Distance-Based Methods: Ripley’s K function vs. K density function

In this paper, we propose an analytical and methodological comparison between two of the most known distance-based methods in the evaluation of the geographic concentration of economic activity. These two methods are Ripley’s K function, a cumulative function popularised by Marcon and Puech (2003) that counts the average number of neighbours of each point within a circle of a given radius, and K density function, a probability density function of point-pair distances introduced by Duranton and Overman (2005), which considers the distribution of distances between pairs of points. To carry out this comparison, we first apply both methodologies to an exhaustive database containing Spanish manufacturing establishments and we evaluate the spatial location patterns obtained from both analysis. After an initial analysis, we realise that although these functions have always been treated as substitutes they should be considered as complementary, as both cumulative function and probability density function provide relevant and necessary information about the distribution of activity in space. Therefore, our next step will be to assess what are the advantages and disadvantages of each methodology from a descriptive and analytical way.

How To Bring the Work of a Science Park to Its Territory

Science parks have become useful instruments in transferring knowledge from universities to the industry. On the other hand, some studies have affirmed that technology transfer activities and results can be encouraged by geographical proximity between companies and university premises and people. If this is true, it would be useful to set up science park satellite sites near selected geographical areas. A few science parks have actually have done this. However, research in this field is scarce and anecdotic. We qualitatively explored this field, using the case of the University of Valencia’s Science Park. Our work provides and tests a methodology to help with the decision to set up a science park satellite site, consisting of three questions: why, what and how. Our work also highlights some key issues related to the viability of this kind of decision.Los parques científicos se han mostrado como instrumentos útiles a la hora de transferir el conocimiento de las universidades a la industria. Por otro lado, algunos estudios afirman que las actividades para transferir tecnología y sus resultados pueden ser estimulados por la proximidad geográfica entre las instalaciones y personal de empresas y universidad. Si esto fuera cierto, sería útil establecer sedes filiales de los parques científicos en determinadas áreas geográficas. Unos pocos parques científicos lo han hecho. No obstante, la investigación en este campo es escasa y anecdótica. Este artículo explora este campo de manera cualitativa, usando el caso del Parque Científico de la Universidad de Valencia. Nuestro trabajo aporta y chequea una metodología para ayudar en la toma de las decisiones sobre el establecimiento de sedes filiales de parques científicos, consistente en tres preguntas: para qué, qué y cómo. Nuestro trabajo hace aflorar también algunas cuestiones clave sobre la viabilidad de este tipo de decisiones

Distance-Based Methods: Ripley's K function vs. K density function

In this paper, we propose an analytical and methodological comparison between two of the most known distance-based methods in the evaluation of the geographic concentration of economic activity. These two methods are Ripley's K function, a cumulative function popularised by Marcon and Puech (2003) that counts the average number of neighbours of each point within a circle of a given radius, and K density function, a probability density function of point-pair distances introduced by Duranton and Overman (2005), which considers the distribution of distances between pairs of points. To carry out this comparison, we first apply both methodologies to an exhaustive database containing Spanish manufacturing establishments and we evaluate the spatial location patterns obtained from both analysis. After an initial analysis, we realise that although these functions have always been treated as substitutes they should be considered as complementary, as both cumulative function and probability density function provide relevant and necessary information about the distribution of activity in space. Therefore, our next step will be to assess what are the advantages and disadvantages of each methodology from a descriptive and analytical way

Epidemiology of salmonellosis in sow units of Catalonia (Spain)

A bacteriological study aimed to the detection of sows excreting Salmonella was carried out in 74 sow units. Individual faecal samples were collected and a detailed questionnaire was filled in each farm and the data gathered were used in a bivariate logistic regression analysis to determine risk factors for Salmonella positivity. In 18 farms (24.32 %) Salmonella carriers were detected. Of the total 1480 samples analysed, 50 were positive (3.38 %), accounting for 11 different serotypes. Within positive farms, 13.8 % of sows were positive. Epidemiologic analysis of the results showed three main risk factors: to have open-flushed drainage of slurry, rodent control, and the number of sows in the unit. Our results showed that, in infected farms, the proportion of sows actively excreting Salmonella was considerably high (3.38 %). This fact, and the risk factors detected should be taken into account when designing effective plans for the control of salmonellosis in sows

Comparison of two commercial ELISA for the diagnosis of salmonellosis in swine

Three hundred and sixty-one pig sera collected in farms of Catalonia were randomly selected from a serum bank. Samples were examined by using two commercial ELISA kits. Results were compared with the kappa value using WinEpiscope. Besides, sample/positive ratios (S/P) were calculated. Comparison of results of both ELISA yielded a poor agreement (kappa 0.191), indicating that both ELISA did not measure the same. In addition, when raw optical densities were compared by means of a regression analysis, the results indicated a low correlation (r = 0.54 ). The results of this study clearly indicate that results of both kits are not interchangeable and that normalization of results by using S/P ratios did not serve to improve the agreement between tests. From our results, it is tempting to suggest that Salmotype detects a greater number of IgM positive pigs. The nature of these IgMs (salmonella-specific or not) is not known to us at this moment

How To Bring the Work of a Science Park to Its Territory

Science parks have become useful instruments in transferring knowledge from universities to the industry. On the other hand, some studies have affirmed that technology transfer activities and results can be encouraged by geographical proximity between companies and university premises and people. If this is true, it would be useful to set up science park satellite sites near selected geographical areas. A few science parks have actually have done this. However, research in this field is scarce and anecdotic. We qualitatively explored this field, using the case of the University of Valencia’s Science Park. Our work provides and tests a methodology to help with the decision to set up a science park satellite site, consisting of three questions: why, what and how. Our work also highlights some key issues related to the viability of this kind of decision

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella isolated pig carriers

Ninety-six Salmonella isolates from healthy carrier pigs were obtained from a survey in pig farms of Catalonia (Spain). Isolates were serotyped and examined for their antimicrobial susceptibility against a panel of 18 antimicrobial agents. Only isolates having different phenotypic and antimicrobial susceptibility characteristics were considered. With this restriction, we considered to have 62 different strains belonging to 17 serotypes. The most common serotype was Anatum (16.1 %) followed by Rissen (14.5 %), Typhimurium (11.3 %), Derby (9.7 %), Tilburg (8.1 %), Goldcoast (8.1 %) and Typhimurium variant 4,5,12:i:- (6.5 %). Others 10 serotypes were also isolated less than three times each. Antimicrobial susceptibility analysis showed that the highest level of resistance was against tetracycline (68.8 %). Sixty-two percent of the strains showed resistance to three or more antimicrobial agents and 46% were resistant to five or more drugs. The maximum number of compounds to which two strains were resistant was 10 (corresponding to a 4,5,12:i:- strain). None of the strains was resistant to colistin or ceftriaxone and 12 strains were susceptible to all antimicrobial agents tested

Antibody Response Induced by BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 Vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 in a Cohort of Healthcare Workers

The aim of this study was to characterize the antibody response induced by SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in a cohort of healthcare workers. A total of 2247 serum samples were analyzed using the Elecsys(®) Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-test (Roche Diagnostics International Ltd., Rotkreuz, Switzerland). Sex, age, body mass index (BMI), arterial hypertension, smoking and time between infection and/or vaccination and serology were considered the confounding factors. Regarding the medians, subjects previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 who preserved their response to the nucleocapsid (N) protein showed higher humoral immunogenicity (BNT162b2: 6456.0 U/mL median; mRNA-1273: 2505.0 U/mL) compared with non-infected (BNT162b2: 867.0 U/mL; mRNA-1273: 2300.5 U/mL) and infected subjects with a lost response to N protein (BNT162b2: 2992.0 U/mL). After controlling for the confounders, a higher response was still observed for mRNA-1273 compared with BNT162b2 in uninfected individuals (FC = 2.35, p < 0.0001) but not in previously infected subjects (1.11 FC, p = 0.1862). The lowest levels of antibodies were detected in previously infected non-vaccinated individuals (39.4 U/mL). Clinical variables previously linked to poor prognoses regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as age, BMI and arterial hypertension, were positively associated with increasing levels of anti-S protein antibody exclusively in infected subjects. The mRNA-1273 vaccine generated a higher antibody response to the S protein than BNT162b2 in non-infected subjects only

Neurocognitive profile of the post-COVID condition in adults in Catalonia. A mixed method prospective cohort and nested case-control study: Study Protocol

The diagnosis of the post-COVID condition is usually achieved by excluding other diseases; however, cognitive changes are often found in the post-COVID disorder. Therefore, monitoring and treating the recovery from the post-COVID condition is necessary to establish biomarkers to guide the diagnosis of symptoms, including cognitive impairment. Our study employs a prospected cohort and nested case-control design with mixed methods, including statistical analyses, interviews, and focus groups. Our main aim is to identify biomarkers (functional and structural neural changes, inflammatory and immune status, vascular and vestibular signs and symptoms) easily applied in primary care to detect cognitive changes in post-COVID cases. The results will open up a new line of research to inform diagnostic and therapeutic decisions with special considerations for cognitive impairment in the post-COVID condition