Weakening political connections by means of regulatory reform: Evidence from contracting out water services in Spain

One area of public policy where rent-seeking and favoritism is relatively common is the contracting out of public services. Private firms can improve their chances of obtaining contracts by bribing politicians or public servants and funding political parties. In the same vein, firms can gain access to policymakers by hiring influential former politicians—a practice commonly referred to as revolving-doors. In this paper, we use information from 922 privatizations of water services in Spanish municipalities between 1984 and 2016 and multinomial logistic regression techniques to study the association between specific firms securing contracts and the political parties ruling the municipalities. We find robust statistical evidence of an association between the Popular Party (Partido Popular or PP) and the firm Aqualia, part of the large Spanish holding company Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC), which is known to have funded the Popular Party. Furthermore, former PP politicians have been appointed to top positions in the FCC Board of Directors. However, this relationship weakened after the institutional reform of 2007 on public procurement and financing of political parties, which is empirically evaluated in this paper

Causes of prehospital misinterpretations of ST elevation myocardial infarction

Objectives: To determine the causes of software misinterpretation of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) compared to clinically identified STEMI to identify opportunities to improve prehospital STEMI identification. Methods: We compared ECGs acquired from July 2011 through June 2012 using the LIFEPAK 15 on adult patients transported by the Los Angeles Fire Department. Cases included patients ≥18 years who received a prehospital ECG. Software interpretation of the ECG (STEMI or not) was compared with data in the regional EMS registry to classify the interpretation as true positive (TP), true negative (TN), false positive (FP), or false negative (FN). For cases where classification was not possible using registry data, 3 blinded cardiologists interpreted the ECG. Each discordance was subsequently reviewed to determine the likely cause of misclassification. The cardiologists independently reviewed a sample of these discordant ECGs and the causes of misclassification were updated in an iterative fashion. Results: Of 44,611 cases, 50% were male (median age 65; inter-quartile range 52–80). Cases were classified as 482 (1.1%) TP, 711 (1.6%) FP, 43371 (97.2%) TN, and 47 (0.11%) FN. Of the 711 classified as FP, 126 (18%) were considered appropriate for, though did not undergo, emergent coronary angiography, because the ECG showed definite (52 cases) or borderline (65 cases) ischemic ST elevation, a STEMI equivalent (5 cases) or ST-elevation due to vasospasm (4 cases). The sensitivity was 92.8% [95% CI 90.6, 94.7%] and the specificity 98.7% [95% CI 98.6, 98.8%]. The leading causes of FP were ECG artifact (20%), early repolarization (16%), probable pericarditis/myocarditis (13%), indeterminate (12%), left ventricular hypertrophy (8%), and right bundle branch block (5%). There were 18 additional reasons for FP interpretation (<4% each). The leading causes of FN were borderline ST-segment elevations less than the algorithm threshold (40%) and tall T waves reducing the ST/T ratio below threshold (15%). There were 11 additional reasons for FN interpretation occurring ≤3 times each. Conclusion: The leading causes of FP automated interpretation of STEMI were ECG artifact and non-ischemic causes of ST-segment elevation. FN were rare and were related to ST-segment elevation or ST/T ratio that did not meet the software algorithm threshold

Is eco-efficiency in greenhouse gas emissions converging among European Union countries?

Eco-efficiency refers to the ability to produce more goods and services with less impact on the environment and less consumption of natural resources. This issue has become a matter of concern that is receiving increasing attention from politicians, scientists and researchers. Furthermore, greenhouse gases emitted as a result of production processes have a marked impact on the environment and are also the foremost culprit of global warming and climate change. This paper assesses convergence in eco-efficiency in greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union. Eco-efficiency is assessed at both country and greenhouse-gas-specific levels using Data Envelopment Analysis techniques and directional distance functions, as recently proposed by Picazo-Tadeo et al. (Eur J Oper Res, 220:798–809, 2012). Convergence is then evaluated using the Phillips and Sul (Econometrica, 75:1771–1855, 2007) approach that allows testing for the existence of convergence groups. Although the results point to the existence of different convergence clubs depending on the specific pollutant considered, they signal the existence of at least four clear groups of countries. The first two groups are core European Union high-income countries (Benelux, Germany, Italy, Austria, the United Kingdom and Scandinavian countries). A third club is made up of peripheral countries (Spain, Ireland, Portugal and Greece) together with some Eastern countries (Latvia and Slovenia), while the remaining clubs consist of groups containing Eastern European countries

