Outsourcing of research and development and efficiency: a DEA non-parametric analysis of the contract research organisations industry

Outsourcing to Contract Research Organisations (CROs) has become a widespread practice by bio-pharmaceutical firms seeking to reduce the costs associated with the development of new products. This study empirically analyses the efficiency of the CROs industry by looking at a sample of firms operating internationally over 2012–2020. We compute Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) efficiency scores for each firm and year. The average bootstrap efficiency in the sample is 0.665, robust across specifications and increasing over 2012–2020. The best performing firms are PPD Australia, Centre Recherches Biologiques and Oy Medfiles. Our results suggest that very large and very small companies outperform the rest in terms of efficiency, which points to the co-existence of increasing returns to scale and niche competitive advantages in the industry

High-pressure eo-Hercynian metamorphism and development of an inverted metamorphic gradient in the schists from the Santiago Unit (Ordenes Complex, NW Iberian Massif, Spain)

[Resumen] La evolución tectonotermal de la Unidad de Santiago, situada en el margen occidental del Complejo de Ordenes, está caracterizada por el desarrollo de un episodio de metamorfismo eo-hercínico de alta -P y baja a intermedia -T. Las condiciones P-T para las paragénesis del evento de alta presión (que se conservan esencialmente como una Si = SI muy fina incluida en porfidoblastos de albita de esquistos semipelíticos) han sido estimadas en 493 ± 9°C y 14,7 ± 0.7 kbar (presión mínima). El desarrollo del metamorfismo de alta presión y la ausencia de reequilibrios significativos en su mineralogía característica, sugiere que la unidad (probablemente un fragmento del margen continental de Gondwana) ha sido elevada inmediatamente después de su subducción en el comienzo de la Orogenia Hercínica. El ascenso sin-F2 de la Unidad de Santiago induce una trayectoria P-T marcadamente descompresiva y ligeramente prograda. Esta trayectoria sugiere muy probablemente que la mayor parte de la historia ascensional de la unidad tuvo lugar en un contexto de extensión dúctil, relacionada con la subducción progresiva del margen continental de Gondwana y el desarrollo contemporáneo de extensión compensatoria por encima. La disposición actual de las zonas metamórficas sin-F2 es inversa, con la zona de la estaurolita (que representa el pico térmico) ocupando el techo de la unidad.[Abstract] A high-pressure-Iow to intermediate-temperature eo-Hercynian metamorphic event characterizes the tectonothermal evolution of the Santiago Unit, in the western margin of the Ordenes Complexo P-T conditions for the mineral assemblages of the high-pressure event (wich is essentially preserved as a very thin Si =SI included in albite porphyroblasts from semipelitic schists) have been estimated at 493 ± 9°C and 14.7 ± 0.7 kbar (minimum pressure). The development of the high-pressure metamorphism and the lacking of significative reequilibrium of their characteristic mineralogy, suggests that the unit (probably a fragment of the continental margin of Gondwana) has been uplifted inmediately after undergoing subduction in the beginning of the Hercynian Orogeny. The syn-D2 uplift of the Santiago Unit cause a markedly decompressive-slightly prograde P-T path. This path very likely suggests that the majority of the rising history of the unit took place in a context of ductile extensión, related to the continued underplating of the continental margin of Gondwana and compensating extension aboye. The actual disposition of the syn-D2 metamorphic zones is inverse, with the staurolite zone (which represents the thermal peak) occupying the top of the uni

Características clínicas de los pacientes con carcinoma basocelular. Una serie de 305 casos en Bucaramanga

ResumenAntecedentes: El carcinoma basocelular (CBC) es la neoplasia maligna más frecuente de la piel, de crecimiento lento y baja mortalidad pero con ocasional gran poder destructivo que causa gran incapacidad laboral y social. La exposición a la luz solar es el principal factor de riesgo conocido.[Rojas RF, Díaz LA. Características clínicas de los pacientes con carcinoma basocelular. Una serie de 305 casos en Bucaramanga. MedUNAB 2002; 5(14):69-74].Palabras clave: Neoplasias de la piel, carcinoma basocelular, envejecimiento

The four serotypes of dengue recognize the same putative receptors in Aedes aegypti midgut and Ae. albopictus cells

