Technology shocks and aggregate fluctuations in an estimated hybrid RBC model

This paper contributes to the on-going empirical debate regarding the role of the RBC model and in particular of technology shocks in explaining aggregate fluctuations. To this end we estimate the model’s posterior density using Markov-Chain Monte-Carlo (MCMC) methods. Within this framework we extend Ireland’s (2001, 2004) hybrid estimation approach to allow for a vector autoregressive moving average (VARMA) process to describe the movements and co-movements of the model’s errors not explained by the basic RBC model. The results of marginal likelihood ratio tests reveal that the more general model of the errors significantly improves the model’s fit relative to the VAR and AR alternatives. Moreover, despite setting the RBC model a more difficult task under the VARMA specification, our analysis, based on forecast error and spectral decompositions, suggests that the RBC model is still capable of explaining a significant fraction of the observed variation in macroeconomic aggregates in the post-war U.S. economy.

Simultaneous LC-MS/MS quantification of P-glycoprotein and cytochrome P450 probe substrates and their metabolites in DBS and plasma.

BACKGROUND: An LC-MS/MS method has been developed for the simultaneous quantification of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and cytochrome P450 (CYP) probe substrates and their Phase I metabolites in DBS and plasma. P-gp (fexofenadine) and CYP-specific substrates (caffeine for CYP1A2, bupropion for CYP2B6, flurbiprofen for CYP2C9, omeprazole for CYP2C19, dextromethorphan for CYP2D6 and midazolam for CYP3A4) and their metabolites were extracted from DBS (10 µl) using methanol. Analytes were separated on a reversed-phase LC column followed by SRM detection within a 6 min run time. RESULTS: The method was fully validated over the expected clinical concentration range for all substances tested, in both DBS and plasma. The method has been successfully applied to a PK study where healthy male volunteers received a low dose cocktail of the here described P-gp and CYP probes. Good correlation was observed between capillary DBS and venous plasma drug concentrations. CONCLUSION: Due to its low-invasiveness, simple sample collection and minimal sample preparation, DBS represents a suitable method to simultaneously monitor in vivo activities of P-gp and CYP.

Using Effluent Charges in Promoting Investment in Water Pollution Control Technology: A Model of Coordination Failure among Firms

Untreated wastewater being directly discharged into rivers is a very harmful environmental hazard that needs to be tackled urgently in many countries. In order to safeguard the river ecosystem and reduce water pollution, it is important to have an effluent charge policy that promotes the investment of wastewater treatment technology by domestic firms. This paper considers the strategic interaction between the government and the domestic firms regarding the investment in the wastewater treatment technology and the design of optimal e­ffluent charge policy that should be implemented. In this model, the higher is the proportion of non-investing firms, the higher would be the probability of having to incur an e­ffluent charge and the higher would be that charge. On one hand the government needs to impose a sufficiently strict policy to ensure that firms have strong incentive to invest. On the other hand, it cannot be too strict that it drives out firms which cannot afford to invest in such expensive technology. The paper analyses the factors that affect the probability of investment in this technology. It also explains the difficulty of imposing a strict environment policy in countries that have too many small firms which cannot afford to invest unless subsidised.

Extending contingency: the impact of strategy, technology, size and business environment on the organisational form of small Chinese firms

This paper is inspired by articles in the last decade or so that have argued for more attention to theory, and to empirical analysis, within the well-known, and long-lasting, contingency framework for explaining the organisational form of the firm. Its contribution is to extend contingency analysis in three ways: (a) by empirically testing it, using explicit econometric modelling (rather than case study evidence) involving estimation by ordered probit analysis; (b) by extending its scope from large firms to SMEs; (c) by extending its applications from Western economic contexts, to an emerging economy context, using field work evidence from China. It calibrates organizational form in a new way, as an ordinal dependent variable, and also utilises new measures of familiar contingency factors from the literature (i.e. Environment, Strategy, Size and Technology) as the independent variables. An ordered probit model of contingency was constructed, and estimated by maximum likelihood, using a cross section of 83 private Chinese firms. The probit was found to be a good fit to the data, and displayed significant coefficients with plausible interpretations for key variables under all the four categories of contingency analysis, namely Environment, Strategy, Size and Technology. Thus we have generalised the contingency model, in terms of specification, interpretation and applications area.

II Workshop on the use of Computed Tomography (CT) in pig carcass classification. Other CT applications: live animals and meat technology, 16-17th April 2009, Monells (Girona), Spain

Es va realitzar el II Workshop en Tomografia Computeritzada (TC) a Monells. El primer dia es va dedicar íntegrament a la utilització del TC en temes de classificació de canals porcines, i el segon dia es va obrir a altres aplicacions del TC, ja sigui en animals vius o en diferents aspectes de qualitat de la carn o els productes carnis. Al workshop hi van assistir 45 persones de 12 països de la UE. The II workshop on the use of Computed Tomography (CT) in pig carcass classification. Other CT applications: live animals and meat technology was held in Monells. The first day it was dedicated to the use of CT in pig carcass classification. The segond day it was open to otehr CT applications, in live animals or in meat and meat products quality. There were 45 assistants of 12 EU countries.

Incentives in university technology transfers

There are two main ways in which the knowledge created in universities has been transferred to firms: licensing agreements and the creation of spin-offs. In this paper, we describe the main steps in the transfer of university innovations, the main incentive issues that appear in this process, and the contractual solutions proposed to address them.

Sistema de monitorització Open Source: projecte d'empresa per Computer Technology Catalunya

L’objectiu del projecte consisteix en l’estudi, simulació i implantació d’un conjunt d’aplicacions que permeten tenir un control sobre possibles problemes que puguin succeir a la nostra xarxa. Aquest projecte és la solució als problemes de detecció d’errors en el funcionament de les infraestructures de networking de les que disposen els nostres clients.

A randomized controlled clinical trial evaluating the performance and safety of platelets treated with MIRASOL pathogen reduction technology.

BACKGROUND: Pathogen reduction of platelets (PRT-PLTs) using riboflavin and ultraviolet light treatment has undergone Phase 1 and 2 studies examining efficacy and safety. This randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) assessed the efficacy and safety of PRT-PLTs using the 1-hour corrected count increment (CCI(1hour) ) as the primary outcome. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A noninferiority RCT was performed where patients with chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (six centers) were randomly allocated to receive PRT-PLTs (Mirasol PRT, CaridianBCT Biotechnologies) or reference platelet (PLT) products. The treatment period was 28 days followed by a 28-day follow-up (safety) period. The primary outcome was the CCI(1hour) determined using up to the first eight on-protocol PLT transfusions given during the treatment period. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients were randomly assigned (60 to PRT-PLTs; 58 to reference). Four patients per group did not require PLT transfusions leaving 110 patients in the analysis (56 PRT-PLTs; 54 reference). A total of 541 on-protocol PLT transfusions were given (303 PRT-PLTs; 238 reference). The least square mean CCI was 11,725 (standard error [SE], 1.140) for PRT-PLTs and 16,939 (SE, 1.149) for the reference group (difference, -5214; 95% confidence interval, -7542 to -2887; p<0.0001 for a test of the null hypothesis of no difference between the two groups). CONCLUSION: The study failed to show noninferiority of PRT-PLTs based on predefined CCI criteria. PLT and red blood cell utilization in the two groups was not significantly different suggesting that the slightly lower CCIs (PRT-PLTs) did not increase blood product utilization. Safety data showed similar findings in the two groups. Further studies are required to determine if the lower CCI observed with PRT-PLTs translates into an increased risk of bleeding.

Detection of Babesia bigemina infection: use of a DNA probe - a review

The development of a repetitive DNA probe for Babesia bigemina was reviewed. The original plasmid (p(Bbi)16) contained an insert of B. bigemina DNA of approximately 6.3 kb. This probe has been evaluated for specificityand analytical sensitivity by dot hybridization with isolates from Mexico, the Caribbean region and Kenya. A partial restriction map has been constructed and insert fragments have been subcloned and utilized as specific DNA probes. A comparison of 32P labelled and non-radioactive DNA probes was presented. Non-radioctive detection systems that have been used include digoxigenin dUTP incorporation, and detection by colorimetric substrate methods. Derivatives from the original DNA probe have been utilized to detect B. bigemina infection in a) experimentally inoculated cattle, b) field exposed cattle, c) infected Boophilus microplus ticks, and d) the development of a PCR amplification system.

