The West Ansil deposit was the first Cu discovery in 25 years in the Noranda Central Camp. It has a combined indicated and inferred resource of ~1.2 Mt. Grades for the indicated resource are 3.4% Cu, 0.4% Zn, 1.4 g/t Au and 9.2 g/t Ag. The bulk of the resource is located in three massive sulphide lenses (Upper, Middle and Lower) that are entirely within the Rusty Ridge Formation above the Lewis exhalite. The mineralization in all three ore lenses consists of massive pyrrhotite + chalcopyrite + magnetite. Semi-massive sphalerite is restricted to the upper and lower parts of the Middle lens. Massive magnetite occurs at the center of the Upper and Middle lenses, where it replaces massive pyrrhotite. A striking feature of West Ansil is the presence of abundant colloform and nodular pyrite (+marcasite) in the massive sulphides. Late-stage replacement of massive pyrrhotite by colloform pyrite and marcasite, occurs mostly along the upper and lower contacts of the lenses.

This thesis examined why NCAA Division 1 American football “linemen” experience greater heat strain than “backs” during summer training camps. In study #1, exercise at a heat production of 350 W/m2 in a hot environment (Tdb:32.4±1.0ºC; Twb:26.3±0.6ºC) resulted in greater local sweating on the upper body (head, arm, shoulder and chest; all <0.05) and a greater core temperature (P=0.033) in linemen despite a ~25% lower heat production per unit mass (L:6.0±0.5 W/kg; B:8.2±0.8 W/kg). In study #2, greater convective and evaporative heat transfer coefficients (P<0.05) were found in backs during live summer training camp drills, but these did not lead to a greater dry heat transfer or evaporative capacity. However, the maximum metabolic rate per unit mass was lower in linemen due to differences surface area-to-mass ratio. In conclusion, the greater heat strain previously reported in linemen likely arises, in part, from differences in sweating efficiency and body morphology.

Social competence and positive self-concept are essential to future adaptive outcomes and overall well-being; but children and adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) frequently struggle in these domains. This dissertation examined changes in the social competence and self-concept of campers with learning disabilities (LD), within a specialized summer camp, with particular focus on friendship development. The dissertation is presented in two manuscripts, which will be submitted for publication. The objective of the first manuscript was to examine changes in campers’ social skills, social acceptance, self-worth, and self-esteem, within the context of summer camp, as reported by parents and campers. Parental reports indicated small gains in social skills, social acceptance, and self-worth from the beginning to the end of camp; with gains in social acceptance and self-worth maintained four to five months later. Campers did not report changes in any domains. Parents and campers reported declines in camper self-esteem at follow-up. In general, campers with LD+ADHD exhibited smaller gains in social competence and self-concept, than those with LD. Results are discussed in relation to theoretical frameworks and existing camp and LD research. The objective of the second manuscript was to investigate campers’ friendship development, within the summer camp context. Many campers reported having high-quality, reciprocal friendships at the beginning of camp. Campers reported more reciprocal friendships after camp, but these were not maintained at follow-up. Campers also reported having a best camp friend by the end of camp, and this relationship was maintained at follow-up. In terms of friendship quality, campers reported increased closeness by the end of camp and conflict ratings were low, overall. This study examined factors predicting changes in social competence. High-quality, reciprocal friendships predicted changes in campers’ social acceptance, according to parents. Similarly, reciprocal friendships predicted changes in camper reported social acceptance. These results highlight the inter-connections between friendship and aspects of social competence. Camp attendance was found to be a relevant factor in friendship development and quality. The concluding chapter discusses social competence, friendship, and self-concept outcomes for campers with LD within the context of a specialized summer camp. The implications of the findings for present theory and clinical practice are discussed, including specific recommendations for this camp’s structure and program evaluation procedures.

Neural circuit flexibility is fundamental to the production of adaptable behaviors. Invertebrate models offer relatively simple networks consisting of large, identifiable neurons that are useful for investigating the electrophysiological properties that contribute to circuit output. In particular, central pattern generating circuits within the crustacean stomatogastric nervous system have been well characterized with regard to their synaptic connectivities, cellular properties, and response to modulatory influences. Monoaminergic modulation is essential for the production of adaptable circuit output in most species. Monoamines, such as dopamine and serotonin, signal via metabotropic receptors, which activate intracellular signaling cascades. Many of the neuronal and network targets of monoaminergic modulation in the crustacean stomatogastric nervous system are known, but nothing is known of the signal transduction cascades that mediate the biophysical response. This work represents a thorough characterization of monoaminergic receptors in the crustacean stomatogastric nervous system. We took advantage of the close phylogenetic relationship between crustaceans and insects to clone monoaminergic receptors from the spiny lobster. Using a novel database mining strategy, we were able to identify several uncharacterized monoaminergic receptors in the Panulirus interruptus genome. We cloned one serotonin (5-HT2βPan) and three dopamine receptors (D1αPan, D1βPan, and D2αPan), and characterized them with regard to G protein coupling and signal transduction cascades. We used a heterologous expression system to show that G protein couplings and signaling properties of monoaminergic receptors are strongly conserved among vertebrate and invertebrate species. This work further shows that DAR-G protein couplings in the stomatogastric nervous system are unique for a given receptor subtype, and receptors can couple to multiple signaling pathways, similar to their mammalian homologs. Custom made antibodies were used to localize monoamine receptors in the stomatogastric ganglion, and in identified neurons. Pyloric neurons show unique receptor expression profiles, which supports the idea of receptor expression as an underlying mechanism for cell-type specific effects of a given modulator. Receptors are localized to the synaptic neuropil, but are not expressed in the membrane of large diameter processes or the soma. The localization of dopamine receptors in identified pyloric neurons suggests that they may respond to synaptic, paracrine or neurohormonal dopamine signals. This work also supports the idea that different types of signals can be generated by a single receptor.

The West Ansil deposit was the first Cu discovery in 25 years in the Noranda Central Camp. It has a combined indicated and inferred resource of ~1.2 Mt. Grades for the indicated resource are 3.4% Cu, 0.4% Zn, 1.4 g/t Au and 9.2 g/t Ag. The bulk of the resource is located in three massive sulphide lenses (Upper, Middle and Lower) that are entirely within the Rusty Ridge Formation above the Lewis exhalite. The mineralization in all three ore lenses consists of massive pyrrhotite + chalcopyrite + magnetite. Semi-massive sphalerite is restricted to the upper and lower parts of the Middle lens. Massive magnetite occurs at the center of the Upper and Middle lenses, where it replaces massive pyrrhotite. A striking feature of West Ansil is the presence of abundant colloform and nodular pyrite (+marcasite) in the massive sulphides. Late-stage replacement of massive pyrrhotite by colloform pyrite and marcasite, occurs mostly along the upper and lower contacts of the lenses.

This thesis examined why NCAA Division 1 American football “linemen” experience greater heat strain than “backs” during summer training camps. In study #1, exercise at a heat production of 350 W/m2 in a hot environment (Tdb:32.4±1.0ºC; Twb:26.3±0.6ºC) resulted in greater local sweating on the upper body (head, arm, shoulder and chest; all <0.05) and a greater core temperature (P=0.033) in linemen despite a ~25% lower heat production per unit mass (L:6.0±0.5 W/kg; B:8.2±0.8 W/kg). In study #2, greater convective and evaporative heat transfer coefficients (P<0.05) were found in backs during live summer training camp drills, but these did not lead to a greater dry heat transfer or evaporative capacity. However, the maximum metabolic rate per unit mass was lower in linemen due to differences surface area-to-mass ratio. In conclusion, the greater heat strain previously reported in linemen likely arises, in part, from differences in sweating efficiency and body morphology.

The nuclear many-body problem is nowadays being increasingly approached on the basis of a relativistic formalism. Microscopic Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock (DBHF) calculations starting from a realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction seem to be very promising. In the theory of quantum hadrodynamics, nucleons interact through the exchange of virtual mesons and the dynamics is specified by Lorentz covariant Lagrangian densities. In the simplest version, only a vector field (associated with the w meson) accounting for short-range repulsion and a scalar field ("sygma" meson) responsible for attraction are needed to describe saturation in nuclear matter. Calculations in mean field Hartree approximation, neglecting exchange terms and without including any contribution from antiparticles, give an accurate description of many of the features of nuclear systems.The success of semi-classical models in non-relativistic nuclear physics provides a very strong motivation for investigating similar methods in the relativistic context, where only the pure Thomas-Fermi approximation had been studied. In this thesis we set up the semi-classical expansion in relativistic nuclear mean field theory, including gradient corrections of order h(2) to the Thomas-Fermi model, and investigate several applications to nuclear systems.On the basis of Wigner transform techniques, a. recursive scheme to obtain the semi-classical h(2) expansion of the propagator associated with a time-independent single-particle Hamiltonian with matrix structure is presented. We focus our attention on the application of the method to a Dirac Hamiltonian related to relativistic nuclear mean field theory, i.e., including a position-dependent effective mass and the time-like component of a. four-vector field. Compared with the non-relativistic case, the procedure is considerably more complicated owing to the matrix structure of the Hamiltonian. For this reason the "h", expansion is pushed to order h(2) only. A detailed derivation is given of the h(2)-order Wigner-Kirkwood expansion of the relativistic density matrix, in terms of the gradients of the vector and the scalar field, as well as of the expansion of the particle and energy densities. The idempotency of the semi-classical density matrix to second order in "h" is proven. The Wigner-Kirkwood expressions, as they stand, are not suitable to be employed in a self-consistent problem. Therefore, we obtain the corresponding density functional results. In this case the energy densities are expressed as a functional of the local density, the effective mass and their gradients.The accuracy of the Wigner-Kirkwood series is tested on a. relativistic harmonic oscillator and perfect agreement with the Strutinsky averaged observables is found even in the highly relativistic regime. The density functional version is shown to be slightly less accurate, a feature already known in the non-relativistic case. It turns out that the semi-classical expressions represent the different quantities on average, that is, quantum fluctuations are averaged out. This model study shows that, for positive energy states, the derived semi-classical expansions contain all the relativistic ingredients, the difference with quantal results being due mainly to shell effects.Extended Thomas-Fermi calculations, which· include h(2)-order gradient corrections, are performed for relativistic non-linear "sigma"- "omega" models using two kinds of Lagrangians which differ in the form of the scalar coupling for the isoscalar sigma meson. Comparing the semi-classical results of order h(2) (TFh(2)) with the Hartree results, we find that the TFh(2) approximation yields some underbinding when the effective mass (mº) of the model is small, and some overbinding when mº is large. For a value around mº/m = 0.65, both TFh(2) and Hartree would roughly yield the same binding energy. However, since semi-classical and quantal results must differ in the so-called shell energy, this indicates that it is not properly estimated by the TFh(2) approximation.When the h(2)-order gradient corrections are taken into account (TFh(2), we have found a numerical instability in the solution of the semi-classical Klein-Gordon equation obeyed by the scalar field in the case of parameterizations which have mº/m </= 0.60, which can be eliminated if the q-meson mass mº is reduced (with the ratio g(2-0)/m(2-0) unaltered).Second-order corrections in "h" to the TFh(0) approximation improve the agreement with Hartree solutions in a sensitive way, always yielding more bound nuclei than within the Hartree approach. The sign of the h(2) corrections depends on mº, and they are found to vanish around mº/m = 0.75 for the models of the type considered here. In several respects, the semi-classical relativistic phenomenology quite resembles the one met in the non-relativistic regime using Skyrme forces, in spite of the different origin of mº in both situations. Extending the so-called expectation value method to the relativistic problem, and using the TFh(2) semi-classical mean field as a starting point, perturbative quantal solutions are found which are in good agreement with the Hartree results.The semi-classical TFh(0) and TFh(2) density distributions do not present oscillations due to the absence of shell effects, but they average the Hartree results. In the interior of the nucleus the TFh(0) and TF1i2 densities are very similar. However, in the surface and the outer region the TF1i2 densities come appreciably closer than TFh(0) to the Hartree results, due to the gradient corrections incorporated by the TF1i2 functionals, and show an exponential drop off.Liquid drop model coefficients are calculated for some parameter sets of the "sygma-omega" model. We have found reasonable results for the surface thickness and for the surface and curvature energies, which are within the range of the values obtained in non-relativistic calculations using density-dependent Skyrme forces. Therefore, the relativistic effects do not seem to avoid the disagreement of the calculated value of the curvature energy with the empirical value.In this work we also study the effects of the density-dependent Dirac spinor for the nucleons, as is determined microscopically in the DBHF approach, on various properties of the structure and scattering of finite nuclei. To enable this, we construct a relativistic energy density functional that contains the semi-classical kinetic energy density of order h(2). The effective mass and the volume term in the potential energy arise from a DBHF calculation of nuclear matter. This volume term is supplemented by some conventional correction terms and the few free parameters are suitably adjusted. It turns out that the radii of nuclei calculated with the present approach agree better with the experimental value than those obtained in similar studies using a potential energy derived from a non-relativistic G-matrix. This demonstrates that the Dirac effects improve the calculation of ground-state properties of finite nuclei also in our relativistic extended Thomas-Fermi (RETF) approximation.However, this study of ground-state properties is not the main goal of our investigation.The capabilities of our RETF functional are actually appraised in situations in which a full microscopic relativistic calculation, or even a phenomenological one, cannot be easily made, such as nuclear fission of rotating nuclei and heavy ion scattering. In these situations, the method constitutes a reliable tool. For the nuclear fission barriers, the present calculations are the first ones carried out with a relativistic model. We have shown that the model yields results comparable to the non-relativistic ones, with the conceptual-advantage of being relativistic and thus automatically incorporating the spin-orbit force. For the calculations of heavy ion elastic scattering cross sections, we have been able to improve previous results due to achieving a better description of the nuclear, densities.Let us summarize the two apparent merits which the TFh(2) approximation has over the simple TFh(0) one. On the one hand, it provides fully variational densities that go exponential to zero. On the other hand, it takes into account non-local spin-orbit and effective mass contributions up to order h(2), yielding a more reliable average value. / Se establece el desarrollo semi-clásico hasta orden h(2) en la teoría nuclear relativista de campo medio. Así, se obtienen las densidades semi-clásicas relativistas de partículas y de energía para un conjunto de fermiones sometidos a un campo escalar y a un campo vector, en las teorías de campo medio de Wigner-Kirkwood y de Thomas-Fermi, incluyendo correcciones en gradientes hasta orden h(2). El método semi-clásico se aplica a un oscilador armónico relativista. Después se utiliza en modelos T-W no lineales, para los cuales se resuelven las ecuaciones variacionales en núcleos finitos y en materia nuclear semi-infinita. Los resultados semi-clásicos son comparados con los correspondientes resultados cuánticos Hartree.Para estudiar los efectos de los espinores de Dirac para los nucleones sobre diversas propiedades de la estructura y de la dispersión de núcleos finitos, se construye un funcional de la densidad de energía relativista. El funcional contiene la densidad de energía cinética relativista de orden h(2). La masa efectiva y la parte potencial se obtienen a partir de cálculos Dirac-Brueckner de materia nuclear. Se presta especial atención al cálculo de barreras de fisión de núcleos en rotación y del potencial óptico para la dispersión de iones pesados a energías intermedias.

S’ha realitzat l’estudi de l’efecte del processat de suc de raïm amb polsos elèctrics d’alta intensitat de camp (PEAIC) amb la intenció d’aconseguir la seva conservació. Els seus efectes s’han mesurat en diferents propietats característiques del suc de raïm com el contingut en sòlids solubles, pH, acidesa, conductivitat elèctrica, activitat microbiològica i enzimàtica, alguns compostos bioactius com el contingut en polifenols o vitamina C i capacitat antioxidant. Els valors obtinguts s’han comparat amb els obtinguts del tractament conservant de referència actual, el processat tèrmic. També s’ha determinat l’evolució de components específics durant el procés de vinificació des de l’obtenció del suc de raïm fins a l’envelliment del vi. L’estudi s’ha dut a terme en 4 fases en les que s’ha determinat que els PEAIC redueixen el contingut microbià del suc de raïm, tant l’inoculat com el natural, i l’activitat enzimàtica oxidativa. Així mateix, s’ha constatat que es possible optimitzar el procés tenint en compte les característiques de l’equipament i el medi. La comparació dels resultats de les variables estudiades amb aquesta tecnologia i amb tractament tèrmic a permès evidenciar que els efectes dels PEAIC són menys dràstics, fet que permet la seva utilització en l’elaboració de suc de raïm i vi sense que afecti negativament al procés o a l’envelliment del producte. La principal conclusió de l’estudi amb les dades obtingudes de tres varietats habitualment utilitzades a Catalunya és que el processat amb PEAIC és una eina de conservació del suc de raïm viable des del punt de vista tecnològic. L’adquisició de dades d’altres varietats i temporades fora de gran utilitat per ampliar aquesta conclusió. / Se ha realizado el estudio del efecto del procesado de zumo de uva con pulsos eléctricos de alta intensidad de campo (PEAIC) para su conservación. Los efectos se han medido en distintas propiedades características del zumo de uva como el grado brix, pH, acidez, conductividad eléctrica, actividad microbiológica y enzimática, algunos compuestos activos biológicamente como el contenido en polifenoles o vitamina C y la capacidad antioxidante. Los valores obtenidos se han comparado con los del tratamiento conservante de referencia, es decir, el tratamiento térmico. También se ha determinado la evolución de compuestos específicos durante el procesado desde el zumo de uva hasta el envejecimiento del vino. El estudio se ha realizado en 4 fases en las que se ha observado que los PEAIC reducen claramente la micro flora del zumo de uva, tanto la inoculada como la natural, así como la actividad enzimática oxidante. Se ha confirmado, además, que es posible optimizar esta reducción teniendo en cuenta las características del equipo de procesado y el medio. La comparación de resultados de las variables estudiadas tras el procesado PEAIC con el tratamiento térmico ha permitido constatar que los efectos de los PEAIC son menos drásticos lo que permitiría su uso como tratamiento en la elaboración del zumo y vino sin que afecte negativamente al proceso de vinificación o a su envejecimiento. La principal conclusión del estudio con los datos de tres variedades habitualmente utilizadas en Cataluña es que el procesado mediante PEAIC para la conservación de zumo de uva es técnicamente viable. La obtención de nuevos datos de otras variedades y distintas vendimias seria útil para poder generalizar esta conclusión. / The effect of pulsed electric fields as a preservation method on grape juice was studied. Its effects were measured on typical grape juice properties such as brix degrees, pH, acidity, electrical conductivity, microbial and enzymatic activities, and some bioactive compounds like vitamin C and polyphenol contents or antioxidant activity. The obtained values were compared with the current preservative reference technology, which is the heat processing. It was also analysed the effect of PEF on the evolution of specific compounds throughout the wine making process from juice to ageing. The study was carried out in 4 phases. It was observed a clear reduction of the microbial populations of both, inoculated and natural flora, as well as the oxidant enzymatic activities of grape juice. Besides, these effects were optimised taking into account the PEF processing device and the food product. The comparison of both treatments revealed that the PEF treatment yielded milder values of the variables than the thermal treatment. Therefore it could be used in juice and wine making without a negative impact on the quality of the product. The main conclusion inferred from the study is that on three commonly used Catalan varieties PEF processing is a feasible technology to preserve grape juice. New data coming from different varieties and years should broaden this conclusion.

La presente tesis pretende ofrecer una visión global de la situación, grado de implantación y resultados de la modernización administrativa y de los instrumentos de Nueva Gestión Pública en los principales entes locales municipales del Camp de Tarragona, respondiendo a la pregunta de si dicho nuevo modelo de gestión contribuye realmente a un mejor funcionamiento de las políticas y administraciones públicas, así como en qué circunstancias se producen estas mejoras. El contraste de las hipótesis planteadas -1ª) la aplicación del nuevo modelo de gestión pública de calidad y por procesos genera mejores resultados, y 2ª) el nivel de satisfacción de los usuarios internos después de la aplicación del nuevo modelo es más elevado- se lleva a cabo a través de técnicas cualitativas -entrevistas en profundidad y observación participante-, aplicadas tanto en la investigación general de los ayuntamientos del citado ámbito geográfico como en el estudio en profundidad del Ayuntamiento de Salou. / La present tesi pretén oferir una visió global de la situació, grau d'implantació i resultats de la modernització administrativa i dels instruments de Nova Gestió Pública en els principals ens locals municipals del Camp de Tarragona, responent a la pregunta de si l'esmentat nou model de gestió contribueix realment a un millor funcionament de les polítiques i administracions públiques, així com en quines circumstàncies es produeixen aquestes millores. El contrast de les hipòtesi plantejades -1ª) l'aplicació del nou model de gestió pública de qualitat i per processos genera millors resultats, i 2ª) el grau de satisfacció dels usuaris interns després de l'aplicació del nou model és més elevat- es duu a terme mitjançant tècniques qualitatives -entrevistes en profunditat i observació participant-, aplicades tant en la investigació general dels ajuntaments del referit àmbit geogràfic com en l'estudi en profunditat de l'Ajuntament de Salou. / This thesis aims to provide an overview of the situation, level of implementation and results of administrative modernization and instruments of New Public Management in major local municipalities of Camp de Tarragona (Spain), answering the question of whether this new model of management actually contributes to improved policy performance and government, and in what circumstances these improvements occur. The contrast of the hypotheses -1st) the application of new public quality management model and processes offers better results, and 2nd) the level of internal customer satisfaction after the implementation of the new model is higher- takes place through qualitative techniques -depth interviews and participant observation-, applied both in the general investigation of the aforementioned municipalities and in depth study of the City of Salou.

