Application of the war of attrition game to the analysis of intellectual property disputes

In many developing countries intellectual property infringement and the commerce of pirate goods is an entrepreneurial activity. Digital piracy is very often the only media for having access to music, cinema, books and software. At the same time, bio-prospecting and infringement of indigenous knowledge rights by international consortiums is usual in places with high biodiversity. In these arenas transnational actors interact with local communities. Accusations of piracy often go both ways. This article analyzes the case of southeast Mexico. Using a war of attrition game theory model it explains different situations of intellectual property rights piracy and protection. It analyzes different levels of interaction and institutional settings from the global to the very local. The article proposes free IP zones as a solution of IP disputes. The formation of technological local clusters through Free Intellectual Property Zones (FIPZ) would allow firms to copy and share de facto public domain content for developing new products inside the FIPZ. Enforcement of intellectual property could be pursuit outside of the FIPZ. FIPZ are envisioned as a new type of a sui generis intellectual property regime

Valoración de la funcionalidad, el dolor y la satisfacción tras realizar un programa de escuela de espalda en pacientes con lumbalgia crónica

[Resumen] En el Servicio de Rehabilitación del Hospital Universitario De Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, se imparte en la actualidad un programa de escuela de espalda para pacientes con lumbalgia crónica inespecífica, al cual acuden 90 pacientes aproximadamente al mes. El actual contexto socio-económico aplaude este tipo de intervenciones grupales ya que se disminuyen costes en recursos humanos y se trata un mayor volumen de pacientes en menos tiempo. El difícil tratamiento de la lumbalgia crónica y la falta de evidencia científica determinante sobre el mejor tratamiento para la misma justifican la realización de diferentes estudios que esclarezcan la terapia más efectiva. Objetivos. Lo que se pretende con este trabajo es valorar el programa de Escuela de Espalda del Hospital De Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín en los pacientes con lumbalgia crónica inespecífica, analizando y comparando la evolución del dolor subjetivo (test EVA) y la incapacidad funcional por dolor lumbar (escala de Roland-Morris) al inicio y al final del programa. Simultáneamente se observará y valorará el grado de satisfacción de los pacientes una vez finalizado el programa. Metodología. El estudio será de tipo quasi-experimental donde se recogerán datos antes del inicio y al finalizar la intervención. Se recogerán datos de tipo demográfico y de interés, datos referentes a la representación del dolor al inicio y al final de la intervención mediante una escala visual analógica (EVA) y datos procedentes del cuestionario de discapacidad física por dolor lumbar de Roland Morris. Al finalizar el programa de escuela de espalda se recogerá información referente a la satisfacción de los sujetos respecto al protocolo de tratamiento y educación recibidos. Finalmente se procede al estudio estadístico descriptivo e inferencial de los datos con el fin de obtener unos resultados y conclusiones que posteriormente serán difundidos y publicados.[Abstract] In the Rehabilitation Service of the University Hospital De Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín is taught now a back school program for patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain, which draws approximately 90 patients per month. The current socio-economic context applauds group interventions such as costs decrease in HR and a greater volume of patients in less time involved. The difficult treatment of chronic low back pain and lack of decisive scientific evidence on the best treatment for the same warrant conducting various studies that clarify the most effective therapy. Objectives. The aim of this paper is to assess the Back School program Dr Negrin Hospital De Gran Canaria in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain, analyzing and comparing the evolution of subjective pain (test VAS) and functional disability for back pain (Roland-Morris) at the beginning and end of the program. Be observed simultaneously and assess the degree of patient satisfaction after the program ended. Methodology. The study is quasi-experimental data where prior to the start and end of the intervention will be collected. And demographic information such interest, information relating to the representation of pain at the beginning and end of the intervention using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and data from the physical disability questionnaire will be collected by Roland Morris back pain. At the end of the back school program information regarding the satisfaction of subjects regarding the treatment protocol and education received will be collected. Finally was the descriptive and inferential statistical analysis of the data in order to obtain results and conclusions that will later be broadcast and published.Traballo fin de mestrado (UDC.FCS). Asistencia e investigación sanitaria. Especialidade en investigación clínica. Curso 2013/201

Community-oriented Service-Learning: A university experience for preventing cannabis abuse in vulnerable adolescents and young people

Learning integrated into community action promotes a more active citizenry. More specifically, service-learning (S-L) embedded into higher education can represent a big challenge yet also an opportunity to involve the whole university community in social and community development. This paper addresses this teaching method by identifiying and reviewing the different components that define S-L, that is: civic engagement, social responsibility, civic education, partnership, and reflection. The ways in which S-L can be introduced into the curriculum are explained, through detailing experiences already carried out in the teaching of psychology. Current available data on its efficacy in university education are analyzed. The focus now turns to a university experience involving Community Psychology students across Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. During this experience, students on both programmes make their final-year projects to develop a prevention resource aimed at young people at high risk of problematic cannabis use. Ultimately, this program not only teaches students the principles of Community Psychology but also give them an opportunity to put them into practice

Types of organizational culture and sustainability in ecotourism businesses in southern Mexico

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of the relationship between different types of organizational culture (hierarchical, clan or group, market or rational and adhocratic) and sustainability through three dimensions (economic, environmental and social) in ecotourism businesses in Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico. Design/methodology/approach: In this research 80 questionnaires were administered in the form of face-to-face interviews to ecotourism business owners'. Through a discriminant analysis and the theoretical support of the competing values framework (CVF), the prevailing types of culture were identified, and their influence was analysed through a regression analysis. Findings: The results show that ecotourism businesses which are driven by hierarchical culture tend to have a greater focus on economic sustainability, while those businesses with a market or rational culture show a positive and significant influence on environmental sustainability. Likewise, businesses with adhocratic culture achieve sustainability holistically; however, the data reveal that clan or group culture is not associated with social sustainability. Originality/value: This study offers empirical research that explains the relationship between organizational culture and sustainability. Additionally, it contributes to the study of environmental management issues in the ecotourism sector

La Participación Ciudadana en la Obra Pública Municipal. Estudio de Caso: Los Comités Ciudadanos de Control y Vigilancia del Municipio de Toluca Estado de México, en el periodo 2009-2012

Se analizan y evaluan los aspectos de capacitación, operación, funcionamiento y grado de participación del ciudadano como contralor social, dentro de los Comités Ciudadanos de Control y Vigilancia (COCICOVI) en las obras públicas del municipio de Toluca, en el periodo 2009-2012

Analysis of the utilization of blast furnace slag as recycled aggregates in self-compacting concrete

In this article, a study for investigating the effects of replacing the aggregate of selfcompacting concrete by blast furnace slag has been carried out. Different mixes have been made by substituting the fine and coarse aggregates. The fracture energy, the tensile strength and the compressive strength have been tested. The remaining properties of selfcompacting, or the absence of them, have been observed. This research can find goals such as decreasing the price of aggregates, reducing the industrial waste and attenuating the rate of consumption of natural resources. The results show that the self-compacting property is gradually lost as the slag content is increased, so – when the ratio of replacement is low – the concrete keeps the selfconsolidating properties. However, these losses affect to the mechanical properties.Universidad de Sevilla. Grado en Ingeniería Civi

Capital structure across Italian regions: the role of financial and economic differences

The objective of this article is to analyse how regional financial and economic differences influence the capital structure decisions of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Specifically, this paper considers the regional financial and economic differences in four ways: the development of the financial sector in the region, bank market concentration, the financial cost of obtaining funds, and regional economic development. For this purpose, we used unbalanced panel data from 26,504 SMEs across the 20 Italian regions and over the period from 2004 to 2010. This work is completed with an analysis of a no-crisis (2004–2007) and a crisis period (2008–2010). The results show that the regional differences in the degree of financial sector development, banking concentration, and local economic situations have a significant impact on the leverage level of SMEs, while the cost of obtaining funds is only relevant during a period of economic stability. These results suggest that insights can be derived from data disaggregation at the regional level inside the same country. These regional divergences in the capital structure of SMEs could influence regional economic resilience