Valencia Region Of Spain Research Articles

Corporate and farmer objectives in the wine business: The key to success or failure

This paper analyzes governance and management patterns in agricultural business. Its main objective is to evaluate business success and value creation as a result of good governance and management practices, and the changed paradigm to combine corporate and farmer objectives. We propose a theoretical framework to assess how effective governance and management can help to create value for farmers, and strengthen co-operative principles and the links between corporate and farmer objectives. The model is evaluated and tested through a survey of wine business managers, chairmen, and grape farmers in the province of Alicante in the Valencia region of Spain. According to data from the Regulatory Council, the registered area of Denominacion de Origen in the province Alicante was 14.254 ha in the 2006–2007 harvest (which represented 2.23% of the Spanish total). The 3155 registered grape farmers represented 1.9% of the Spanish total. There were 48 registered companies; 16 of these were not bottling companies. There were 17 registered co-operatives. During the 2005–2006 season, 118,405 hL were marketed (1.20% of the Spanish total). Two thirds went to the national market (1.21% of the Spanish total); the rest was exported (1.18% of the Spanish total).

New Neandertal remains from Cova Negra (Valencia, Spain)

New Neandertal fossils from the Mousterian site of Cova Negra in the Valencia region of Spain are described, and a comprehensive study of the entire human fossil sample is provided. The new specimens significantly augment the sample of human remains from this site and make Cova Negra one of the richest human paleontological sites on the Iberian Peninsula. The new specimens include cranial and postcranial elements from immature individuals and provide an opportunity to study the ontogenetic appearance of adult Neandertal characteristics in this Pleistocene population. Children younger than 10 years of age constitute four of the seven minimum number of individuals in the sample, and this relative abundance of children at Cova Negra is similar that in to other Neandertal sites in Europe and southwest Asia. The recognition of diagnostic Neandertal features in several of the specimens, as well as their western European context and late Pleistocene age, suggests that all the human remains from Cova Negra represent Neandertals. The archaeological evidence from Cova Negra indicates sporadic, short-term occupations of the site, suggesting a high degree of mobility among Neandertals.

Summer temperature trends in a Mediterranean area (Valencia region)

Within the area of climate change, summer temperatures are of special interest because of the economic, social and environmental consequences that can derive from their hypothetical increase. A number of recent studies have shown a worldwide trend towards increasing summer temperatures. In this work, we analyse summer temperatures (July and August) in the Valencia region of Spain from 1958 to the present, with the aim of characterising their evolution and detecting any trend towards a higher frequency of warmer days. First results indicate that in our study area there is indeed a higher frequency of days with tropical characteristics and persistent heat; in contrast, we found no tendency to exceed the records of absolute maximum temperatures. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society.

Valuing cultural heritage: the social benefits of restoring and old Arab tower

Cultural heritage protection is a key issue around the world today. In this paper, the contingent valuation method has been applied to obtain the social benefits that stem from the restoration of an old Arab tower in the Valencia Region of Spain. Due to a current and past lack of protection, the remains of this historic monument are few. Therefore, 252 individuals were randomly interviewed. On conducting our study we distinguished between low, average, and high consumers of cultural goods. Our main finding is that the mean willingness to pay (WTP) is considerably higher for the second group. To give further credence to this observation both parametric and non-parametric approaches were employed and these yielded similar results. Finally, two equations were estimated in order to ratify the results obtained from a theoretical point of view.

Risk factors for invasive disease among children in Spain.

To identify the risk factors related to invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Neisseria meningitidis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Case-control study. All hospitals of the region of Valencia in Spain (covering 95% of the population of Valencia). The patients are children aged less than 15 years in whom Hib, N. meningitidis or S. pneumoniae are isolated from normally sterile sites. From 1995 to 1998, 275 cases of invasive disease were analysed, and 243 hospital controls were selected in the month after the onset of the case. The paediatrician completed a survey administered to the relatives at the time of admission. The risk factors related to invasive disease by Hib were exposure to tobacco smoke (number of smokers, adjusted OR (aOR) 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-2.96) and living with more than four people (aOR 3.72, 95% CI 1.3-3.7). For N. meningitidis, there is a dose-response relationship; if more than 60 cigarettes are smoked daily at home, the aOR is 3.61 (95% CI 1.04-12.57). If there are more than four people living in the household, aOR 1.69 (95% CI 1.01-2.85). In children under two years of age, having siblings less than 15 years of age (OR 1.76, 95% CI 0.75-4.17) and attending a day nursery represents a risk for suffering invasive pneumococcal disease (aOR 4.21, 95% CI 1.28-13.83). Among the variables tested, the modifiable risk factor is smoking; if smoking was reduced at home, the number of cases of invasive disease could be reduced in children, mainly in those under 5 years of age. Identification and vaccination of these risk groups would significantly reduce these diseases.