Evaluation of a colorimetric Babesia bigemina-DNA probe within an epidemiological survey

An epidemiological survey was conducted in south east Mexico, in an effort to establish the serological reactivity and carrier status to Babesia bigemina of an indigenous cattle population. The prevalance was obtained through the Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT), using an in vitro culture-derived B. bigemina antigen. A specific, digoxigenin-coupled, ~6kb B. bigemina-DNA probe (BBDP), was used to indicate the presence of the parasite. Serum samples from 925 animals of all ages, were obtained within the three regions (I, II, III) of the state of Yucatan and tested by IFAT. In addition, whole blood samples draw from 136 of the same animals of region II were analyzed using the BBDP. Positive IFAT (IFAT+) reactions were observed in 531 sera for a 57% overall prevalence. Regional values were: I = 157 + (56%), II = 266 + (68%) and III = 108 + (42%). Only 32 (23%) of the blood samples tested with BBDP showed distinctive hybridization signal, in contrast with 100 (73%) IFAT + animals. The responses distribution for IFAT vs. BBDP was: +/+ 23, +/- 77, -/+ 9 and -/- 27 respectively. It was found that the analytical sinsitivity of BBDP appears to be low for its utilization is widespread epidemiological surveys. It was considered, however, that the colorimetric probe mifht to be useful to safely detect transmission prone carriers, since it is able to detect parasitemias as low as 0.001%.

Study design for technology assessment: critical issues.

The epidemiological methods have become useful tools for the assessment of the effectiveness and safety of health care technologies. The experimental methods, namely the randomized controlled trials (RCT), give the best evidence of the effect of a technology. However, the ethical issues and the very nature of the intervention under study sometimes make it difficult to carry out an RCT. Therefore, quasi-experimental and non-experimental study designs are also applied. The critical issues concerning these designs are discussed. The results of evaluative studies are of importance for decision-makers in health policy. The measurements of the impact of a medical technology should go beyond a statement of its effectiveness, because the essential outcome of an intervention or programme is the health status and quality of life of the individuals and populations concerned.

Estudi de la configuració magnètica de l'experiment LTP (LISA Technology Package)

La Teoria de la Relativitat General preveu que quan un objecte massiu és sotmès a una certa acceleració en certes condicions ha d’emetre ones gravitacionals. Es tracta d’un tipus d’on altament energètica però que interacciona amb la matèria de manera molt feble i el seu punt d’emissió és força llunyà. Per la qual cosa la seva detecció és una tasca extraordinàriament complicada. Conseqüentment, la detecció d’aquestes ones es creu molt més factible utilitzant instruments situats a l’espai. Amb aquest objectiu, neis la missió LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna). Es tracta aquesta d’una missió conjunta entre la NASA i l’ESA amb llançament previst per 2020-2025. Per reduir els riscs que comporta una primera utilització de tecnologia no testejada, unit a l’alt cost econòmic de la missió LISA. Aquesta missió contindrà instruments molt avançats: el LTP (LISA Technoplogy Package), desenvolupat per la Unió Europea, que provarà la tecnologia de LISA i el Drag Free flying system, que s’encarregarà de provar una sèrie de propulsors (thrusters) utilitzats per al control d’actitud i posició de satèl•lit amb precisió de nanòmetres. Particularment, el LTP, està composat per dues masses de prova separades per 35 centímetres, i d’un interferòmetre làser que mesura la variació de la distància relativa entre elles. D’aquesta manera, el LTP mesurarà les prestacions dels equips i les possibles interferències que afecten a la mesura. Entre les fonts de soroll es troben, entre d’altres, el vent i pressió de radiació solar, les càrregues electrostàtiques, el gradient tèrmic, les fluctuacions de voltatge o les forces internes. Una de les possibles causes de soroll és aquella que serà l’objecte d’estudi en aquest projecte de tesi doctoral: la presència dintre del LTP de camps magnètics, que exerceixen una força sobre les masses de prova, la seva estimació i el seu control, prenent en compte les caracterírstiques magnètiques de l’experiment i la dinàmica del satèl•lit.

Technology, business models and network structure in the airline industry

Network airlines have been increasingly focusing their operations on hub airports through the exploitation of connecting traffic, allowing them to take advantage of economies of traffic density, which are unequivocal in the airline industry. Less attention has been devoted to airlines? decisions on point-to-point thin routes, which could be served using different aircraft technologies and different business models. This paper examines, both theoretically and empirically, the impact on airlines ?networks of the two major innovations in the airline industry in the last two decades: the regional jet technology and the low-cost business model. We show that, under certain circumstances, direct services on point-to-point thin routes can be viable and thus airlines may be interested in deviating passengers out of the hub.