Estimating the economic and social impact of conditional cash transfers from the Prospera Program in Mexico

This research analyses the Prospera program's impact on poverty and income distribution through a computable general equilibrium model. It concludes that transfers to households have a positive impact on the Mexican economy but hide the real problem—the low wage share—that, in the long term, prevents poverty from worsening but does not reduce the population in poverty or inequality. In a scenario without transfers, neither the population in poverty nor the Gini Index decreases significantly. The results obtained lead to an understanding of some of the causes of the high rates of poverty and inequality in Mexico, which in turn have been perpetuated since the economic crisis of 1995. This allows the design of public policies in line with the structural needs of the economy, which combat the problem from the root that generates it, in order to contribute to the reduction of inequality in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 10.This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Elsevier in Evaluation and Program Planning on 25/05/2023, available online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2023.102321

Topography of Somatostatin Gene Expression Relative to Molecular Progenitor Domains during Ontogeny of the Mouse Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus comprises alar, basal, and floor plate developmental compartments. Recent molecular data support a rostrocaudal subdivision into rostral (terminal) and caudal (peduncular) halves. In this context, the distribution of neuronal populations expressing somatostatin (Sst) mRNA was analyzed in the developing mouse hypothalamus, comparing with the expression pattern of the genes Orthopedia (Otp), Distal-less 5 (Dlx5), Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), and Nk2 homeobox 1 (Nkx2.1). At embryonic day 10.5 (E10.5), Sst mRNA was first detectable in the anterobasal nucleus, a Nkx2.1-, Shh-, and Otp-positive basal domain. By E13.5, nascent Sst expression was also related to two additional Otp-positive domains within the alar plate and one in the basal plate. In the alar plate, Sst-positive cells were observed in rostral and caudal ventral subdomains of the Otp-positive paraventricular complex. An additional basal Sst-expressing cell group was found within a longitudinal Otp-positive periretromamillary band that separates the retromamillary area from tuberal areas. Apart of subsequent growth of these initial populations, at E13.5 and E15.5 some Sst-positive derivatives migrate tangentially into neighboring regions. A subset of cells produced at the anterobasal nucleus disperses ventralward into the shell of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus and the arcuate nucleus. Cells from the rostroventral paraventricular subdomain reach the suboptic nucleus, whereas a caudal contingent migrates radially into lateral paraventricular, perifornical, and entopeduncular nuclei. Our data provide a topologic map of molecularly defined progenitor areas originating a specific neuron type during early hypothalamic development. Identification of four main separate sources helps to understand causally its complex adult organization

Deciphering the stack, a novel bacterial structure, by (cryo-) transmission electron microscopy and (cryo-) electron tomography

Podeu consultar el llibre complet a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/12071

Labour costs and external competitiveness of the Andalusian economy (2007-2014)

El objetivo de este artículo es analizar la evolución de la competitividad externa de la economía andaluza. Para ello se toman dos dimensiones principales de análisis: En primer lugar, se analiza la evolución de los costes laborales unitarios y su relación con el desempeño exportador andaluz a nivel agregado. En segundo lugar, se analizarán una serie de indicadores de la actuación tanto empresarial, como del sector público, en los ámbitos determinantes de la posición competitiva regional a nivel microeconómico. El análisis de la evolución seguida por las variables en nuestra economía se hará en comparación con diversas economías y regiones del entorno. Los resultados obtenidos apuntan a que a pesar de que los costes laborales han seguido una marcada tendencia a la baja, hasta el momento, la crisis no se ha convertido en una oportunidad para mejorar de manera sustancial el posicionamiento de la economía andaluza.The aim of this paper is to analyse the evolution of Andalusian economy’s external competitiveness. For that purpose, two main research dimensions are examined: first, the relationship between unit labour costs and Andalusia’s export performance at an aggregate level; second, indicators of both business, and public sector behaviour in the determinant areas of the regional competitive position at a microeconomic level. The analysis of the evolution of the variables in the economy will be carried out in comparison with several surrounding economies and regions. The results suggest that despite the strong downward trend followed by labour costs, at the moment, the crisis has not become an opportunity to substantially improve the positioning of the regional economy

