Turnout,political strength,and cost efficiency in Spanish municipalities of the autonomous region of Galicia: Evidence from an alternative stochastic frontier approach

The scientific literature has used different theoretical arguments and methodological alternatives to attempt to demonstrate whether both electoral turnout and the strength of the incumbent majority influence the cost efficiency of municipal governments, reaching inconclusive results. We provide new arguments and employ a methodology that overcomes some of the limitations of the previous studies. Our research confirms a direct association between electoral turnout and municipal cost efficiency in the Spanish region of Galicia. Moreover, the strength of the incumbent majority has a significant negative effect on cost efficiency, contradicting the frequently used explanations that are based on government inaction or the common-pool problem.     

Which persistent organic pollutants can we map in soil using a large spacing systematic soil monitoring design? A case study in Northern France

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) impact upon human and animal health and the wider environment. It is important to determine where POPs are found and the spatial pattern of POP variation. The concentrations of 90 molecules which are members of four families of POPs and two families of herbicides were measured within a region of Northern France as part of the French National Soil Monitoring Network (RMQS: Réseau de Mesures de la Qualité des Sols). We also gather information on five covariates (elevation, soil organic carbon content, road density, land cover and population density) which might influence POP concentrations. The study region contains 105 RMQS observation sites arranged on a regular square grid with spacing of 16 km. The observations include hot-spots at sites of POP application, smaller concentrations where POPs have been dispersed and observations less than the limit of quantification (LOQ) where the soil has not been impacted by POPs. Fifty nine of the molecules were detected at less than 50 sites and hence the data were unsuitable for spatial analyses. We represent the variation of the remaining 31 molecules by various linear mixed models which can include fixed effects (i.e. linear relationships between the molecule concentrations and covariates) and spatially correlated random effects. The best model for each molecule is selected by the Akaike Information Criterion. For nine of the molecules, spatial correlation is evident and hence they can potentially be mapped. For four of these molecules, the spatial correlation cannot be wholly explained by fixed effects. It appears that these molecules have been transported away from their application sites and are now dispersed across the study region with the largest concentrations found in a heavily populated depression. More complicated statistical models and sampling designs are required to explain the distribution of the less dispersed molecules.     

Proportioning of reinforced concrete column sections

Relatively simplistic recommendations are widely available for the preliminary sizing of reinforced concrete columns. A simple, more precise approach is developed herein. The neutral axis depth and reinforcement required to provide a desired resistance to axial load and moment was determined analytically for the common case of symmetrically distributed reinforcement. Readily available solver routines are used to determine section dimensions required to provide the desired axial and flexural strength, for a desired reinforcement ratio. The approach is illustrated for two examples, including a case in which independent load combinations cause bending about each principal axis of the section.     

Regional economic dynamics and convergence in the European Union

This paper uses an alternative approach to convergence analysis, which, in our opinion, is richer than those traditionally proposed. We believe that the evolution of the whole regional distribution is what matters, not that of an average or representative economy, implicit in the or convergence concepts. Moreover, when analyzing inequality among regional economies, geographic space acquires a preeminent role. We therefore apply spatial association tests recently developed in the spatial econometrics literature and relate them to convergence analysis. Specifically, we apply this methodology to the analysis of regional dynamics and convergence in the European Union (EU). In this context, the progress made in the integration process has highlighted the question of economic disparities at regional level. The process of convergence came to an end in the late seventies, coinciding with major changes in economic activity. This paper shows how these factors appear to have provoked a regionally differentiated response which, though significant, did not, in all likelihood, exacerbate the decrease in regional inequalities.     

Impact of dissolved organic matter on colloid transport in the vadose zone: deterministic approximation of transport deposition coefficients from polymeric coating characteristics

Although numerous studies have been conducted to discern colloid transport and stability processes, the mechanistic understanding of how dissolved organic matter (DOM) affects colloid fate in unsaturated soils (i.e., the vadose zone) remains unclear. This study aims to bridge the gap between the physicochemical responses of colloid complexes and porous media interfaces to solution chemistry, and the effect these changes have on colloid transport and fate. Measurements of adsorbed layer thickness, density, and charge of DOM-colloid complexes and transport experiments with tandem internal process visualization were conducted for key constituents of DOM, humic (HA) and fulvic acids (FA), at acidic, neutral and basic pH and two CaCl₂ concentrations. Polymeric characteristics reveal that, of the two tested DOM constituents, only HA electrosterically stabilizes colloids. This stabilization is highly dependent on solution pH which controls DOM polymer adsorption affinity, and on the presence of Ca⁺² which promotes charge neutralization and inter-particle bridging. Transport experiments indicate that HA improved colloid transport significantly, while FA only marginally affected transport despite having a large effect on particle charge. A transport model with deposition and pore-exclusion parameters fit experimental breakthrough curves well. Trends in deposition coefficients are correlated to the changes in colloid surface potential for bare colloids, but must include adsorbed layer thickness and density for sterically stabilized colloids. Additionally, internal process observations with bright field microscopy reveal that, under optimal conditions for retention, experiments with FA or no DOM promoted colloid retention at solid-water interfaces, while experiments with HA enhanced colloid retention at air-water interfaces, presumably due to partitioning of HA at the air-water interface and/or increased hydrophobic characteristics of HA-colloid complexes.     

Analytical expression for the non-isothermal effectiveness factor: the nth-order reaction in a slab geometry

The problem of calculating the effectiveness factor for a porous slab of catalyst pellet under non-isothermal conditions has been revisited. An exact formal analytical solution was obtained for a nth-order (integer n?0), exothermic and irreversible chemical reaction. Numerical calculations where performed, and an analytical formula was obtained for the very fast reaction limit. In addition, a fairly simple formula, which was called the low beta approximation, was developed and tested to be valid for low values of the thermicity group β?0.1.     

The inhibition of the viability of myeloma cells and the production of cytokine by two strains of Lactobacillus sakei from meat

Ten strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from a dry fermented sausage and tested for stimulation or inhibition of the viability of Vero and myeloma cells. They did not significantly affect the viability of Vero cells but two isolates (CBL/H and CBL/K) showed a strong and moderate inhibition of the myeloma cell viability (at 10⁸ CFU mL^?1, 17.6 and 33.2%, respectively, survival of myeloma cells). The isolates were identified as Lactobacillus sakei by DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA products of a polymerase chain reaction. No protective effect was found, at the concentrations used, against cytotoxicity of N‐nitrosamines. To test the effect of L. sakei CBL/H and CBL/K on cytokine production [tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and interleukin‐8 (IL‐8)], the human macrophage cell line (THP‐1) was cultured in the presence and absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Lactobacillus sakei CBL/H and CBL/K induced IL‐1β and IL‐8 release when cells were stimulated with and without LPS. However there was TNF‐α release only in the presence of the LPS.     

Preparation of fish protein isolate and hydrolyzate (Mugil cephalus) and their incorporation into Mexican foods

Fish protein isolates (FPI) and hydrolyzates (FPH) were obtained from mullet (Mugil cephalus) through alkali solubilization and HCl precipitation for FPI, as well as enzymatic hydrolysis for FPH. The powdered products showed solubilities of 50 and 89%, and emulsifying capacities of 36 and 39 ml oil/100 mg for FPI and FPH, respectively, with protein contents of 90% and oil contents lower than 1.6%. Both products were used to enrich cereals and legumes in order to increase their protein content and quality. The resulting mixtures were used to prepare common Mexican dishes. When up to 20 and 35% of the total protein was provided by FPI and FPH, respectively, the dishes were well accepted by 70% of the panel.     

Lower and upper bounds for the mixed capacitated arc routing problem

This paper presents a linear formulation, valid inequalities, and a lower bounding procedure for the mixed capacitated arc routing problem (MCARP). Moreover, three constructive heuristics and a memetic algorithm are described. Lower and upper bounds have been compared on two sets of randomly generated instances. Computational results show that the average gaps between lower and upper bounds are 0.51% and 0.33%, respectively.