Is estimation error overhyped? Simulations with different optimization procedures

CEM

Is estimation error overhyped? Simulations with different optimization procedures

CEM

Characterization of Factors Predicting a Favorable Opinion of Research Applications Submitted for an Ethical Review Process

Introduction: In Spain, biomedical research applications must receive a positive ethical opinion from Research Ethics Committees (RECs) before being executed. There is limited information on how to optimize the ethical review process to reduce delays. This study was performed to characterize variables predicting favorable opinions at the first ethical review performed by a REC. Material and Methods: The study assessed all research applications revised by a REC in 2019–2020. Data was extracted from REC’s database of La Rioja, Spain. Variables collected covered three areas: (i) principal investigator’s profile; (ii) study design; and (iii) ethical review process. A model based on multiple logistic regression analysis was created to identify variables explaining favorable opinions in first rounds of ethical review processes. Results: The sample included 125 applications (41 submitted in 2019, and 84 in 2020). At the first review, nine (7%) applications were rejected, 56 (45%) were approved, and the remaining 60 (48%) required at least two reviews prior to approval. When comparing both years, a 2-fold increase in the number of applications submitted, and a difference in the ratio of applications with a favorable vs. non-favorable opinion were observed. Furthermore, a model predicted 71% of probability of obtaining a favorable opinion in the first ethical review. Three variables appeared as being explanatory: if the principal investigator is either the group leader or the department’s head (OR = 17.39; p < 0.001), and if the informed consent (OR = 11.79; p = 0.01), and methods and procedures (OR = 34.15; p < 0.001) are well done. Conclusions: These findings confirm an increase in the number of submissions and a difference in the ratio of applications approved by year. Findings observed also confirm deficiencies in “informed consent” and in “methods and procedures” are the two main causes of delay for favorable ethical opinions. Additionally, findings highlight the need that group leaders and heads of departments should be more involved in guiding and supervising their research teams, especially when research applications are led by less experienced researchers. Based on these findings, it is suggested that an adequate mentoring and targeted training in research could derive in more robust research applications and in smoother ethical review processes.Call for Aids - Autonomous Government of La Rioja, Spain COV21-DONAC1/id.proy.1110Rioja Health Foundation FRS-CEIMLAR-202

Establishing a growth strategy for a start-up : the Selfie Stick Portugal case

Selfie Stick Portugal was launched in December 2014, after selfies became a worldwide phenomenon, and social networks part of everyone’s daily life in Portugal. Even though customers could already find the product online, Selfie Stick Portugal enjoyed a first mover advantage by being the first selling the Selfie Stick in a physical store in Portugal. Nevertheless, new competitors soon started arising in the market, and some were even offering lower prices while selling their products in a similar packaging as Selfie Stick Portugal, making the product look, at a first sight, exactly the same and the price difference unjustifiable. Being the Selfie Stick a one-time purchase product it was crucial to milk the business as much and fast as possible, before competitors started increasing their market share. As a start-up with limited capital available, Selfie Stick Portugal had a tough decision ahead: either to invest in a new Shop Spot in Norte Shopping or in the repackaging of its products with an exclusive design.A Selfie Stick Portugal foi lançada em Dezembro de 2014, depois do fenómeno das selfies e das redes sociais começarem a fazer parte do dia-a-dia dos portugueses. Embora o Selfie Stick pudesse, até aí, ser comprado online, a empresa usufruiu de uma vantagem competitiva ao ser a primeira a entrar no mercado português com uma loja física. Novos concorrentes surgiram entretanto no mercado e iniciaram a comercialização deste produto, alguns deles oferecendo preços mais baixos e até uma embalagem semelhante à da Selfie Stick Portugal, pelo que à primeira vista os produtos pareciam totalmente iguais não se justificando, para os clientes, a diferença de preço. Considerando o Selfie Stick como produto de compra única, era essencial que a empresa atingisse o máximo número de pessoas o mais rapidamente possível, antes dos concorrentes começarem a ganhar quota de mercado. Sendo uma start-up, o capital detido pela Selfie Stick Portugal era ainda limitado pelo que era necessário tomar uma decisão respeitante à estratégia de crescimento da empresa: ou investir numa nova Spot Shop localizada no Norte Shopping, ou numa nova embalagem com um design exclusivo capaz de diferenciar à 1ªvista o Selfie Stick Portugal do Selfie Stick da oferecido pela concorrência

Comprometidos con las personas ciegas y con baja visión de América Latina: 25 años trabajando por su inclusión social

A través de este artículo, queremos presentar el trabajo que, desde hace ya 25 años, realiza una organización como la Fundación ONCE para la Solidaridad con Personas Ciegas de América Latina en favor de su inclusión social y como claro compromiso de la ONCE para hacer extensiva su solidaridad fuera de nuestras fronteras. Acompáñanos en este viaje, que tiene como destino final una región plural, diversa y donde, entre todos, seamos capaces de generar más y mejores oportunidades para no dejar a nadie atrás. La Fundación ONCE para la Solidaridad con las Personas Ciegas de América Latina es fruto del convencimiento del Grupo Social ONCE de que un mundo más justo e inclusivo es posible. Esa convicción lleva a la creación, en 1998, de una fundación para contribuir a la inclusión social de personas con discapacidad visual en la región latinoamericana, y extender así la labor solidaria que siempre ha caracterizado a una organización como la ONCE

The Clinical Relevance of Cement Volume in Percutaneous Vertebral Augmentation

Introduction: Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty are two forms of percutaneous vertebral augmentation (PVA), in which polymethylmethacrylate cement is used to stabilize vertebral compression fractures (VCF). This study sought to evaluate the relationship between cement volume and clinical outcomes, including pain reduction, opioid use, and complication rate. Methods: Retrospective chart review produced 88 patients who received PVA at a tertiary care outpatient pain clinic. Cement volume, type of PVA, gender, level (thoracic vs lumbar) were collected, as well as clinical outcomes of numeric pain score (NPS) reduction, opioid percent change (OPC), and complications. Both pre-procedure and post-procedure (between 2-4 weeks) data were collected. Results: Sixty-four patients (72.7%) had statistically significant NPS reduction of ≥50% pain (p Conclusion: Cement volume does not correlate with clinical outcomes of NPS reduction or OPC. Furthermore, our study reinforced PVA as a beneficial treatment for reducing pain and opioid consumption in patients with painful VCF

O impacto das mudanças tecnológicas nas estruturas organizacionais

Mestrado em Gestãoinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio