Inflación Internacional Relevante para Costa Rica

This document analyzes different measures of international inflation and their influence on the domestic inflation. We found that these measurements have a statistical significant effect on the behavior of domestic inflation. Therefore the evolution of the international inflation must be considered when assessing the inflation target stated by monetary authority. The international inflation calculated using the weight of exports to different markets is the most relevant international inflation both in levels and in differences for the case of Costa Rica. Another element that the Central Bank should take into account when setting its inflation target is the fact that for the period 2001-2010 the different relevant measures of international inflation for Costa Rica lie in the range of 3% and 4%

Fomento de la flexibilidad matemática a través de una secuencia de tareas de modelización

El fomento de la flexibilidad y adaptabilidad en resolución de problemas matemáticos favorece el desarrollo de la competencia matemática. En este estudio se describe y justifica el diseño de una secuencia de tareas de modelización que permite analizar la flexibilidad inter-tarea en los estudiantes. El objetivo central del estudio es analizar si los estudiantes son capaces de adaptar sus planes de resolución según aspectos relativos al contexto de la tarea, cambiando de estrategia de una tarea a otra, si estos aspectos varían. En el estudio han participado 110 estudiantes del grado de Maestro/a en Educación Primaria; los resultados permiten conocer en qué medida son flexibles los estudiantes y saben adaptar sus planes de resolución a las tareas, y concluir que la flexibilidad inter-tarea puede promoverse a través de determinadas secuencias de tareas de modelización. The promotion of flexibility and adaptability in mathematical problem solving fosters the development of mathematical competence. This study describes and justifies the design of a sequence of modelling tasks that allows the analysis of inter-task flexibility in students. The central objective of the study is to analyse whether students are able to adapt their resolution plans according to aspects related to the task context, changing their strategy from one task to another, if these aspects vary. The study involved 110 students of the Primary Education Teacher grade; the results allow us to understand to what extent the students are flexible and know how to adapt their resolution plans to the tasks, as well as to conclude that inter-task flexibility can be promoted through certain modelling task sequences

Inflación Internacional Relevante para Costa Rica

This document analyzes different measures of international inflation and their influence on the domestic inflation. We found that these measurements have a statistical significant effect on the behavior of domestic inflation. Therefore the evolution of the international inflation must be considered when assessing the inflation target stated by monetary authority. The international inflation calculated using the weight of exports to different markets is the most relevant international inflation both in levels and in differences for the case of Costa Rica. Another element that the Central Bank should take into account when setting its inflation target is the fact that for the period 2001-2010 the different relevant measures of international inflation for Costa Rica lie in the range of 3% and 4%

COMPARATIVE DISSOLUTION STUDIES OF WARFARIN SODIUM TABLETS: INFLUENCE OF AGITATION RATE, DISSOLUTION MEDIUM, AND USP APPARATUS

Objective: The aim of this study was to carry out comparative dissolution studies with warfarin sodium reference tablets under the hydrodynamic environments generated by the USP basket and paddle apparatus and flow-through cell using different agitation rates and dissolution media. Methods: Dissolution profiles were obtained with the USP basket and paddle apparatus at 50, 75, and 100 rpm and 900 ml of water as dissolution medium. After this, dissolution profiles of warfarin sodium were obtained with the USP paddle apparatus and flow-through cell method using 0.1 N hydrochloric acid, acetate buffer pH 4.5, phosphate buffer pH 6.8, and water. Spectrophotometric determination at 308 nm was carried out during 30 min. Dissolution profiles were compared with model-independent and model-dependent approaches. Results: Significant differences were found with mean dissolution time and dissolution efficiency at 50 and 75 rpm (*P<0.05). Makoid-Banakar was the best-fit model used to describe the in vitro release performance of warfarin sodium with 50-100 rpm and the USP basket and paddle apparatuses. Significant differences in all calculated parameters were found (*P<0.05) excepting percent dissolved at 30 min with 0.1 N hydrochloric acid and phosphate buffer pH 6.8. Conclusion: More research is necessary to identify the in vitro release performance of poorly soluble drugs under available USP apparatuses considering factors as agitation rate and kind of dissolution media. The knowledge of the in vitro release performance of reference drug products is important for the design of better generic formulation

