Impact of internal bremsstrahlung on the detection of gamma-rays from neutralinos

We present a detailed study of the effect of internal bremsstrahlung photons in the context of the minimal supersymmetric standard models and their impact on gamma-ray dark matter annihilation searches. We find that although this effect has to be included for the correct evaluation of fluxes of high energy photons from neutralino annihilation, its contribution is relevant only in models and at energies where the lines contribution is dominant over the secondary photons. Therefore, we find that the most optimistic supersymmetric scenarios for dark matter detection do not change significantly when including the internal bremsstrahlung. As an example, we review the gamma-ray dark matter detection prospects of the Draco dwarf spheroidal galaxy for the MAGIC stereoscopic system and the CTA project. Though the flux of high energy photons is enhanced by an order of magnitude in some regions of the parameter space, the expected fluxes are still much below the sensitivity of the instruments.Comment: 5 pages, twocolumn format, 3 figures:3 references added, accepted as Brief Report in PR

Balanced Scorecard in SMEs: Effects on innovation and financial performance

Empirical research on the consequences of the use of the balanced scorecard (BSC) has mostly been conducted in large firms. Previous findings are not easily applied to the small business literature, and assumptions about the benefits of BSC for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are not based on quantitative empirical evidence. We investigated the effects of SME’s use of BSC in terms of financial performance and innovation outcomes. Our arguments are based on the efficiency gains and potential flexibility losses associated with formalizing managerial practices in SMEs. We propose that the developmental stage of the firm may influence this trade-off. Based on a survey of 201 SMEs in Spain, we found that firms using BSC for feedforward control obtained better financial performance and presented higher levels of exploitative innovation. We also found that the positive effect of BSC on perceived and attained financial performance is stronger in more established SMEs

NUCB2/nesfatin-1: a new adipokine expressed in human and murine chondrocytes with pro-inflammatory properties, an in vitro study

Nesfatin-1 is a recently discovered satiety-inducing adipokine identified in hypothalamic regions that regulates energy balance. So far, no data exist on NUCB2/nesfatin-1 localization in human and murine chondrocytes. Here, we therefore investigated NUCB2/nesfatin-1 gene and protein expression in human and murine chondrocytes and the effect of nesfatin-1 on pro-inflammatory cytokines expression. Peptide localization was performed by laser confocal microscopy, NUCB2 mRNA expression was studied by RT-PCR and protein secretion was measured by XMap technology and Western blot analysis. First, we demonstrated cytoplasmic localization of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 peptide in both human and murine chondrocytes. We present evidence that both mRNA and protein expression of NUCB2 were increased during the differentiation of ATDC5 murine chondrocyte cell line. Furthermore, we demonstrated that nesfatin-1 induces IL-6 and MIP-1alpha mRNA expression and protein secretion in ATDC-5 cells challenged with IL-1, and also increases COX-2 mRNA expression in these cells. Finally, nesfatin-1 provoked a clear induction of pro-inflammatory agents, such as COX-2, IL-8, IL-6, and MIP-1alpha in human primary chondrocytes from OA patients

Management control systems and real earnings management: Effects on firm performance

We examine an unexplored side of management control systems (MCS): their links with real earnings management. We propose that interactive use of MCS supports management in identifying, evaluating, selecting, and implementing real actions that conceptually would be classified as real earnings management (REM). Interactive MCS use is predicted to enhance managerial REM actions that retain the focus of the organization on its strategic objectives, leading to higher future performance. We test our research model empirically with survey and archival data. The results support our predictions. Finally, we explore the role of other levers of control.We thank the support of AECA in conducting the study. We also acknowledge financial contribution from Fundación COTEC-Programa de Innovación Abierta 2016 (PIA), the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (ECO2016-77579), Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2019-104163RA-I00 and PID2019-111143GB-C33), Santander Financial Institute, PRICIT (CAM-UAM-Professorship Excellence Program), and the Catedra UAM-Auditores Madrid

Enhanced thermionic currents by non equilibrium electron population of metals

An analytical expression is derived for the electron thermionic current from heated metals by using a non equilibrium, modified Kappa energy distribution for electrons. This isotropic distribution characterizes the long high energy tails in the electron energy spectrum for low values of the index ? and also accounts for the Fermi energy for the metal electrons. The limit for large ? recovers the classical equilibrium Fermi-Dirac distribution. The predicted electron thermionic current for low ? increases between four and five orders of magnitude with respect to the predictions of the equilibrium Richardson-Dushmann current. The observed departures from this classical expression, also recovered for large ?, would correspond to moderate values of this index. The strong increments predicted by the thermionic emission currents suggest that, under appropriate conditions, materials with non equilibrium electron populations would become more efficient electron emitters at low temperatures

Parental Concerns about the Health of Adolescents with Intellectual Disability: A Brief Report

Background. Parents of adolescents with intellectual disability are concerned about the future health and well-being needs of their children. Method. Qualitative data was collected as part of a cross-sectional descriptive study and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 parents. The results were themed. Results. Most parents discussed areas of their children's health which made them anxious about the future. These concerns were collated into five themes. Conclusion. The health and well-being themes were dependency, general health, challenging behaviours, and increasing support needs

Debt pressure and interactive use of control systems: effects on cost of debt

We study if debt pressure drives the use of interactive management accounting and control systems (MACS) and its consequences. We build on Simons (1990) and argue that financing pressures can threaten strategic investment. To alleviate debt pressures and reduce information asymmetries with lenders, managers are predicted to increase the interactive use of MACS. However, because individual MACS have different features, not all interactive use of individual MACS equally serves to assuage debt pressures. We predict that firms facing high debt pressure interactively use traditional MACS and that when individual MACS use befits the level of debt pressure, firms benefit by experiencing future decreases in their cost of debt. Our findings confirm these predictions. We contribute to the literature by showing that pressures from external stakeholders influence interactive use. We also suggest a new relevant firm outcome affected by MACS use: the future cost of debt. Finally, in additional analyses, we show that concerns over innovation may lead managers to choose apparently non-optimal MACS for interactive use, consistent with managers often juggling conflicting pressures.We acknowledge financial assistance from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (ECO2013-48328, ECO2016-77579), CAM (H2015/HUM-3353), FEDER (UNC315-EE-3636), the Catedra UAM- Auditores Madrid and 6th ed. AECA Research Grants (2015-2016)

Virological data integration on influenza vaccine effectiveness, Portugal 2015/16

Regarding the wide genetic and antigenic variability of influenza viruses, overall or subtype influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) estimates may not be sufficient to assess vaccine protection against circulating strains. This is particularly important when low VE against a specific clade is suspicious or a new drifted virus is emerging. Viral genetic characterization is routinely performed in influenza surveillance but viruses are selected according patient age, severity and vaccine status. For instance, last season genetic characterized cases were more vaccinated than those not selected. A protocol for virological data integration on IVE studies within I-MOVE network was performed. It intended to solve the following issues: 1. Selection of the clade of interest to provide IVE; 2. Determination of the number of cases needed for genetic characterization; 3. Selection of cases for genetic characterization independently of patient features. During the 2015/16 season, a closely contact between epidemiological and laboratorial teams allows to perform a random selection of influenza cases for genetic characterization independently of cases features. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was the selected subtype given its predominance and the emergence of new subclades (6B.1 and 6B.2). 52.2% of A(H1)pdm09 cases were successfully characterized. No differences regarding age, sex and vaccine status were found between selected and unselected cases for genetic characterization. The large sample size needed to estimate IVE against a specific clade requires an important effort on genetic characterization behind virological surveillance. However, random selection of cases for genetic characterization along season seems to be feasible without interfering with virological surveillance and obtains a representative sample of cases of the clade of interest. Virological data from randomly selected cases will permit to estimate IVE against a specific clade during influenza season. An extra effort on influenza genetic characterization is needed to achieve the needed sample size.This project was financed by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control for data and actvi;es related to the individuals with less then 65 years. Data and activities related to the individuals 65 years and more were funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innova;on programme under grant agreement No 634446.N/