Daily rainfall trend in the Valencia Region of Spain

¶We have analyzed daily rainfall trends throughout the second half of the 20th century in the western Mediterranean basin (Valencia Region, E of Spain). The area is characterized by high torrentiality, and during the second half of the 20th century some of the highest daily rainfall values in the Mediterranean basin have been recorded. In this area, mean annual rainfall varies between 500 and 300 mm and is overwhelmingly dependent on just a few days of rain. Daily maximum rainfall varies on average from 120 mm day−1 to 50 mm day−1, and represents a mean of 17% (coastland) to 9% (inland) of annual rainfall. The 10 days in each year with the heaviest rainfall (called “higher events”) provide over 50% of the annual rainfall and can reach more than 400 mm on average. We compared the annual rainfall trend and the trend of higher and minor events defined by percentiles, both in volume and variability. We, therefore, tested whether annual rainfall changes depend on the trend of the higher (rainfall) events. To overlap spatial distribution of trends (i.e.: positive, no significant and negative trends) we have used cross-tab analysis. The results confirm the hypothesis that annual rainfall changes depend on changes found in just a few rainy events. Furthermore, in spite of their negative trend, higher events have increased their contribution to annual rainfall. As a consequence, although torrential events may have diminished in magnitude, future scenarios seem to be controlled by a limited number of rainy events which will become more and more variable year on year. The high spatial density of data used in this work, (97 observatories per 24.000 km2, overall mean 1 observatory per 200 km2), suggests to us that extreme caution should be applied when analyzing regional and sub-regional changes in rainfall using GCM output, especially in areas of high torrentiality.

The effects of organizational and individual factors on occupational accidents

This study examined the relationships between individual psychological, work environment and organizational variables and occupational accidents using structural equation modelling with latent variables. A series of nested explicative models of the relationships between these variables was derived. Data were collected from a wide range of industrial sectors in the Valencia region of Spain using structured interviews. In total, 525 valid questionnaires were completed and these formed the basis for the subsequent analyses. Analysis showed that the model in the series that proposed relationships between all the latent variables provided the best representation of the data. This supported the broad hypothesis that each of the variables has an effect on accidents and also showed that the individual level variables, including safe behaviour and general heath, mediate the indirect effects from the organizational variables. The final model showed that individual safe behaviour is strongly predicted within the model, although it is mainly related to organizational involvement in safety and not directly to perceptions of the physical work environment. An important role is played in the final model by participants' evaluations of organizational involvement in safety and this is consistent with earlier work highlighting the importance of management commitment to, and action on, safety issues. Finally, the model supported the proposal that stress processes mediate the effects of both organizational and environmental variables.

Beyond Characterisation. Polished Stone Exchange in the Western Mediterranean 5500–2000 BC

Using new provenance studies on stone implements from the Valencia region of Spain between 5500–2000 BC, we show not only the large scale of some exchange systems, but also consider how, and why, tastes and fashions are co‐ordinated over much of the Western Mediterranean. The study considers the processes of raw material substitution underlying the observed patterns. These processes operate for a wide range of lithic materials, including rare minerals like variscite and fossil shells for ornaments. Simple gravity models of distribution and exchange predominate at all periods. Our study extends from Portugal to Italy, and indicates that a system of shared symbolic values, of axeheads, beads and bracelets, was in operation. The discussion concludes that consumption patterns were centred on these values rather than functional categories of tools or prestige items.

Time spent watching television, sleep duration and obesity in adults living in Valencia, Spain.

To analyse the association of time watching television (TV) and physical activity with obesity in the Mediterranean area of Spain with the highest prevalence of obesity. Cross-sectional study. Valencia Region in Spain. A representative sample of 814 men and 958 women, aged 15 y and older, participating in a Health and Nutrition Survey conducted in 1994. Height and weight were directly measured during home interviews. The outcome measure was obesity, defined as a body mass index > or = 30 kg/m2. Covariates were self-reported hours of TV viewing, physical activity habits, sleeping duration, age, gender, educational level, smoking and marital status. Prevalence odds ratios (POR) estimated by logistic regression were used as effect measures. Obese people reported to spend more time watching TV (mean +/- s.d.: 3.6 +/- 1.5 h/day) than non-obese ones (3.0 +/- 1.4 h/day), and less sleeping time. In multivariate analysis, obesity was associated with TV viewing, sleeping time and physical activity at work. People watching TV > 4 h/day showed a higher adjusted prevalence odds ratio of obesity, POR = 2.38 (95% confidence interval, 1.54-3. 69), compared with those watching TV < or = 1 h/day. People who reported to sleep > or = 9 h/day presented a lower POR of obesity than those sleeping < or = 6 h/day, POR = 0.43 (0.27-0.67). Statistically significant dose-responses were observed for both associations, so that the prevalence odds ratio of obesity was 30% higher for each hour of increased TV viewing and 24% lower for each additional hour of sleeping time. In addition, the prevalence of obesity was lowest among single people, those more physically active at work, and those with a high educational level. Time spent watching television and a low physical activity at work were related to obesity in adults. The inverse association between obesity and sleep duration deserves further research.

Strategic attitudes and information technologies in the hospitality business: an empirical analysis

This work is based on empirical research on the management of information technology (hereafter IT) and its contribution to competitiveness in the hotel business in the Valencia region of Spain. The feasibility of a hotel taxonomy is also investigated. This is based on cluster analysis, by searching for factors common to these establishments, mainly of a qualitative nature, such as similar strategic attitudes to IT in terms of the advantages perceived.

Aetiology of community acquired pneumonia in Valencia, Spain: a multicentre prospective study.

A year long multicentre prospective study was carried out in the Valencia region of Spain, to determine the cause of community acquired pneumonia. The study was based on 510 of 833 patients with pneumonia. Of these, 462 were admitted to hospital, where 31 patients died. A cause was established in only 281 cases--208 of bacterial, 60 of viral, and 13 of mixed infection. The most common microorganisms were Streptococcus pneumoniae (14.5%), Legionella sp (14%), Influenza virus (8%), and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (4%). There was a higher incidence of Legionella sp than in other studies.