Industrial Location At the Intra-Metropolitan Level: A Negative Binomial Approach

The objective of this paper is to analyse the incidence of agglomeration economies on the new firms’ location decisions inside metropolitan areas. Following the literature we consider that agglomeration economies are related to the concentration of an industry (location economies) and/or the size of the city itself (urbanisation economies). We assume that those economies differ according the technological level of firms. So we use a sample of new firms belonging to high, intermediate and low technology levels. Our results confirm those sectoral differences and show some interesting location patterns of manufacturing firms Taking into account the renovated debate about the importance of the geography and distance in the location of economic activity, we introduce in the estimation the effect of the central city size as determinant for the location of new firms in the rest of the metropolitan area. This allows us to analyse if a suburbanisation effect exists and if that effect is the same depending on the industry and the central city size of the metropolitan area. Our main statistical source is the REI (Spanish Industrial Establishments Register), which has plant-level microdata for the creation and location of new industrial firms.

Can a knowledge-based cluster be created? The case of the Barcelona 22@district

The aim of this paper is to track the location decisions of knowledge-intense firms in a redeveloped urban district in the city of Barcelona in which government policy has promoted the formation of a cluster of knowledge-based activities. After decades of economic and industrial stagnation in a district called Poblenou, in the year 2000 the City Council of Barcelona implemented a plan to renew the area’s urban and economic structure. Under the development plan, knowledge-based firms were encouraged to set up in the area creating a cluster of Advanced activities. This paper examines the success of this local policy and aims to determine whether cluster amenities have played a part in attracting knowledge-based activities. First, we evaluate the cluster implementation via a differences-in-differences analysis comparing the increase in the number of knowledge-based firms in this specific area with the increase of this kind of firm elsewhere in the city and the metropolitan area. Second, to test whether cluster amenities are determinant factors for the location of knowledge-based firms, we perform a multivariate regression analysis explaining intra-city firm location at the ZIP code level. Data about new firms come from a business-census that contains detailed information about location determinants of these firms as well as their characteristics

What’s going on in my city? Recommender systems and electronic participatory budgeting

In this paper, we present electronic participatory budgeting (ePB) as a novel application domain for recommender systems. On public data from the ePB platforms of three major US cities – Cambridge, Miami and New York City–, we evaluate various methods that exploit heterogeneous sources and models of user preferences to provide personalized recommendations of citizen proposals. We show that depending on characteristics of the cities and their participatory processes, particular methods are more effective than others for each city. This result, together with open issues identified in the paper, call for further research in the area

Estudi de la influència del coure i la diclofuanida sobre la cinètica fermentativa i el metabolisme de Saccharomyces cerevisiae

La presencia de productos fitosanitarios en la vendimio procedentes de los tratamientos viticolas para prevenir las plagas y las enfermedades de la viña, puede llegar a provocar retrasos y paradas durante la fermentación alcoholica. La presente tesis doctoral, es un estudio de los efectos del oxicloruro de cobre y la diclofluanida sobre la fermentación alcoholica. Su presencia ocacinó retrasos en la cinética fermentativa así como una elevada mortalidad de la población de células viables, cuando no se guardaban los períodos de seguridad aconsejados. En estas mismas circunstancias, se observaron modificacions de las actividades enzimaticas de dos enzimas claves de la fermentación alcohólica (Hexoquinasa y alcohol deshidrogenasa) modificaciones que no llegaron a justificar los retrasos de la fermentación observados anteriormente. Sin embargo quedaron muy afectados tanto la actividad de la atpasa de protones como la actividad del transportador de baja afinidad de la glucosa, mecanismos bioquimico/celulares que si explicarían los retrasos observados durante la fermentación. En los vinos procedentes de mostos tratados con los pesticidas estudiados, también se observaron alteraciones tanto de los parámetros químicos como de los parámetros que influyen en la composición aromática de los vinos

Multiple asters organize the yolk microtubule network during dclk2-GFP zebrafish epiboly

