SMEs finance and bankruptcies: The role of credit guarantee schemes in the UK

With reference to consideration on the future of credit guarantees in the world, it may be interesting to analyze the UK framework of guarantee schemes in favour of SMEs, where there are no private guarantee providers and where there is a substantial public monopoly. In particular, in this paper it emerges that among the countries examined by the OECD, the country where the credit guarantees are least widespread is the United Kingdom. However, the trend in bankruptcies recorded in recent years by British firms is better than the median of the other countries considered. Results from the regression analysis show that among years of operation where EFG has been introduced, possibly this kind of government loan guarantees scheme for SMEs played a minor role, compared to macroeconomic indicators as GDP, in dealing with SMEs bankruptcies

Bienestar psicológico y competencias socioemocionales en estudiantes de una universidad privada de Lima-Este

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar si existe relación significativa entre el bienestar psicológico y las competencias socioemocionales en estudiantes de una universidad privada de Lima Este. Esta investigación es de tipo correlacional y de corte transversal. Para su estudio se utilizó el modelo multidimensional de Ryff y el modelo conceptual de Repetto. Para medir el bienestar psicológico, se empleó la escala de bienestar psicológico de Ryff, adaptada por Diaz et al. (2006) y para medir las competencias socioemocionales se utilizó la escala de evaluación de competencias socioemocionales (ECSE) de Repetto et al. (2009). La muestra contó con la participación de 322 estudiantes universitarios entre 18 y 36 años de edad. Los datos estadísticos fueron procesados en el programa SPSS versión 22. Los resultados mostraron que existe relación altamente signiticativa entre bienestar psicológico y competencias socioemocionales (rho=,660, p<0.01). Asimismo, cuando se relacionó cada dimensión de la variable bienestar psicológico con la variable competencias socioemocionales se obtuvo los siguientes resultados: autoaceptación (rho=,567, p<0.01), relaciones positivas (rho=,455, p<0.01), autonomía (rho=,493, p<0.01), dominio del entorno (rho=,611, p<0.01), crecimiento personal (rho=,434, p<0.01), propósito en la vida (rho=,442, p<0.01).LIMAEscuela Profesional de PsicologíaPsicología positiv

A Method for Detecting Long Term Left Baggage based on Heat Map

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Multi-Object Tracking by Flying Cameras Based on a Forward-Backward Interaction

The automatic analysis of images acquired by cameras mounted on board of drones (flying cameras) is attracting many scientists working in the field of computer vision; the interest is related to the increasing need of algorithms able to understand the scenes acquired by flying cameras, by detecting the moving objects, calculating their trajectories, and finally understanding their activities. The problem is made challenging by the fact that, in the most general case, the drone flies without any awareness of the environment; thus, no initial set-up configuration based on the appearance of the area of interest can be used for simplifying the task, as it generally happens when working with fixed cameras. Moreover, the apparent movements of the objects in the images are superimposed to that generated by the camera, associated with the flight of the drone (varying in the altitude, speed, and the angles of yaw and pitch). Finally, it has to be considered that the algorithm should involve simple visual computational models as the drone can only host embedded computers having limited computing resources. This paper proposes a detection and tracking algorithm based on a novel paradigm suitably combining a forward tracking based on local data association with a backward chain, aimed at automatically tuning the operating parameters frame by frame, so as to be totally independent on the visual appearance of the flying area. This also definitively drops any time-consuming manual configuration procedure by a human operator. Although the method is self-configured and requires low-computational resources, its accuracy on a wide data set of real videos demonstrates its applicability in real contexts, even running over embedded platforms. Experimental results are given on a set of 53 videos and more than 60 000 frames

Untitled - Preface

© Società Italiana di Fisica / Springer-Verlag. Preface to : International Conference on Quarks and Nuclear Physics (4. 2006. Madrid)Depto. de Física TeóricaFac. de Ciencias FísicasTRUEpu

Decreased levels of metalloproteinase-9 and angiogenic factors in skin lesions of patients with psoriatic arthritis after therapy with anti-TNF-α

