Technological collaboration : bridging the innovation gap between small and large firms.

This paper analyses technological collaboration as an input to the innovation processes of SMEs. Technological collaboration may be a useful mechanism to offset some of the weaknesses in SMEs resource endowments and bring their innovation capabilities closer to that of their large counterparts. The results, based on a large longitudinal sample of Spanish manufacturing firms, show that technological collaboration is a critical factor in improving the capabilities and innovativeness of SMEs. While a general bridging of the gap between the innovativeness of SMEs and large firms was observed, the most significant advance was in product rather than process innovations.

The importance of diverse collaborative networks for the novelty of product innovation.

Competition today is driving firms to introduce products with a higher degree of novelty. Consequently, there is a growing need to understand the critical success factors behind more novel product innovations. This paper theoretically and empirically analyzes the role of different types of collaborative networks in achieving product innovations and their degree of novelty. Using data from a longitudinal sample of Spanish manufacturing firms, our results show that technological collaborative networks are of crucial importance in achieving a higher degree of novelty in product innovation. Continuity of collaboration and the composition of the collaborative network are highly significant dimensions. Collaboration with suppliers, clients and research organizations in this order have a positive impact on the novelty of innovation, while collaboration with competitors has a negative impact. The greatest positive impact on the degree of innovation novelty comes from collaborative networks comprising different types of partnersProduct innovation; Degree of novelty; Collaborative networks; Technological partner; Spain;

Technological collaboration : bridging the innovation gap between small and large firms

This paper analyses technological collaboration as an input to the innovation processes of SMEs. Technological collaboration may be a useful mechanism to offset some of the weaknesses in SMEs resource endowments and bring their innovation capabilities closer to that of their large counterparts. The results, based on a large longitudinal sample of Spanish manufacturing firms, show that technological collaboration is a critical factor in improving the capabilities and innovativeness of SMEs. While a general bridging of the gap between the innovativeness of SMEs and large firms was observed, the most significant advance was in product rather than process innovations

Novelty of product innovation : the role of different networks

In the current competitive scenario, firms are driven to introduce products with a higher degree of novelty. Consequently, there is a growing need to understand the critical success factors behind radical innovation. Specifically, this work empirically and theoretically analyses the role of different types of collaborative networks in achieving product innovation and, more precisely, the degree of novelty. Using a longitudinal data of Spanish manufacturing firms, our results show that the continuity on the co-operative strategy, the type of partner and the diversity of collaborative networks are critical factors in achieving a higher degree of novelty in product innovatio

Service innovation in manufacturing firms : evidence from Spain.

The ways in which manufacturing firms come to offer services to customers – servitisation or servicisation – are attracting considerable attention. This paper examines an innovation survey of Spanish firms in order to investigate one aspect of this phenomenon: the introduction of new or improved services by manufacturers. Specifically, the paper analyses the determinants of service innovations in manufacturers and determines whether they differ from those of product or process innovations in these same firms. The study finds that almost 20 percent of the firms in the sample have introduced such services in the recent past and that important differences exist between service and product (goods) innovations, with service innovations being particularly related to human resource development and closer links to customers. This suggests that service innovation by manufacturers has much in common with the innovation patterns detected in service sector firms. Intriguing differences across manufacturing sectors are also noted, with the lowest- and highest-tech sectors reporting more service innovations than the medium-tech sectorsInnovation; Manufacturing; Service; Servitisation;

Beyond formal R&D : taking advantage of other sources of innovation in low- and medium-technology industries.

This study deepens our knowledge of critical success factors in the innovation process of low- andmediumtechnology (LMT) industries. To accomplish this, it explores howthe innovation process in LMT firms may depend on non-formal R&D activities and the use of external sources. The empirical analysis is based on a representative panel of Spanish manufacturing firms. The results strongly support the view that non- R&D activities such as design, the use of advanced machinery and training are crucial to understanding the innovation process of any firm. The study finds, however, that the impact of these activities is especially important in LMT industries, particularly for the achievement of product innovations. The empirical evidence also reveals the importance of external sources such as the use of consultants, the hiring of personnel, collaboration agreements and external R&D, with the greatest differences between LMT and high-technology (HT) firms being observed in process innovationsLow- and medium-technology industries; Technological activities; External sources; Innovation outputs; Market characteristics;

Revisiting the Casimir Energy with General Boundary Conditions, and applications in 1D Crystals

Producción CientíficaWe obtain new expressions for the Casimir energy between plates that are mimicked by the most general possible boundary conditions allowed by the principles of quantum field theory. This result enables to provide the quantum vacuum energy for scalar fields propagating under the influence of a one-dimensional crystal represented by a periodic potential formed by an infinite array of identical potentials with compact support.MINECO (MTM2014-57129-C2-1-P) and Junta de Castilla y Leon (BU229P18 and VA137G18)

Role of regulatory T cells in recovery after brain ischemia

Stroke is the most common neurologic disease and it is an important mortality and disability cause. There is increasing evidence showing that inflammatory response is involved in physiopathology of stroke. One of the cells involved in this response are regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg), a subtype of lymphocytes with an important role in controlling and regulating immune system. Some experimental studies in animal models of brain ischemia proposed a beneficial effect of these cells, however, there are few studies about the role of these lymphocytes in patients with acute ischemic stroke. In this study, we studied the relationship between Treg levels and ischemic stroke outcome. For that purpose, we performed an animal and a clinical study. To study the effect of Treg in an animal model of brain ischemia we performed the next experiments. Firstly, administration of exogenous Treg two hours after ischemia reduced infarct volume and edema at short and long term. This treatment also increases levels of FoxP3 (a specific marker of Treg) within the brain compared to control animals (3.5±0.3 vs 2.3±0.3; p=0.015). Exogenous Treg treatment decreased proinflammatory markers in the brain, such as IL-1β (19.46±1.02 vs 25.92±2.58 pg/ml of total protein; p=0.048) and markers of active inflammation (CD68 and CD11b) compared to controls. There were not changes between treated and control animals regarding neurogenesis and angiogenesis markers. To verify the role of these cells, we administered a treatment with CD28SA (CD28 superagonists), which has previously demonstrated to induce endogenous Treg expansion. Treatment with CD28SA increased Treg levels in peripheral blood and decreased infarct volume in treated animals. We also administered anti-CD25, which has demonstrated to deplete Treg in previous studies. After treatment with anti-CD25, less than 30% of depletion of Treg was achieved in peripheral blood. Infarct volume, edema or FoxP3 and IL-1β levels were not modified in treated animals compared to controls. In the clinical study, we performed a prospective study including 204 patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke within 12 hours from symptom onset and 22 healthy controls. We found that stroke patients showed higher Treg levels at admission (0.0222±0.0177 vs 0.0013±0.0009 %; p<0.0001) and IL-10 seric levels (6.9±1.7 vs 1.8±1.1 pg/mL; p<0.0001) compared to healthy controls. Treg levels increased the first days after ischemic stroke (until day 3) and decreased at day 7. We also found that higher levels of Treg at 48 and 72 hours are related to good functional outcome at 3 months. Higher levels of Treg at 48 and 72 hours were also related to smaller infarct volume and less risk of early neurological deterioration. There is a correlation between Treg levels and IL-10 seric levels after ischemic stroke, showing that IL-10 production could be a mechanism implied in Treg function. Higher levels of Treg were not related with development of infections after stroke. In conclusion, Treg administration in an animal model of brain ischemia decreased infarct volume and edema, without affecting neurogenesis or angiogenesis. In patients, levels of Treg were related to IL-10 seric levels. Higher levels of these cells were related to a better functional outcome, smaller infarct volume, less risk of early neurological deterioration and there was no relationship with infections development. Based on our results, we proposed that expansion of Treg in acute phase of ischemic stroke, constitutes a potential therapeutic option to improve outcome in these patients

Estudi de viabilitat d'un village a Jacó, Costa Rica

Aquest projecte pretèn estudiar la viabilitat de la construcció d’un complex residencial hoteler a la població de Jacó, província de Puntaneras, Costa Rica (a la costa Pacífica). L’objectiu del projecte és definir un producte viable, part tant, haurà de ser innovador, en una zona encara no explotada, amb unes condicions político‐socials immillorables, ja que situem el nostre projecte a un país de Centre Amèrica sense corrupció ni inseguretat ciutadana. El producte va dirigit a un públic nord‐americà, principalment dels Estats Units i Canadà, països amb un alt poder adquisitiu, així com Nord Europa i Àsia. La metodologia utilitzada ha consistit en un estudi de la demanda turística del país, on observem que el turisme ecològic a cabanyes és el més demanat pels visitants del país. Amb l’anàlisi realitzada i la dada real de més de 2.200.000 visitants anuals de Costa Rica, definim que el nostre producte tindrà una previsió de captació de 3,5% d’aquests visitants. Aquesta dada que ens permetrà quantificar les despeses i els ingressos anuals, així com la dimensió que prendrà el nostre projecte. Per tal de no deixar de banda cap risc, realitzem un anàlisi DAFO on la principal debilitat és la forta inversió inicial, l’amenaça més gran és la competència de les àrees dels voltants, la nostra fortalesa és un producte innovador en un entorn per explotar amb una situació immillorable, i l’oportunitat de robar clients existents a la competència dels voltants. Amb l’anàlisi de Porter ratifiquem aquestes conclusions obtingudes. Per tal d’establir els ingressos i despeses anuals es realitza un profund estudi de mercat, per tal de conèixer els preus de la competència i poder dissenyar la nostra estratègia de preus. En base a l’estudi de mercat definim un complex amb instal∙lacions d’esbarjo, piscina, gimnàs, etc., amb tres tipus de cabanyes i habitacions dobles, amb la particularitat de dissenyar zones separades i una zona comú per als visitants adults que s’allotgen sense nens i aquells que ho fan amb nens petits. El projecte tindrà un cost de construcció de $31.110.205 USD que engloba el preu del solar. Amb aquest import, i les despeses ($8.342.826 USD) i ingressos anuals ($14.333.550 USD), calculem les variables econòmiques, obtenint una TIR de 17,6pay‐back de 4,21 anys, i un VAN de$22.172.825 USD (després d’impostos). Xifres amb les quals concloem la viabilitat del projecte per un alt benefici i alta rendibilitat, així com un període de retorn de l’inversió molt interessant per als nostres inversors

Creating Connection: Group Expressive Arts Therapy with Incarcerated Women

The lived experience of incarceration isolates, disconnects, and retraumatizes women. Correctional mental health services fall short of adequately accounting for the pervasive histories of trauma and victimization that characterize the lives of most women prior to arrival in prison. The immediacy of the need to address this issue is underscored by steadily climbing rates of incarceration for women. The expressive arts are uniquely suited to the correctional environment wherein they provide alternative outlets for emotional expression, often stigmatized and perceived as unsafe. This research explored the use of a group expressive arts therapy method integrating psychodrama, visual art and collaborative poetry to enhance connection and ameliorate the negative impacts of incarceration among inmates with serious mental illness and histories of trauma. The method was implemented in a milieu treatment setting at a women’s medium security prison. Participants engaged in two hour-long sessions facilitated by a third-year expressive arts therapy intern. The method focused on the enhancement of perceived intra- and extra-institutional relational connection. Participants demonstrated new insight into their relationships, engaged in prosocial behavior and implemented problem-solving skills through the visual art-making and creative writing processes. The method elicited positive memories of past treatment and group engagement and reinforced the strength of current relational bonds. This research has implications for future use of the expressive therapies as means for better serving the gendered needs of incarcerated women with mental illness and histories of victimization