It is known that the organization of microtubule (MT) networks in cells is orchestrated by subcellular structures named MT organizing centers (MTOCs). In this work, we use Light Sheet Fluorescence and Confocal Microscopy to investigate how the MT network surrounding the spherical yolk is arranged in the dclk2-GFP zebrafish transgenic line. We found that during epiboly the MT network is organized by multiple aster-like MTOCS. These structures form rings around the yolk sphere. Importantly, in wt embryos, aster-like MTOCs are only found upon pharmacological or genetic induction. Using our microscopy approach, we underscore the variability in the number of such asters in the transgenic line and report on the variety of global configurations of the yolk MT network. The asters’ morphology, dynamics, and their distribution in the yolk sphere are also analyzed. We propose that these features are tightly linked to epiboly timing and geometry. Key molecules are identified which support this asters role as MTOCs, where MT nucleation and growth take place. We conclude that the yolk MT network of dclk2-GFP transgenic embryos can be used as a model to organize microtubules in a spherical geometry by means of multiple MTOCs.This project and MB have received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 721537 “ImageInLife”. EG received funding from MINECO/FEDER Ramon y Cajal program (RYC-2015-17935). Authors also acknowledge financial sup- port from Fundació Privada Cellex, Fundación Mig-Puig; the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA program; the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the “Severo Ochoa” program for Centres of Excellence in R&D (CEX2019-000910-S) and from Laserlab-Europe EU-H2020 (871124). We thank Virginie Lecaudey, IZNF Germany, and Darren Gilmour, IMLS Switzerland, for the EB3-mCherry and γ-tubulin- TdTomato DNA constructs, Marina Mione, CIBIO, University of Trento, for the dclk2-GFP DNA construct and Esteban Hoijman, CRG Spain, for the DCX-GFP DNA construct. We thank Verena Ruprecht, CRG Spain, Jordi Andilla, ICFO, Spain, and Pilar Pujol, ICFO, Spain, for helpful discussions. We thank Senda Jiménez, CRG, Spain, all SLN-ICFO members, and ICFO Biology lab members for their supporPostprint (published version

Infraestructures socials a Catalunya : eficiència en les cessions amb destí a equipament públic

El concepte "d'equipament" sorgeix en el moment en que es necessita designar d'una mateixa manera un seguit d'elements espaials que fins al moment estaven dispersos en la seva concepció i tractament: escoles, centres esportius, hospitals...cal la necessitat política del control social perquè n'aparegui un terme per a la seva designació. Aquesta necessitat d'equipar la col·lectivitat va unida al desenvolupament del "estat del benestar". L'estat del benestar arriba a Espanya amb la democràcia, així el concepte "necessitat" té un recorregut curt. Ho fa prou evident la mateixa designació terminològica. Així com a Anglaterra es disposa de dos termes per a indicar “necessitat”, need i necessity, (com a allò que es necessita i d'alló que es va mancat, respectivament), o en Italià bisogno i necesitá; és simptomàtic alhora que erroni disposar només d'un terme a casa nostra per indicar significats tant diferents. Aquestes desadequacions s'agreugen amb l'assentament de la democràcia, que ha portat a un relaxament en la prestació de serveis públics a Espanya, però sobretot a Catalunya. Es parteix de l'equívoc de que amb l'esforç realitzat als anys 70 per suplantar els dèficits deixats pel període dictatorial, s'han assolit uns nivells prou bons d'infraestructures socials que ara només cal mantenir. Resulta imprescindible analitzar l'escenari on es construeix l'equipament públic, per desmentir o –en cas contrari- demostrar, l'actual ruptura entre els serveis d'equipaments existents i les necessitats de la societat d'avui.Postprint (published version

Water stress during the post-harvest period affects new root formation but not starch concentration and content in Chardonnay grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) perennial organs

Water stress responses during the post-harvest period were evaluated in a Chardonnay container-grown grapevines grafted onto 1103 Paulsen rootstock. The irrigation treatments were: a control treatment (C) (irrigated to match ETC demands) and a water stress treatment (WS) (irrigated when midday stem water potential reached a -1.1 MPa threshold). Photosynthesis, biomass and carbohydrate content were determined on five vines in each treatment on specific dates, from harvest until leaf fall. Stressed vines reduced leaf area due to defoliation, while well-watered vines had a higher carbon accumulation allowing the formation of new roots during the post-harvest period. No dry biomass accumulation was observed in the shoot and trunk organs after fruit harvest. Starch concentration and content were not affected by water stress. At the end of the experiment, starch concentrations were lower in the shoots and trunk than in the roots. Water stress induced a variation on biomass accumulation between above and below ground perennial organs, with the roots being the main organs in which biomass and starch concentrations were accumulated and kept, respectively.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy for the in vivo study of microtubule dynamics in the zebrafish embryo

During its first hours of development, the zebrafish embryo presents a large microtubule array in the yolk region, essential for its development. Despite of its size and dynamic behavior, this network has been studied only in limited field of views or in fixed samples. We designed and implemented different strategies in Light Sheet Fluorescence microscopy for imaging the entire yolk microtubule (MT) network in vivo. These have allowed us to develop a novel image analysis from which we clearly observe a cyclical re-arrangement of the entire MT network in synchrony with blastoderm mitotic waves. These dynamics also affect a previously unreported microtubule array deep within the yolk, here described. These findings provide a new vision of the zebrafish yolk microtubules arrangement, and offers novel insights in the interaction between mitotic events and microtubules reorganization.Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (Marie Sklodowska-Curie 721537); Laserlab-Europe (871124); Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (RYC-2015-17935); Generalitat de Catalunya (CERCA Program); Fundación Cellex (Fundación Mir-Puig); Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CEX2019-000910-S).Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Influenza Adverse Events in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ulcerative Colitis, or Psoriatic Arthritis in the Tofacitinib Clinical Development Programs

Gripe; Artritis psoriásica; Colitis ulcerosaInfluenza; Psoriatic arthritis; Ulcerative colitisGrip; Artritis psoriàsica; Colitis ulcerosaIntroduction This post hoc analysis evaluated influenza adverse events (AEs) across rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ulcerative colitis (UC), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) tofacitinib clinical programs. Methods Available data from phase 1, randomized phase 2/3/3b/4 clinical trials (completed by 2018), and long-term extension (LTE) studies (up to May 2019) in patients with RA, UC, and PsA were included [randomized or Overall (phase 1–3b/4 and LTE studies) tofacitinib cohorts]. Incidence rates (IRs; events per 100 patient-years) of combined influenza AEs (seasons 2004/2005 to 2018/2019) were analyzed, including by tofacitinib dose [5 or 10 mg twice daily (BID)] and age (< 65 versus ≥ 65 years). Logistic regression models evaluated risk factors for influenza AEs in the RA Overall tofacitinib cohort. Results In randomized cohorts, combined influenza AE IRs were generally similar across tofacitinib, adalimumab, methotrexate, and placebo groups, across indications. Among Overall tofacitinib cohorts, combined influenza AE IRs with tofacitinib 5/10 mg BID, respectively, were higher in the UC (3.66/5.09) versus RA (2.38/2.19) and PsA (1.74/1.29) cohorts. IRs were generally similar across tofacitinib dose and age groups. Most influenza AEs were nonserious and did not require changes to tofacitinib treatment. Significant risk factors for influenza AEs in patients with RA were geographic region, baseline oral corticosteroid and methotrexate use, and tofacitinib dose. Conclusions In the RA, UC, and PsA clinical programs, combined influenza AE IRs were highest in UC, while in each indication they were generally similar across tofacitinib, placebo, and comparator groups. Influenza AEs were predominantly nonserious and not associated with changes to tofacitinib treatment.This study was sponsored by Pfizer. Medical writing support was funded by Pfizer. The journal’s Rapid Service Fee for this article was also funded by Pfizer

Post-Harvest Regulated Deficit Irrigation in Chardonnay Did Not Reduce Yield but at Long-Term, It Could Affect Berry Composition

Future increases in temperatures are expected to advance grapevine phenology and shift ripening to warmer months, leaving a longer post-harvest period with warmer temperatures. Accumulation of carbohydrates occurs during post-harvest, and has an influence on vegetative growth and yield in the following growing season. This study addressed the possibility of adopting regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) during post-harvest in Chardonnay. Four irrigation treatments during post-harvest were applied over three consecutive seasons: (i) control (C), with full irrigation; (ii) low regulated deficit irrigation for sparkling base wine production (RDIL SP), from harvest date of sparkling base wine, irrigation when stem water potential (Ψstem) was less than −0.9 MPa; (iii) mild regulated deficit irrigation for sparkling base wine production (RDIM SP), from harvest date of sparkling base wine, irrigation when Ψstem was less than −1.25 MPa; (iv) mild regulated deficit irrigation for wine production (RDIM W), from harvest data of wine, irrigation when Ψstem was less than −1.25 MPa. Root starch concentration in full irrigation was higher than under RDI. Yield parameters did not differ between treatments, but differences in berry composition were detected. Considering that the desirable berry composition attributes of white varieties are high in titratable acidity, it would seem inappropriate to adopt RDI strategy during post-harvest. However, in a scenario of water restriction, it may be considered because there was less impact on yield and berry composition than if RDI had been adopted during pre-harvest.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio