Lethal Closeness: The Evolution of a Small-World Drug Trafficking Network

The evolution of the drug trafficking network –so-called– ‘Cartel del Norte del Valle’, is studied using network analysis methods. We found that the average length between any pair of its members was bounded by 4 –an attribute of smallworld networks. In this tightly connected network, informational shocks induce fear and the unleashing of searches of threatening nodes, using available paths. Lethal violence ensues in clusters of increasing sizes that fragment the network, without compromising, however, the survival of the largest component, which proved to be resilient to massive violence. In spite of a success from the point of view of head counting, the US’ socialization program for drug traffickers did not effectively change the cyclical dynamics of the drug dealing business: war survivors took over what was left from the old network initiating a new cycle of business and violence.

Archivo digital de imágenes diagnósticas enfocado a tórax y abdomen de Fundación Cardioinfantil – instituto de cardiología

El desarrollo del archivo docente de imágenes diagnósticas, permite compartir y difundir el conocimiento de la colección de casos e imágenes radiológicas con rapidez y facilidad al personal de la Clínica Fundación Cardio-Infantil – Instituto de Cardiología, a través por portal web “e-cardio”, contribuyendo en la formación académica del personal médico, técnico y administrativo.

Learn-Nett : Learning network for teachers. 'Learn-Nett : Red de aprendizaje para profesores'.

Learn-nett es uno de los proyectos enmarcados dentro del programa Socrates de la Comunidad Económica Europea, un programa que subvenciona y apoya proyectos de investigación y desarrollo de nuestra comunidad tanto en el campo de la educación como en cualquier area de conocimiento. Learn-nett, es un proyecto de participación conjunta entre diferentes universidades europeas y que tiene como objetivo la formación, la experimentación y la reflexión sobre la utilización de las nuevas herramientas de la información y la comunicación en la educación.

Competition in two-sided markets with common network externalities

We study competition in two sided markets with common network externality rather than with the standard inter-group e¤ects. This type of externality occurs when both groups bene t, possibly with di¤erent intensities, from an increase in the size of one group and from a decrease in the size of the other. We explain why common externality is relevant for the health and education sectors. We focus on the symmetric equilibrium and show that when the externality itself satis es an homogeneity condition then platforms pro ts and price structure have some speci c properties. Our results reveal how the rents coming from network externalities are shifted by platforms from one side to other, according to the homogeneity degree. In the speci c but realistic case where the common network externality is homogeneous of degree zero, platform s pro t do not depend on the intensity of the (common) network externality. This is in sharp contrast to conventional results stating that the presence of network externalities in a two-sided market structure increases the intensity of competition when the externality is positive (and decreases it when the externality is negative). Prices are a¤ected but in such a way that platforms only transfer rents from consumers to providers.

Doctors´ remuneration schemes and hospital competition in two-sided markets with common network externalities

This paper uses a two-sided market model of hospital competition to study the implications of di§erent remunerations schemes on the physiciansí side. The two-sided market approach is characterized by the concept of common network externality (CNE) introduced by Bardey et al. (2010). This type of externality occurs when occurs when both sides value, possibly with di§erent intensities, the same network externality. We explicitly introduce e§ort exerted by doctors. By increasing the number of medical acts (which involves a costly e§ort) the doctor can increase the quality of service o§ered to patients (over and above the level implied by the CNE). We Örst consider pure salary, capitation or fee-for-service schemes. Then, we study schemes that mix fee-for-service with either salary or capitation payments. We show that salary schemes (either pure or in combination with fee-for-service) are more patient friendly than (pure or mixed) capitations schemes. This comparison is exactly reversed on the providersíside. Quite surprisingly, patients always loose when a fee-for-service scheme is introduced (pure of mixed). This is true even though the fee-for-service is the only way to induce the providers to exert e§ort and it holds whatever the patientsívaluation of this e§ort. In other words, the increase in quality brought about by the fee-for-service is more than compensated by the increase in fees faced by patients.

A Network model of systemic risk : identifying the sources of dependence across institutions

We design a financial network model that explicitly incorporates linkages across institutions through a direct contagion channel, as well as an indirect common exposure channel. In particular, common exposure is setup so as to link the financial to the real sector. The model is calibrated to balance sheet data on the colombian financial sector. Results indicate that commercial banks are the most systemically important financial institutions in the system. Whereas government owned institutions are the most vulnerable institutions in the system.

