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This paper examines a nonparametric CUSUM-type test for common trends in large panel data sets with individual fixed effects. We consider, as in Zhang, Su, and Phillips (2012), a partial linear regression model with unknown functional form for the trend component, although our test does not involve local smoothings. This conveniently forgoes the need to choose a bandwidth parameter, which due to a lack of a clear and sensible information criteria is difficult for testing purposes. We are able to do so after making use that the number of individuals increases with no limit. After removing the parametric component of the model, when the errors are homoscedastic, our test statistic converges to a Gaussian process whose critical values are easily tabulated. We also examine the consequences of having heteroscedasticity as well as discussing the problem of how to compute valid critical values due to the very complicated covariance structure of the limiting process. Finally, we present a small Monte Carlo experiment to shed some light on the finite sample performance of the test.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the challenges of scientific literacy that scientific journalism can promote or suppress as a scientific dissemination activity. To ensure that universities transfer knowledge to society, this vital activity is studied from the perspectives of their stakeholders: professors, researchers, newspaper directors and heads of research areas of two Mexican universities.

From a participatory action research perspective that consisted in applying semi-structured interviews, this study was conducted in two public universities in Chihuahua, Mexico. The group of participants constituted of a random sample of 90 Mexican professors, taken from a population of 246 subjects with the status of national researchers (confidence level = 95 per cent; margin of error = 5 per cent; P/Q correlation = 90 / 10 per cent), in addition to six local newspaper executives and eight research managers at participating universities.

Evidence suggests that scientific dissemination has a low social impact, its recognition by universities and scientific evaluation institutions is limited, and the act of making scientific content accessible to the general public is highly complex, especially when it comes to content related to the exact sciences. These results are predictable under the complex models that evaluate scientific production, because the measurement indicators that define scientific competitiveness levels prioritize specific scientific products other than dissemination products such as newspaper articles.

Data were collected from two Mexican public universities under the implication that the behavior identified through data analysis can occur in other similar environments. Although a participatory action research perspective was assumed, and because this research of a projective nature can be a part of a larger research, no particular actions or interventions were planned or executed, apart from the interviews that aimed to collect data that emerged from participants’ own practice and experiences on the issues studied. Further research can consist of developing forward-looking actions that can contribute to the development of scientific literacy, as well as to the exploration and solution of the issues identified through participants’ own practice.

One of the social roles of universities is to ensure that scientific knowledge reaches all citizens. However, there are not sufficient studies regarding scientific dissemination, especially from the perspective of professors as generators of scientific knowledge, newspaper directors and heads of research areas.

This paper aims to review the efficient use of economic and social resources to generate income and, at the same time, reduce the concentration of wealth in the 32 states of the Mexican Republic during the period 1990-2015.

Data envelopment analysis with the inclusion of a bad output was used to diagnose the efficiency of Mexican entities, and the Malmquist–Luenberger index was applied to understand how this efficiency evolves.

The results clearly show that only 3 of the 32 units studied generated and distributed wealth efficiently, while the other 29 must increase their level of income and its distribution.

According to the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work that performs a temporal analysis of the efficiency in the generation of Human Development Index using bad outputs and the Malmquist–Luenberger index.

Aims to assess the impact of a day‐care center (DCC) on hospital bed usage by HIV‐infected patients. Reviews the medical records of 710 hospital admissions of HIV‐infected patients admitted to two Spanish hospitals, one of them with a DCC, over a three‐year period. The proportion of unnecessary admissions was significantly higher in the hospital without a DCC. The rate of hospital admissions among patients who were admitted to hospital was also greater in the hospital without a DCC, as well as the rate of admissions among patients on antiretroviral drugs. Concludes that the availability of a DCC improves the appropriateness of hospital admissions and decreases the number of hospitalizations in HIV‐infected patients.

Pulque is a fundamental piece in the Mexican gastronomy and identifying consumers’ perception could help promote it and generate new opportunities of commercialization. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to explore the underlying factors that influence consumers’ perception toward pulque, and second, to identify groups of consumers according to their perception.

A questionnaire was designed and applied to 220 consumers within points of sales. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was undertaken and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was used to identify different groups of consumers.

By means of EFA three factors were obtained: traditionality, bad reputation of pulquerías and functional beverage. In order to identify different consumption patterns among consumers, HCA was performed and three groups were identified: traditional, neo-consumers and neo-consumers in transition. The groups identified showed significant differences in their perception.

Pulque has recently gained interest in various consumer sectors, mainly among young consumers, who are consuming and promoting the beverage these days. In this sense, the results of this work could be used for its promotion and consumption in order to attract more consumers and make a contribution to the development of local economies.

This is the first work in Mexico to explore the perception of consumers toward pulque: the most important traditional fermented beverage in Central México. Results of this research suggest the appearance of a revaluation process among young consumers, more informed and with greater sensitivity toward traditional Mexican food, particularly in the case of pulque. Likewise, these results could be useful for producers and sellers to carry out commercial strategies and promote the drink.