Televisión digital en 2010: El reto de la interoperabilidad

En este artículo se plantea la situación actual de despliegue de la televisión digital en España desde el punto de vista de la necesaria interoperabilidad que debe haber entre los eslabones de la cadena de valor en un mercado horizontal, con especial atención, por una parte, a la navegación y la presentación de la información de programación y, por otra, a la accesibilidad de las personas con discapacidad. Los patentes problemas de interoperabilidad existentes se han producido a pesar de la existencia de un completo conjunto de disposiciones legales y normas técnicas, lo que sugiere la necesidad además de laboratorios de interoperabilidad que supongan un punto de encuentro entre los actores del sector, con el apoyo de las administraciones públicas (Utray 2009: 211‐225

Proyecto Como en casa

El presente proyecto consiste en el desarrollo de un emprendimiento digital que ofrece comida casera y permite que amas de casa, con gran talento para cocinar, puedan conectarse con un grupo importante de clientes. Asimismo, se muestra la viabilidad de su implementación en base a la investigación que realizamos en los distritos de Lima Moderna. Esto nos permitió detectar que los jóvenes desean una alternativa distinta a la que ofrecen los aplicativos de delivery, en su mayoría comida procesada y de esta forma poder obtener una comida casera y balanceada. Además, se identificó un segmento de amas de casa que tienen el deseo de incrementar sus ingresos, que han sido afectadas en el aspecto económico por la pandemia y que además tienen grandes habilidades culinarias que pueden aprovechar. Para la implementación del proyecto previamente se realizó un análisis del mercado potencial y se elaboraron experimentos para validar las partes del modelo de negocio: canales, segmentos de clientes, relación con los clientes, actividades clave, compañeros claves, estructura de costos y las fuentes de ingreso. Por otro lado, se elaboró un Plan de marketing, Plan de fidelización y un Plan Financiero. Los cuales tienen como finalidad reafirmar la viabilidad del proyecto. Como resultado, luego de una inversión inicial de 15 475 soles en el primer año de operaciones se obtendrá una utilidad neta de 5 600 soles, 65.000 soles para el segundo año y 144 000 soles para el tercer año.This project consists of the development of a digital entrepreneurship that offers homemade food and allows housewives, with great cooking talent, to connect with an important group of clients. Likewise, the feasibility of its implementation is shown based on the research we carried out in the districts of Modern Lima. This allowed us to detect that young people want a different alternative to the one offered by delivery applications, mostly processed food, and in this way to be able to obtain a homemade and balanced meal. In addition, a segment of housewives was identified who have the desire to increase their income, who have been affected economically by the pandemic, and who also have great culinary skills that they can take advantage of. For the implementation of the project, an analysis of the potential market was previously carried out and experiments were developed to validate the parts of the business model: channels, customer segments, relationship with customers, key activities, key partners, cost structure, and sources of entry. On the other hand, a Marketing Plan, a Loyalty Plan, and a Financial Plan were drawn up. Which are intended to reaffirm the viability of the project. As a result, after an initial investment of 11,993 soles in the first year of operations, a net profit of 5,600 soles will be obtained, 65,000 soles for the second year, and 144,000 soles for the third year.Trabajo de investigació

Towards new recommendations to reduce the burden of alcohol-induced hypertension in the European Union

Background: Hazardous and harmful alcohol use and high blood pressure are central risk factors related to premature non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality worldwide. A reduction in the prevalence of both risk factors has been suggested as a route to reach the global NCD targets. This study aims to highlight that screening and interventions for hypertension and hazardous and harmful alcohol use in primary healthcare can contribute substantially to achieving the NCD targets. Methods: A consensus conference based on systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical guidelines, experimental studies, and statisticalmodelling which had been presented and discussed in five preparatory meetings, was undertaken. Specifically, we modelled changes in blood pressure distributions and potential lives saved for the five largest European countries if screening and appropriate intervention rates in primary healthcare settings were increased. Recommendations to handle alcohol-induced hypertension in primary healthcare settings were derived at the conference, and their degree of evidence was graded. Results: Screening and appropriate interventions for hazardous alcohol use and use disorders could lower blood pressure levels, but there is a lack in implementing these measures in European primary healthcare. Recommendations included (1) an increase in screening for hypertension (evidence grade: high), (2) an increase in screening and brief advice on hazardous and harmful drinking for people with newly detected hypertension by physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals (evidence grade: high), (3) the conduct of clinical management of less severe alcohol use disorders for incident people with hypertension in primary healthcare (evidence grade: moderate), and (4) screening for alcohol use in hypertension that is not well controlled (evidence grade: moderate). The first three measures were estimated to result in a decreased hypertension prevalence and hundreds of saved lives annually in the examined countries. Conclusions: The implementation of the outlined recommendations could contribute to reducing the burden associated with hypertension and hazardous and harmful alcohol use and thus to achievement of the NCD targets. Implementation should be conducted in controlled settings with evaluation, including, but not limited to, economic evaluation.Peer reviewe

Axicabtagene ciloleucel compared to tisagenlecleucel for the treatment of aggressive B-cell lymphoma

Axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) and tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel) are CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells approved for relapsed/refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). We performed a retrospective study to evaluate safety and efficacy of axi-cel and tisa-cel outside the setting of a clinical trial. Data from consecutive patients with R/R LBCL who underwent apheresis for axi-cel or tisa-cel were retrospectively collected from 12 Spanish centers. A total of 307 patients underwent apheresis for axi-cel (n=152) and tisa-cel (n=155) from November 2018 to August 2021, of which 261 (85%) received a CAR T infusion (88% and 82%, respectively). Median time from apheresis to infusion was 41 days for axi-cel and 52 days for tisa-cel (P =0.006). None of the baseline characteristics were significantly different between both cohorts. Both cytokine release syndrome and neurologic events (NE) were more frequent in the axi-cel group (88% vs. 73%, P =0.003, and 42% vs. 16%, P <0.001, respectively). Infections in the first 6 months post-infusion were also more common in patients treated with axi-cel (38% vs. 25%, P =0.033). Non-relapse mortality was not significantly different between the axi-cel and tisa-cel groups (7% and 4%, respectively, P =0.298). With a median follow-up of 9.2 months, median PFS and OS were 5.9 and 3 months, and 13.9 and 11.2 months for axi-cel and tisa-cel, respectively. The 12-month PFS and OS for axi-cel and tisa-cel were 41% and 33% (P =0.195), 51% and 47% (P =0.191), respectively. Factors associated with lower OS in the multivariate analysis were increased lactate dehydrogenase, ECOG ≥2 and progressive disease before lympho-depletion. Safety and efficacy results in our real-world experience were comparable with those reported in the pivotal trials. Patients treated with axi-cel experienced more toxicity but similar non-relapse mortality compared with those receiving tisa-cel. Efficacy was not significantly different between both products

Relevance of gastrointestinal manifestations in a large Spanish cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: what do we know?

SLE can affect any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. GI symptoms are reported to occur in >50% of SLE patients. To describe the GI manifestations of SLE in the RELESSER (Registry of SLE Patients of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology) cohort and to determine whether these are associated with a more severe disease, damage accrual and a worse prognosis. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide, retrospective, multicentre, cross-sectional cohort study of 3658 SLE patients who fulfil =4 ACR-97 criteria. Data on demographics, disease characteristics, activity (SLEDAI-2K or BILAG), damage (SLICC/ACR/DI) and therapies were collected. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between lupus patients with and without GI damage to establish whether GI damage is associated with a more severe disease. RESULTS: From 3654 lupus patients, 3.7% developed GI damage. Patients in this group (group 1) were older, they had longer disease duration, and were more likely to have vasculitis, renal disease and serositis than patients without GI damage (group 2). Hospitalizations and mortality were significantly higher in group 1. Patients in group 1 had higher modified SDI (SLICC Damage Index). The presence of oral ulcers reduced the risk of developing damage in 33% of patients. CONCLUSION: Having GI damage is associated with a worse prognosis. Patients on a high dose of glucocorticoids are at higher risk of developing GI damage which reinforces the strategy of minimizing glucocorticoids. Oral ulcers appear to decrease the risk of GI damage. © The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology