Empirical study of national technological innovation capability in Africa

This paper performs an analysis of the technological innovation capability in 30 African countries. Based on the literature about national innovation capability and economy of technological change, an empirical study using clusters’ analysis technique and the technological innovation indicators published in the Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011 (WEF, 2010) has been performed in order to explore the existence of groups of countries characterized by different technological innovation levels, deepening in their characteristics and the distance that separates them. The results show the existence of four groups of countries defined by different technological innovation capabilities in three factors, which are the Governmental and business technological policy, the Technological infrastructure and human capital (Available Base) and the Protection of intellectual property and innovation results

Clusters de innovación tecnológica en Latinoamérica

This paper analyses the existence of technological innovation clusters in Latin America, carrying out an empirical study based on the indicators published by the Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010 (WEF, 2009). The results indicate the existence of four groups of countries characterized by different levels of innovation technology capacity, both in terms of technology policy and innovation and technology generation and in terms of technological preparation of the society.O presente trabalho faz uma análise sobre a existência de clusters de inovação tecnológica na América Latina, tendo-se realizado para tal um estudo empírico com base nos indicadores publicados no Global Competitiveness Report 2009- 2010 (WEF, 2009). Os resultados revelam a existência de 4 grupos de países caracterizados por diferentes capacidades de inovação tecnológica, tanto no que diz respeito à política tecnológica e geração de tecnologia e inovação, como no que se refere à preparação tecnológica da sociedade.El presente trabajo lleva a cabo un análisis sobre la existencia de clusters de innovación tecnológica en Latinoamérica, para ello se ha realizado un estudio empírico sobre la base de los indicadores publicados en el Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010 (WEF, 2009). Los resultados muestran la existencia de 4 grupos de países caracterizados por una distinta capacidad de innovación tecnológica, tanto en lo referente a política tecnológica y generación de tecnología e innovación, como en lo relativo a preparación tecnológica de la sociedad

Technological innovation as a determing factor on national competitiveness

El presente trabajo lleva a cabo un análisis sobre la existencia y características de clusters de innovación tecnológica en 57 economías del mundo, estudiando al mismo tiempo si la pertenencia a un grupo o cluster, explica las diferencias de competitividad entre dichas economías. Para ello, se ha realizado un estudio empírico que se apoya en los indicadores de innovación tecnológica publicados en el Global Competitiveness Report (CGR) 2009-2010 (WEF, 2009) y en el Índice de Competitividad que elabora el International Institute for Management Developmet (IMD, 2010). Los resultados muestran la existencia de cinco grupos de países caracterizados por diferentes niveles de innovación tecnológica y de competitividad. En segundo lugar, se realiza un análisis de regresión para examinar la relación entre las variables de innovación tecnológica y la variable de competitividad, los resultados revelan que dicha relación es positiva.This article carries out an analysis on the existence and characteristics of technological innovation clusters on 57 economies worldwide, and explores if differences in competitiveness among these economies can be explained by their belonging to a group or cluster. For that purpose, we have conducted an empirical study based on technological innovation indicators included in the Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) 2009-2010 (WEF, 2009) and in the Competitiveness Index published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD, 2010). The results indicate the existence of five groups of countries characterized by different levels of technology innovation and competitiveness. We have also conducted a regression analysis in order to evaluate the relationship between variables of technological innovation and competitiveness. The results show a positive relationship

Uso y aplicación de la técnica de análisis estadístico multivariante de cluster sobre la capacidad de innovación tecnológica en Latinoamérica y España

El presente trabajo lleva a cabo un análisis sobre la capacidad de innovación tecnológica en Latinoamérica y España. Con apoyo en la literatura sobre capacidad nacional de innovación y economía del cambio tecnológico, se realizó un estudio empírico utilizando la técnica de análisis estadístico multivariante de cluster y los indicadores de innovación tecnológica publicados en el Global Competitiveness Report 2002-2003 y 2009-2010 (WEF, 2002; WEF, 2009), para explorar la existencia de grupos de países caracterizados por diferentes niveles de innovación tecnológica, profundizando en sus características y en la distancia que les separa, así como en su evolución a lo largo del período 2002-2009. Los resultados muestran la existencia de cuatro grupos de países que se definen por una distinta capacidad de innovación tecnológica, tanto en lo referente a política tecnológica gubernamental y empresarial como en lo relativo a infraestructuras tecnológicas y capital humano. Los grupos también difieren en su evolución en relación con estos factores en el período considerado

Cardiac troponin and COVID-19 severity: Results from BIOCOVID study.

Myocardial injury is a common finding in COVID-19 strongly associated with severity. We analysed the prevalence and prognostic utility of myocardial injury, characterized by elevated cardiac troponin, in a large population of COVID-19 patients, and further evaluated separately the role of troponin T and I. This is a multicentre, retrospective observational study enrolling patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who were hospitalized in 32 Spanish hospitals. Elevated troponin levels were defined as values above the sex-specific 99th percentile upper reference limit, as recommended by international guidelines. Thirty-day mortality was defined as endpoint. A total of 1280 COVID-19 patients were included in this study, of whom 187 (14.6%) died during the hospitalization. Using a nonspecific sex cut-off, elevated troponin levels were found in 344 patients (26.9%), increasing to 384 (30.0%) when a sex-specific cut-off was used. This prevalence was significantly higher (42.9% vs 21.9%; P  In this multicentre study, myocardial injury was a common finding in COVID-19 patients. Its prevalence increased when a sex-specific cut-off and cardiac troponin T were used. Elevated troponin was an independent predictor of 30-day mortality, irrespective of cardiac troponin assay and cut-offs to detect myocardial injury. Hence, the early measurement of cardiac troponin may be useful for risk stratification in COVID-19

Contemporary use of cefazolin for MSSA infective endocarditis: analysis of a national prospective cohort

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the real use of cefazolin for methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infective endocarditis (IE) in the Spanish National Endocarditis Database (GAMES) and to compare it with antistaphylococcal penicillin (ASP). Methods: Prospective cohort study with retrospective analysis of a cohort of MSSA IE treated with cloxacillin and/or cefazolin. Outcomes assessed were relapse; intra-hospital, overall, and endocarditis-related mortality; and adverse events. Risk of renal toxicity with each treatment was evaluated separately. Results: We included 631 IE episodes caused by MSSA treated with cloxacillin and/or cefazolin. Antibiotic treatment was cloxacillin, cefazolin, or both in 537 (85%), 57 (9%), and 37 (6%) episodes, respectively. Patients treated with cefazolin had significantly higher rates of comorbidities (median Charlson Index 7, P <0.01) and previous renal failure (57.9%, P <0.01). Patients treated with cloxacillin presented higher rates of septic shock (25%, P = 0.033) and new-onset or worsening renal failure (47.3%, P = 0.024) with significantly higher rates of in-hospital mortality (38.5%, P = 0.017). One-year IE-related mortality and rate of relapses were similar between treatment groups. None of the treatments were identified as risk or protective factors. Conclusion: Our results suggest that cefazolin is a valuable option for the treatment of MSSA IE, without differences in 1-year mortality or relapses compared with cloxacillin, and might be considered equally effective