Does persistence of social exclusion exist in Spain?

The aim of this paper is to analyze the causes leading to social exclusion dynamics. In particular, we wish to understand why any individual experiencing social exclusion today is much more likely to experience it again. In fact, there are two distinct processes that may generate a persistence of social exclusion: heterogeneity (individuals are heterogeneous with respect to some observed and/or unobserved adverse characteristics that are relevant for the chance of experiencing social exclusion and persistence over time) and true state of dependence (experiencing social exclusion in a specific time period, in itself, increases the probability of undergoing social exclusion in subsequent periods). Distinguishing between the two processes is crucial since the policy implications are very different.

Who participates in R&D subsidy programs? The case of spanish manufacturing firms.

Empirical evidence on the effectiveness of R&D subsidies to firms has produced mixed results so far. One possible explanation is that firms and project selection rules may be quite heterogeneous both across agencies and across industries, leading to different outcomes in terms of the induced additional private effort. Here we focus on the participation stage. Using a sample of Spanish firms, we test for differences across agencies and industries. Our results suggest that firms in the same industry face different hurdles to participate in different agencies’ programs, that participation patterns may reflect a combination of agency goals, and that patterns differ across high-tech and low-tech industries.

The relevance of post-match LTC: why has the Spanish labor market become as volatile as the US one?

We present a Search and Matching model with heterogeneous workers (entrants and incumbents) that replicates the stylized facts characterizing the US and the Spanish labor markets. Under this benchmark, we find the Post-Match Labor Turnover Costs (PMLTC) to be the centerpiece to explain why the Spanish labor market is as volatile as the US one. The two driving forces governing this volatility are the gaps between entrants and incumbents in terms of separation costs and productivity. We use the model to analyze the cyclical implications of changes in labor market institutions affecting these two gaps. The scenario with a low degree of workers’ heterogeneity illustrates its suitability to understand why the Spanish labor market has become as volatile as the US one.

Labor productivity in Europe: evidence from a sample of regions

The present paper aims at analyzing the sources of productivity in Europe to account for its recent underperformance and identify potential geographic idiosyncracies. We study the productivity performance and its sources in a sample of ten European regions belonging to four countries (France, Germany, Italy and Spain). Exploiting the increasing availability of disaggregated data at regional level in Europe, we propose both a descriptive statistics and an econometric analysis of productivity sources since 1995. Our main finding is that the sources of labor productivity are rather heterogeneous across our sample but may be associated with regional or national idiosyncracies.

Preparació de materials híbrids orgànico-inorgànics a partir de sals d'imidazoli

Estudi elaborat a partir d’una estada a l’ Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier, França, durant 2006. S’han sintetitzat materials híbrids orgànico-inorgànics mitjançant el procés sol-gel i altres estratègies sintètiques. En alguns casos, s’ha intentat estructurar aquests materials, ja sigui per autoestructuració o per mitjà de tensioactius. Com a catalitzadors de les reaccions d'hidròlisi i policondensació s’han utilitzat àcids, bases i fluorurs. Els materials obtinguts s’han caracteritzat mitjançant diferents tècniques: BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller), TEM (microscopia electrònica de transmissió), SEM (microscòpia electrònica de rastreig), raigs X en pols , IR i RMN (ressonància magnètica nuclear) en estat sòlid. Amb aquests materials es pretén preparar catalitzadors heterogenis de Pd per reaccions d’acoblament creuat, i de Ru per reaccions de metàtesi. També s’han sintetitzat sals d'imidazoli amb cadenes hidrocarbonades llargues amb l'objectiu de preparar gels de sílice amb aquestes molècules atrapades dins la matriu inorgànica. Aquests materials s’utilitzaran com a organocatalitzadors i també es prepararan els corresponents catalitzadors de Pd per reaccions de Heck, Suzuki i Sonogashira. Les sals d’imidazoli s’han utilitzat com a tensioactius en la preparació de gels de sílice estructurats. Aquestes molècules han resultat ser cristalls líquids i s’han caracteritzar mitjançant DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), microscopia òptica i raigs X.

