Demand for Cultural Heritage

Prepared for the Handbook of the Economics of Cultural Heritage. Forthcoming in Edgard Elgar Publisher. Anna Mignosa and Ilde Rizzo (editors)cultural economics, demand, cultural heritage, participation in the arts, SPPA2008

Cultural capital and demand

In this paper we develop a theoretical model that investigates the demand for cultural goods under the assumption of cultural capital and rational addiction. We also consider the effect of a policy intervention in order to raise the initial stock of cultural capital of a given individual, both on individual demand and on supply. Finally, we discuss on the effectiveness of such policies by translating our model to a dynamic framework.cultural capital

Forecasting accuracy of behavioural models for participation in the arts

A first version of this paper was presented at the University of Catania, 2011 and at the fifth European Workshop on Applied Cultural Economics in Dublin, 2011.forecasting, count data, prediction intervals, Brier scores, bootstrapping, arts

Gastrektomia bertikala obesitate morbidoan. Sindrome metabolikoan duen eragina.

[EUS] Sarrera: azken urteetan mundu mailan obesitatearen prebalentzia areagotzen ari da, morbi-mortalitatea areagotzen duen zenbait patologiarekin erlazionaturik egonez. Bereziki, sindrome metabolikoa (obesitate zentrala, DM, HTA, HDL, TG) da arrisku kardiobaskularra ugarituz, morbi-mortalitatean eragin handiena duena. Literaturak dioenez, kirurgia bariatrikoak pisu galera lortzeaz gain, obesitatearekin erlazionaturiko komorbilitateen hobekuntza bermatu dezakeen tratamendu bakarra da. Teknika kirurgiko ororen artean, azken hamarkadan indar gehien hartzen ari dena gastrektomia bertikala dugu, beteak beste gure ospitalean gehien buruturiko teknika izanik. Hori dela eta, gure ikerketaren helburua gastrektomia bertikala burutu eta urte batera sindrome metabolikoaren hobekuntzarik lortzen ote den ikustea da. Material eta metodoak: 2011ko urtarrilak eta 2015eko abenduak bitartean egindako 157 gastrektomia bertikalek urte batera izan dute eboluzioaren azterketa deskriptibo erretrospektiboa burutu da. Azterturiko bariableak sexua, adina, pisua, GMI, gluzemia, HbA1c, triglizeridoak, HDL, LDL, tentsio arteriala eta SAOS izanik. Emaitzak: Kirurgia burutu eta urte batera pisuaren eta GMIaren mediana 125 kg-tatik 81kg-tara eta 45 〖kg/m〗^2-tatik 30.76 〖kg/m〗^2-tara jaitsi da hurrenez hurren, bi kasuetan p < 0.001 izanik. Glukosa mailari dagokionez, 100 mg/dL-tatik 86 mg/dL-tara murriztu da (p < 0.001), HbA1c ere jaitsi da %5.8tik % 5.2ra (p < 0.001). Lipidoei dagokienez, HDL 48 mg/dL-tatik 61 mg/dL-tara igo da ( p < 0.001), TG 130 mg/dl-tatik 79.5 mg/dL-tara jaitsi ( p < 0.001) eta LDL ere 114mg/dL-tatik 110.5 mg/dL-tara jaitsi da ( p < 0.329). TA, berriz, 163/82mmHg-tatik 128/74.5 mmHg-tara (p < 0.001) murriztu da. Komorbilitatei dagokienez 2. motako diabetes mellitusa kasuen % 85.2an, hipertentsioa %62.46, dislipemia % 47.5an eta SAOSa % 76.6an lortu da sendatzea, orotan p < 0.001 suertatuz. Ondorioak: Gure kasua, urte bateko jarraipenaren ondoren, gastrektomia bertikalak 2. motako diabetesa, hipertentsioa, hiperlipemia eta SAOSaren hobekuntza dakarrela baieztatu dugu. Hala ere, ezin bestekoa litzateke epe luzeagorako jarraipena egitea. Hitz gakoak: gastrektomia bertikala, sindrome metabolikoa, obesitatea, kirurgia bariatrikoa.[EN] Introduction: Obesity is a global health problem that is becoming more and more prevalent. It is also associated with various pathologies that increase both morbidity and mortality. It is closely related to “the metabolic syndrome”, which increasing cardiovascular risk, increases morbidity and mortality. Recent publications show that bariatric surgery is the only method able to improve these comorbidities. Among the different surgical techniques, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is becoming more important in the last years, being the most performed surgical technique in our hospital. In this way, the goal of our study is to see metabolic syndrome improvement one year after surgery. Material and methods: A retrospective descriptive study of 157 laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgeries, which include patients operated from January 2011 up to December 2015. All cases have been studied for a year and the analyzed variables have been gender, age, weight, BMI, glucose, HbA1c, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, blood pressure and SAOS. Results: After one year follow-up, weight and BMI has been significant decreased (p 0.001), HbA1c from %5.8 to % 5.2 (p <0.001), TA from 136/82 mmHg to 128/74.5 mmHg (p <0.001), TG from 130 mg/dL to 79.5 mg/dL (p <0.001), LDL from 114 mg/dL to 110.5 mg/dL (p <0.329) and HDL improves from 48 mg/dL to 61 mg/dL (p<0.001). Regarding comorbidities, it has succeeded in curing type 2 DM in 85% of cases, hypertension in 62.46%, dyslipidemia in 74.5% and SAOS in 76.6%, with a p <0.001. Conclusion: After a year of follow-up, we can observe in our study that sleeve gastrectomy improves type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipemia and SAOS. However, it would be essential to carry out a longer term study. Key words: laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, metabolic syndrome, obesity, bariatric surgery

Social Interactions and Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from Latin America

In this paper, we seek to examine the effect of comparisons and social capital on subjective well-being. Furthermore, we test if, through social influence and exposure, social capital is either an enhancer or appeaser of the comparison effect. Using the Latinobarómetro Survey (2007) we find that in contrast to most previous studies, the comparison effect on well-being is positive; that is, the better others perform, the happier the individual is. We also find that social capital is among the strongest correlates of individuals’ subjective well-being in Latin American countries. Furthermore, our findings suggest that social contacts may enhance the comparison effect on individual’s happiness, which is more intense for those who perform worse in their reference group.comparison effect, social capital, subjective well-being, social interactions

Implantes transcigomáticos

Los implantes cigomáticos, originariamente diseñados por Branemark en 1989, son implantes de cabeza en 45 grados, de 4'5 milímetros de diámetro en su parte más ancha, y que pueden medir entre 30 y 50 milímetros de longitud. Se insertan desde la parte palatina del proceso alveolar, siguiendo la cresta cigomática-alveolar hasta anclarse en el cuerpo del malar, y en el caso de pacientes maxilectomizados, entrando directamente en el cuerpo del malar. Estos implantes ofrecen una alternativa más al cirujano en el momento de planificar un tratamiento protésico-rehabilitador implantosoportado. Sobretodo, en aquellos pacientes con un maxilar superior atrófico en el que no se pueden realizar injertos óseos o estos han fracasado. El objetivo de este artículo es proponer el protocolo quirúrgico de colocación de los implantes trascigomáticos y revisar la literatura actual sobre la evolución clínica de estos implantes

Adolescent dietary patterns in Fiji and their relationships with standardized body mass index

BACKGROUND: Obesity has been increasing in adolescents in Fiji and obesogenic dietary patterns need to be assessed to inform health promotion. The objective of this study was to identify the dietary patterns of adolescents in peri-urban Fiji and determine their relationships with standardized body mass index (BMI-z). METHODS: This study analysed baseline measurements from the Pacific Obesity Prevention In Communities (OPIC) Project. The sample comprised 6,871 adolescents aged 13-18 years from 18 secondary schools on the main island of Viti Levu, Fiji. Adolescents completed a questionnaire that included diet-related variables; height and weight were measured. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between dietary patterns and BMI-z, while controlling for confounders and cluster effect by school. RESULTS: Of the total sample, 24% of adolescents were overweight or obese, with a higher prevalence among Indigenous Fijians and females. Almost all adolescents reported frequent consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) (90%) and low intake of fruit and vegetables (74%). Over 25% of participants were frequent consumers of takeaways for dinner, and either high fat/salt snacks, or confectionery after school. Nearly one quarter reported irregular breakfast (24%) and lunch (24%) consumption on school days, while fewer adolescents (13%) ate fried foods after school. IndoFijians were more likely than Indigenous Fijians to regularly consume breakfast, but had a high unhealthy SSB and snack consumption.Regular breakfast (p<0.05), morning snack (p<0.05) and lunch (p<0.05) consumption were significantly associated with lower BMI-z. Consumption of high fat/salt snacks, fried foods and confectionery was lower among participants with higher BMI-z. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides important information about Fijian adolescents' dietary patterns and associations with BMI-z. Health promotion should target reducing SSB, increasing fruit and vegetables consumption, and increasing regularity of meals among adolescents. Future research is needed to investigate moderator(s) of inverse associations found between BMI-z and consumption of snacks, fried foods and confectionery to assess for potential reverse causality

Estimating the two-point correlation function of a 3D galaxy distribution.

The distribution of matter in space is not homogeneous. Large structures such as galaxy groups, clusters or big empty spaces called voids can be observed at large scales in the Universe. The large scale structure of the Universe will depend on both the cosmological parameters and the dynamics of galaxy formation and evolution. One of the main observables that allow us to quantify this structure is the two-point correlation function, with which we can trace different galaxy properties such as luminosity, stellar mass and also, it enables us to track its evolution with redshift. In galaxy surveys, we do not obtain the location of galaxies in real space. We obtain our data in what it is called redshift space. This redshift space can be defined as a distortion of the real space generated by the redshift introduced by the peculiar velocities of galaxies and from the Hubble expansion of the Universe. Therefore, the distribution of galaxies in redshift space will look different from the one obtained in real space. These differences between both spaces are small but not negligible, and they depend strictly on the cosmology. In this work, we will assume a ΛCDM cosmology. Therefore, in order to find the different 1-dimensional or 2-dimensional correlations functions, we will use the most updated version of the code provided by the Euclid consortium, which belongs officially to the ESA Euclid mission. Moreover, we will also need different galaxy catalogues. These catalogues have already been simulated and they are called Minerva mocks, which are a set of 300 different cosmological mocks produced with N-body simulations. Finally, as there is a well-defined relation between real and redshift space, one could also assume that there is a relation between the two-point correlation functions in both real and redshift space. In this project, we will prove that the real-space one-dimensional two-point correlation function, which is the physically meaningful one, can be derived from the two-dimensional two-point correlation function in redshift space following a geometrical procedure independent of approximations. This method, in theory, should work for all distance scales

Demand for Cultural Heritage

Prepared for the Handbook of the Economics of Cultural Heritage. Forthcoming in Edgard Elgar Publisher. Anna Mignosa and Ilde Rizzo (editors)The concept of cultural heritage has experienced a process of extension during the past few decades. Because it is a cultural construction, it is subject to differences in appreciation based on contextual and institutional factors (Hutter and Rizzo, 1997; Peacock, 1998). Social consensus has established that there are elements of cultural capital that deserve protection. Therefore, institutional arrangements, including, conventions and legal categories, have been developed to ensure preservation and transmission of that legacy from the past (even the recent past) to future generations. The increase in the number of cultural assets that contemporary societies considered to be elements of their cultural heritage can be attributed to two main factors: administrative processes linked to preservation policies that rely on additions, such that new single elements are added each day, and to the consideration of new categories and typologies (Benhamou, 1996 and 2003; Vecco, 2010). The first of these processes is related to supply arguments. The second process is related to demand driven arguments: a demand for the extension of typologies; the close association between heritage elements in an integral approach and the contexts of the heritage elements; the shift in selection criteria from objective criteria (such as the traditional historic and artistic values) to subjective and broader criteria (Vecco, 2010); and the increasing importance of immaterial categories.The author acknowledges the financial support from the Basque Government (research grants HM 2009-1-18 and IT-241-07), and from the Spanish CICIT (ECO 2009-10818)

Forecasting accuracy of behavioural models for participation in the arts

A first version of this paper was presented at the University of Catania, 2011 and at the fifth European Workshop on Applied Cultural Economics in Dublin, 2011.In this paper, we assess the forecasting performance of count data models applied to arts attendance. We estimate participation models for two artistic activities that differ in their degree of popularity -museum and jazz concerts- with data derived from the 2002 release of the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts for the United States. We estimate a finite mixture model – a zero-inflated negative binomial model - that allows us to distinguish “true” non-attendants and “goers” and their respective behaviour regarding participation in the arts. We evaluate the predictive (in-sample) and forecasting (out-of-sample) accuracy of the estimated models using bootstrapping techniques to compute the Brier score. Overall, the results indicate good properties of the model in terms of forecasting. Finally, we derive some policy implications from the forecasting capacity of the models, which allows for identification of target populations