El eje central de la investigación de tesis doctoral son las transformaciones espaciales, funcionales y estructurales, ocurridas dentro del ámbito central del Camp de Tarragona, en un período de tiempo específico (1977 - 2008) y con especial énfasis en los cambios de localización de las piezas de producción, distribución y consumo, y su impacto sobre el territorio. Para introducir el concepto de la metropolización del territorio, a la investigación de caso le antecede un apartado teórico que revisa sus diferentes modalidades y sus causas estructurales, distinguiéndose entre los ámbitos norteamericano y europeo.El interés principal de esta investigación es observar los cambios ocurridos en un lapso de tiempo determinado en regiones urbanas con presencia de ciudades intermedias que contengan fenómenos de dispersión, aglomeración y polarización, semejantes a los fenómenos ocurridos en regiones metropolitanas de primer orden. Se busca con ello, demostrar la tendencia actual de las ciudades intermedias a seguir aunque con caracteres específicos , procesos similares de metropolización territorial que han seguido las regiones urbanas mayores.Además de identificar las transformaciones en las relaciones jerárquicas y resaltar las nuevas estructuras territoriales generadas por las lógicas de localización de las piezas productivas, de distribución y de consumo (polaridades, clusters, dispersiones, redes), se verifica la noción general de una tendencia a la "terciarización" del espacio metropolitano y se detectan hechos innovadores (fenómenos que por su carácter de novedad, tienen una influencia enorme sobre su entorno) que tienden a la consolidación de un territorio sectorizado y en el que se ha observado una transformación en la escala de las operaciones urbanísticas (de la manzana al sector).El objetivo principal de la investigación es aumentar el conocimiento, ante la escasez de estudios urbanos apoyados en análisis espaciales de análisis gráficos, sobre la metropolización de ciudades intermedias y su relación con sistemas metropolitanos mayores.Se plantea a priori, que es un proceso en curso la terciarización del espacio en regiones metropolitanas intermedias como el Camp de Tarragona; que la localización de las grandes piezas de producción y consumo obedecen más a una lógica regional de integración / servicio a una red metropolitana mayor que a una lógica de ordenación local y que, la metropolización del territorio del ámbito central del Camp de Tarragona, por la celeridad de sus trasformaciones y la escala del territorio, podría convertirlo en una conurbación de tamaño considerable.Dichos planteamientos han sido verificados mediante la elaboración y análisis de mapas temáticos que consignan las transformaciones territoriales en un período temporal específico y que permiten, mediante la elaboración de un pequeño sistema de información territorial y su comparación, un análisis cualitativo (del espacio transformado) y cuantitativo (la medición de las transformaciones urbanizadoras). Los mapas elaborados son la expresión de las tendencias, corredores específicos, polarizaciones o cambios de uso de suelo principales que se han producido. / The main axis of this PhD thesis are the spatial, functional and structural transformations, occurred within the central area of the Camp of Tarragona, between 1977 - 2008, with special emphasis on locational changes of production, distribution and consumption and its impact on the built environment. To introduce the concept of territorial metropolisation, the investigation is preceded by a theoretical section which reviews its different ways structural causes, comparing both cases: the North American and the European one. The main goal of this research is to observe and compare changes in clusters of intermediate cities that shows dispersion, agglomeration and polarization, in a similar way bigger metropolitan areas had revealed through time. The aim is thus to show the current trend of intermediate cities to follow similar processes of metropolisation although with specific characteristics that have been developed before by larger urban areas. Aside of identifying the changes in the hierarchical relationships and highlighting the new territorial structures generated by the postindustrial logic of localization of production, distribution and consumption (polarities, clusters, dispersions, networks), we verify the hypothesis that states there is a general tendency of metropolitan areas to shift their land use into services, by detecting innovative events, such as the transformation of big portions of land into service oriented spaces. The main goal of this research is to increase awareness about the shortage of urban studies of the metropolisation process that has been happening in intermediate cities, phenomena widely studied for larger metropolitan areas. The investigation seeks to demonstrate how these intermediate cities tend to follow a different way of metropolisation, mainly because they are subdued to what happens in larger metropolitan areas, and they follow a regional logic in an attempt to be part of a major regional network, rather than been (the metropolisation) a local urban initiative. Also, we had foreseen that The central area of the Camp of Tarragona due to the rapidness of the changes observed , could be in a years from now a new form of conurbation, yet still hosting metropolization processes. These approaches have been verified by developing and analyzing thematic maps, which records territorial changes in a specific time range and that allow us, through the development of a small GIS, a qualitative analysis (what and in what had the space been transformed) and a quantitative one (how many). The produced maps have answered questions regarding trends, specific corridors, polarizations, or changes in land use at large scale.