Cooperative production and efficiency

We characterize the sharing rule for which a contribution mechanism achieves efficiency in a cooperative production setting when agents are heterogeneous. The sharing rule bears no resemblance to those considered by the previous literature. We also show for a large class of sharing rules that if Nash equilibrium yields efficient allocations, the production function displays constant returns to scale, a case in which cooperation in production is useless.

Does affirmative action reduce effort incentives? A contest game analysis

In this paper a contest game with heterogeneous players is analyzed in which heterogeneity could be the consequence of past discrimination. Based on the normative perception of the heterogeneity there are two policy options to tackle this heterogeneity: either it is ignored and the contestants are treated equally, or affirmative action is implemented which compensates discriminated players. The consequences of these two policy options are analyzed for a simple two-person contest game and it is shown that the frequently criticized trade-off between affirmative action and total effort does not exist: Instead, affirmative action fosters effort incentives. A generalization to the n-person case and to a case with a partially informed contest designer yields the same result if the participation level is similar under each policy.

Simulación Monte Carlo de las dosis en tumores de pulmón en tratamientos de radioterapia estereotáxica extracraneal

Estudio elaborado a partir de una estancia en el Karolinska University Hospital, Suecia, entre marzo y junio del 2006. En la radioterapia estereotáxica extracraneal (SBRT) de tumores de pulmón existen principalmente dos problemas en el cálculo de la dosis con los sistemas de planificación disponibles: la precisión limitada de los algoritmos de cálculo en presencia de tejidos con densidades muy diferentes y los movimientos debidos a la respiración del paciente durante el tratamiento. El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido llevar a cabo la simulación con el código Monte Carlo PENELOPE de la distribución de dosis en tumores de pulmón en casos representativos de tratamientos con SBRT teniendo en cuenta los movimientos respiratorios y su comparación con los resultados de varios planificadores. Se han estudiado casos representativos de tratamientos de SBRT en el Karolinska University Hospital. Los haces de radiación se han simulado mediante el código PENELOPE y se han usado para la obtención de los resultados MC de perfiles de dosis. Los resultados obtenidos para el caso estático (sin movimiento respiratorio ) ponen de manifiesto que, en comparación con la MC, la dosis (Gy/MU) calculada por los planificadores en el tumor tiene una precisión del 2-3%. En la zona de interfase entre tumor y tejido pulmonar los planificadores basados en el algoritmo PB sobrestiman la dosis en un 10%, mientras que el algoritmo CC la subestima en un 3-4%. Los resultados de la simulación mediante MC de los movimientos respiratorios indican que los resultados de los planificadores son suficientemente precisos en el tumor, aunque en la interfase hay una mayor subestimación de la dosis en comparación con el caso estático. Estos resultados son compatibles con la experiencia clínica adquirida durante 15 años en el Karolinska University Hospital. Los resultados se han publicado en la revista Acta Oncologica.

Codes of best practice in competitive markets for managers

We study firms' corporate governance in environments where possibly heterogeneous shareholders compete for possibly heterogeneous managers. A firm, formed by a shareholder and a manager, can sign either an incentive contract or a contract including a Code of Best Practice. A Code allows for a better manager's control but makes manager's decisions hard to react when market conditions change. It tends to be adopted in markets with low volatility and in low-competitive environments. The firms with the best projects tend to adopt the Code when managers are not too heterogeneous while the best managers tend to be hired through incentive contracts when the projects are similar. Although the matching between shareholders and managers is often positively assortative, the shareholders with the best projects might be willing to renounce to hire the best managers, signing contracts including Codes with lower-ability managers.

Pareto-improving optimal capital and labor taxes

We show a standard model where the optimal tax reform is to cut labor taxes and leave capital taxes very high in the short and medium run. Only in the very long run would capital taxes be zero. Our model is a version of Chamley??s, with heterogeneous agents, without lump sum transfers, an upper bound on capital taxes, and a focus on Pareto improving plans. For our calibration labor taxes should be low for the first ten to twenty years, while capital taxes should be at their maximum. This policy ensures that all agents benefit from the tax reform and that capital grows quickly after when the reform begins. Therefore, the long run optimal tax mix is the opposite from the short and medium run tax mix. The initial labor tax cut is financed by deficits that lead to a positive long run level of government debt, reversing the standard prediction that government accumulates savings in models with optimal capital taxes. If labor supply is somewhat elastic benefits from tax reform are high and they can be shifted entirely to capitalists or workers by varying the length of the transition. With inelastic labor supply there is an increasing part of the equilibrium frontier, this means that the scope for benefitting the workers is limited and the total benefits from reforming taxes are much lower.

"Vie et Passion de Jésus-Christ" (Pathé, 1902-1905): hétérogénéité des "tableaux", déclinaison des motifs

Cette étude examine deux copies de la "Vie et Passion de Jésus Christ" conservées par la Cinémathèque suisse avec une première préoccupation de type philologique qui conduit à prendre la mesure de l'autonomisation de chacun des "tableaux" composant le film et de l'hétérogénéité de ce dernier. Puis les constats émis à propos du support matériel sont articulés avec une réflexion d'ordre esthétique qui dégage l'importance de l'"effet-tableau" inscrivant cette production filmique dans une généalogie plus large. Le cinéma étant alors le lieu de convergences entre diverses séries culturelles, l'article envisage les liens entre la production Pathé et une pratique jusqu'ici peu discutée dans ce contexte, celle du tableau vivant. This article is a study of two copies of the "Life and Passion of Jesus Christ" held at the Cinemathèque suisse. Our first, broadly philological, concern is to recognise the degree of autonomy of each of the "tableaus" that make up the film, thus establishing the latter's heterogeneous composition. Secondly, adopting a more aesthetic approach, we discuss the importance of the tableau-effect, placing this kind of film production in a wider genealogical context. Given that cinema was at the time a meeting place for different cultural sequences, this article the examines the links between Pathe films and the "tableau vivant", a practice that until now has been rarely discussed in this regard.

Acute flare induced by the calcific tendonitis of the rotator cuff: inhibition of IL-1 a potential therapeutic target?

Introduction: Calcific tendonitis of rotator cuff is observed on plainradiographs in 10% of adults, but remains asymptomatic in half thesecases. Sometimes, these calcifications induce acute flares withmassive inflammation similar to gout or CPPD crisis. Analgesics/anti-inflammatory medications are usually not sufficient to controlssymptoms in these situations. Local steroid infiltration with or withoutremoval of the calcific deposition with a needle aspiration may beuseful. A new approach could be IL-1 inhibitors. Indeed, basic calciumphosphate crystals are capable of stimulating the release of activeIL-1β in vitro. These crystals trigger IL-1β release, in an analogousmanner to MSU crystals in acute gout, suggesting that IL-1β blockademay be clinically useful.Case presentation: This report describes a 70-year old woman withacute rest pain of the right shoulder since 48 hours. On examination,we found massive limitations of active and passive movements. Thepatient evaluated, on the visual scale, her symptoms at 10/10 the nightand 5/10 the day. The radiography and showed a rounded, 8 mmcalcification in the subscapularis tendon. The ultrasound aspectrevealed a heterogeneous calcification partially non solid, surroundedby massive inflammation on Doppler. C-reactive protein anderythrocyte sedimentation rate were high (74 mg/ml, 54 mm/hour).The patient received subcutaneous injections of anakinra: 100 mgdaily for 3 days (D1-D3). We evaluated the patient in our consult at dayD1, D2, D3, D7, D16 and by phone at D70.This treatment rapidly relieved the inflammatory symptoms (within afew hours with no relapse). The mobility of the shoulder, the biologicsparameters improved and the size of the calcification as well thedegree of inflammation regressed on ultrasound after 3 days.Conclusion: This is the first report of a woman with an acute flareinduced by calcific tendonitis who received anakinra. IL-1 inhibitionmay be a therapeutic target in calcific tendonitis. To analyse thisresponse more precisely and elaborate definitive conclusions, aprospective pilot study is on-going in our ambulatory institute.

