DOES SERVICE QUALITY MATTER IN MEASURING PERFORMANCE OF WATER UTILITIES?

Quality is a dimension of water services that has been repeatedly omitted in the study of performance of water utilities. In this paper, we make use of Data Envelopment Analysis techniques (DEA) to compute both conventional quantity-based and quality-adjusted indicators of technical efficiency for a sample of Spanish water utilities. The key assumptions are that a lack of quality (bad quality) can be regarded as a bad output, and the existence of a trade-off between quantity and quality. Our main results indicate that quality matters in measuring technical performance, the difference between conventional and quality-adjusted evaluations representing the opportunity cost of maintaining quality. Averages and distribution functions significantly differ between both assessments of performance, although water utilities do not seem to rank differently.water utilities; quality; Data Envelopment Analysis.

Does service quality matter in measuring performance of water utilities?

Quality is a dimension of water services that has been repeatedly omitted in the study of performance of water utilities. In this paper, we make use of Data Envelopment Analysis techniques (DEA) to compute both conventional quantity-based and quality-adjusted indicators of technical efficiency for a sample of Spanish water utilities. The key assumptions are that a lack of quality (bad quality) can be regarded as a bad output, and the existence of a trade-off between quantity and quality. Our main results indicate that quality matters in measuring technical performance, the difference between conventional and quality-adjusted evaluations representing the opportunity cost of maintaining quality. Averages and distribution functions significantly differ between both assessments of performance, although water utilities do not seem to rank differently

Theory of energy transfer in organic nanocrystals

Recent experiments have shown that highly efficient energy transfer can take place in organic nanocrystals at extremely low acceptor densities. This striking phenomenon has been ascribed to the formation of exciton polaritons thanks to the photon confinement provided by the crystal itself. An alternative theoretical model that accurately reproduces fluorescence lifetime and spectrum measurements in these systems without such an assumption is proposed. The approach treats molecule–photon interactions in the weak-coupling regime, and describes the donor and acceptor population dynamics by means of rate equations with parameters extracted from electromagnetic simulations. The physical insight and predictive value of this model also enables the authors to propose nanocrystal configurations in which acceptor emission dominates the fluorescence spectrum at densities orders of magnitude lower than the experimental onesThis work was funded by the Spanish Ministry for Science, Innovation, and Universities — AEI grants RTI2018-099737-B-I00, PCI2018-093145 (through the QuantERA program of the European Commission), and MDM-2014-0377 (through the María de Maeztu program for Units of Excellence in R&D), and by the European Research Council under Grant Agreement ERC-2016-STG-714870. It was also supported by a 2019 Leonardo Grant for Researchers and Cultural Creators, BBVA Foundatio

Structural and magnetic characterization of ordered Sr2LnSbO6 (Ln=rare earth) perosvkite

The double perovskites A2LnMO6 (A = Sr2+ and Ba2+; Ln = trivalent lanthanide cation; M = pentavalent 4d or 5d transition elements) have been widely studied concerning their structure and properties [1]. If the Ln and M cations are ordered within the B-perosvkite sites the symmetry and size of the unit cell change when are compared to the ideal cubic aristotype. Woodward predicted 15 possible space groups for the ordered A2BB’O6 perovskites when the cation ordering and the octahedral tilting around the pseudo-cubic axes take place simultaneously [2]. The ordered double perovskites A2LnMO6 with only one of the two B-sites carrying magnetic moment, namely Ln, show a magnetic sublattice consisting of edge-sharing tetrahedral, which represents a frustrating magnetic geometry in three dimensions. More recently, the structure of double perovskites Sr2LnSbO6 (Ln= Dy, Ho, Gd, Y and In) has been investigated, and the monoclinic symmetry of the space group P21/n, with Ln and Sb elements ordered in the B-sites, was reported [3, 4]. We report the preparation of the whole family of double perovskites Sr2LnSbO6 (Ln = La-Lu), which crystallize with the P21/n space group, with lattice parameters p= a2a , p= a2b and p= a2c(β∼90 º), being the lattice parameter of the cubic aristotype. A progressive decreasing was observed in lattice parameters with the increasing of the atomic number of the Ln cation, according with the wellknown lanthanide contraction. pa Magnetic susceptibility measurements for this family of compounds reveal a paramagnetic behaviour in a very wide temperature range. From experimental spectroscopic data as well as from a semi-empirical estimation (Simple Overlap Model SOM [5]) of the crystal-field parameters corresponding to the point site symmetry of the magnetically active Ln, Oh, and using the wavefunctions associated with the energy levels obtained, the paramagnetic susceptibility and its evolution vstemperature is simulated according to the van Vleck formalism. The observed deviation from the Curie–Weiss behaviour at low temperature, very well reproduced in each case, reflects the splitting of the ground state of the corresponding Ln cation under the influence of the crystal field. Thus, magnetic frustration or cooperative interactions do not need to be considered to explain the mentioned low temperature deviation from the linearity of Curie-Weiss plots

