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Luis Robles

Universidad Estatal a Distancia (uned-cr, Educacion Social, Graduate Student

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i'm student the social education and intersenting me everything related with the social world and it's improvements.

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The University of Texas at Austin

University of California, Santa Barbara

Harvard University

Fortis Escorts Heart Institute

University College Cork

Javier Díaz Noci

Pompeu Fabra University

Katherine Butler Schofield

King's College London

Lancaster University

Alejandra B Osorio

Wellesley College

University of Exeter

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Papers by Luis Robles

La belleza de la experiencia. Jesús Alcoba: del design thinking a la galletita de la suerte

Contact Center Call Center & IP solutions, 2019

Finding Pure Nash Equilibrium for the Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem

Computación y Sistemas, 2015

The paper focuses on solving the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling (RCPS) problem with a me... more The paper focuses on solving the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling (RCPS) problem with a method based on intelligent agents. Parallelism for performing the tasks is allowed. Common and limited resources are available to all agents. The agents are non-cooperative and compete with each other for the use of common resources, thereby forming instances of RCPS problem. We analyze the global joint interaction of scheduling via a congestion network and seek to arrive at stable assignments of scheduling. For this class of network, stable assignments of scheduling correspond to a pure Nash equilibrium, and we show that in this case there is a guarantee of obtaining a pure Nash equilibrium in polynomial time complexity. The pure Nash equilibrium point for this congestion network will be a local optimum in the neighborhood structure of the projects, where no project can improve its completion time without negatively affecting the completion time of the total system. In our case, each state of the neighborhood represents an instance of the RCPS problem, and for solving such problem, we apply a novel greedy heuristic. It has a polynomial time complexity and works similar to the well-knowing heuristic NEH.

Active segment of the 12 November 2003 Mw 5.6 earthquake at Salsipuedes oceanic basin, Gulf of California. Mexico

Geofísica Internacional, 2014

Fuzzy Graph Associated to a Leontief's IO Matrix

In inter-industry studies, the coefficients of the production function matrices have been analyze... more In inter-industry studies, the coefficients of the production function matrices have been analyzed with different techniques in order to recognize in some way those coefficients that can be considered to be important for an economy. Many criticisms have been posed to the procedures, the most remarkable one being their lack of connectivity with the values of the absolute flows behind the coefficients. In our approach, we define the importance of a coefficient as a fuzzy concept, and the grade of importance takes into account those absolute flows. This grade can be considered as a membership function, which is used to define a fuzzy graph associated to an I-O matrix. We apply this new procedure to the Spanish 2000 I-O matrix and compare our results to those reached by classical methods.

I-O Coefficients Importance: A Fuzzy Logic Approach

International Journal of Uncertainty, Fuzziness and Knowledge-Based Systems, 2011

In inter-industry studies, the technical coefficients have been analyzed with different methods i... more In inter-industry studies, the technical coefficients have been analyzed with different methods in order to recognize those coefficients that can be considered to be important for an economy. Many critics have been posed to the procedures, the most remarkable one being their lack of connectivity with the values of the absolute flows behind the coefficients. In our approach, we define the importance of a technical coefficient as a fuzzy concept, and the grade of importance takes into account those absolute flows. This grade can be considered as a membership function, which is used to define a fuzzy graph associated to the I-O matrix. We apply this new procedure to the Spanish 2000 I-O matrix and compare our results to those reached by classical methods.

Market Interdependence and Volatility Transmission Among Major Crops

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2014

This paper examines volatility transmission between corn, wheat and soybeans markets in the US. W... more This paper examines volatility transmission between corn, wheat and soybeans markets in the US. We follow a multivariate GARCH approach to evaluate the level of interdependence and the dynamics of volatility across these major crops on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. The period of analysis is 1998 through 2012. Preliminary results indicate lack of cross-market dependence between corn, wheat and soybeans price returns at the mean level. We find, however, important volatility spillovers across commodities, particularly on a weekly basis. Corn, and in lower extent wheat, seem to play a major role in terms of spillover effects. Additionally, we do not observe that agricultural markets have become more interdependent in recent years, despite the apparent higher financial market integration of agricultural commodities.

Doñana. Acta vertebrata. vol 15(1)

La relación entre la longitud total y el peso tot.al (P) se ha estudiado para cada sexo y el tota... more

A Pharmacovigilance Application of Social Media Mining: An Ensemble Approach for Automated Classification and Extraction of Drug

LatinX in AI at Neural Information Processing Systems Conference 2021, 2021

Land market distortions: Theory and evidence from Guatemala

Farm size and land allocation are important factors in explaining lagging agricultural productivi... more Farm size and land allocation are important factors in explaining lagging agricultural productivity in developing countries. This paper formally examines the effect of land market distortions on the allocation of land across farmers and overall agricultural productivity. We first develop a theoretical framework to model the optimal size distribution of farms and assess to what extent market distortions can explain non-optimal land allocation and output inefficiency. We then calibrate the model to the case of Guatemala and evaluate potential drivers of the distortions across locations. We find that aggregate agricultural productivity across regions is over the range of 54-95% of the efficient output for different major crops considered. We evaluate alternative factors correlated with these distortions and provide some policy recommendations to improve efficiency. Acknowledgement : We thank the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE) and the Secretaria de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutri...

Una medición del impacto del Programa de Capacitación Laboral Juvenil PROJoven

El presente documento presenta una medición de impacto del programa de capacitación laboral juven... more El presente documento presenta una medición de impacto del programa de capacitación laboral juvenil PROJoven. Se utilizó información socio-laboral de una muestra de beneficiarios y un conjunto de individuos que conformaron el grupo de control. Esta información fue recogida antes de iniciados los cursos de capacitación de la sexta convocatoria (línea de base) y después de seis meses de concluido el programa por parte de los jóvenes beneficiarios (primera medición de salida). La muestra total de beneficiarios disponible para la evaluación fue de 1,018, representando poco menos del 30% del total de jóvenes atendidos en la sexta convocatoria de PROJoven. Asimismo, se contó con información para 1,561 potenciales controles, es decir, individuos que poseen características comparables a las de los beneficiarios pero que no fueron parte del programa. El objetivo es comparar la nueva situación económica de los beneficiarios, como consecuencia de su participación en PROJoven, con la situación ...

II. In Vivo Basilar Membrane Mechanics at the Base of the Cochlea 1308

A. Scope of the review 1306

Una propuesta metodológica para la identificación de categorías de paisajes culturales patrimoniales en la región noroeste de Corrientes

ADNea, 2021

En el trabajo se propone delinear un proceso metodológico para el abordaje del estudio de los pai... more En el trabajo se propone delinear un proceso metodológico para el abordaje del estudio de los paisajes culturales de la región noroeste de Corrientes, de ocupación colonial española que por sus características es una de las más antiguas de la provincia. Esta región presenta ciertas particularidades naturales que, a través del tiempo, han condicionado fuertemente la historia de los asentamientos humanos establecidos en ella. Los paisajes culturales resultantes de su evolución son similares y, por tanto, comparables. Se pretende, a través de la metodología propuesta, arribar a la definición de categorías de paisaje que pudieran ser claramente identificables y comparables en la región, así como destacar su valor como bien patrimonial.

Insurance opportunities against weather risks for the rural poor

A s climate variability gains prominence in the international policy agenda, public and private s... more A s climate variability gains prominence in the international policy agenda, public and private sectors alike are increasingly considering strategies to cope with its economic and social consequences. In turn, the general public-faced with a growing number of extreme weather events and natural hazards-is beginning to demand concrete action. One sector where climate variability and its associated risk have the most damaging impact is the rural economy, 1 in particular smallholder farmers. This chapter outlines some of the adverse effects that climate variability has on the rural economy and describes how different insurance mechanisms can contribute to reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience to weather risks. Weather and the Rural Sector Agricultural production and its associated value chains are at the center of rural economies. In both developed and developing countries, agricultural production is directly tied to weather variables such as rainfall, temperature, humidity, and wind. When extreme weather conditions occur, agricultural production typically suffers and in some cases may be lost completely. Year after year, unexpected weather extremes are a constant in several regions of the globe, with devastating effects on agricultural production and rural livelihoods. Prolonged droughts in the Horn of Africa and US Midwest, extensive floods in the Philippines and North India, abnormally low temperatures in Japan and the United States, and heat waves in Australia and Europe are recent examples. In addition, some extreme weather events allow pests and diseases to flourish, potentially crippling agricultural production over vast regions. 1 For quantitative estimates of the impact of climate change on agriculture, see Nelson et al. (2013).

2ºC. Los retos tras la COP 21

Micromachining of Smart Materials using Laser Beam Micromachining Process

Motor Neuron Disease in a Patient With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Too Much Bad Luck

Cureus, 2021

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) share some clinical... more Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) share some clinical findings. Hence, motor neuron disease (MND) should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with signs and symptoms of CSM. This unique case demonstrates the coexistence of both conditions in the same patient. The author reports the case of a 74-year-old male who initially underwent posterior cervical decompression and instrumented fusion for cervical myelopathy. He demonstrated postoperative improvement followed subsequently by unexplained neurological deterioration. A repeat MRI showed adequate decompression of the cervical cord and persistence of T2 hyperintense signal in the spinal cord. Based on the presence of signs and symptoms of lower motor neuron disease, electromyography (EMG) was performed demonstrating findings of MND. The presence of MND in a patient with CSM is unique and can be difficult to diagnose based on overlapping symptoms. This case highl...

Germline CDH1 G212E Missense Variant: Combining Clinical, In Vitro and In Vivo Strategies to Unravel Disease Burden

Cancers, 2021

E-cadherin, encoded by CDH1, is an essential molecule for epithelial homeostasis, whose loss or a... more E-cadherin, encoded by CDH1, is an essential molecule for epithelial homeostasis, whose loss or aberrant expression results in disturbed cell–cell adhesion, increased cell invasion and metastasis. Carriers of CDH1 germline mutations have a high risk of developing diffuse gastric cancer and lobular breast cancer, associated with the cancer syndrome Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC). The ubiquitous availability of cancer panels has led to the identification of an increasing amount of “incidental” CDH1 genetic variants that pose a serious clinical challenge. This has sparked intensive research aiming at an accurate classification of the variants and consequent validation of their clinical relevance. The present study addressed the significance of a novel CDH1 variant, G212E, identified in an unusually large pedigree displaying strong aggregation of diffuse gastric cancer. We undertook a comprehensive pipeline encompassing family data, in silico predictions, in vitro assays and i...

Managerial entrenchment and corporate social responsibility engagement: the role of economic policy uncertainty

Journal of Management and Governance, 2021

The behavioral theory of corporate governance is employed to investigate the relationship between... more The behavioral theory of corporate governance is employed to investigate the relationship between managerial entrenchment and corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement. Effective corporate governance is argued to reduce managerial entrenchment, thereby increasing CSR engagement. The role of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) is investigated as a moderating variable in this relationship, such that high levels of EPU will increase the impact of entrenchment on CSR engagement. These arguments are supported using a panel of 386 US firms from 2011 to 2018 representing 3,088 firm-year observations in a variety of industries. In supplementary analysis, the CSR measure is disaggregated in order to provide further insight regarding these relationships as they pertain to the individual CSR dimensions under study. Findings inform research regarding the entrenchment-CSR link in particular environmental contexts. Practical implications include potential governance guidelines for boards of directors; stakeholder management given the policy environment; and the impact of government decisions as they affect policy uncertainty, firm actions, and CSR engagement.

New DPYD variants causing DPD deficiency in patients treated with fluoropyrimidine

Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, 2020

Purpose Several clinical guidelines recommend genetic screening of DPYD, including coverage of th... more Purpose Several clinical guidelines recommend genetic screening of DPYD, including coverage of the variants c.1905 + 1G>A(DPYD*2A), c.1679T>G(DPYD*13), c.2846A>T, and c.1129-5923C>G, before initiating treatment with fluoropyrimidines. However, this screening is often inadequate at predicting the occurrence of severe fluoropyrimidineinduced toxicity in patients. Methods Using a complementary approach combining whole DPYD exome sequencing and in silico and structural analysis, as well as phenotyping of DPD by measuring uracilemia (U), dihydrouracilemia (UH 2), and the UH 2 /U ratio in plasma, we were able to characterize and interpret DPYD variants in 28 patients with severe fluoropyrimidine-induced toxicity after negative screening. Results Twenty-five out of 28 patients (90%) had at least 1 variant in the DPYD coding sequence, and 42% of the variants (6/14) were classified as potentially deleterious by at least 2 of the following algorithms: SIFT, Poly-Phen-2, and DPYD varifier. We identified two very rare deleterious mutations, namely, c.2087G>A (p.R696H) and c.2324T>G (p.L775W). We were able to demonstrate partial DPD deficiency, as measured by the UH 2 /U ratio in a patient carrying the variant p.L775W for the first time. Conclusion Whole exon sequencing of DPYD in patients with suspicion of partial DPD deficiency can help to identify rare or new variants that lead to enzyme inactivation. Combining different techniques can yield abundant information without increasing workload and cost burden, thus making it a useful approach for implementation in patient care.

The olivocochlear reflex strength in awake chinchillas is relevant for behavioural performance during visual selective attention with auditory distractors

Scientific Reports, 2020

The auditory efferent system comprises descending projections from the cerebral cortex to subcort... more The auditory efferent system comprises descending projections from the cerebral cortex to subcortical nuclei, reaching the cochlear receptor through olivocochlear fibres. One of the functions attributed to this corticofugal system is to suppress irrelevant sounds during selective attention to visual stimuli. Medial olivocochlear neurons can also be activated by sounds through a brainstem reflex circuit. Whether the individual variability of this reflex is related to the cognitive capacity to suppress auditory stimuli is still controversial. Here we propose that the individual strength per animal of the olivocochlear reflex is correlated with the ability to suppress auditory distractors during visual attention in awake chinchillas. The olivocochlear reflex was elicited with a contralateral broad-band noise at ~ 60 dB and ipsilateral distortion product otoacoustic emissions were obtained at different frequencies (1–8 kHz). Fourteen chinchillas were evaluated in a behavioural protocol ...

La belleza de la experiencia. Jesús Alcoba: del design thinking a la galletita de la suerte

Contact Center Call Center & IP solutions, 2019

Finding Pure Nash Equilibrium for the Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem

Computación y Sistemas, 2015

The paper focuses on solving the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling (RCPS) problem with a me... more The paper focuses on solving the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling (RCPS) problem with a method based on intelligent agents. Parallelism for performing the tasks is allowed. Common and limited resources are available to all agents. The agents are non-cooperative and compete with each other for the use of common resources, thereby forming instances of RCPS problem. We analyze the global joint interaction of scheduling via a congestion network and seek to arrive at stable assignments of scheduling. For this class of network, stable assignments of scheduling correspond to a pure Nash equilibrium, and we show that in this case there is a guarantee of obtaining a pure Nash equilibrium in polynomial time complexity. The pure Nash equilibrium point for this congestion network will be a local optimum in the neighborhood structure of the projects, where no project can improve its completion time without negatively affecting the completion time of the total system. In our case, each state of the neighborhood represents an instance of the RCPS problem, and for solving such problem, we apply a novel greedy heuristic. It has a polynomial time complexity and works similar to the well-knowing heuristic NEH.

Active segment of the 12 November 2003 Mw 5.6 earthquake at Salsipuedes oceanic basin, Gulf of California. Mexico

Geofísica Internacional, 2014

Fuzzy Graph Associated to a Leontief's IO Matrix

In inter-industry studies, the coefficients of the production function matrices have been analyze... more In inter-industry studies, the coefficients of the production function matrices have been analyzed with different techniques in order to recognize in some way those coefficients that can be considered to be important for an economy. Many criticisms have been posed to the procedures, the most remarkable one being their lack of connectivity with the values of the absolute flows behind the coefficients. In our approach, we define the importance of a coefficient as a fuzzy concept, and the grade of importance takes into account those absolute flows. This grade can be considered as a membership function, which is used to define a fuzzy graph associated to an I-O matrix. We apply this new procedure to the Spanish 2000 I-O matrix and compare our results to those reached by classical methods.

I-O Coefficients Importance: A Fuzzy Logic Approach

International Journal of Uncertainty, Fuzziness and Knowledge-Based Systems, 2011

In inter-industry studies, the technical coefficients have been analyzed with different methods i... more In inter-industry studies, the technical coefficients have been analyzed with different methods in order to recognize those coefficients that can be considered to be important for an economy. Many critics have been posed to the procedures, the most remarkable one being their lack of connectivity with the values of the absolute flows behind the coefficients. In our approach, we define the importance of a technical coefficient as a fuzzy concept, and the grade of importance takes into account those absolute flows. This grade can be considered as a membership function, which is used to define a fuzzy graph associated to the I-O matrix. We apply this new procedure to the Spanish 2000 I-O matrix and compare our results to those reached by classical methods.

Market Interdependence and Volatility Transmission Among Major Crops

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2014

This paper examines volatility transmission between corn, wheat and soybeans markets in the US. W... more This paper examines volatility transmission between corn, wheat and soybeans markets in the US. We follow a multivariate GARCH approach to evaluate the level of interdependence and the dynamics of volatility across these major crops on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. The period of analysis is 1998 through 2012. Preliminary results indicate lack of cross-market dependence between corn, wheat and soybeans price returns at the mean level. We find, however, important volatility spillovers across commodities, particularly on a weekly basis. Corn, and in lower extent wheat, seem to play a major role in terms of spillover effects. Additionally, we do not observe that agricultural markets have become more interdependent in recent years, despite the apparent higher financial market integration of agricultural commodities.

Doñana. Acta vertebrata. vol 15(1)

La relación entre la longitud total y el peso tot.al (P) se ha estudiado para cada sexo y el tota... more

A Pharmacovigilance Application of Social Media Mining: An Ensemble Approach for Automated Classification and Extraction of Drug

LatinX in AI at Neural Information Processing Systems Conference 2021, 2021

Land market distortions: Theory and evidence from Guatemala

Farm size and land allocation are important factors in explaining lagging agricultural productivi... more Farm size and land allocation are important factors in explaining lagging agricultural productivity in developing countries. This paper formally examines the effect of land market distortions on the allocation of land across farmers and overall agricultural productivity. We first develop a theoretical framework to model the optimal size distribution of farms and assess to what extent market distortions can explain non-optimal land allocation and output inefficiency. We then calibrate the model to the case of Guatemala and evaluate potential drivers of the distortions across locations. We find that aggregate agricultural productivity across regions is over the range of 54-95% of the efficient output for different major crops considered. We evaluate alternative factors correlated with these distortions and provide some policy recommendations to improve efficiency. Acknowledgement : We thank the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE) and the Secretaria de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutri...

Una medición del impacto del Programa de Capacitación Laboral Juvenil PROJoven

El presente documento presenta una medición de impacto del programa de capacitación laboral juven... more El presente documento presenta una medición de impacto del programa de capacitación laboral juvenil PROJoven. Se utilizó información socio-laboral de una muestra de beneficiarios y un conjunto de individuos que conformaron el grupo de control. Esta información fue recogida antes de iniciados los cursos de capacitación de la sexta convocatoria (línea de base) y después de seis meses de concluido el programa por parte de los jóvenes beneficiarios (primera medición de salida). La muestra total de beneficiarios disponible para la evaluación fue de 1,018, representando poco menos del 30% del total de jóvenes atendidos en la sexta convocatoria de PROJoven. Asimismo, se contó con información para 1,561 potenciales controles, es decir, individuos que poseen características comparables a las de los beneficiarios pero que no fueron parte del programa. El objetivo es comparar la nueva situación económica de los beneficiarios, como consecuencia de su participación en PROJoven, con la situación ...

II. In Vivo Basilar Membrane Mechanics at the Base of the Cochlea 1308

A. Scope of the review 1306

Una propuesta metodológica para la identificación de categorías de paisajes culturales patrimoniales en la región noroeste de Corrientes

ADNea, 2021

En el trabajo se propone delinear un proceso metodológico para el abordaje del estudio de los pai... more En el trabajo se propone delinear un proceso metodológico para el abordaje del estudio de los paisajes culturales de la región noroeste de Corrientes, de ocupación colonial española que por sus características es una de las más antiguas de la provincia. Esta región presenta ciertas particularidades naturales que, a través del tiempo, han condicionado fuertemente la historia de los asentamientos humanos establecidos en ella. Los paisajes culturales resultantes de su evolución son similares y, por tanto, comparables. Se pretende, a través de la metodología propuesta, arribar a la definición de categorías de paisaje que pudieran ser claramente identificables y comparables en la región, así como destacar su valor como bien patrimonial.

Insurance opportunities against weather risks for the rural poor

A s climate variability gains prominence in the international policy agenda, public and private s... more A s climate variability gains prominence in the international policy agenda, public and private sectors alike are increasingly considering strategies to cope with its economic and social consequences. In turn, the general public-faced with a growing number of extreme weather events and natural hazards-is beginning to demand concrete action. One sector where climate variability and its associated risk have the most damaging impact is the rural economy, 1 in particular smallholder farmers. This chapter outlines some of the adverse effects that climate variability has on the rural economy and describes how different insurance mechanisms can contribute to reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience to weather risks. Weather and the Rural Sector Agricultural production and its associated value chains are at the center of rural economies. In both developed and developing countries, agricultural production is directly tied to weather variables such as rainfall, temperature, humidity, and wind. When extreme weather conditions occur, agricultural production typically suffers and in some cases may be lost completely. Year after year, unexpected weather extremes are a constant in several regions of the globe, with devastating effects on agricultural production and rural livelihoods. Prolonged droughts in the Horn of Africa and US Midwest, extensive floods in the Philippines and North India, abnormally low temperatures in Japan and the United States, and heat waves in Australia and Europe are recent examples. In addition, some extreme weather events allow pests and diseases to flourish, potentially crippling agricultural production over vast regions. 1 For quantitative estimates of the impact of climate change on agriculture, see Nelson et al. (2013).

2ºC. Los retos tras la COP 21

Micromachining of Smart Materials using Laser Beam Micromachining Process

Motor Neuron Disease in a Patient With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Too Much Bad Luck

Cureus, 2021

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) share some clinical... more Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) share some clinical findings. Hence, motor neuron disease (MND) should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with signs and symptoms of CSM. This unique case demonstrates the coexistence of both conditions in the same patient. The author reports the case of a 74-year-old male who initially underwent posterior cervical decompression and instrumented fusion for cervical myelopathy. He demonstrated postoperative improvement followed subsequently by unexplained neurological deterioration. A repeat MRI showed adequate decompression of the cervical cord and persistence of T2 hyperintense signal in the spinal cord. Based on the presence of signs and symptoms of lower motor neuron disease, electromyography (EMG) was performed demonstrating findings of MND. The presence of MND in a patient with CSM is unique and can be difficult to diagnose based on overlapping symptoms. This case highl...

Germline CDH1 G212E Missense Variant: Combining Clinical, In Vitro and In Vivo Strategies to Unravel Disease Burden

Cancers, 2021

E-cadherin, encoded by CDH1, is an essential molecule for epithelial homeostasis, whose loss or a... more E-cadherin, encoded by CDH1, is an essential molecule for epithelial homeostasis, whose loss or aberrant expression results in disturbed cell–cell adhesion, increased cell invasion and metastasis. Carriers of CDH1 germline mutations have a high risk of developing diffuse gastric cancer and lobular breast cancer, associated with the cancer syndrome Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC). The ubiquitous availability of cancer panels has led to the identification of an increasing amount of “incidental” CDH1 genetic variants that pose a serious clinical challenge. This has sparked intensive research aiming at an accurate classification of the variants and consequent validation of their clinical relevance. The present study addressed the significance of a novel CDH1 variant, G212E, identified in an unusually large pedigree displaying strong aggregation of diffuse gastric cancer. We undertook a comprehensive pipeline encompassing family data, in silico predictions, in vitro assays and i...

Managerial entrenchment and corporate social responsibility engagement: the role of economic policy uncertainty

Journal of Management and Governance, 2021

The behavioral theory of corporate governance is employed to investigate the relationship between... more The behavioral theory of corporate governance is employed to investigate the relationship between managerial entrenchment and corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement. Effective corporate governance is argued to reduce managerial entrenchment, thereby increasing CSR engagement. The role of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) is investigated as a moderating variable in this relationship, such that high levels of EPU will increase the impact of entrenchment on CSR engagement. These arguments are supported using a panel of 386 US firms from 2011 to 2018 representing 3,088 firm-year observations in a variety of industries. In supplementary analysis, the CSR measure is disaggregated in order to provide further insight regarding these relationships as they pertain to the individual CSR dimensions under study. Findings inform research regarding the entrenchment-CSR link in particular environmental contexts. Practical implications include potential governance guidelines for boards of directors; stakeholder management given the policy environment; and the impact of government decisions as they affect policy uncertainty, firm actions, and CSR engagement.

New DPYD variants causing DPD deficiency in patients treated with fluoropyrimidine

Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, 2020

Purpose Several clinical guidelines recommend genetic screening of DPYD, including coverage of th... more Purpose Several clinical guidelines recommend genetic screening of DPYD, including coverage of the variants c.1905 + 1G>A(DPYD*2A), c.1679T>G(DPYD*13), c.2846A>T, and c.1129-5923C>G, before initiating treatment with fluoropyrimidines. However, this screening is often inadequate at predicting the occurrence of severe fluoropyrimidineinduced toxicity in patients. Methods Using a complementary approach combining whole DPYD exome sequencing and in silico and structural analysis, as well as phenotyping of DPD by measuring uracilemia (U), dihydrouracilemia (UH 2), and the UH 2 /U ratio in plasma, we were able to characterize and interpret DPYD variants in 28 patients with severe fluoropyrimidine-induced toxicity after negative screening. Results Twenty-five out of 28 patients (90%) had at least 1 variant in the DPYD coding sequence, and 42% of the variants (6/14) were classified as potentially deleterious by at least 2 of the following algorithms: SIFT, Poly-Phen-2, and DPYD varifier. We identified two very rare deleterious mutations, namely, c.2087G>A (p.R696H) and c.2324T>G (p.L775W). We were able to demonstrate partial DPD deficiency, as measured by the UH 2 /U ratio in a patient carrying the variant p.L775W for the first time. Conclusion Whole exon sequencing of DPYD in patients with suspicion of partial DPD deficiency can help to identify rare or new variants that lead to enzyme inactivation. Combining different techniques can yield abundant information without increasing workload and cost burden, thus making it a useful approach for implementation in patient care.

The olivocochlear reflex strength in awake chinchillas is relevant for behavioural performance during visual selective attention with auditory distractors

Scientific Reports, 2020

The auditory efferent system comprises descending projections from the cerebral cortex to subcort... more The auditory efferent system comprises descending projections from the cerebral cortex to subcortical nuclei, reaching the cochlear receptor through olivocochlear fibres. One of the functions attributed to this corticofugal system is to suppress irrelevant sounds during selective attention to visual stimuli. Medial olivocochlear neurons can also be activated by sounds through a brainstem reflex circuit. Whether the individual variability of this reflex is related to the cognitive capacity to suppress auditory stimuli is still controversial. Here we propose that the individual strength per animal of the olivocochlear reflex is correlated with the ability to suppress auditory distractors during visual attention in awake chinchillas. The olivocochlear reflex was elicited with a contralateral broad-band noise at ~ 60 dB and ipsilateral distortion product otoacoustic emissions were obtained at different frequencies (1–8 kHz). Fourteen chinchillas were evaluated in a behavioural protocol ...