BACKGROUND: Inflammation represents an early and key event in the development of both the cutaneous psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Compelling evidences indicate that the production of TNF-α plays a central role in psoriasis by sustaining the inflammatory process in the skin as well as in the joints. Among the multiple effects produced by TNF-α on keratinocytes, the induction of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), a collagenase implicated in joint inflammatory arthritis which acts as an angiogenesis promoting factor, might represent a key mechanism in the pathogenesis of the disease. Aims of the present study were to investigate a) the role of MMP-9 in the development of psoriasis by assessing the presence of MMP-9 in lesional skin and in sera of psoriatic patients; b) the association of MMP-9 with the activity of the disease; c) the relationship between MMP-9 and TNF-α production. METHODS: Eleven psoriatic patients, clinically presenting joint symptoms associated to the cutaneous disease, were included in a therapeutic protocol based on the administration of anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody (Infliximab). Sera and skin biopsies were collected before treatment and after 6 weeks of therapy. Tissues were kept in short term cultures and production soluble mediators such as TNF-α, MMP-9, MMP-2, VEGF and E-Selectin, which include angiogenic molecules associated to the development of plaque psoriasis, were measured in the culture supernatants by immunoenzymatic assays (ng/ml or pg/ml per mg of tissue). MMP-9 concentrations were also measured in the sera. The cutaneous activity of disease was evaluated by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). RESULTS: Clinical and laboratory assessment indicated that all but one patients had a significant improvement of the PASI score after three months of therapy. The clinical amelioration was associated to a significant decrease of MMP-9 (P = 0.017), TNF-α (P = 0.005) and E-selectin (P = 0.018) levels, spontaneously released by lesional biopsies before and after therapy. In addition, significant correlations were found between the PASI measurements and TNF-α (r(2 )= 0.33, P = 0.005), MMP-9 (r(2 )= 0.25, P = 0.017), E-selectin (r(2 )= 0.24, P = 0.018) production. MMP-9 levels were significantly correlated with those of TNF-α (r(2 )= 0.30, P = 0.008). A significant decrease of MMP-9 in the sera, associated to the clinical improvement was also found. CONCLUSION: Our findings show the existence of a direct relationship between MMP-9 and TNF-α production strongly suggesting that MMP-9 may play a key role in the skin inflammatory process in psoriasis

Mass spectrometric detection of biomarkers for early assessment of intraamniotic fluid infection

Peer reviewe

Genetic and molecular characterization of the human osteosarcoma 3AB-OS cancer stem cell line: a possible model for studying osteosarcoma origin and stemness.

Finding new treatments targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs) within a tumor seems to be critical to halt cancer and improve patient survival. Osteosarcoma is an aggressive tumor affecting adolescents, for which there is no second-line chemotherapy. Uncovering new molecular mechanisms underlying the development of osteosarcoma and origin of CSCs is crucial to identify new possible therapeutic strategies. Here, we aimed to characterize genetically and molecularly the human osteosarcoma 3AB-OS CSC line, previously selected from MG63 cells and which proved to have both in vitro and in vivo features of CSCs. Classic cytogenetic studies demonstrated that 3AB-OS cells have hypertriploid karyotype with 71–82 chromosomes. By comparing 3AB-OS CSCs to the parental cells, array CGH, Affymetrix microarray, and TaqMan1 Human MicroRNA array analyses identified 49 copy number variations (CNV), 3,512 dysregulated genes and 189 differentially expressed miRNAs. Some of the chromosomal abnormalities and mRNA/miRNA expression profiles appeared to be congruent with those reported in human osteosarcomas. Bioinformatic analyses selected 196 genes and 46 anticorrelated miRNAs involved in carcinogenesis and stemness. For the first time, a predictive network is also described for two miRNA family (let-7/98 and miR-29a,b,c) and their anticorrelated mRNAs (MSTN, CCND2, Lin28B, MEST, HMGA2, and GHR), which may represent new biomarkers for osteosarcoma and may pave the way for the identification of new potential therapeutic targets

Modelo prolab “MeApunto”, propuesta para promover el desarrollo económico de las mypes en el Perú

El problema identificado que se abordó comprende la dificultad que tiene el empresario de las mypes (micro y pequeñas empresas) de acceder de manera óptima al financiamiento, así como la escasa capacitación y asesoría en el desarrollo de sus actividades empresariales. De igual forma, una necesidad que se identificó y está relacionada con el problema expuesto, abarca la reducción de los costos en que incurren las entidades financieras en su etapa de prospección, siendo uno de ellos e importante el costo asociado a la evaluación del riesgo de los prospectos, entendiéndose a estos últimos como aquellos usuarios que son evaluados para acceder a un crédito. El proceso de diseño de la solución al problema identificado incluyó el uso de la metodología ágil denominada Design Thinking. Al respecto, durante este proceso se validaron diversas hipótesis de deseabilidad del modelo de negocio, para lo cual se realizaron encuestas y entrevistas a los usuarios del ecosistema planteado, el cual abarca al empresario de las mypes y al ejecutivo de las entidades financieras, obteniéndose respuestas positivas sobre el uso de la solución. De igual manera, se validaron las hipótesis de factibilidad de las proyecciones de ventas, las cuales tenían estrecha relación con el presupuesto de marketing, utilizándose para ello la simulación de Montecarlo con escenarios de las variaciones de ventas y presupuestos. Asimismo, se validó la hipótesis de viabilidad financiera y necesidades de inversión que tendrá el proyecto de acuerdo con diversos escenarios de crecimiento. Del análisis realizado, se concluye que MeApunto es un modelo de negocio capaz de generar valor económico y social producto de la interacción efectiva y ágil entre el empresario de las mypes y las entidades financieras, dado que se proyecta un VAN de S/ 1.5 millones, una TIR de 81.1% y un VAN Social de S/666.9 miles. En ese sentido, se recomienda implementar el proyecto por su viabilidad económica y social.The identified problem that was addressed includes the difficulty that the Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) entrepreneur has to optimally access financing, as well as the scarce training and advice in the development of their business activities. In the same way, a need that was identified and is related to the exposed problem, covers the reduction of the costs in which the financial entities incur in their prospecting stage, being one of them and important the cost associated with the evaluation of the risk of the prospects, understanding the latter as those users who are evaluated to access a loan. The process of designing the solution to the identified problem included the use of the agile methodology called Design Thinking. In this regard, during this process, various hypotheses of desirability of the business model were validated, for which surveys and interviews were carried out with the users of the proposed ecosystem, which includes the entrepreneur of the mypes and the executive of the financial entities, obtaining answers. positive about the use of the solution. In the same way, the feasibility hypotheses of the sales projections were validated, which were closely related to the marketing budget, using the Monte Carlo simulation with scenarios of sales and budget variations. Likewise, the hypothesis of financial viability and investment needs that the project will have according to various growth scenarios was validated. From the analysis carried out, it is concluded that MeApunto is a business model capable of generating economic and social value as a result of the effective and agile interaction between the entrepreneur of the mypes and the financial entities, given that a NPV of S/ 1.5 million is projected, an IRR of 81.1% and a Social VAN of S/666.9 thousand. In this sense, it is recommended to implement the project due to its economic and social viability

Liquid biopsies in lung cancer: The new ambrosia of researchers

In the last decades the approach to cancer patient management has been deeply revolutionized. We are moving from a "one-fits-all" strategy to the "personalized medicine" based on the molecular characterization of the tumor. In this new era it is becoming more and more clear that the monitoring of the disease is fundamental for the success of the treatment, thus there is the need of new biomarker discovery. More precisely in the last years the scientific community has started to use the term "liquid biopsy". A liquid biopsy is a liquid biomarker that can be easily isolated from many body fluids (blood, saliva, urine, ascites, pleural effusion, etc.) and, as well as a tissue biopsy, a representative of the tissue from which it is spread. In this review we will focus our attention on circulating tumor cells, circulating tumor DNA, exosomes and secretomes with the aim to underlie their usefulness and potential application in a clinical setting for lung cancer patient management