The impact of digitalisation on remittances. Evidence from El Salvador

This paper carries out a microeconomic analysis of the determinants of remittances from a receiving perspective in El Salvador. Specifically, using data from the ‘Encuesta de Hogares de Propósitos Múltiples of 2016’ (2016 Multi-purpose Household Survey -EHPM16), the characteristics of households that affect the reception of remittances in El Salvador in 2016 were analysed, focusing on the level of digitalisation in households. Determinants of remittances are not everlasting and are affected by social and economic changes. In this sense, the effect on remittances caused by an increase in the widespread use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is not an exception. Based on a two steps selection model, the results point out that the household's level of digitalisation significantly increases the probability of receiving remittances, not their amount

Fertility patterns in the Roma population of Spain

The Spanish Roma population have co-existed with the broader population of Spain, under the same laws and regulations for more than 500 years, but they exhibit very different fertility patterns. The aim of this paper is to determine whether there are factors other than income or education that can explain the larger number of children in Spanish Roma families. Our analysis reveals that the existence of a family business, which is highly labor-demanding, appears to be associated with parental decisions concerning the number of children. Since parental authority, in Roma families, holds sway over children even after their own marriage, the future labor contributions of children are particularly beneficial to the family business

Effect of CGM in the HbA1c and Coefficient of Variation of glucose in a pediatric sample

Aim of the study: Previous studies have found no significant improvements in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), while using Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM), with children and adolescents. The aim of this paper is to measure the change in HbA1c, and the Coefficient of Variation in glucose levels, when using CGM, once the effect of other relevant variables, such as gender, actual age, the years the patient has had diabetes, use of an insulin pump, the presence of autoimmune disease, other associated pathologies, and weekly hours of exercise, are controlled for. Methods: This is a retrospective study that uses a linear regression model. Data was collected from Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), children diagnosed between 2003 and 2017 in the Pediatric Unit for Diabetes in Zaragoza, Spain. We used a linear regression and the method of estimation is Ordinary Least Squares. Results: Results show that the use of CGM decreased the HbA1c value by 3.5% and the Coefficient of Variation by 14%. Conclusions: The implication of these results is that this device helped in the management of diabetes, although more research is needed to distinguish between different devices in terms of their efficacy

Impact of biological agents on postsurgical complications in inflammatory bowel disease: A multicentre study of Geteccu

Background: The impact of biologics on the risk of postoperative complications (PC) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is still an ongoing debate. This lack of evidence is more relevant for ustekinumab and vedolizumab. Aims: To evaluate the impact of biologics on the risk of PC. Methods: A retrospective study was performed in 37 centres. Patients treated with biologics within 12 weeks before surgery were considered “exposed”. The impact of the exposure on the risk of 30-day PC and the risk of infections was assessed by logistic regression and propensity score-matched analysis. Results: A total of 1535 surgeries were performed on 1370 patients. Of them, 711 surgeries were conducted in the exposed cohort (584 anti-TNF, 58 vedolizumab and 69 ustekinumab). In the multivariate analysis, male gender (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.2–2.0), urgent surgery (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2–2.2), laparotomy approach (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1–1.9) and severe anaemia (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.3–2.6) had higher risk of PC, while academic hospitals had significantly lower risk. Exposure to biologics (either anti-TNF, vedolizumab or ustekinumab) did not increase the risk of PC (OR: 1.2; 95% CI: 0.97–1.58), although it could be a risk factor for postoperative infections (OR 1.5; 95% CI: 1.03–2.27). Conclusions: Preoperative administration of biologics does not seem to be a risk factor for overall PC, although it may be so for postoperative infections

Synthesis and characterization of P2O5–ZrO2–SiO2 membranes doped with tungstophosphoric acid (PWA) for applications in PEMFC

Homogeneous, transparent and crack-free P2O5–ZrO2 and P2O5–ZrO2–SiO2 membranes have been synthesized by the sol–gel process. A first step has been oriented to the optimization of the synthesis and characterization of different compositions by TGA, FE-SEM, FTIR and EIS to choose the best inorganic composition in terms of chemical and mechanical stability, and proton conductivity. The addition of SiO2 improves the mechanical and chemical stability. On the other hand, compositions with higher content in P2O5 have demonstrated lower mechanical and chemical stability against water, but higher proton conductivity. The water retention and high porosity of inorganic membranes leads to high proton conductivity, 10−2 S/cm, at 140 ◦C and 100% relative humidity. The second step has been focused in the study of doped inorganic membranes of molar composition 99.65(40P2O5–20ZrO2–40SiO2)–0.35PWA. The high homogeneity, transparency and SEM-EDX analysis of these membranes indicates no phase separation suggesting thatPWA is well dispersed in the inorganic structure. The incorporation ofPWA in sol–gel oxides provides an increase of the proton conductivity at low relative humidity due to the adequate distribution of PWA in the inorganic network. Conductivity increases in two orders of magnitude at low humidity (10−4 S/cm at 50 ◦C and 62% RH) compared with undoped sol–gel oxide membranes.Peer reviewe

How does bargaining power affect remittances?

This paper examines the factors affecting the amount of remittances by migrants to their home countries, in a context of a family bargaining model. Spanish data does not show the same clear relationship between remittances and migrant income that is captured in the theoretical literature and certain empirical papers. Family bargaining models emerge as a useful framework within which to study remittances, and bargaining power is a key element in determining the level of such remittances. As a consequence of the consideration of bargaining power, the effect of income levels on remittances emerges as non-monotonic.Remittances Family bargaining

Preparation and Photoelectrochemical Characterization of a Red Sensitive Osmium Complex Containing 4,4’,4’’-Tricarboxy-2,2’:6’,2’’-Terpyridine and Cyanide Ligands

The complex ion [Os-II(H(3)tcterpy)(CN)(3)](-) (H(3)teterpy = 4,4',4"-tricarboxy-2,2': 6,2"-terpyridine) has been prepared by an easy methodology and characterized. The UV-Vis absorption in CH3OH shows a series of MLCT bands with distinct maxima spanning the whole visible spectrum and a remarkably intense band (epsilon approximate to 1500 M-1 cm(-1)) at 811 nm associated to a spin-forbidden singlet-triplet MLCT transition allowed by spin-orbit coupling. Cyclic voltammetry of the complex in CH3OH showed a reversible Os-II --> Os-III oxidation process with E-1/2 = 663 mV Controlled shifting of MLCT absorption and Os oxidation potential is accomplished by simply changing the degree of protonation of the carboxylic groups. The behavior of the complex as sensitizer in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) has been tested giving satisfactory IPCE values and showing contribution to the photoaction spectrum from the singlet to triplet transition. The photochemical stability was qualitatively investigated and proved to be better than that of the best Ru-based sensitizer known up to now

Charge Carrier Dynamics in Cu2ZnSn S Se 4 Thin Film Solar Cells measured by Time Resolved Terahertz and Microwave Spectroscopy

We track charge carriers dynamics from femtoseconds to nanoseconds in Cu2ZnSn S Se 4 thin films by time resolved terahertz spectroscopy TRTS and time resolved micro wave conductivity measurements TRMC . This includes trapping of photo carriers into band tail states followed by recombination with a time constant of 9.1 ns. The relatively long life time is likely caused by the localization into long living trap states rather than by a low concentration of recombination center