The Biscay Model: Summary contribution areas

The joint work between the IIPP and the Biscay Government, based in Bilbao, Spain, is a research collaboration aimed at designing fiscal policy around the SDG. This work has resulted in the development of a composite index tool called the Biscay Model, which links corporate taxation and corporate SDG performance in priority areas identified by the Biscay Government. This document summarises the 28 corporate contribution areas (CAs), related to the priority areas, developed as part of the Biscay Model. Each CA summary offers a specific proposal for assessment and scoring, and the definitions of the main concepts related to the CA. This document will be used during the next phase of the project - the consultation process

Monitoring treatment of field cancerisation with 3% diclofenac sodium 2.5% hyaluronic acid by reflectance confocal microscopy: a histologic correlation

Visual inspection may fail to accurately evaluate field cancerisation (subclinical actinic keratoses [AKs]). We aimed to describe field cancerisation by confocal reflectance microscopy and changes induced by the application of 3% diclofenac sodium gel in 2.5% hyaluronic acid. Fourteen male patients, > 50 years old, with AKs on the bald scalp were included. Clinical examination, confocal microscopy and histological study of clinically visible lesions and 'normal appearing' adjacent skin before and after treatment was completed. Reflectance confocal microscopy showed a decrease in scaling (p = 0.001) and atypia of the honeycomb pattern (p = 0.001) at 2 weeks of treatment. Changes in parakeratosis, inflammation and dermal collagen remodelling were also observed. Histology correlated with confocal features in AK and subclinical AK. Reflectance confocal microscopy was useful in the evaluation of field cancerisation and monitoring of treatment response. A rapid improvement in epidermal atypia was observed

La estructura de la propiedad, la organización y la gestión de una gran empresa ferroviaria: la Compañía de los Caminos de Hierro del Norte de España, 1858-1936

Editada en la Fundación Empresa PúblicaEl trabajo estudia la composición del accionariado de una de las mayores compañías de ferrocarriles privadas que operaron en España y en la economía española entre 1858 y 1941, la Compañía de los Ferrocarriles del Norte. Se reconstruyen los cambios que experimentó la estructura de la propiedad y se identifican los grupos de mayor capacidad en la toma de decisiones. Al mismo tiempo se establecen las repercusiones que tuvieron los cambios del accionariado en la composición del Consejo de Administración. Todo ello en el marco de la teoría de agencia, buscando conocer los avances en la estructura corporativa de la empresa, poniéndola en relación con el comportamiento de las compañías de ferrocarril en el resto de Europa y los Estados Unidos. Se pone de relieve que la influencia francesa fue determinante, tanto en la estructura de la propiedad como en la gestión y en la configuración del CA. Sólo a comienzos del siglo XX, y especialmente tras la Guerra de 1914, se produjo una mayor presencia del capital nacional en el accionariado, así como un estilo más internacional en la gestión. Esto último estuvo relacionado directamente con la política de los directores generales, que iniciaron un período de reclutamiento de directivos y personal cualificado español, rompiendo con la anterior tradición, más personalista y francófona. Finalmente se aborda cómo tuvo lugar la modificación de las estructuras organizativas de la compañía, que pasaron de un esquema en linea a otro más complejo y evolucionado, aunque sin llegar a ser un organigrama plenamente multidivisional.This article studies the evolution of the composition of shareholders in one of the big companies in Spain, Compañía del Norte, devoted to railways sector between 1858 and 1941. Changes in property and interests groups inside the company are identified along the time. We establish the implications that this changes had in the Board of Administration by using modern agency theory, and looking for how the corporate structure advanced within the company. This process is studied from a comparative point of view in Europe and United States. The French influence in property, management and power in BA is highlighted. Only at the beginning of the XX century, when First World War broke out, Spanish capital got the majority of shareholders and the company introduced and intemational management style. The Spanish General Managers started to recruit new executives from qualified staS preferably with the same nationality, introducing a new system between the managers. This meant a break with hierarchic and militar system imposed by French style. Finally we analyse the evolution of the organization of the company which grew up rapidly from Une schemes into a more complex structure although without arriving at a multidivisional one.Publicad

The impact of baseline mindfulness scores on mindfulness-based intervention outcomes : toward personalized mental health interventions

A growing body of evidence has portrayed mindfulness as a useful tool for dealing with a broad range of psychological problems and disorders. This has created the impression that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can be used to treat nearly all psychological difficulties, in all cases. Nonetheless, little research has been done on how individual differences may contribute to intervention outcomes. The goal of this study was to evaluate the role of baseline mindfulness on participants’ outcomes by examining three prior Randomized Controlled Trials that addressed the impact of MBIs on mental health and mindfulness measures. The participants were 164 people, aged between 12 and 45, from both clinical and non-clinical samples. Our findings indicate that at least two thirds of the change produced by these interventions in terms of mindfulness scores can be predicted by the baseline scores of the same variables. We also found that many trajectories are not only strongly influenced by the initial status of the participants, but also by the intervention performed, as attested to by the significant interactions found. These results stress the need to continue doing research in a way that considers the diversity of participants’ trajectories, increasing the room for intervention improvements aligned with a more personalized health care model

Percutaneous treatment with Mitraclip for functional mitral regurgitation: medium-term follow up according to left ventricular function

Background: Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) is a bad prognosis condition despite optimal medical treatment. Nowadays there is an open debate about the surgical versus percutaneous treatment. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the mid-term follow up clinical outcomes of patients with FMR treated with MitraClip((R)) system, according to their left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods: Data was obtained from two experienced centers in transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR). All consecutive cases of severe FMR undergoing TMVR in both centers with the same inclusion criteria were included prospectively in this study and followed-up. Periodical follow-ups with clinical and echocardiographic evaluation were scheduled from the baseline procedure, at 3 months and then yearly. Results: From October 2015 to October 2019, a total of 119 patients with FMR at 2 centers in Spain underwent TMVR with the MitraClip((R)) procedure and were included in this study. The mean age was 73.8+/-8.9 years old and 32 patients (26.9%) were female. A 39.5% of cases [47] had a LVEF 30% (group 2). There was a similar distribution in cardiovascular risk factors, age and other diseases. All MitraClip((R)) implantations were elective and procedural success was achieved in 110 patients (92.4%) with a similar distribution between the groups. There were no differences in procedural time and the number of implanted clips. The median follow-up was 22.6 months (IQR, 11.43-34.98 months). The primary combined endpoint occurred in the 41.6% of the global cohort, 57.5% in group 1 and 30.99% in group 2 (P=0.036). LVEF was associated to the main event in the multivariate analysis (HR 2.09, 95% CI: 1.12-3.89; P=0.02). Conclusions: The MitraClip edge-to-edge technique is a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of FMR. In this study, patients with LVEF >30% treated with Mitraclip presented better clinical cardiovascular outcomes than those with a LVEF </=30%. Regardless clinical outcomes, at the end of the follow-up, there was a sustained reduction in MR grades and an important improvement in NYHA functional class

Evaluation of aquaporins in the cerebrospinal fluid in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus

Brain aquaporin 1 (AQP1) and AQP4 are involved in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) homeostasis and might participate in the origin of hydrocephalus. Studies have shown alterations of perivascular AQP4 expression in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Due to the overlapping of clinical signs between iNPH and certain neurological conditions, mainly AD, specific biomarkers might improve the diagnostic accuracy for iNPH. The goal of the present study was to analyze and quantify the presence of AQP1 and AQP4 in the CSF of patients with iNPH and AD to determine whether these proteins can be used as biomarkers of iNPH. We examined AQP1 and AQP4 protein levels in the CSF of 179 participants (88 women) classified into 5 groups: possible iNPH (81 participants), hydrocephalus associated with other neurological disorders (13 participants), AD (41 participants), non-AD dementia (32 participants) and healthy controls (12 participants). We recorded each participant’s demographic and clinical variables and indicated, when available in the clinical history, the record of cardiovascular and respiratory complications. An ELISA showed virtually no AQP content in the CSF. Information on the vascular risk factors (available for 61 patients) confirmed some type of vascular risk factor in 86% of the patients with possible iNPH and 58% of the patients with AD. In conclusion, the ELISA analysis showed insufficient sensitivity to detect the presence of AQP1 and AQP4 in CSF, ruling out the possible use of these proteins as biomarkers for diagnosing iNPH.This research was funded by grants PI16/00493 and PI19/01096 to M.E. from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, co-financed by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) and European Regional Development Fund (FEDER). J.L.T-C. was partially supported by the Regional Government of Andalusia and FEDER funds through a program for recruitment of young researchers

Geófitas Litorales En Contextos Arqueológicos De La Costa Arreica, Norte De Chile

This article presents a review of the role of geophytes as a staple source of carbohydrates for coastal populations in prehistoric time, as new data from recent excavations in Patache A, B, C site has been collected. Available information for archaeological sites located on the coast of Tarapacá, northern Chile, is reviewed thoroughly; specially the one about those sites that present geophytes collected in the mist oases located in the coastal cliff, which togetherwith river mouth environments, are the main source of useful plants for coastal inhabitants from this region. Ethnographic and historical precedents involving harvest and uses of geophytes are also revised. Botanical information of these plants: the cycles, dispersion and noticeability in the oases of mist, is considered. All the former in order to explore their availability, contributions to the diet and culinary habits of the ancient inhabitants of the arreica coast.Se evalúa el aporte de geófitas en la alimentación de poblaciones de la costa arreica a partir del análisis de material arqueobotánico proveniente de nuevas excavaciones en el sitio Patache A, B, C. Junto con ello, se hace una revisión exhaustiva a la información disponible para sitios arqueológicos emplazados en la costa arreica, norte de Chile, que presentan en sus contextos cormos y bulbos recolectados en los oasis de neblina, comunidades vegetales que crecen en el farellón costero gracias a la bruma del litoral conocida como camanchaca, y que, junto a los ambientes de desembocadura, son las principales fuentes de recursos terrestres para esta costa desértica. Asimismo, se repasan ejemplos etnográficos e históricos que traten sobre la recolección y usos de geófitas, junto a información botánica sobre los ciclos de estas plantas, dispersión y visibilidad en los oasis de neblina. A partir de todo lo anterior, se reflexiona acerca de su disponibilidad, estrategias de recolección y aportes a la dieta de los antiguos habitantes de la costa arreica

Geófitas Litorales En Contextos Arqueológicos De La Costa Arreica, Norte De Chile

Se evalúa el aporte de geófitas en la alimentación de poblaciones de la costa arreica a partir del análisis de material arqueobotánico prove-niente de nuevas excavaciones en el sitio Patache A, B, C. Junto con ello, se hace una revisión exhaustiva a la información disponible para sitios arqueo-lógicos emplazados en la costa arreica, norte de Chile, que presentan en sus contextos cormos y bulbos recolectados en los oasis de neblina, comunidades vegetales que crecen en el farellón costero gracias a la bruma del litoral conocida como camanchaca, y que, junto a los ambientes de desembocadura, son las principales fuentes de recursos terrestres para esta costa desértica. Asimismo, se repasan ejemplos etnográficos e históricos que traten sobre la recolección y usos de geófitas, junto a información botánica sobre los ciclos de estas plantas, dispersión y visibilidad en los oasis de neblina. A partir de todo lo anterior, se reflexiona acerca de su disponibilidad, estrategias de re-colección y aportes a la dieta de los antiguos habitantes de la costa arreica.This article presents a review of the role of geophytes as a staple source of carbohydrates for coastal populations in prehistoric time, as new data from recent excavations in Patache A, B, C site has been collected. Available information for archaeological sites located on the coast of Tarapacá, northern Chile, is reviewed thoroughly; specially the one about those sites that present geophytes collected in the mist oases located in the coastal cliff, which together with river mouth environments, are the main source of useful plants for coastal inhabitants from this region. Ethnographic and historical precedents involving harvest and uses of geophytes are also revised. Botanical information of these plants: the cycles, dispersion and noticeability in the oases of mist, is consi-dered. All the former in order to explore their availability, contributions to the diet and culinary habits of the ancient inhabitants of the arreica coast