Murcia Region Research Articles

Coordination in bilingual programs: Teacher's voices

This article is framed in a line of research aimed at determining the real situation of the teachers assigned to bilingual programs in Primary Schools in the Murcia region. The aim of this report is to provide a reflexive analysis of the teacher's assessments about the coordination. Qualitative and descriptive research methodology was used, depending on the type of information being gathered. According to the kind of information aimed to obtain, it was carried out a qualitative research methodology, being also descriptive. In order to obtain the information, the open-ended interview was used with a medium-low level of intervention. This method allows the ideas, beliefs and opinions about the study to be determined by means of open-ended questions. Fourteen teachers from eight Public preschools and elementary schools took part in this interview. The results were divided into categories and, from this categorization, the analysis was carried out using the qualitative data analysis program, MAXQDA version10. The main results show that the integration of languages and contents is a task based on a coordination effort between the teachers involved and the language assistants for the quality of teaching and its success.

Las leyes del regadío murciano: conflictividad social y codificación (1479-1503)

<p>Análisis del proceso de codificación de las Ordenanzas de la Huerta de Murcia durante el reinado de los Reyes Católicos. La elaboración de un “corpus” de leyes para el regadío murciano fue una lenta tarea por la divergencia de intereses económicos de la oligarquía concejil y las campañas granadinas. La crítica situación de la huerta, afectada por factores naturales (inundaciones y sequías) y sociales (corruptelas en el entramado institucional e incumplimiento de las normas) era una realidad desde los años setenta. La reforma legislativa de los monarcas finalizaba a principios del siglo XVI con la promulgación de las leyes del regadío murciano.</p>

Recorded Ground Motion and Estimated Soil Amplification for the 11 May 2011 Lorca Earthquake

On 11 May 2011 an earthquake of magnitude 5.2 ( M w) hit the Murcia region of Spain causing significant damage to buildings in the town of Lorca. Accelerograms were recorded by stations of the Instituto Geográfico Nacional, and high-amplitude ground motions were observed at the Lorca station, with a peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 0.37 g. The contribution of a near-field component of ground motion is shown in time histories and in elastic response spectra. Features of near-field ground motions such as directivity could have significantly enhanced the ground shaking caused by this event. Local amplification effects in Lorca were investigated by the H/V spectral ratio technique and an array method. Information obtained from the geophysical field survey allowed the definition of representative soil columns and site classifications according to Eurocode 8. Modeling of site response is conducted for an example location. The aftershocks recorded at different sites confirm the soil amplification at these locations.

Violencia escolar y consumo de alcohol y tabaco en estudiantes de Educación Secundaria

La adolescencia es un proceso de transición entre la infancia y la vida adulta (Antona, Madrid y Alaez, 2003), que implica cambios físicos, cognitivos y sociales (Johnson, Roberts y Worrell, 1999). En esta etapa es frecuente el desarrollo de conductas de riesgo, entre ellas el consumo de alcohol y tabaco. En España, el alcohol es la primera sustancia psicoactiva más consumida entre los adolescentes de 14 a 18 años, seguida del tabaco (DGPNSD, 2009). Los adolescentes que usan y/o abusan de las bebidas alcohólicas y/o tabaco son más propensos a padecer problemas de agresividad y violencia, además de relacionarse con problemas de salud (Bellis et al., 2005; Gil-Lacruz y Gil-Lacruz, 2006; Room, Babor y Rehm, 2005). Diversos estudios han relacionado la presencia de manifestaciones de violencia escolar que perturban la convivencia y que tienen importantes consecuencias negativas para la salud y el comportamiento de los menores (Bond, Carlin, Thomas, Rubin y Patton, 2001; Cangas, Gázquez, Pérez-Fuentes, Moldes y Rubio, 2007; Piñero-Ruiz, López-Espín, Cerezo y Torres-Cantero, 2012) con una mayor frecuencia en el consumo de alcohol y tabaco. Se realizó un estudio en 2.552 estudiantes de 12 a 16 años de E.S.O. de la Región de Murcia. Los resultados mostraron una mayor frecuencia de consumo de alcohol y tabaco en aquellos estudiantes que presentaban conductas agresivas en el contexto escolar.