Panorama de la Educación en España tras la Pandemia de COVID-19: La opinión de la comunidad educativa

Este informe recoge el análisis de la visión de la comunidad educativa (profesorado, estudiantado y familias) sobre la educación en España tras la pandemia por COVID-19. Las opiniones de la comunidad educativa se recogen mediante un diseño mixto de investigación mediante cuestionario y grupos de discusión

Neurexin and neuroligin genes in Alzheimer's disease

Póster presentado en la 11th International Conference on Alzheimer's & Parkinson's Diseases, celebrada en Florencia del 6 al 10 de marzo de 2013.-- Alzheimers Disease Neuroimaging Inititive[Objectives] The interaction between neurexins and neuroligins promotes the formation of functional synaptic structures. Recently, it has been reported that neurexins and neuroligins are proteolytically processed by presenilins at synapses. Based on this interaction and the role of presenilins in familial Alzheimer's disease (AD), we hypothesized that dysfunction of the neuroligin-neurexin pathway might be associated with AD.[Methods] To explore this hypothesis we carried out a meta-analysis of five genome-wide association studies (GWAS) comprising 1256 SNPs in the NRXN1, NRXN2, NRXN3 and NLGN1 genes (3009 cases and 3006 control individuals) using PLINK software.[Results] We identified a marker in the NRXN3 gene (rs17757879) that showed a consistent protective effect in all GWAS, however the statistical significance obtained did not resist multiple testing corrections (OR=0.851, p=0.002). Nonetheless, gender analysis revealed that this effect was restricted to males. A replication study with SNP rs17757879 in a Spanish population (1785 cases and 1634 controls) confirmed this observation (OR=0.752, C.I.=0.570-0.991, p=0.042).[Conclusions] We conclude that NRXN3 might have a role in susceptibility to AD in males (rs17757879, OR=0.742, 95% C.I.=0.632-0.872, p=0.00028, final meta-analysis).Peer Reviewe

Genetic study of neurexin and neuroligin genes in Alzheimer's disease

The interaction between neurexins and neuroligins promotes the formation of functional synaptic structures. Recently, it has been reported that neurexins and neuroligins are proteolytically processed by presenilins at synapses. Based on this interaction and the role of presenilins in familial Alzheimer's disease (AD), we hypothesized that dysfunction of the neuroligin-neurexin pathway might be associated with AD. To explore this hypothesis, we carried out a meta-analysis of five genome-wide association studies (GWAS) comprising 1, 256 SNPs in the NRXN1, NRXN2, NRXN3, and NLGN1 genes (3,009 cases and 3,006 control individuals). We identified a marker in the NRXN3 gene (rs17757879) that showed a consistent protective effect in all GWAS, however, the statistical significance obtained did not resist multiple testing corrections (OR = 0.851, p = 0.002). Nonetheless, gender analysis revealed that this effect was restricted to males. A combined meta-analysis of the former five GWAS together with a replication Spanish sample consisting of 1,785 cases and 1,634 controls confirmed this observation (rs17757879, OR = 0.742, 95% CI = 0.632-0.872, p = 0.00028, final meta-analysis). We conclude that NRXN3 might have a role in susceptibility to AD in males.Peer Reviewe

Los Poyos del Molinillo (Frigiliana): new site of the Bronze Age in the East Axarquía (Málaga, Andalucía)

En este trabajo damos a conocer un nuevo yacimiento descubierto recientemente en el municipio de Frigiliana. La delimitación del área denominada Los Poyos del Molinillo permitió definir la existencia de un poblado y una covacha con restos de una inhumación. El estudio de los materiales arqueológicos, que incluye cerámica, piezas metálicas o elementos de molturación, o la datación AMS obtenida, permiten adscribir el yacimiento a la Edad del Bronce y ampliar el conocimiento de esta etapa en la Axarquía oriental (Málaga, Andalucía).In this work we present a new site recently discovered in the Frigiliana municipality (Málaga). The spatial delimitation of the so called Los Poyos del Molinillo area let us define a Bronze age settlement and an inhumation burial cave. The archaeological record includes ceramic, metallic items or grinding elements, all of them belonging to the Bronze Age, as well as an AMS Radiocarbon data. This site extends the knowledge about this period in the Eastern Axarquía (Málaga, Andalucía)

A genome-wide association study follow-up suggests a possible role for PPARG in systemic sclerosis susceptibility

Introduction: A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) comprising a French cohort of systemic sclerosis (SSc) reported several non-HLA single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showing a nominal association in the discovery phase. We aimed to identify previously overlooked susceptibility variants by using a follow-up strategy.<p></p> Methods: Sixty-six non-HLA SNPs showing a P value <10-4 in the discovery phase of the French SSc GWAS were analyzed in the first step of this study, performing a meta-analysis that combined data from the two published SSc GWASs. A total of 2,921 SSc patients and 6,963 healthy controls were included in this first phase. Two SNPs, PPARG rs310746 and CHRNA9 rs6832151, were selected for genotyping in the replication cohort (1,068 SSc patients and 6,762 healthy controls) based on the results of the first step. Genotyping was performed by using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. Results: We observed nominal associations for both PPARG rs310746 (PMH = 1.90 × 10-6, OR, 1.28) and CHRNA9 rs6832151 (PMH = 4.30 × 10-6, OR, 1.17) genetic variants with SSc in the first step of our study. In the replication phase, we observed a trend of association for PPARG rs310746 (P value = 0.066; OR, 1.17). The combined overall Mantel-Haenszel meta-analysis of all the cohorts included in the present study revealed that PPARG rs310746 remained associated with SSc with a nominal non-genome-wide significant P value (PMH = 5.00 × 10-7; OR, 1.25). No evidence of association was observed for CHRNA9 rs6832151 either in the replication phase or in the overall pooled analysis.<p></p> Conclusion: Our results suggest a role of PPARG gene in the development of SSc

Darolutamide in Spanish patients with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: ARAMIS subgroup analysis

Aim: Darolutamide significantly prolonged metastasis-free survival (MFS) versus placebo in the Phase III ARAMIS study. We analyzed outcomes in Spanish participants in ARAMIS. Patients & methods: Patients with high-risk nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer were randomized 2:1 to darolutamide 600 mg twice daily or placebo, plus androgen-deprivation therapy. The primary end point was MFS. Descriptive statistics are reported for this post hoc analysis. Results: In Spanish participants, darolutamide (n = 75) prolonged MFS versus placebo (n = 42): hazard ratio 0.345, 95% confidence interval 0.175-0.681. The incidence and type of treatment-emergent adverse events were comparable between treatment arms. Conclusion: For Spanish participants in ARAMIS, efficacy outcomes favored darolutamide versus placebo, with a similar safety profile, consistent with the overall ARAMIS population.10 página