajuntament de Vic de Casa Moreta, amb un projecte totalment laic i portat per professionals que despr��s es convertiria en el Centre Residencial Osona i tamb�� va suposar el naixement d���una altra entitat, la Llar Terricabras. La recerca, doncs, pret��n posar les bases per a futures an��lisis aprofundides sobre l���atenci�� als menors a la ciutat de Vic, al llarg del temps.

Transferring QTL technology to the pig breeding industry (PigQTech) - a demonstration project

The aim of the project has been to demonstrate how the farm animal breeding industry can utilise gene mapping technology to accelerate genetic improvement. Previous theoretical studies had suggested that the use of marker assisted selection could potentially increase the annual improvement for quantitative traits like backfat with about 10% and for more difficult traits such as meat quality and reproduction by as much as 40-60% compared with existing technology. The work has comprised two major tasks: 1. Commercially relevant populations have been screened for segregation at QTLs identified in experimental populations. The aim has been to establish optimal strategies for QTL detection in commercial pig populations and the extent to which QTLs explaining major phenotypic differences between divergent lines used in experimental studies also explain quantitative variation within commercial lines. The results are important for specifying future strategies for finding economically valuable QTLs. 2. Marker assisted backcrossing has been used to demonstrate how a QTL allele can be introgressed from one breed to another. The work has focused on the major fatness QTL on pig chromosome 4 previously identified in a wild pig/Large White intercross. The end result was not designed to be a commercially viable product in its own right, but the process has validated a number of points of major importance for the exploitation of QTLs in livestock.

Market effects of foreign exchange coordinated intervention

In this article we develop a theoretical microstructure model of coordinated central bank intervention based on asymmetric information. We study the economic implications of coordination on some measures of market quality and show that the model predicts higher volatility and more significant exchange rate changes when central banks coordinate compared to when they intervene unilaterally. Both these predictions are in line with empirical evidence. Keywords: coordinated foreign exchange intervention, market microstructure. JEL Classification: D82, E58, F31, G14

Inequality and a repeated joint project

Agents voluntarily contribute to an infinitely repeated joint project. We investigate the conditions for cooperation to be a renegotiation-proof and coalition-proof equilibrium before examining the influence of output share inequality on the sustainability of cooperation. When shares are not equally distributed, cooperation requires agents to be more patient than under perfect equality. Beyond a certain degree of share inequality, full efficiency cannot be reached without redistribution. This model also explains the coexistence of one cooperating and one free-riding coalition. In this case, increasing inequality can have a positive or negative impact on the aggregate level of effort.

Intervention pr��coce dans la phase initiale des troubles psychotiques �� Lausanne: quels probl��mes et quelles solutions [Early intervention for the initial phase of psychotic disorders in Lausanne: what problems and what solutions?]

Schizophrenia has long been considered with pessimism, but the recent interest in the early phase of psychotic disorders has modified this often unjustified perception. Literature has demonstrated the benefit of the development of programs specialised in the treatment of early psychosis, which tend to be developed in many countries. It is however important to match them to local needs as well as to the structure of local health services. This paper reviews elements that justify such a development in Lausanne, Switzerland, and describe its various elements.

Behind the Scenes of an Ant Genome Project

Dramatic improvements in DNA sequencing technologies have led to amore than 1,000-fold reduction in sequencing costs over the past five years.Genome-wide research approaches can thus now be applied beyond medicallyrelevant questions to examine the molecular-genetic basis of behavior,development and unique life histories in almost any organism. A first step foran emerging model organism is usually establishing a reference genomesequence. I offer insight gained from the fire ant genome project. First, I detailhow the project came to be and how sequencing, assembly and annotationstrategies were chosen. Subsequently, I describe some of the issues linked toworking with data from recently sequenced genomes. Finally, I discuss anapproach undertaken in a follow-up project based on the fire ant genomesequence.

Sistema de informaci��n SIGARQ: desarrollo de un aplicativo S.I.G. para la gesti��n de la secuencia estratigr��fica de una intervenci��n arqueol��gica

El Sistema de Informaci��n Geogr��fica Arqueol��gico (SIGARQ), pretende ser una herramienta que permita integrar, gestionar y analizar todos aquellos datos procedentes de cualquier tipo de intervenci��n arqueol��gica independientemente de la naturaleza del elemento patrimonial a estudiar y de la t��cnica de trabajo empleada en la intervenci��n. Al mismo tiempo ha de permitir contextualizar cada una de las intervenciones y sus resultados en un marco geogr��fico m��s extenso. De esta manera, el proyecto actual tambi��n supone un avance de las potencialidades del sistema de cara a la gesti��n patrimonial del territorio y los estudios de car��cter paisaj��stico.

Quantitative and qualitative research on brief systemic therapies carried out within the framework of an ambulatory consultation for couples and families

Abstract: This article presents both a brief systemic intervention method (IBS) consisting in 6 sessions developed in an ambulatory service for couples and families, and two research projects done in collaboration with the Institute for Psychotherapy of the University of Lausanne. The first project is quantitative and it aims at evaluating the effectiveness of ISB. One of its main feature is that outcomes are assessed at different levels of individual and family functioning: 1) symptoms and individual functioning; 2) quality of marital relationship; 3) parental and co-parental relationships; 4) familial relationships. The second project is a qualitative case study about a marital therapy which identifies and analyses significant moments of the therapeutic process from the patients' perspective. Methodology was largely inspired by Daniel Stem's work about "moments of meeting" in psychotherapy. Results show that patients' theories about relationship and change are important elements that deepen our understanding of the change process in couple and family therapy. The interest of associating clinicians and researchers for the development and validation of a new clinical model is discussed.