Evolución de la jerarquía urbana en la Región de Murcia tras más de treinta años de la aprobación del estatuto de autonomía (1982–2014)=Evolution of urban hierarchy in the Region of Murcia thirty years after the adoption of the statute of autonomy (1982–2

The Spanish state land which regulates the Spanish Constitution of 1978, in 1982 allowed the province of Murcia from becoming a province autonomous region. Thirty years have passed and the state has left autonomic effects on the configuration and network hierarchy of cities that make up this space. This article will show how from the theoretical basis of the rank-size rule and studies of central places and areas of influence of the urban space Murcia Region has undergone major changes and changes to structure the space far have more balance, in fact the preponderance of the regional capital supplied population weight functional and has generated a virtual urban macrocephaly be very difficult to correct in the coming decades.

Main Environmental Features Leading to Recent Land Abandonment in Murcia Region (Southeast Spain)

AbstractLand abandonment is a global phenomenon whose environmental consequences are difficult to assess. The Murcia region is one of the most arid regions in southern Europe and also one of the most prone to land abandonment. This study researches which environmental features are more relevant to explain abandonment at the agricultural plot scale. Geomorphometric features were measured at different scales to investigate which scales could be more relevant. Two different models have been used: logistic regression, a statistical model that allows the interpretation of the involved features, and Random Forest, a machine learning model with a higher predictive power but lower interpretability. The combined use of both such models allows a set of predictors to be selected, which, when used with Random Forest, produce a map that is highly accurate for predicting abandonment and, when used with logistic regression, produce an interpretable model. The main conclusion is that climate is the most relevant factor to explain land abandonment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Envejecimiento de la población en la Región de Murcia: causas y consecuencias

<p>Las importantes ganancias en esperanza de vida logradas en los últimos años, junto con tasas de fecundidad inferiores al nivel de reemplazo, han originado un progresivo envejecimiento de la población española, que se manifestará en un descenso ininterrumpido de la población en edad de trabajar y en un aumento continuado de la proporción de población de más de 65 años. La Región de Murcia, aunque presenta mejores expectativas demográficas que otras regiones españolas, también experimenta un notable envejecimiento de su población. De este modo, si no se mejora la situación actual de dependencia y recesión económica, el Estado del Bienestar puede verse comprometido en su mantenimiento y su continuidad será más difícil con una estructura demográfica envejecida.<strong></strong></p>

Valoración socioeconómica de la extracción de gas mediante fracturación hidráulica en la Región de Murcia

La extracción de gas no convencional mediante fracturación hidráulica (fracking) es una técnica controvertida, ya que a sus beneficios sociales y económicos se contraponen sus potenciales riesgos ambientales y sobre la salud humana. En el norte de la Región de Murcia, al igual que en otras zonas de España, se han concedido recientemente permisos de investigación y prospección para la posible explotación de yacimientos gas mediante fracking, lo que ha originado la aparición de movimientos ciudadanos que abogan por su prohibición. El objetivo central de este trabajo es estudiar el conocimiento, la percepción y la aceptabilidad que tienen los ciudadanos de la Región de Murcia sobre la explotación de esta fuente de energía. Con este fin se realiza una encuesta en la que se implementa el método de la Valoración Contingente. Los resultados informan, entre otros, que algo más de dos tercios de la población estarían a favor de su implementación, condicionado a que salud y el medioambiente sean salvaguardados. A su vez cada familia murciana se muestra dispuesta a contribuir, en media, con 15 €/año como sobrecoste en el recibo eléctrico para evitar o retrasar la explotación

Long-term follow-up of childhood cancer survivors in the Murcia Region: Preferences and attitudes of Primary Care professionals

Abstract Objective To assess attitudes, beliefs and knowledge of primary medical care professionals as regards the follow-up of Childhood Cancer Survivors (CCS) and the introduction of a Long-Term Follow-Up Program for Childhood Cancer Survivors in the Region of Murcia (PLASESCAP-MUR). Material and methods Descriptive cross-sectional study using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. These questionnaires were sent to all primary medical care professionals in Murcia Health District 1. Results Response rate of 58% (100/172), with 71% and 22% being family physicians and paediatricians, respectively, of whom 49% provided medical care to a CCS in the last 5 years, with 84% reporting that they never or rarely received a detailed report of overall assessment of the survivor. More than 75% found that access to detailed follow-up information was quite or very useful; 95% prefer to consult experts when providing medical care to survivors, and 80% believe that improving the quality of the environment may decrease the morbidity and mortality of the survivors. A statistically significant relationship was found between the length of practicing medicine and the perception of the importance of environmental factors. Conclusions It seems to be important to increase the training of primary care professionals for the long-term follow-up of CCS, as well as having the detailed information through a personalised long-term follow-up of each survivor. PLASESCAP-MUR offers an integrated follow-up to CCS in a model of shared care between Long Term Monitoring Units and Primary Care Units.

Funcionalidad actual de la "Fuente la Mina". Lorca (Región de Murcia)

La galería de la fuente La Mina, en La Paca, Lorca, es un ejemplo de galería con lumbreras en la Región de Murcia. A pesar de la sequía actual en este territorio (2013-2014), este sistema tradicional de aguas continúa alumbrando un pequeño caudal, motivo por el que la cercana comunidad de regantes Campo Alto ha realizado una solicitud a Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura para disponer de estos recursos y mantener su espacio regado.

Mediterranean and western dietary patterns are related to markers of testicular function among healthy men.

Are there any associations of dietary patterns with semen quality, reproductive hormone levels, and testicular volume, as markers of testicular function? These results suggest that traditional Mediterranean diets may have a positive impact on male reproductive potential. The Mediterranean diet has been related to lower risk of multiple chronic diseases, but its effects on reproduction potential are unclear. Cross-sectional sample of 215 male university students recruited from October 2010 to November 2011 in Murcia Region (Spain). Two hundred and nine healthy men aged 18-23 years were finally included in this analysis. Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis. Linear regression was used to analyze the relation between diet patterns with semen quality parameters, reproductive hormone levels and testicular volume adjusting for potential confounders. We identified two dietary patterns: a Mediterranean (characterized by high intakes of vegetables, fruits and seafood) and a Western pattern (characterized by high intakes of processed meats, French fries and snacks). The Mediterranean pattern was positively associated with total sperm count (P, trend = 0.04). The Western pattern was positively related to the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (P, trend = 0.008). We found an inverse association between adherence to the Western pattern and sperm concentration among overweight or obese men (P, trend = 0.04). As with all cross-sectional studies, causal inference is limited. However, participants were blinded to the study outcomes thus reducing the potential influenced their report of diet. Although we adjusted for a large number of known and suspected confounders, we cannot exclude the possibility of residual confounding or chance findings. This study was carried out on healthy and young men, so it is difficult to predict whether and how the observed differences in semen quality translate into reproductive success for men in couples trying to conceive. These results suggest that traditional Mediterranean diets may have a positive impact on male reproductive potential.

Una propuesta de evaluación para las habilidades motrices básicas en Educación Primaria a través de un juego popular: la oca (A propose the evaluation for basic motor skills in Primary Education through a popular game: the goose)

Tras realizar una revisión y estudio de la documentación existente se comprueba que son escasas las propuestas para llevar a cabo una evaluación cualitativa y fundamentada en el proceso de los contenidos referidos a las habilidades motrices básicas. Tras este panorama, el propósito de este artículo es proponer un instrumento de evaluación formativa que se utilizó en un Centro de Educación Primaria de la Comunidad de Murcia. Para tal fin se usó un juego popular, el juego de la oca, como parte del proceso de evaluación, como recurso didáctico, motivador y como elemento globalizador de un programa de intervención destinado a conseguir una mayor efectividad en una categoría particular de habilidades motrices básicas englobadas bajo el concepto habilidad de manejo de móviles.Abstract: Tafter carrying out a review of the existing literature, we discovered that studies that propose to carry out a qualitative and based in the process evaluation of the content referring to basic motor skills are scarce. Following this overview, the purpose of this article is to propose an instrument of formative assessment, that was used in a Primary School within the Murcia Region. For this a popular Spanish board game, The Goose Game, was used as part of the evaluation process, as a teaching resource, motivator, and as a unifying element to achieve greater effectiveness in a particular category of basic motor abilities, included under the concept ability to handle mobile objects.

The effects of photovoltaic electricity injection into microgrids: Combination of Geographical Information Systems, multicriteria decision methods and electronic control modeling

This article presents a model to calculate the impact on the grid of the injection of electricity generated from photovoltaic systems. The methodology combines the use of Geographical Information System tools to classify the optimal locations for the installation of photovoltaic systems with the calculation of the impact into microgrids of the electricity generated in such locations. The case study is focused on Murcia region, in South-east Spain, and on medium size photovoltaic systems. The locations have been selected from a Geographical Information System database including several parameters, and evaluated and classified using a fuzzy version of the multicriteria decision method called Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution. In order to obtain the weights for the criteria used in the evaluation, the Analytic Hierarchy Process has been used. Finally, using meteorological data from a small set of possible locations, the impact on the grid arising from the injection of power generated from photovoltaic systems that are connected to the grid via a module implementing different control electronic strategies has been calculated. Different electronic control strategies have been modeled to demonstrate that stabilization of the electrical parameters of a microgrid can be obtained within 500ms in all cases, even when a relatively large power surge, or slower variations, are injected into the grid from the medium size photovoltaic systems.

Introducción de un sistema de acreditación para los documentos de consentimiento informado hospitalario

ObjectiveTo describe an accreditation system for informed consent forms (ICF) in a tertiary hospital, as an intervention to improve their quality, and to check the improvements achieved. Material and methodsFollowing an external evaluation of the ICF quality in a public hospital in Murcia (Spain), an accreditation committee set the ICF requirements and associated procedures. Effectiveness is assessed by comparing two external evaluations carried out by the EMCA Program (2011 and 2013) and based on 19 criteria and a sample of 60 ICF for every public hospital in Murcia Region. ResultsTo be accredited, every ICF must meet the 19 external criteria plus 5 based on legibility, readability and scientific and technical validity. A form to fill in the contents of every ICF was agreed, which would be reviewed, approved and validated for five years. Before the implementation, 8.2 defects/ICF were detected. The accreditation system obtained an 89% improvement (0.9 defects/ICF) and achieved significant improvements in 18 criteria, 16 of which are benchmarked. DiscussionThe accreditation system achieved a substantial improvement in the ICF (obtaining a better result in external evaluations) and guarantees their contents, legibility and readability. This system needs to be extended to other hospitals, since it is not clear whether common ICFs would be suitable. However, this improvement is structural and does not guarantee that the overall information/consent procedure is done properly, thus complementary strategies for measurement and improvement are required.

Geogenic Distribution of Arsenic (As) and Antimony (Sb) in Soils of the Murcia Region in Spain

The objective of this study was to determine the As and Sb contents in soils from the Murcia Region of Spain and the possible relationship between the mineralogical composition, soil properties, and As and Sb concentrations. In this study, 490 samples were selected from areas with different characteristics in order to study As and Sb variability. Results show that As and Sb concentrations are positively correlated with the phyllosilicate and quartz content but negatively correlated with the calcite content. The generic reference level (GRL) for these elements was determined according to the Spanish legislation. Established GRL values vary according to the established mineralogical groups, suggesting that GRL has to be determined considering the lithological characteristics of the study area.

La Manga case study: Consequences from short-term urban planning in a tourism mass destiny of the Spanish Mediterranean coast

Urban planning is a lengthy and settled process, the results of which usually emerge after several years or even decades. That is why it is necessary for a proper urban design of cities to use parameters that are able to predict and gauge the potential long-term behaviour of urban development.In the tourist towns of the Mediterranean coast, the long-term design is often at odds with the generation of business profits in the short term. This paper presents the results of this phenomenon for an interesting case of a Spanish Mediterranean coastal city created from scratch in the 1960s and turned into a tourist destination today hypertrophied.La Manga del Mar Menor in the Murcia region every year reaches a population of more than 250,000 people during the summer, which is reduced to just a few dozen in winter. This crowded environment with an asymmetric behaviour submits annual progressive impoverishment in its economic return. This questionable profitability is the result of a misguided urban development; its results are analyzed through the evolution of the land market and the resulting urbanization in the last fifty years, with a GIS methodology.

Estudio de la dinámica de fragmentación del ácido desoxirribonucleico espermático en jóvenes varones

ObjectiveTo describe and analyze sperm DNA fragmentation and its dynamics after ejaculation in young men. Material and methodThis is a cross-sectional study conducted between 2010 and 2011 in young university students (n=114) from the Murcia Region (Spain). Sperm DNA fragmentation index (SDF) was defined as the percentage of sperm with fragmented DNA divided by the total amount of assessed sperm. The rate of sperm DNA fragmentation (rSDF) was determined by periods of incubation according to the sperm chromatin dispersion test. SDF and its dynamics were evaluated after incubation for 2.5, 17 and 24h at 37°C. Parametric and non-parametric tests were used for statistical analyses. ResultsMean basal SDF was 27.2% (SD 14.4) and rSDF was significantly higher in the first period of incubation compared to the following periods of incubations. The rate of sperm DNA degradation during the first 2.5h (5,5%/h) was significantly higher in those samples with a basal SDF above 30%. ConclusionsThese results indicate that our mean values of SDF are relatively higher compared to other published studies and corroborate that rSDF is significantly higher during the first hours after ejaculation. Moreover, samples with basal SDF above 30% showed higher rSDF during the first hours of incubation compared to the samples with basal SDF below 15%.

La recuperación del consumo farmacéutico tras la modificación del copago: evidencia de un servicio regional de salud

ObjectivesIn the past few decades, increasing pharmaceutical expenditures in Spain and other western countries led to the adoption of reforms in order to reduce this trend. The aim of our study was to analyze if reforms concerning the pharmaceutical reimbursement scheme in Spain have been associated with changes in the volume and trend of pharmaceutical consumption. DesignRetrospective observational study. SettingRegion of Murcia. Prescription drug in primary care and external consultations. ParticipantsRecords of prescribed medicines between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2013. MethodSegmented regression analysis of interrupted time-series of prescription drug consumption. ResultsDispensing of all five therapeutic classes fell immediately after co-payment changes. The segmented regression model suggested that per patient drug consumption in pensioners may have decreased by about 6.76% (95% CI; -8.66% to -5.19%) in the twelve months after the reform, compared with the absence of such a policy. Furthermore the slope of the series of consumption increased from 6.08 (P<.001) to 12.17 (P<.019). ConclusionsThe implementation of copayment policies could be associated with a significant decrease in the level of prescribed drug use in Murcia Region, but this effect seems to have been only temporary in the five therapeutic groups analyzed, since almost simultaneously there has been an increase in the growth trend.

Description of a new species of Offneria (Hippuritida, Caprinidae) from the lower Aptian of southeast Spain. Stratigraphic, evolutionary, palaeobiogeographic and palaeoenvironmental implications

A new species of Offneria (Caprinidae) Offneria prebetica nov. sp., is described from the Murcia region (Prebetic zone, SE Spain). Its type level is the upper Bedoulian. The key diagnostic character of the new species is the presence on the ventral side of the left valve of an inner row, or double row, of polygonal canals flanked by outer piriform canals with one or two orders of bifurcations. Offneria prebetica nov. sp. is the most advanced species of the genus. Cluster analysis shows the placement of the new species in the monophyletic group of European species, in agreement with its geographic location. Offneria appears to be the most prolific genus of the Caprinidae with species having contrasting ages and palaeobiogeographic distributions. Stratigraphic data from SE Spain indicate that the Offneria lineage was resilient to the environmental perturbations recorded during the late Bedoulian, Offneria prebetica nov. sp. may be used as a time marker for this interval, and its last occurrence was coeval with the “Mid-Aptian extinction event”.

Helminths: Handbook for Identification and Counting of Parasitic Helminth Eggs in Urban Wastewater

Helminths: Handbook for Identification and Counting of ParasiticHelminth Eggs in Urban Wastewater is the result of several studies that the public entity for sanitation and wastewater treatment in Murcia Region (ESAMUR), has undertaken regarding the presence of helminth eggs in both urban wastewater and reclaimed water, and their behavior in the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) processes.The handbook is a useful tool for anyone who is involved in preserving water quality. The identification of parasitic helminth eggs has been simplified with an easy identification key and specific identifying sheets in order to achieve the highest standards within this indicative parameter in water quality.The treatment and disinfection of urban waste water, before its release into the river system or re-use for agricultural or industrial purposes, has been one of the greatest advances within the field of health.The control and study of possible pathogenic parasites that exist in water is an important aspect of the work undertaken at the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP), to guarantee water quality and its safety for release into the river system or for re-use as regenerated water.This handbook has been produced as a result of the information gathered by ESAMUR (Regional Entity for Sanitation and Wastewater Treatment in Murcia Region) and can be used for teaching and as a useful reference source when preserving water qualityHelminths: Handbook for Identification and Counting of ParasiticHelminth Eggs in Urban Wastewater is a valuable handbook for managers of Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP), university teachers, laboratory managers, qualified operators, responsible for the reuse of reclaimed water, and general staff involved in related wastewater treatment processesISBN: 9781780407159 (eBook)ISBN: 9781780407142 (Print)