A territorial approach to R&D subsidies: Empirical evidence for Catalonian firms

Using a database of 2,263 responses to R&D public calls in Catalonia, during the period 2007–2010, this paper proceeds to analyse the potential interaction of the territorial and policy dimensions with the propensity to apply for, and be awarded, a public R&D subsidy. Controlling for characteristics at the firm and project level, we estimate models using a two-step procedure. In the first step, our results suggest that large firms which export and which belong to high-tech manufactures are more likely to participate in a public R&D call. Furthermore, both urban location and past experience of such calls have a positive effect. Our territorial proxy of information spillovers shows a positive sign, but this is only significant at intra-industry level. Membership of one of the sectors prioritized by the Catalan government, perhaps surprisingly, does not have a significant impact. In the second step, our results show that cooperative projects, SMEs or old firms shows a positive effect on the probability of obtaining a public subsidy. Finally, the cluster policy does not show a clear relationship with the public R&D call, suggesting that cluster policies and R&D subsidies follow different goals. Our results are in line with previous results in the literature, but they highlight the unequal territorial distribution of the firms which apply and the fact that policymakers should interlink the decision criteria for their public call with other policies. Keywords: Evaluation, R&D policies, territorial approach, clusters JEL Classifications: L53, L25, O38

Young Firms and R&D subsidies in Catalonia

Based on four different public R&D calls from the Catalan government, this article evaluates the propensity of entrants and young firms to apply for R&D public grants and, as compared to their counterparts, their capacity for obtaining subsides. This analysis is particularly relevant since entrants and young firms encounter greater market difficulties. Our sample contains 22,139 firms and corresponds to a merge of two databases: one from the Catalan agency responsible for promoting private innovation (ACC1Ó) and the other from the Mercantile Register. Merging these databases has two advantages. Firstly, participants and non-participants in the public R&D call (“InnoEmpresa”) are included and, secondly, it provides us with information at firm and project level. The period of observation is between 2006 and 2010, since some explanatory variables are lagged by one period. We apply a two-step methodology. Our results show that entrants and young firms show a lower propensity to apply for R&D subsidies and to obtain R&D public grants. Firm size, exports and participation in a previous call show a positive impact on the likelihood of applying, and firms located in the Barcelona metropolitan area have a greater propensity to apply. Additionally, project quality and R&D cooperative reports presented jointly with other partners have a positive impact on the likelihood of obtaining the R&D subsidy. Finally, firms that have previously obtained an R&D subsidy do not exhibit a greater propensity for obtaining subsequent grants. Keywords: R&D subsidies, entrants and young firms Classification JEL: L53, L25, O38

Cooperation in R&D, firm size and type of partnership: Evidence for the Spanish automotive industry

This paper aims to analyse cooperation in R&D in the automobile industry in Spain. It first examines to what extent firms cooperate with external actors in the field of technological innovation, and if so, with what type of cooperation partner, paying special attention to the differentiation according to the size of the firms. Second, it aims to study how the firm’s size may affect not only the decision of cooperating but also with which type of partner, while controlling for other determinants that have been considered in the literature as main drivers of collaborative activities in R&D. We use data provided by the Technological Innovation Panel in the 2006-2008 period for firms in the automotive sector. We estimate a bivariate probit model that takes into account the two types of cooperation mostly present in the automotive industry, vertical and institutional, explicitly considering the interdependencies that may arise in the simultaneous choice of both.

Analysis of translational errors in frame-based and frameless cranial radiosurgery using an anthropomorphic phantom

Abstract Objective: To evaluate three-dimensional translational setup errors and residual errors in image-guided radiosurgery, comparing frameless and frame-based techniques, using an anthropomorphic phantom. Materials and Methods: We initially used specific phantoms for the calibration and quality control of the image-guided system. For the hidden target test, we used an Alderson Radiation Therapy (ART)-210 anthropomorphic head phantom, into which we inserted four 5mm metal balls to simulate target treatment volumes. Computed tomography images were the taken with the head phantom properly positioned for frameless and frame-based radiosurgery. Results: For the frameless technique, the mean error magnitude was 0.22 ± 0.04 mm for setup errors and 0.14 ± 0.02 mm for residual errors, the combined uncertainty being 0.28 mm and 0.16 mm, respectively. For the frame-based technique, the mean error magnitude was 0.73 ± 0.14 mm for setup errors and 0.31 ± 0.04 mm for residual errors, the combined uncertainty being 1.15 mm and 0.63 mm, respectively. Conclusion: The mean values, standard deviations, and combined uncertainties showed no evidence of a significant differences between the two techniques when the head phantom ART-210 was used.