Health care network formation and policyholders' welfare

We develop a model in which two insurers and two health care providers compete for a fixed mass of policyholders. Insurers compete in premium and offer coverage against financial consequences of health risk. They have the possibility to sign agreements with providers to establish a health care network. Providers, partially altruistic, are horizontally differentiated with respect to their physical address. They choose the health care quality and compete in price. First, we show that policyholders are better off under a competition between conventional insurance rather than under a competition between integrated insurers (Managed Care Organizations). Second, we reveal that the competition between a conventional insurer and a Managed Care Organization (MCO) leads to a similar equilibrium than the competition between two MCOs characterized by a different objective i.e. private versus mutual. Third, we point out that the ex ante providers’ horizontal differentiation leads to an exclusionary equilibrium in which both insurers select one distinct provider. This result is in sharp contrast with frameworks that introduce the concept of option value to model the (ex post) horizontal differentiation between providers.

Network externalities across financial institutions

We propose and estimate a financial distress model that explicitly accounts for the interactions or spill-over effects between financial institutions, through the use of a spatial continuity matrix that is build from financial network data of inter bank transactions. Such setup of the financial distress model allows for the empirical validation of the importance of network externalities in determining financial distress, in addition to institution specific and macroeconomic covariates. The relevance of such specification is that it incorporates simultaneously micro-prudential factors (Basel 2) as well as macro-prudential and systemic factors (Basel 3) as determinants of financial distress. Results indicate network externalities are an important determinant of financial health of a financial institutions. The parameter that measures the effect of network externalities is both economically and statistical significant and its inclusion as a risk factor reduces the importance of the firm specific variables such as the size or degree of leverage of the financial institution. In addition we analyze the policy implications of the network factor model for capital requirements and deposit insurance pricing.

Configuración de la interfaz discurso-gramática en el lenguaje del profesor de preescolar en el aula ILE : presentación de una red sistémica como herramienta para un análisis sistemático de las funciones reguladoras. Modelling the discourse-grammar interface of ELF pre-school teacher talk (native and non-native) : proposal of a system network enabling the systematic analysis of regulatory functions.

Esta investigación pretende alcanzar dos objetivos. Cubrir el vacío existente en los estudios de las funciones comunicativas del habla de profesores, en este caso de inglés como Lengua Extranjera (ILE) destinado a nivel preescolar, y configurar una interfaz discurso-gramática de las funciones reguladoras del lenguaje.. En primer lugar, para lograr un análisis discursivo-semántico, en este trabajo se diseña la Red Sistémica de Funciones Reguladoras, RSFR, una herramienta que resume las diferentes opciones discursivo-semánticas de los contextos de las funciones reguladoras. A continuación, se analizan los datos en el estrato léxico-gramatical para facilitar conclusiones sobre la relación función-realización formal. Por último se exponen las similitudes y diferencias en la producción lingüística de las funciones reguladoras entre profesores nativos y no nativos.. Las aportaciones más destacadas de esta investigación son cuatro: hacer posible un estudio sistemático del significado mediante el diseño de una herramienta; la propuesta de una taxonomía de funciones reguladoras; el análisis de la dependencia entre las funciones reguladoras, y sus realizaciones lingüísticas; y las diferencias encontradas en la comparación del discurso del profesor nativo y no-nativo..

Effect of background, attitudinal and social network variables on PhD students' academic performance : a multimethod approach. 'Efecto de las variables personales, actitudinales y de red social en el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes de doctorado : un enfoque multimétodo'.

Resumen tomado de la publicación

'The Sport Network'.

Monográfico con el título: 'El deporte: diálogo universal'. Resumen tomado de la publicación

Building Professional Capacity Aiming to Improve the Educational Position of Migrant Children : a reflection on the Sirius network activities

Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

Supporting an open learning network

Stephen Downes, investigador del Canada's National Research Council, presenta su visión personal sobre la educación y los recursos libres. Los temas principales de su presentación son: Free and Open Source Software, Open Knowledge, Education and Technology

PhD Students’ Research Group Social Capital in Two Countries: A Clustering Approach with Duocentred Network Measures

The article examines the structure of the collaboration networks of research groups where Slovenian and Spanish PhD students are pursuing their doctorate. The units of analysis are student-supervisor dyads. We use duocentred networks, a novel network structure appropriate for networks which are centred around a dyad. A cluster analysis reveals three typical clusters of research groups. Those which are large and belong to several institutions are labelled under a bridging social capital label. Those which are small, centred in a single institution but have high cohesion are labelled as bonding social capital. Those which are small and with low cohesion are called weak social capital groups. Academic performance of both PhD students and supervisors are highest in bridging groups and lowest in weak groups. Other variables are also found to differ according to the type of research group. At the end, some recommendations regarding academic and research policy are drawn

Congestion probability routing in virtual path ATM network

This dissertation focuses on the problem of providing mechanisms for routing point to point and multipoint connections in ATM networks. In general the notion of multipoint connection refers to connections that involve a group of users with more than two members. The main objective of this dissertation is to contribute to design efficient routing protocols with alterative routes in fully connected VP-based ATM Networks for call establishment of point to point and multipoint VC connections. An efficient route should be computed during this connection establishment phase.