Functional sphere profiling reveals the complexity of neuroblastoma tumor-initiating cell model.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a neural crest-derived childhood tumor characterized by a remarkable phenotypic diversity, ranging from spontaneous regression to fatal metastatic disease. Although the cancer stem cell (CSC) model provides a trail to characterize the cells responsible for tumor onset, the NB tumor-initiating cell (TIC) has not been identified. In this study, the relevance of the CSC model in NB was investigated by taking advantage of typical functional stem cell characteristics. A predictive association was established between self-renewal, as assessed by serial sphere formation, and clinical aggressiveness in primary tumors. Moreover, cell subsets gradually selected during serial sphere culture harbored increased in vivo tumorigenicity, only highlighted in an orthotopic microenvironment. A microarray time course analysis of serial spheres passages from metastatic cells allowed us to specifically "profile" the NB stem cell-like phenotype and to identify CD133, ABC transporter, and WNT and NOTCH genes as spheres markers. On the basis of combined sphere markers expression, at least two distinct tumorigenic cell subpopulations were identified, also shown to preexist in primary NB. However, sphere markers-mediated cell sorting of parental tumor failed to recapitulate the TIC phenotype in the orthotopic model, highlighting the complexity of the CSC model. Our data support the NB stem-like cells as a dynamic and heterogeneous cell population strongly dependent on microenvironmental signals and add novel candidate genes as potential therapeutic targets in the control of high-risk NB.

Heterogeneity of atherosclerotic plaque phenotypes and composition in four different arterial beds: an intravascular ultrasound virtual histology study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the plaque morphology between coronary and peripheral arteries using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Methods: IVUS was performed in 68 patients with coronary and 93 with peripheral artery lesions (29 carotid, 50 renal, and 14 iliac). Plaques were classified as fibroatheroma (VH-FA) (further subclassified as thin-capped [VH-TCFA] and thick-capped [VH-ThCFA]), fibrocalcific plaque (VH-FC) and pathological intimal thickening (VH-PIT). Results: Plaque rupture (13% of coronary, 7% of carotid, 6% of renal, and 7% of iliac arteries; P=NS) and VH-TCFA (37% of coronary, 24% of carotid, 16% of renal, and 7% of iliac arteries; P=0.02) was observed in all arteries. Compared to coronary arteries, VH-FA was less frequently observed in renal (P<0.001) and iliac arteries (P<0.006), while VH-PIT and VH-FC were prevalent in both of these peripheral arteries. Lesions with positive remodeling demonstrated more characteristics of VH-FA in coronary, carotid, and renal arteries compared to those with intermediate/negative remodeling (all P<0.01). There was positive relationship between RI and percent necrotic core area in all four arteries. Conclusions: Atherosclerotic plaque phenotypes were heterogeneous among four different arteries. In contrast, the associations of remodeling mode with plaque phenotype and composition were similar among the various arterial beds.

Detection of testosterone administration based on the carbon isotope ratio profiling of endogenous steroids: international reference populations of professional soccer players.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The determination of the carbon isotope ratio in androgen metabolites has been previously shown to be a reliable, direct method to detect testosterone misuse in the context of antidoping testing. Here, the variability in the 13C/12C ratios in urinary steroids in a widely heterogeneous cohort of professional soccer players residing in different countries (Argentina, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland and Uganda) is examined. METHODS: Carbon isotope ratios of selected androgens in urine specimens were determined using gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). RESULTS: Urinary steroids in Italian and Swiss populations were found to be enriched in 13C relative to other groups, reflecting higher consumption of C3 plants in these two countries. Importantly, detection criteria based on the difference in the carbon isotope ratio of androsterone and pregnanediol for each population were found to be well below the established threshold value for positive cases. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained with the tested diet groups highlight the importance of adapting the criteria if one wishes to increase the sensitivity of exogenous testosterone detection. In addition, confirmatory tests might be rendered more efficient by combining isotope ratio mass spectrometry with refined interpretation criteria for positivity and subject-based profiling of steroids.