Editor's Note

The term 'Digital Economy' was coined for the first time by Don Tapscott in 1995 in his best-seller The Digital Economy: Promise and Peril in the Age of Networked Intelligence. When he wrote the book 20 years ago, he announced how he thought the Internet would fully transform the nature of business and government. We have now extended the concept, illustrating how digital technologies are rapidly transforming business practices, the economy and societies. Technology, and its impact on business strategy and society, continues to rise in importance. The Digital Economy, sometimes also called “Digital Business” has become a philosophy for many top executive teams as they seek competitive advantages in a world of fast moving technological change. When we talk about digital technologies, we are not only talking about the internet, nor only ICT (Information and Communications Technology), but other concepts such as mobile, telecommunications or content. The digital economy is by no means an exclusively economic concept. Therefore, it might be more appropriate to speak of digital society or digital technology. What matters is that digital is a transverse concept that affects individuals, businesses and public administrations

Differences in Measuring Market Risk in Four Subsectors of the Digital Economy

This paper defends the wisdom of not considering the Digital Economy to be one homogeneous sector. Our hypothesis is that it is best to consider it the result of adding four different subsectors. We test whether indeed the economic and financial performance of a portfolio of listed companies in each of the four subsectors presents relevant differences. We use the value at risk measure to estimate market risk of the four subsectors of the digital economy. The riskiest subsector is Mobile/Internet Contents & Services followed by SW&IT Services and Application Software. On the contrary, the Telecom sector is by far the safest one. These results support the hypothesis that the Digital Economy is not a homogeneous sector

Algunos aspectos cinéticos de las reacciones de sólidos con cloro

The present paper describes detailed kinetics investigations on some selected chlorine-solid reactions through thermogravimetric measurements. The solids studied in this article include chemical pure oxides and sulfides as well as their natural bearing materials. The chlorinating agents employed are gaseous mixtures of Cl2+N2 (chlorination), Cl2+O2 (oxychlorination), and Cl2+CO (carbochlorination). Results are presented as effects of various parameters on the reaction rate of these solids with these chlorinating agents. It was observed that the reactivity of these solids towards different chlorinating agents varied widely. Sulfides could be chlorinated at room temperature, while carbochlorination of chromium (III) oxide was possible only above 500 °C. The variation of the chlorination rate of these complex materials with respect to gas velocity, composition and temperature enabled us to focus some light on the plausible reaction mechanisms and stoichiometries. The obtained results were used for selective removal of iron from chromite concentrates, extraction of valuable metals from sulfide materials, purification of MgO samples, etc.Este trabajo describe detalladas investigaciones cinéticas en algunas reacciones seleccionadas de cloro-sólido a través de medidas termogravimétricas. Los sólidos estudiados en este artículo incluyen óxidos químicos puros y sulfuros, así como sus materiales naturales de soporte. Los agentes de cloración empleados son mezclas de gases de Cl2+N2 (cloración), Cl2+O2 (oxicloración) y Cl2+CO (carbocloración). Los resultados se presentan como efecto de varios parámetros en el porcentaje de reacción de estos sólidos con los agentes de cloración. Se ha observado que la reactividad de estos sólidos a través de diferentes agentes de cloración varía ampliamente. Los sulfuros se pudieron clorar a temperatura ambiente mientras que la carbocloración del óxido de cromo (III) sólo fue posible por encima de los 500 °C. La variación del porcentaje de cloración de estos materiales complejos con respecto a la velocidad del gas, composición y temperatura permitió arrojar alguna luz en los posibles mecanismos de reacción y estequiometrías. Los resultados obtenidos se han usado para la eliminación selectiva del hierro de concentrados de cromo, extracción de metales valiosos de materiales sulfhídricos, purificación de muestras de MgO, etc.Peer reviewe

A cost utility analysis alongside a cluster-randomised trial evaluating a minor ailment service compared to usual care in community pharmacy.

BACKGROUND: Minor ailments are "self-limiting conditions which may be diagnosed and managed without a medical intervention". A cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) was designed to evaluate the clinical, humanistic and economic outcomes of a Minor Ailment Service (MAS) in community pharmacy (CP) compared with usual care (UC). METHODS: The cRCT was conducted for 6 months from December 2017. The pharmacist-patient intervention consisted of a standardised face-to-face consultation on a web-based program using co-developed protocols, pharmacists' training, practice change facilitators and patients' educational material. Patients requesting a non-prescription medication (direct product request) or presenting minor ailments received MAS or UC and were followed-up by telephone 10-days after the consultation. The primary economic outcomes were incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) of the service and health related quality of life (HRQoL). Total costs included health system, CPs and patient direct costs: health professionals' consultation time, medication costs, pharmacists' training costs, investment of the pharmacy and consultation costs within the 10 days following the initial consultation. The HRQoL was obtained using the EuroQoL 5D-5L at the time of the consultation and at 10-days follow up. A sensitivity analysis was carried out using bootstrapping. There were two sub-group analyses undertaken, for symptom presentation and direct product requests, to evaluate possible differences. RESULTS: A total of 808 patients (323 MAS and 485 UC) were recruited in 27 CPs with 42 pharmacists (20 MAS and 22 UC). 64.7% (n = 523) of patients responded to follow-up after their consultation in CP. MAS patients gained an additional 0.0003 QALYs (p = 0.053). When considering only MAS patients presenting with symptoms, the ICUR was 24,733€/QALY with a 47.4% probability of cost-effectiveness (willingness to pay of 25,000€/QALY). Although when considering patients presenting for a direct product request, MAS was the dominant strategy with a 93.69% probability of cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Expanding community pharmacists' scope through MAS may benefit health systems. To be fully cost effective, MAS should not only include consultations arising from symptom presentation but also include an oversight of self-selected products by patients. MAS increase patient safety through the appropriate use of non-prescription medication and through the direct referral of patients to GP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, ISRCTN17235323 . Registered 07/05/2021 - Retrospectively registered

Arsenic in the cooper´s minerals: An option from the pirometalurgy

En: 1st Spanish National Conference on Advances in Materials Recycling and Eco – Energy Madrid, 12-13 November 2009.-- Editors: F. A. López, F. Puertas, F. J. Alguacil and A. Guerrero.-- 3 pages, 3 figures.The purpose of this paper presented at RECIMAT-09 is to address, briefly and as clearly as possible, expectations which may have arisen from the basic and applied research regarding the increasing problem of pollution caused by arsenic derived from copper metallurgy. In addition to the metallurgical problem which has not been resolved on an industrial scale, there are difficulties with the environment, with energy variables (both exothermic and endothermic reactions) and materials or by-products related to nanoscience and nanotechnology. This type of product may originate from the emergence of new solid phases due to condensation vapour. Finally, since large amounts of high quality AS2O3 metal are being produced naturally through this process, this would be a good time to look at the situation as a real opportunity rather than a problem that must be avoided. We need think only about what it would mean to lower costs and thus prices in the electrical industry - electronic: semiconductor and photovoltaic solar energy, mass and the economic feasibility of the chalcogens (chemical combinations between elements of the III and VI columns in the Periodic Chart) [1].The authors of this work wish to thank the Ministry of Education and Science in Spain (MEC): MAT2003-00502, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MAEC): MAEC-AECID-B/1629/04; B/2884/05; B/5814/06, B/7648/07.Peer reviewe

La felicidad de los españoles: Factores explicativos

El presente trabajo analiza los factores explicativos de la felicidad de los españoles. Los resultados son consistentes con lo establecido por la literatura disponible. Los divorciados y los viudos son notablemente más infelices que los casados, el desempleo a aparece fuertemente correlacionado con la infelicidad, la felicidad aumenta con la renta de forma decreciente, la salud tiene una notable incidencia en la felicidad y la religión se correlaciona positivamente con la felicidad. La inclusión de las expectativas como variable explicativa nos dice que los individuos con expectativas positivas tienden a ser más felices. Al separar el carácter más o menos optimista de los individuos de las expectativas se observa que el optimismo a corto plazo tiene un efecto positivo y significativo sobre la felicidad, mientras que el optimismo a largo plazo no parece tener un efecto significativo. La experiencia pasada también incide sobre la felicidad. Los individuos que han mejorado económicamente se sienten moderadamente más felices, mientras que los que han empeorado se sienten más infelices. Los resultados de relacionar la felicidad con el capital social también son consistentes con lo establecido en la literatura. La variable que hace referencia a si los individuos creen que se puede tener confianza en los demás aparece relacionada positivamente con la felicidad. Aquellas variables que reflejan la confianza que los individuos tienen ante algunas instituciones específicas, en todos los casos reflejan una correlación positiva con la felicidad, siendo la más significativa la que se refiere a las grandes empresas. La inclusión de variables que tratan de captar la incidencia de la ética personal en la felicidad también refleja unos resultados consistentes con lo esperado. Los que rechazan comportamientos menos honestos, como por ejemplo defraudar en materia de impuestos o el soborno, tienden a mostrarse más felices. Los datos, además evidencian un mayor rechazo relativo del soborno que del fraude fiscal.

Desigualdad en consumo y renta en España y su relación con algunas variables demográficas

Este trabajo analiza la evolución de la desigualdad tanto en consumo como en renta en un contexto de optimización intertemporal y a partir de una muestra de datos microeconómicos. Para ello, se evalúa el impacto de la incertidumbre en la renta sobre la desigualdad, descomponiéndola en sus componentes permanente y transitorio. Además, se analiza el efecto sobre la desigualdad de variables como la edad, la educación y la ocupación. El análisis se centra en el estudio de los patrones de desigualdad observados en España durante el período 1985-1995, a partir de la información de la Encuesta Continua de Presupuestos Familiares. Los resultados obtenidos indican que dichas variables son determinantes importantes en la explicación de la desigualdad en España, tanto temporal como permanente, que se ha reducido, en líneas generales, durante el período, si bien puede observarse un ligero repunte al final del mismo.

Differences in Measuring Market Risk in Four Subsectors of the Digital Economy

This paper defends the wisdom of not considering the Digital Economy to be one homogeneous sector. Our hypothesis is that it is best to consider it the result of adding four different subsectors. We test whether indeed the economic and financial performance of a portfolio of listed companies in each of the four subsectors presents relevant differences. We use the value at risk measure to estimate market risk of the four subsectors of the digital economy. The riskiest subsector is Mobile/Internet Contents & Services followed by SW&IT Services and Application Software. On the contrary, the Telecom sector is by far the safest one. These results support the hypothesis that the Digital Economy is not a homogeneous sector