Effective Aligned 2HDM with a DFSZ-like invisible axion

We discuss the possibility of having a non-minimal scalar sector at the weak scale within the framework of invisible axion models. To frame our discussion we consider an extension of the Dine-Fischler-Srednicki-Zhitnitsky invisible axion model with two additional Higgs doublets blind under the Peccei-Quinn symmetry. Due to mixing effects among the scalar fields, it is possible to obtain a rich scalar sector at the weak scale in certain decoupling limits of the theory. In particular, this framework provides an ultraviolet completion of the so-called aligned two-Higgs-doublet model and solves the strong CP problem. The axion properties and the smallness of active neutrino masses are also discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure. Discussion improved, references added. Matching the journal versio

Product Specialization, Efficiency and Productivity Change in the Spanish Insurance Industry

In this paper we analyze the levels of technical efficiency and productivity growth attained by Spanish insurance companies during a period of deregulation. We compute Malmquist productivity indexes using the estimates of parametric distance function for several specialized insurance branches. In this way, we show that branch specialization matters a great deal and that firms combining two or three product lines (Health, Property-Liabilities and Life) perform better than firms operating in one insurance line exclusively. In the light of these results, we recommend that the remaining restrictions coming from the European Third Directives on the operations of multi-branch firms should be removed. Moreover, from a management point of view, it would be appropriate to encourage the creation of multi-branch insurance firms. However, in all cases, the estimated scores indicate low productivity growth (less than 2% per year) compared with a huge increase in insurance activity (premiums were multiplied by nearly 3 in a decade).Efficiency, parametric Malmquist index, output specialization, Spanish insurance

Pilot Evaluation of the Mexican Model of Dual TVET in the State of Mexico

Since the first public announcement of the Mexican Model of Dual TVET (MMFD) in June 2013, more than 5,000 apprentices have enrolled in the programme and around 2,000 already graduated. The Ministry of Education (SEP and CONALEP), the Chambers of Commerce (i.e. COPARMEX) and the German Cooperation Agencies (i.e. CAMEXA) have been collaborating with state authorities, families, schools and companies to turn this initial idea into a significant and sustainable initiative. Although the numbers are still small, it seemed necessary to undertake a pilot evaluation study of the implementation and impact of this program on its participants to inform those responsible for this policy. We decided to focus our study on the State of Mexico because of the higher number of apprentices in this state and because of the access that the CONALEP authorities gave us to the informants. The report that you are about to read is structured in four main sections. In the first one we reviewed the international evidence on the experiences of policy transfer of Dual TVET. Transferring international good practice sin TVET is always a complex process that requires careful attention to the experiences and lessons from those that tried to do it before. In the second section, we present the main characteristics of the Mexican Model of Dual TVET and the specificities of its implementation in the State of Mexico. In a federal country like Mexico, it is important to understand that national policies may largely vary across states in terms of design and implementation. The third section outlines the methodology of the study, which is inspired by the realist evaluation principles. Realist evaluation, not only tries to measure the impact of interventions on beneficiaries, but also to understand the causal mechanisms that explain why this policy is more effective in certain contexts and with certain beneficiary populations than in others. In the final section, the results of the interviews and the survey with 25 apprentices that completed their studies under the MMFD in the State of Mexico are presented. Obviously, the reduced sample of the study limits the representativeness of our findings but it will offer some expected and unexpected results that should not be ignored by those involved in this policy in the State of Mexico and nationally

La evaluación de la actividad docente. Un análisis a partir de la técnica DEA

La adecuada evaluación del desempeño es fundamental, ya que impacta en la generación de los incentivos, los cuales determinan en gran medida el comportamiento de los individuos dentro de las organizaciones. Una evaluación correcta afecta en diferentes aspectos como atraer o desalentar candidatos, retener trabajadores o promover su renuncia; indica lo que valora una organización castigando o premiando actividades.La educación no es la excepción y en torno a la evaluación del profesor se han escrito una gran cantidad de artículos.evaluación educativa, análisis organizacional, formación de economistas

Hemobilia. A case report

We present the case of a 88 years old male, with a history of melena, demonstrated by repeated endoscopys to be secondary to hemobilia, and after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography we could demonstrate the presence of bleeding intraductal choledocus polyps with histopathological report of intraepitelial adenoma. Hemobilia is a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage with an increasing incidence because of the widespread use of invasive hepatobiliary procedures and improved recognition. In the majority of cases the cause is iatrogenic. The classical presentation of hemobilia is with biliary colic, jaundice, hematemesis, and melena. The diagnosis and evaluation of hemobilia is facilitated by the use of sonography, computed tomography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Persistent bleeding sometimes requires urgent therapeutic intervention, such as angiography or surgery

Relativistic Coulomb excitation of the giant dipole resonance in nuclei: How to calculate transition probabilities without invoking the Liénard-Wiechert relativistic scalar and vector potentials

The conclusions extracted from a recent study of the excitation of giant dipole resonances in nuclei at relativistic bombarding energies open the way for a further simplification of the problem. It consists in the elimination of the relativistic scalar and vector electromagnetic potentials and the familiar numerical difficulties associated with their presence in the calculation scheme. The inherent advantage of a reformulation of the problem of relativistic Coulomb excitation of giant dipole resonances along these lines is discussed.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia IS2005-01105 FPA2005-0446

Macroscopic pairing vibrational model, self-consistent pairing coupling constant, and the fifth term of von Weizs ̈ acker’s semiempirical formula

The implementation of a number-conserving formalism for pair-addition and pair-removal modes has impaired the possibility of developing an intuitive and self-consistent picture for collective pairing modes. In this paper, we show how a relaxation of this constraint leads to a unified model with true predictive poweFEDER y Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia FIS2005-01105 FPA2005-0446

Relativistic Coulomb excitation of the giant dipole resonance in nuclei: A straightforward approach

We investigate alternatives to the standard formalism used for the study of relativistic Coulomb excitation of the giant dipole resonance in nuclei. The idea is to obtain reasonable results for the probabilities of excitation and cross sections to the one-phonon and two-phonon levels avoiding the substantial complexity of the treatments exploited so far. This is achieved for the relevant range of partial waves up to bombarding energies of at least 5 GeV per nucleon. The transfer of energy to the center of mass of the excited nuclei is also investigated