BACKGROUND: Dengue viruses (DENV) attach to the host cell surface and subsequently enter the cell by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Several primary and low affinity co-receptors for this flavivirus have been identified. However, the presence of these binding molecules on the cell surface does not necessarily render the cell susceptible to infection. Determination of which of them serve as bona fide receptors for this virus in the vector may be relevant to treating DENV infection and in designing control strategies. RESULTS: (1) Overlay protein binding assay showed two proteins with molecular masses of 80 and 67 kDa (R80 and R67). (2) Specific antibodies against these two proteins inhibited cell binding and infection. (3) Both proteins were bound by all four serotypes of dengue virus. (4) R80 and R67 were purified by affinity chromatography from Ae. aegypti mosquito midguts and from Ae albopictus C6/36 cells. (5) In addition, a protein with molecular mass of 57 kDa was purified by affinity chromatography from the midgut extracts. (6) R80 and R67 from radiolabeled surface membrane proteins of C6/36 cells were immunoprecipitated by antibodies against Ae. aegypti midgut. CONCLUSION: Our results strongly suggest that R67 and R80 are receptors for the four serotypes of dengue virus in the midgut cells of Ae. aegypti and in C6/36 Ae. albopictus cells

Medical students' perception of the educational environment in a faculty developing a traditional curriculum (UCH-Chile) and another with a problem based learning curriculum (UNC-Argentina)

Objetivo. Evaluar y comparar la percepción que del ambiente educativo tienen los estudiantes de medicina de dos universidades iberoamericanas: Universidad de Chile (UCH) y Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNC), que desarrollan un currículo tradicional y un currículo basado en problemas, respectivamente. Sujetos y métodos. Participaron 465 estudiantes: 232 de la UCH y 233 de la UNC. La distribución fue de 84 y 70 estudiantes para el primer curso, 77 y 97 para el tercero, y 71 y 66 para el quinto, respectivamente. Se aplicó el cuestionario DREEM, que consiste en 50 ítems, agrupados en cinco dimensiones: percepción de la enseñanza, percepción de los profesores, autopercepción académica, percepción de la atmósfera educativa y autopercepción social. Las puntuaciones totales fueron mayores en los tres cursos de la UNC. Resultaron similares en todos los cursos de ambas universidades, excepto en el quinto curso de la UCH. Respecto a la percepción acerca de los profesores, los estudiantes de quinto curso de la UCH mostraron las puntuaciones más bajas, mientras que los estudiantes del primer curso de la UNC tuvieron la mejor percepción. Resultados similares se obtuvieron en la autopercepción académica. La percepción del ambiente de aprendizaje fue mejor en la UNC y la autopercepción social tuvo puntuaciones similares en todos los cursos de ambas universidades. Conclusiones. Las diferencias observadas entre ambas universidades podrían atribuirse a sus diferentes currículos. El currículo basado en problemas parece ser mejor valorado que el tradicional. Nuestro estudio corrobora la eficacia del cuestionario DREEM para identificar fortalezas y debilidades del currículo y para evaluar la calidad de la enseñanza en facultades de medicinaAim: To assess and compare the perception about the educational environment of medical students from two Latin-American universities, University of Chile (UCH) and National University of Cuyo (UNC), which develop a traditional curriculum and a problem based curriculum, respectively.  Subjects and methods: A transversal study was performed in 465 students: 232 from the UCH and 233 from the UNC. The distribution was 84/70 for the first course, 77/97 for the third one and 71/66 for the fifth one, respectively. The DREEM questionnaire, which consists of 50 items, was applied. It covers 5 dimensions of the educational environment: perception about learning, perception about teachers, academic self-perception, perception about educational climate and social self-perception.  Results: Total DREEM scores were significantly higher in the UNC. Scores were similar in all courses from both universities, with the exception of fifth course UCH. Regarding their perception about teachers, students of the fifth course UCH showed the lowest score, whereas students of the first course UNC had the best perception. Similar results were obtained for the academic auto-perception; while the perception of the learning environment obtained higher scores in the three courses from the UNC. Social auto-perception was similar in all courses tested in this study.  Conclusions: Differences observed between both universities could be attributed to their different curricula. Problem based curriculum seems to be better appreciated than the traditional one. Our study corroborates the efficacy of the DREEM questionnaire to identify strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum and for the assessment of teaching quality in medical schools.Fil: Díaz Véliz, Gabriela. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Mora, Sergio. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Bianchi, Ricardo. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Gargiulo, Pascual Angel. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; ArgentinaFil: Terán, Carolina. Universidad San Francisco Xavier; BoliviaFil: Gorena, Dorian. Universidad Andina Simon Bolivar; BoliviaFil: Lafuente Sánchez, José V.. Universidad del País Vasco; EspañaFil: Escanero Marcen, Jesús F.. Universidad de Zaragoza; Españ

Medición del calor latente de vaporización del nitrógeno líquido en la enseñanza de la física experimental

Among the methods for teaching physics, one of the more instructive is the experiment, we presents a simple and inexpensive for the indirect measurement of the latent heat of vaporization of liquid nitrogen using typical elements of a general physics laboratory, such as resistors, voltage sources, multimeters, timers and a balance, with the latter measures the mass change in a container of liquid nitrogen with respect to the time, when the nitrogen is heated with a resistance when it passes by an electric current, we found a proportionality between the electric power supplied to nitrogen, time and the mass of Nitrogen evaporated, which relate to the latent heat of vaporization of nitrogen.Entre los métodos para la enseñanza de la física, uno de los más didáctico es el experimento, en este trabajo, se presenta una forma sencilla y económica para la medición indirecta del calor latente de vaporización del nitrógeno líquido utilizando elementos típicos de un laboratorio de física general, como son las resistencias, fuentes de voltajes, multímetros, cronómetros y una balanza, con ésta última se mide la variación de la masa en un recipiente que contiene nitrógeno liquido con respecto al tiempo, cuando se calienta el nitrógeno con una resistencia al hacer pasar por ésta una corriente eléctrica,encontramos una proporcionalidad entre la potencia eléctrica suministrada al nitrógeno, el tiempo y la masa de N2 evaporada, las cuales se relacionan con el calor latente de vaporización del nitrógeno

Anchovy Spawning Stock Biomass of the Gulf of Cadiz in 2020 by the DEPM

The Daily Egg Production Method (DEPM) to estimate the Anchovy Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB) in the Gulf of Cádiz (ICES, Subdivision 9a South) is conducted by Spain (Centro Nacional Instituto Español de Oceanografía, CSIC) every three years, since 2005. BOCADEVA 0720 is the sixth survey of the historical DEPM series for anchovy in the Gulf of Cádiz and was delivered on board R/V Ramón Margalef (CNIEO) from the 9th to the 17th of July 2020. The surveyed area extended from Strait of Gibraltar to Cape San Vicente (Spanish and Portuguese waters in the Gulf of Cadiz). Plankton samples, along a grid of 21 transects perpendicular to the coast were obtained for the spawning area delimitation and density estimation of the daily egg production. The survey objectives also included the characterization of the oceanographic and meteorological conditions in the study area. The samples to estimate adult parameters (sex ratio, female mean weight, batch fecundity and spawning fraction) were obtained in the acoustic survey “ECOCADIZ 2020-07”, carried out during the same period. This working document provides a d escription of the survey, laboratory analysis and estimation procedures used to obtain the Gulf of Cadiz Anchovy SSB by DEPM for 2020 in the South-Atlantic Iberian Stock

BOCADEVA 0720. Anchovy DEPM survey in the Gulf of Cadiz

The Daily Egg Production Method (DEPM) to estimate the Anchovy Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB) in the Gulf of Cádiz (ICES, Subdivision 9.a South) is conducted by Spain (Instituto Español de Oceanografía, IEO) every three years, since 2005. BOCADEVA 0720 is the sixth survey of the historical DEPM series for anchovy in the Gulf of Cádiz and was delivered on board R/V Ramón Margalef (IEO) from the 9th to the 17th of July 2020.This working document provides a brief description of the survey and the progress status of t h e laboratory analysis c a r ri e d o u t to obtain the Anchovy SSB by the a ppl i c at i o n o f th e DEPM in the South-Atlantic Iberian Stock

Deficient Spindle Assembly Checkpoint in Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological disease characterized by an abnormal accumulation of plasma cells in the bone marrow. These cells have frequent cytogenetic abnormalities including translocations of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene and chromosomal gains and losses. In fact, a singular characteristic differentiating MM from other hematological malignancies is the presence of a high degree of aneuploidies. As chromosomal abnormalities can be generated by alterations in the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), the functionality of such checkpoint was tested in MM. When SAC components were analyzed in MM cell lines, the RNA levels of most of them were conserved. Nevertheless, the protein content of some key constituents was very low in several cell lines, as was the case of MAD2 or CDC20 in RPMI-8226 or RPMI-LR5 cells. The recovery of their cellular content did not substantially affect cell growth, but improved their ability to segregate chromosomes. Finally, SAC functionality was tested by challenging cells with agents disrupting microtubule dynamics. Most of the cell lines analyzed exhibited functional defects in this checkpoint. Based on the data obtained, alterations both in SAC components and their functionality have been detected in MM, pointing to this pathway as a potential target in MM treatment