Cooperation in R&D, firm size and type of partnership: Evidence for the Spanish automotive industry

This paper aims to analyse cooperation in R&D in the automobile industry in Spain. It first examines to what extent firms cooperate with external actors in the field of technological innovation, and if so, with what type of cooperation partner, paying special attention to the differentiation according to the size of the firms. Second, it aims to study how the firm’s size may affect not only the decision of cooperating but also with which type of partner, while controlling for other determinants that have been considered in the literature as main drivers of collaborative activities in R&D. We use data provided by the Technological Innovation Panel in the 2006-2008 period for firms in the automotive sector. We estimate a bivariate probit model that takes into account the two types of cooperation mostly present in the automotive industry, vertical and institutional, explicitly considering the interdependencies that may arise in the simultaneous choice of both.

Notes breus (flora). Nasella neesiana (Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth and N. mucronata (Kunth) R.W. Pohl in Barkworth dues gramínies al·lòctones noves a Catalunya

Nota breu de flora que fa referència a la presència al NE del Principat de dues espècies noves de Nasella (N. neesiana i N. Mucronata), originàries de l’ Amèrica del Sud

Ten years of R&D and full automation in molecular diagnosis.

A 10-year experience of our automated molecular diagnostic platform that carries out 91 different real-time PCR is described. Progresses and future perspectives in molecular diagnostic microbiology are reviewed: why automation is important; how our platform was implemented; how homemade PCRs were developed; the advantages/disadvantages of homemade PCRs, including the critical aspects of troubleshooting and the need to further reduce the turnaround time for specific samples, at least for defined clinical settings such as emergencies. The future of molecular diagnosis depends on automation, and in a novel perspective, it is time now to fully acknowledge the true contribution of molecular diagnostic and to reconsider the indication for PCR, by also using these tests as first-line assays.

Immunotherapeutic targeting of LIGHT/LTβR/HVEM pathway fully recapitulates the reduced cytotoxic phenotype of LIGHT-deficient T cells.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)/TNF receptor (TNFR) superfamily members play essential roles in the development of the different phases of the immune response. Mouse LIGHT (TNFSF14) is a type II transmembrane protein with a C-terminus extracellular TNF homology domain (THD) that assembles in homotrimers and regulates the course of the immune responses by signaling through 2 receptors, the herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM, TNFSFR14) and the lymphotoxin β receptor (LTβR, TNFSFR3). LIGHT is a membrane-bound protein transiently expressed on activated T cells, natural killer (NK) cells and immature dendritic cells that can be proteolytically cleaved by a metalloprotease and released to the extracellular milieu. The immunotherapeutic potential of LIGHT blockade was evaluated in vivo. Administration of an antagonist of LIGHT interaction with its receptors attenuated the course of graft-versus-host reaction and recapitulated the reduced cytotoxic activity of LIGHT-deficient T cells adoptively transferred into non-irradiated semiallogeneic recipients. The lack of LIGHT expression on donor T cells or blockade of LIGHT interaction with its receptors slowed down the rate of T cell proliferation and decreased the frequency of precursor alloreactive T cells, retarding T cell differentiation toward effector T cells. The blockade of LIGHT/LTβR/HVEM pathway was associated with delayed downregulation of interleukin-7Rα and delayed upregulation of inducible costimulatory molecule expression on donor alloreactive CD8 T cells that are typical features of impaired T cell differentiation. These results expose the relevance of LIGHT/LTβR/HVEM interaction for the potential therapeutic control of the allogeneic immune responses mediated by alloreactive CD8 T cells that can contribute to prolong allograft survival.

Transformações químicas do (+)-10b,14-diol-allo-aromadendrano, isolado de duguetia glabriuscula r. e. fries (r. e. fries) (annonaceae) e avaliações biológicas de alguns derivados obtidos

The sesquiterpene (+)-allo-aromadendrane-10b-14-diol 1 was the lead compound to the preparation of several derivatives in order to test their biological activity against A. salina, C. sphaerospermum, E. coli and S. aureus. In this way the monoalcohols (+)-viridiflorol 4, 9 and 11 were synthesized from 1 together with the acetal 6, the ketal 7, and the ketone 8. The oxirane 3 and nitrile 5 were also prepared using as an intermediate the tosylate derivative 2.

J.R. Danielson-Kalmarin kokoelma

Valtioneuvos ja historiantutkija J. R. (Johan Richard) Danielson-Kalmarin (1853-1933) kirjakokoelma säilytetään erillisenä kokoelmana Turun yliopiston pääkirjastossa. Kokoelmaan kuuluu noin 2500 nidettä pääasiasssa yleisen historian ja Suomen historian tutkimukseen kuuluvaa kirjallisuutta. Kokoelman pääkielet ovat ruotsi, suomi ja saksa, mutta myös mm. englannin- ja ranskankielinen kirjallisuus löytyy kokoelmasta. Melkein puolet kokoelmasta puuttuu Volter-tietokannasta ja löytyy korttiluettelosta.

Berättelse om Kejsar Alexanders färd från Nissilä gästgifveri till staden Kajana under Hans majestäts senaste resa uti Stor-Furstendömet Finland om sommarn år 1819

Nimeke muilla kielillä:

Описанiе путешетвиiя государя Императора Александра 1., изъ станцiи Ниссиле въ город Каяну во время послѣднаго вояжа Его величества въ Ведикое княжество Финляндское лѣтомъ 1819 года

Schilderung der Fahrt des Kejsers Alexander von der Station Nissilä nach der Stadt Kaiana auf der letzten Reise Seiner Majestät in dem Gross-Fürstenthume Finland während des Sommers 1819.

Relation du trajet de l’Empereur Alexandre de la station Nissilä à la ville de Kaïana duran le dernier voyage de sa majesté dans le Grand Duché de Finlande pendant l’été 1819.

Enhancement of R&D project management system

Stora Enso has research centres in Finland, Sweden and Germany. The research centres use PIMS as a research project invoicing and monitoring system. Possible reorganization and new financing model for R&D functions have been considered and the project management system should be developed to support the new operation model. The objective of this thesis is to find a model for R&D project management, and to present the project management system of Stora Enso, and to discuss if the current system could be developed to respond to the new needs or should it be replaced with another system. The theoretical part of the study describes challenges in R&D project management, and presents different project characteristics, and methods for managing R&D project portfolio. It is also described how the project management system can support project monitoring and controlling, and how inter-project learning can be enhanced. The empirical part of the study presents the current project management system of Stora Enso and how the system should be developed to support Stora Enso’s R&D functions better. In conclusion, it is stated that there is no relevant reason to replace PIMS with another system, because PIMS can be developed to support R&D project management better with a hybrid system. It is also suggested that the new financing model should not be implemented before more comprehensive analysis of its effects is conducted.

Enjoying cooperative games: The R package GameTheory

This paper focuses on cooperative games with transferable utility. We propose the computation of two solutions, the Shapley value for n agents and the nucleolus with a maximum of four agents. The current approach is also focused on conflicting claims problems, a particular case of coalitional games. We provide the computation of the most well-known and used claims solutions: the proportional, the constrained equal awards, the constrained equal losses, the Talmud and the random arrival rules. Keywords: Cooperative game, Shapley value, nucleolus, claims problem, claims rule, bankruptcy.

Utilização de índices r e R obtidos de programas interlaboratoriais para o controle de precisão de método analítico: Determinação de água por Karl Fischer

Values of repeatability (r) and reproducibility (R) are parameters of an analytical method. They are related to the maximum difference between two results of analysis (permissible range) and can be obtained by interlaboratorial comparisons. They represent great importance for the quality control of the results and decisions about the fitness-for-purpose of the method. Water determination in fuel oil samples were performed by 16 laboratories, using the Karl Fischer reaction, during the period from June 1997 to December 1999. Values of r and R were presented. Discussion is made in terms of the main factors that would be contribution to analytical method variabilities and uncertainties of final results.