Technical Efficiency Of Social Foundations In A Multidimensional Context

The paper is the first attempt at examining the technical efficiency and benchmarking the performance of 15 social foundations in the Philippines for the period 2000-2005 using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) model. The 65.55% of social foundations are operating at increased returns to scale, 4.45% at decreased returns to scale and 30% at constant returns to scale. Forty percent of firms are efficiently utilizing their expenses and the majority shows resource excesses (capital and labor). All firms show output deterioration for donations and total awards to beneficiaries. With the aid of the DEA tool, measurement of the efficiency of social foundations has been verified and proven as manageable and quantifiable from a multidimensional assessment. Results reveal the importance of technical efficiency assessment for the non-profit sector

Las lecciones de los maestros como recurso para la docencia en el grado de arquitectura

[Resumen] Dentro de la especificidad del aprendizaje de la arquitectura, las figuras de los maestros del Movimiento Moderno juegan un papel fundamental. Sin haberse pretendido como textos docentes o enseñanzas regladas, sus escritos y sobretodo, sus propuestas teóricas o materializadas se convierten en lecciones esenciales para la docencia en arquitectura, tanto en las materias de proyectos como en las de composición arquitectónica, desde el primer curso del grado en arquitectura

Influence of sperm fertilizing concentration, sperm selection method and sperm capacitation procedure on the incidence of chromosomal numeric abnormalities in in vitro fertilized early bovine embryos

The occurrence of numerical chromosomal aberrations, widely described as a major cause of mortality in in vitro-produced (IVP) embryos, has been linked to several factors. In the present study we investigated the effect of sperm fertilising concentration and semen handling (sperm selection and capacitation) before IVF on the rate of numerical chromosomal abnormalities in bovine embryos. In all, 466 IVP cattle embryos were karyotyped throughout three sequential experiments, analysing the effects of sperm fertilising concentration (0.1, 1.0 or 10×106 spermatozoa mL-1), selection method (unselected or Percoll-selected spermatozoa) and capacitation medium (bovine serum albumin (BSA), heparin or their combination). The percentage of normal (diploid) and aberrant (haploid, polyploid or aneuploid) embryos was noted in each experiment. The rate of numerical chromosomal abnormalities was mainly affected by sperm fertilising concentration (P0.05). Finally, aneuploidy rates were not affected during the experiments (P>0.05), which suggests that they are not related to sperm-related factors. On the basis of these results, we conclude that sperm fertilising concentration is the 'paternal' key factor that affects the rate of numerical chromosomal abnormalities in IVP bovine embryos. By making small adjustments to fertilising protocols, the rate of cytogenetically aberrant embryos can be markedly reduce

Social Innovation: Integrating Micro, Meso, and Macro Level Insights From Institutional Theory

© The Author(s) 2018. Social innovations are urgently needed as we confront complex social problems. As these social problems feature substantial interdependencies among multiple systems and actors, developing and implementing innovative solutions involve the re-negotiating of settled institutions or the building of new ones. In this introductory article, we introduce a stylized three-cycle model highlighting the institutional nature of social innovation efforts. The model conceptualizes social innovation processes as the product of agentic, relational, and situated dynamics in three interrelated cycles that operate at the micro, meso, and macro levels of analysis. The five papers included in this special issue address one or more of these cycles. We draw on these papers and the model to stimulate and offer guidance to future conversations on social innovations from an institutional theory perspective

Compaction caused by soil tillage and seedbed preparation: effects on weed emergence in a barley crop

El objetivo principal de este trabajo fue evaluar los efectos de la compactación producida por la frecuencia de pases y el tipo de apero utilizado en la siembra del cereal, sobre la emergencia de las malas hierbas. Se utilizó un diseño en parcelas subdivididas con 4 repeticiones, con la labor primaria (fresa vs. cultivador) en parcelas principales y el pase de rulo (liso vs. pratenses) en subparcelas. Se tomaron datos de malas hierbas (densidad, biomasa) y de propiedades físicas del suelo (compactación, densidad aparente). Los resultados no han mostrado diferencias debidas a la labor primaria en ninguna de las variables analizadas, pero sí en función del tipo y frecuencia de pases de rulo, observándose menor densidad y biomasa de malas hierbas cuanto mayor era el número de pases de rulo, especialmente el liso, coincidiendo con los suelos más compactados. Sin embargo, parece existir un límite en el cual dejan de producirse efectos significativos debido a una sobrecompactación (e.g. doble pase de rulo y zona de rodada).The main objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of the compaction produced by the frequency of passes and the type of implement used in seedbed preparation, on weed emergence. A split-plot design with 4 replications was used, with the primary tillage (cultivator vs. rotary tiller) in main plots and rolling (flat roller vs. Cambridge roller) in subplots. Weeds data (density, biomass) and soil physical properties (compaction, bulk density) were assessed. The results showed no differences due to the primary tillage in any of the analyzed variables. However, the type and frequency of roller passes resulted in significant differences in weed abundance, with lower weed density and biomass when the number of roller passes was greater (especially flat roller), which coincided with the higher compaction. However, it seems to be a limit at which significant effects no longer occur due to an overcompaction (e.g. double roller pass and tractor wheel traffic)

Short communication. In vitro oocyte maturation and fertilization rates in the Spanish Lidia bovine breed

The Lidia bovine breed is the most successful cattle breed on the Iberian Peninsula, also considered a hallmark of Spanish tradition and image around the world. The aims of the study were to characterize the oocyte recovery rates and to evaluate the effect of two standard in vitro maturation protocols on oocyte maturation (cumulus expansion and nuclear maturation) and fertilization rates after in vitro fertilization in this breed. For this purpose, 261 ovaries from Lidia cows were processed obtaining 1,125 viable cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs). The oocyte recovery rate obtained (4.31 viable COCs per ovary) was lower than those described previously in other studied breeds. Maturation rates were evaluated in two different oocyte maturation media with (M1) and without (M2) hormonal supplementation. The percentage of COCs with expanded cumulus cells was significantly lower in M1 (74.35%) compared with M2 (82.25%). Metaphase II (MII) rates (67.75% in M1 and 73.18% in M2) were similar to previous studies in different cattle populations. M2 significantly improved the percentage of COCs with their cumulus cells expanded (p < 0.01) and nuclear maturation rates (p < 0.05), but it did not affect the fertilization percentages obtained in this experiment. In conclusion, our study suggests that oocytes of the Lidia cattle breed can be obtained, matured and fertilized following standard protocols previously used in other cattle breeds

Medición de la autorregulación cerebral derivada de la espectroscopia de infrarrojo cercano en recién nacidos: de la herramienta de investigación al monitoreo multimodal junto a la cama

Cerebral autoregulation (CAR), the ability of the human body to maintain cerebral blood flow (CBF) in a wide range of perfusion pressures, can be calculated by describing the relation between arterial blood pressure (ABP) and cerebral oxygen saturation measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). In literature, disturbed CAR is described in different patient groups, using multiple measurement techniques and mathematical models. Furthermore, it is unclear to what extent cerebral pathology and outcome can be explained by impaired CAR

In vitro induction of the acrosome reaction in spermatozoa from endangered Spanish bulls: Effect of breed, culture media and incubation time

Current conservation programs for endangered species have been widely benefited from the use of modern assisted reproductive techniques. However, at the present time, there is little information available regarding the use of locally adapted cattle breeds on IVF programs, and even less about their sperm behavior. The aims of this study were to (1) evaluate standard acrosome reaction (AR) protocols in cryopreserved semen doses of Andalusian endangered cattle breeds, and (2) investigate the effect of breed, culture medium supplementation and incubation time on AR test results. To this end, 80 frozen semen doses from 16 bulls (5 semen samples per bull) of five different cattle breeds (3 Berrendo en Colorado, 6 Berrendo en Negro, 2 Cardena Andaluza, 1 Pajuna and 4 Retinta) were in vitro incubated in three test media (Heparin, BSA or their combina-tion), using Sp-TALP as a control, to induce in vitro AR. The percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa was evaluated using fluorescence techniques (FITC-PNA and Propidium Iodide) at four time-points (0, 30, 60 or 120 min.). Throughout the whole experiment, spermatozoa incubated with a combination of both supplements (Heparin and BSA) showed significantly (Po0.05) higher results than those processed with Heparin or BSA alone. In contrast, the control media (without supplementation) showed the lowest results. We also found a significant (Po0.05) influence of cattle breed on the dynamics of the in vitro induced AR using different protocols. Based on our results, we can conclude that the response pattern of in vitro induced AR depends not only on culture media and incubation time but also on the cattle breed. Therefore, all these factors must be taken in consideration to assess the rate of AR sperm in bulls