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Public-private partnerships (PPPs, also known as P3s and concessions) emerged in recent decades as a new organizational form to provide public transport infrastructure. Around the world, traditional provision continues to [...]

Cyanobacterial macrocolonies known as Llayta are found in Andean wetlands and have been consumed since pre-Columbian times in South America. Macrocolonies of filamentous cyanobacteria are niches for colonization by other microorganisms. However, the microbiome of edible Llayta has not been explored. Based on a culture-independent approach, we report the presence, identification, and metagenomic genome reconstruction of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY associated to Llayta trichomes. The assembled genome of strain LLY is now available for further inquiries and may be instrumental for taxonomic advances concerning this genus. All known members of the Cyanocohniella genus have been isolated from salty European habitats. A biogeographic gap for the Cyanocohniella genus is partially filled by the existence of strain LLY in Andes Mountains wetlands in South America as a new habitat. This is the first genome available for members of this genus. Genes involved in primary and secondary metabolism are described, providing new insights regarding the putative metabolic capabilities of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY.

Artemisia copa Phil. (Asteraceae) (known as copa-copa) is a native species of Chile used as an infusion in traditional medicine by Atacameños people in the Altiplano, highlands of northern Chile. In this research, we have investigated for the first time the cholinesterase inhibition potential against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and the chemical profiling of the infusions prepared from the aerial parts of A. copa by high resolution spectrometry. In addition, total phenolic, total flavonoid content, antioxidant (DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC) and antiprozoal activity were tested. Artemisia copa showed good inhibitory activity against AChE and BChE (3.92 ± 0.08 µg/ml and 44.13 ± 0.10 µg/ml). The infusion displayed a total phenolics content of 155.6 ± 2.9 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g and total flavonoid content of 5.5 ± 0.2 mg quercetin equivalents/g. Additionally, trypanocidal activity against Trypanosoma cruzi was found (LD50 of 131.8 µg/ml). Forty-seven metabolites were detected in the infusion of A. copa including several phenolic acids and flavonoids which were rapidly identified using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography orbitrap mass spectrometry analysis (UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS) for chemical profiling. The major compounds identified in the infusions were studied by molecular docking against AChE and BChE. The UHPLC-MS fingerprints generated can be also used for the authentication of these endemic species. These findings reveal that A. copa infusions can be used as beverages with protective effects.

We build an equilibrium royalty stacking model that links the number of standard-essential patent (SEP) holders with the equilibrium quantity, price and cumulative royalty. We show that all observable implications of the theory are inconsistent with the data from the world mobile wireless industry. In this industry, the number of SEP holders grew from 2 in 1994 to 130 in 2013. Royalty stacking theory predicts falling or stagnant output, rising selling prices, and rising or stagnant quality-adjusted prices. By contrast, between 1994 and 2013 worldwide yearly device sales grew 62-fold, at an average rate of 20.1% per year, and both selling and quality-adjusted prices fell fast over time. Controlling for technological generation, the real average selling price of a device fell between -11.4% and -24.8% per year. Similarly, under conservative parametrizations, royalty stacking theory predicts royalty yields, which are more than an order of magnitude larger than the observed average cumulative royalty yield charged by SEP holders in practice, which hovers between 3% and 3.5%. A theory based on Lerner and Tirole's (2015 , J. Political Econ. , 123(3), 547–586) within-functionality competition yields observable implications consistent with the observed facts. If all the technologies protected by SEPs have meaningful substitutes that cap the royalty that any SEP holder can charge, then the cumulative royalty is independent of demand parameters in the downstream market and can be as low as the observed average cumulative royalty yield. Moreover, if the product market is competitive and technological progress is fast, then prices follow costs, quality-adjusted prices protractedly fall, and sales grow fast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En este artículo comparamos el costo de generar electricidad con carbón y con viento en el Sistema Interconectado Central de Chile (SIC). Hemos incluido el costo am-biental local y global, así como los respaldos térmicos necesarios para mantener lamisma confiabilidad del suministro eléctrico. El costo medio de generar con carbón,que incluye externalidades ambientales por 17dólares/MWh, es de 78 dólares/MWh. El costo medio de generar con viento es considerablemente mayor, 136 dólares/MWh.

En el análisis y la práctica de la política energética se suele suponer que la elasticidad de la demanda por energía eléctrica es irrelevante. Este trabajo muestra que durante episodios de escasez de energía una “pequeña” elasticidad basta para generar caídas “grandes” de la probabilidad de déficit y del costo del abastecimiento eléctrico. Esto se debe a que en la vecindad de la capacidad del sistema, la oferta de energía de corto plazo es cercana a vertical. Ilustramos nuestro punto cuantitativamente simulando la operación esperada del sistema eléctrico chileno durante los años de ajuste a la crisis causada por los cortes de gas argentinos, el periodo 2006-2010. Mostramos que el aumento de los precios causado por el retraso de las inversiones y los cortes de gas argentino, combinado con una “pequeña” elasticidad de la demanda mensual por energía (0.0548 en valor absoluto) eran suficientes para reducir mucho la probabilidad de déficit mensual y retornarla a niveles normales. Más aún, si se soslaya el efecto de los mayores precios en el consumo, el costo marginal se sobreestima en 32% y el costo de operación esperado en 41 por ciento.