Investigating Piezochromic Properties of πconjugated Materials: a combined Raman and DFT Study

Π-conjugated materials have been studied for decades due to their great interest in organic electronics. Among them, piezochromic materials, which exhibit color changes resulting from external pressure or mechanical grinding, become very attractive from a scientific viewpoint owing to their potential applications as pressure-sensing and opticalrecording systems1. The main target of the present work is to develop a joint experimental and theoretical approach able to deliver crucial information for the understanding of the structural effects causing piezochromic changes. To this end, we will focus our attention on two families of -conjugated materials with potential application as sensors. The first one is a family of 9,10-Bis((E)-n(pyrid-2-yl)vinyl) anthracene, BPnVA (n=2 orto-,3 metha- and 4 para-) compounds, see Figure 1. Interestingly, these three compounds with varying position of the nitrogen on the external pyridyl group exhibit different molecular packing modes. Grinding and the application of external pressure on the powder also led to a strong change in their photoluminescence color.2 The second familiy is based on the N,N’-Bis-Boc-3,3’-di(pyren-1yl)-2,2’-biindole compound (compound 1c in Figure 1) which also shows photoluminescence under pressure application. However, the molecular packing induced by this phenomenon is still under study 3. In both cases, it will be also very interesting to determine how temperature affects the vibrational structure of these systems.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Relationship between Cyberbullying, Motivation and Learning Strategies, Academic Performance, and the Ability to Adapt to University

Cyberbullying has become a frequent relational problem among young people, which has made it necessary to evaluate and prevent it in the university setting. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between cyberbullying, motivation and learning strategies, the ability to adapt to university, and academic performance. A sample of 1368 Spanish university students (64% female) was administered a battery consisting of the European Bullying Intervention Project Questionnaire, the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory Short version, and the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire, with their academic performance also being studied. The results found that the victimized bullies have greater difficulties in their organization and planning for study and exams, have fewer control and consolidation strategies, and are less able to adapt to university. Logistic regression analyses show that the greater the difficulties in organization and planning, and the greater the difficulties experienced in exams, the greater the probability of a person being a victim and a victimized bully. In addition, students are less likely to be victims, bullies, and victimized bullies as their ability to adapt to university increases. The findings have been discussed and it has been noted that there is a need to address academic adjustment and the ability to adapt to the university environment as a preventive measure for cyberbullying in university students

Heptamethine cyanine dyes in the design of photoactive carbon nanomaterials

Near-infrared (NIR) absorbing nanomaterials, built from anionic heptamethine cyanine dyes and single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) or few layer graphene (FLG), are presented. The covalent linkage, by using 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions, results in nanoconjugates that synchronize the properties of both materials as demonstrated by the thoughtful characterization study carried out by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). UV-Vis-NIR and Raman spectroscopies further confirmed the unique electronic structure of the novel photoactive nanomaterials

Untangling the eclectronic propierties of triindole-based semiconductors

Organic semiconductors have emerged as an important class of materials that offer interesting prospects for high throughput, low-cost and flexible electronic circuits. In this sense, triindole-based systems have demonstrated great potential as p-type semiconductors in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs).[1] Recently, we have performed a combined experimental and theoretical study of three new crystalline N-trimethyltriindoles endowed with different functionalities at 3, 8 and 13 positions, either unsubstituted or with three methoxy or acetyl groups (Figure 1a), with the main goal of exploring the correlation between the electronic nature of the substituents and their solid-state organization, electronic properties and semiconductor behavior.[2] On the other hand, the design and synthesis of covalent organic framework materials (constructed from the union of different covalently linked conjugated platforms) are being deeply investigated in organic electronics.[3] In line with this , we have also investigated how the structural and the electronic properties of 2D triindole-based polymers (Figure 1b) can be modulated by the (i) modification of the linkage position from para (T2) to meta (T3), (ii) by the insertion of different π-bridges between the cores and (iii) by the increment of the number of π-bridges from 3 to 6 units (T2,3).[4] Overall, the results of this work open the door to the control of the degree of the π-conjugation for their subsequent synthesis and real application in organic electronic devices.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech