Research,development and growth in state-owned enterprises: empirical evidence from Ecuador

ABSTRACT

Investment in R&D is essential for the survival and growth of organizations. Recent literature has focused on the study of effects of R&D on the growth of private companies. However, there is no research studying the effects of R&D on the growth of Latin American public companies. This paper estimates, using an endogenous growth model, the effect of investments in R&D on sales growth in public enterprises of Ecuador. Data corresponding to a sample of 86 public companies have been taken from the Survey of Activities of Science and Technology (ACTI) of Ecuador for the period 2012 to 2014. These data are estimated by OLS. The results show that there is a statistically significant positive relation between investment in research and development and the growth of sales in public companies.     

Continuous-Flow UV Liquid Food Pasteurization: Engineering Aspects

Ultraviolet (UV)-C treatments are a promising technology for liquid food pasteurization as an alternative to heat treatments. However, the design of efficient UV reactors to reduce pertinent microorganisms and comply with current food safety goals is still an engineering challenge due to the low penetration depth of UV light in liquid foods with high UV absorbance and suspended particles, and the variations in the residence time of the product in the UV reactors. This review focuses on physical aspects of UV radiation related to the essential product and processing parameters for the design of UV reactors. The UV equipment available for liquid food processing is described and the main drawbacks and advantages are discussed.     

Size-resolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission factors from on-road gasoline and diesel vehicles: temperature effect on the nuclei-mode

Motor vehicles are a major source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emissions in urban areas. Motor vehicle emission control strategies have included improvements in engine design, exhaust emission control, and fuel reformulation. Therefore, an updated assessment of the effects of the shifts in fuels and vehicle technologies on PAH vehicular emission factors (EFs) is needed. We have evaluated the effects of ambient temperature on the size-resolved EFs of nine US EPA Priority Pollutant PAH, down to 10 nm diameter, from on-road California gasoline light-duty vehicles with spark ignition (SI) and heavy-duty diesels with compression ignition (CI) in summer 2004 and winter 2005. During the winter, for the target PAH with the lowest subcooled equilibrium vapor pressure --benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene, and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene-- the mass in the nucleation mode, defined here as particles with dp <32 nm, ranged between 14 and 38% for SI vehicles and 29 and 64% for CI vehicles. Our observations of the effect of temperature on the mass of PAH in the nucleation mode are similar to the observed effect of temperature on the number concentration of diesel exhaust particles in the nucleation mode in a previous report.     

Antimicrobial Activity and Hydrophobicity of Edible Whey Protein Isolate Films Formulated with Nisin and/or Glucose Oxidase

The use of edible antimicrobial films has been reported as a means to improve food shelf life through gradual releasing of antimicrobial compounds on the food surface. This work reports the study on the incorporation of 2 antimicrobial agents, nisin (N), and/or glucose oxidase (GO), into the matrix of Whey protein isolate (WPI) films at pH 5.5 and 8.5. The antimicrobial activity of the edible films was evaluated against Listeria innocua (ATCC 33090), Brochothrix thermosphacta (NCIB10018), Escherichia coli (JMP101), and Enterococcus faecalis (MXVK22). In addition, the antimicrobial activity was related to the hydrophobicity and water solubility of the WPI films. The greatest antibacterial activity was observed in WPI films containing only GO. The combined addition of N and GO resulted in films with lower antimicrobial activity than films with N or GO alone. In most cases, a pH effect was observed as greater antimicrobial response at pH 5.5 as well as higher film matrix hydrophobicity. WPI films supplemented with GO can be used in coating systems suitable for food preservation.     

Evaluation of high oleic-high stearic sunflower hard stearins for cocoa butter equivalent formulation

Cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs) are produced from vegetable fats by blending palm mid fraction (PMF) and tropical butters coming from shea, mango kernel or kokum fat. In this regard, high oleic-high stearic (HOHS) sunflower hard stearins from solvent fractionation can be used in CBE production since their compositions and physical properties are similar to those found in the above-mentioned tropical butters. In this work, three sunflower hard stearins (SHS) ranging from 65% to 95% of disaturated triacylglycerols and a shea stearin (used as reference) were blended with PMF to evaluate their potential use in CBEs formulation. Isosolid phase diagrams of mixtures of PMF/SHS showed eutectic formation for SHS 65 and SHS 80, but monotectic behaviour with softening effect for SHS 95. Three CBEs from SHS and shea stearin were formulated according to phase behaviour diagrams and solid fat content data at 25 °C. Isosolid phase diagrams of mixtures of these CBEs with cocoa butter showed no eutectic behaviour. Therefore, CBEs elaborated from SHS exhibited full compatibility with cocoa butter.     

Nutritional status and its correlates in Equatorial Guinean preschool children: results from a nationally representative survey

BACKGROUND: In Equatorial Guinea, as a result of the recent growth of the oil industry, there is an opportunity to address important public health problems through public and private initiatives. To propose effective nutrition and public health strategies, it is important first to have reliable information on the nutritional status of the population and the underlying factors affecting it. OBJECTIVE: To assess the nutritional status and the prevalence of anemia among Equatoguinean children in a nationally representative sample and to identify the risk factors associated with the nutritional problems detected. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional survey using a multistaged, stratified, cluster-selected sample. The survey included a sociodemographic, health, and dietary questionnaire and measurement of hematocrit and anthropometric features, from which nutritional indicators based on the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) reference and the World Health Organization (WHO) standards were calculated. Logistic regression models were used for the multivariate analysis. A total of 552 children aged 0 to 60 months were surveyed. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of stunting (< -2 height-for-age z-scores [HAZ]) was 29.7% based on the NCHS reference and 35.2% based on WHO standards; the risk factors associated with stunting were age (p < .0001), low socioeconomic status (p = .01), and fishing by a member of the household (p = .003) The prevalence of mild anemia (hemoglobin < 110 g/L) was 69.3%, and that of moderate or severe anemia (hemoglobin < 80 g/L) was 8.3%. The only significant risk factor associated with moderate to severe anemia was low household socioeducational level (p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Stunting and anemia are public health problems in Equatorial Guinea. Integrated strategies, including fighting poverty and improving maternal education, should be undertaken.     

Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Justicia spicigera</Emphasis> leaves

A Box–Behnken design (Extraction-time, pulse-cycle, sonication-amplitude) was employed to extract phenolic compounds from Justicia spicigera leaves by ultrasonic-assisted extraction. The muicle leaves extracts were analyzed measuring total phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. According to response surface methodology the optimal conditions of ultrasonic-assisted extraction to obtain the highest soluble phenolic content were 2 min (extraction time) for 0.7 s (pulse cycle) at 55% of sonication amplitude. Under these optimal conditions, the total phenolic content was higher when was used ultrasonic-assisted extraction (54.02 mg/g) than stirring (46.46 mg/g) and thermal decoction (47.76 mg/g); however, the antioxidant capacity from J. spicigera extracts did not increase by ultrasonic-assisted extraction. The extracts or aqueous infusions from J. spicigera leaves are used for therapeutic proposes, therefore the ultrasonic-assisted extraction is a useful technology to improve the extraction of phytochemicals from J. spicigera leaves.