«Oberexia»: The desire to be fat(ter) in adults with excess weight

Introduction: Despite of being scarce, evidence is growing on the existence of a group of overweight and obese individuals who do not consider their weight a risk factor for disease and who associate their weight and body with health, vigor, beauty and well-being. Consequently, they manifest a desire to maintain or even increase their weight. We propose an attempt of nomenclature, Oberexia, for this new social reality, and we describe its main characteristics and present empirical observational findings supporting the existence of this condition. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence and characteristics of Oberexia in a national sample of Spanish 16 to 60-years-old adults. Methodology: Perceptions of body weight/size/shape and composition, and body satisfaction were assessed in overweight and obese adults through silhouettes, questions and discrepancies. Results: One in ten of the participants self-perceived their body as normal in weight or size. A total of 6.5% wanted to have overweight or obese bodies. A case-to-case analysis revealed that 4.2% of the participants wanted to maintain their appearance, and 1.8% wanted a body with greater weight. All these findings are related to fat mass instead of muscle mass. Conclusions: Our results support the existence of a subgroup of overweight and obese individuals who differ from the traditional subgroup of individuals with excess weight who are dissatisfied with their body. We encourage to explore the outcomes on health and the possible clinical implications of this condition.Introducción: Aunque escasa, existe evidencia creciente sobre la existencia de un grupo de personas con sobrepeso y obesidad que no consideran su exceso de peso un factor de riesgo para la enfermedad y asocian su peso y su cuerpo con salud, vigor, belleza y bienestar. Como consecuencia, manifiestan el deseo mantener o incluso incrementar su peso. Realizamos una propuesta de nomenclatura para esta realidad social, Oberexia, describimos sus principales características y presentamos resultados empíricos observacionales que apoyan la existencia de esta condición. Objetivo: Nuestro objetivo fue explorar la prevalencia y características de la Oberexia en una muestra nacional de adultos españoles de 16 a 60 años. Metodología: Las percepciones de peso/tamaño/forma y composición corporal de personas con sobrepeso y obesidad y su satisfacción corporal fueron evaluadas utilizando siluetas, preguntas y discrepancias. Resultados: Uno de cada diez participantes percibió su cuerpo como normal en términos de peso y tamaño. Un 6.5% de los participantes con exceso de peso quería tener cuerpos con sobrepeso u obesidad. Un análisis caso-a-caso reveló que el 4.2% de los participantes deseaba mantener su apariencia, y el 1.8% deseaba aumentar de peso. Un 3% de los participantes podrían ser casos de Oberexia. Estos hallazgos se refieren a masa grasa y no a masa muscular. Conclusiones: Nuestros resultados apoyan la existencia de un subgrupo de personas con exceso de peso que difieren del tradicional subgrupo de individuos obesos que se encuentran insatisfechos con su cuerpo. Es momento de explorar las consecuencias para la salud de la Oberexia y las posibles implicaciones clínicas de esta condición.Introdução: Apesar de escassas, crescem as evidências sobre a existência de um grupo de pessoas com sobrepeso e obesidade que não consideram o excesso de peso um fator de risco para a doença e associam seu peso e corpo com saúde, vigor, beleza e bem-estar. Consequentemente, eles manifestam o desejo de manter ou mesmo aumentar seu peso. Fizemos uma proposta de nomenclatura para essa realidade social, Oberexia, descrevemos suas principais características e apresentamos resultados empíricos observacionais que sustentam a existência dessa condição. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi explorar a prevalência e as características de Oberexia em uma amostra nacional de adultos espanhóis de 16 a 60 anos. Metodologia: As percepções de peso/tamanho/forma e composição corporal de pessoas com sobrepeso e obesidade e sua satisfação corporal foram avaliadas por meio de silhuetas, perguntas e discrepâncias. Resultados: Um em cada dez participantes percebeu seu corpo como normal em termos de peso ou tamanho. Um 6.5% dos participantes com excesso de peso desejava ter corpos com sobrepeso ou obesidade. Uma análise caso-a-caso revelou que 4.2% dos participantes queriam manter a aparência e 1.8% desejavam ganhar peso. Un 3% dos participantes poderia ser casos de Oberexia. Todos esses achados referem-se à massa gorda e não à massa muscular. Conclusões: Nossos resultados confirmam a existência de um subgrupo de indivíduos com sobrepeso e obesidade que diferem do subgrupo tradicional de indivíduos com excesso de peso insatisfeitos com seu corpo. É momento de explorar as consequências para a saúde de a Oberexia e as possíveis implicações clínicas dessa condição

The Proper Splicing of RNAi Factors Is Critical for Pericentric Heterochromatin Assembly in Fission Yeast

Heterochromatin preferentially assembles at repetitive DNA elements, playing roles in transcriptional silencing, recombination suppression, and chromosome segregation. The RNAi machinery is required for heterochromatin assembly in a diverse range of organisms. In fission yeast, RNA splicing factors are also required for pericentric heterochromatin assembly, and a prevailing model is that splicing factors provide a platform for siRNA generation independently of their splicing activity. Here, by screening the fission yeast deletion library, we discovered four novel splicing factors that are required for pericentric heterochromatin assembly. Sequencing total cellular RNAs from the strongest of these mutants, cwf14Δ, showed intron retention in mRNAs of several RNAi factors. Moreover, introducing cDNA versions of RNAi factors significantly restored pericentric heterochromatin in splicing mutants. We also found that mutations of splicing factors resulted in defective telomeric heterochromatin assembly and mis-splicing the mRNA of shelterin component Tpz1, and that replacement of tpz1+ with its cDNA partially rescued heterochromatin defects at telomeres in splicing mutants. Thus, proper splicing of RNAi and shelterin factors contributes to heterochromatin assembly at pericentric regions and telomeres

TWO-SCALE MODELLING OF THE CONCENTRATION POLARIZATION IN A REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANE

Abstract In the design and control of reverse osmosis desalination plants, the clean water flux, which passes through the membranes, is the most important variable. Flux depends on several parameters, such as the membrane permeability or the temperature, but mainly on the salt concentration on the membrane surface. The salt concentration is easily measured in the bulk of the feed, but not on the membrane surface, where it should be estimated. The concentration polarization creates an unwanted increase of the salt concentration between the bulk side and the membrane surface. The polarization effect is due to the convective transport of salt molecules by the water flow to the boundary layer of the membrane, and their subsequent blockage by the membrane itself. A correct estimation of the concentration polarization is fundamental to predict the clean water flux, and finally, to be able to carry out a good design and control of the desalination plant. Several models have been proposed in the literature to calculate the concentration polarization (or the salt concentration on the membrane surface). This paper presents a new model, which aims to solve some of the disadvantages of the previous models

Avaliação da germinação de sementes de capim-annoni-2 submetido a diferentes níveis de sombreamento.

O capim-annoni-2 (Eragrostis plana Ness) é uma planta perene da família das gramíneas, considerada uma invasora agressiva de pastagens na região sul do Brasil com alta produção de sementes que conservam o poder germinativo por vários anos no solo.Número especial. Trabalho 1122. Edição dos Resumos do 19º Congresso Brasileiro de Sementes, Foz do Iguaçu, set. 2015

Structural Basis for the Aminoacid Composition of Proteins from Halophilic Archea

In order to survive in highly saline environments, proteins from halophilic archea have evolved with biased amino acid compositions that have the capacity to reduce contacts with the solvent

Clinical pregenetic screening for stroke monogenic diseases: Results from lombardia GENS registry

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Lombardia GENS is a multicentre prospective study aimed at diagnosing 5 single-gene disorders associated with stroke (cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy, Fabry disease, MELAS [mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes], hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy, and Marfan syndrome) by applying diagnostic algorithms specific for each clinically suspected disease METHODS: We enrolled a consecutive series of patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke or transient ischemic attack admitted in stroke units in the Lombardia region participating in the project. Patients were defined as probable when presenting with stroke or transient ischemic attack of unknown etiopathogenic causes, or in the presence of <3 conventional vascular risk factors or young age at onset, or positive familial history or of specific clinical features. Patients fulfilling diagnostic algorithms specific for each monogenic disease (suspected) were referred for genetic analysis. RESULTS: In 209 patients (57.4\ub114.7 years), the application of the disease-specific algorithm identified 227 patients with possible monogenic disease. Genetic testing identified pathogenic mutations in 7% of these cases. Familial history of stroke was the only significant specific feature that distinguished mutated patients from nonmutated ones. The presence of cerebrovascular risk factors did not exclude a genetic disease. CONCLUSIONS: In patients prescreened using a clinical algorithm for monogenic disorders, we identified monogenic causes of events in 7% of patients in comparison to the 1% to 5% prevalence reported in previous series