El impacto macroeconómico de la biotecnología / Biotechnology¿s macroeconomic impact

Objetivos: Establecer una valoración económica general de la actividad biotecnológica en España determinando tanto su aportación a la producción total como al empleo y diferenciando la aportación directa y la derivada de las interrelaciones de las actividades biotecnológicas con el resto del sistema económico. Material y Método: Para el cumplimiento de los objetivos establecidos se han utilizado tanto datos económicos oficiales elaborados por el INE (cuentas nacionales, tablas input-ouput, estadísticas de innovación) como datos directos derivados de los estados contables de las empresas y recopilaciones específicas de proyectos de investigación realizadas por la Fundación Genoma España. El núcleo básico de la metodología utilizada es la estimación de una tabla input-output con consideración específica de la actividad biotecnológica, sobre la que se calcula tanto la aportación directa de estas actividades como los efectos inducidos en el resto del sistema económico. Resultados: De acuerdo con los últimos datos disponibles, las actividades de biotecnología en España habrían generado de forma directa una producción ligeramente superior a 1.600 millones de euros en el año 2005 y habrían dado empleo a unas 9.000 personas. Considerando todas las interrelaciones con el resto del sistema económico, la aportación macroeconómica de la biotecnología ascendería a unos 5.000 millones de euros (en torno al 0,6% del PIB nacional) y habría originado, directa e indirectamente, más de 44.000 empleos (AU)

Objective: This paper tries to yield an economic valuation of biotechnological activities in terms of aggregated production and employment. This valuation goes beyond direct estimation and includes the indirect effects derived from sectorial linkages between biotechnological activities and the rest of economic system. Material and methods: To deal with the proposed target several sources of data have been used, including official data from National Statistical Office (INE) such us national accounts, input-output tables, and innovation surveys, as well as, firms’ level balance sheets and income statements and also specific information about research projects compiled by Genoma Spain Foundation. Methodological approach is based on the estimation of a new input-output table which includes the biotechnological activities as a specific branch. This table offers both the direct impact of these activities and the main parameters to obtain the induced effects over the rest of the economic system. Results: According to the most updated available figures, biotechnological activities would have directly generated almost 1,600 millions of euros in 2005, and they would be employed more than 9,000 workers. But if we take into account the full linkages with the rest of the system, the macroeconomic impact of Biotechnological activities would reach around 5,000 millions euros in production terms (0.6% of total GDP) and would be responsible, directly or indirectly, of more than 44,000 employments (AU)

Desipramine or glutamate antagonists synergized the antidepressant-like actions of intra-nucleus accumbens infusions of minocycline in male Wistar rats.

Minocycline produces antidepressant-like actions in male rats tested in the forced swimming test (FST) and synergizes with several glutamate receptor antagonists. However, the limbic regions implicated in the antidepressant-like actions of minocycline are unknown. The objective of the present study was to test the potential antidepressant activity of nucleus accumbens infusions of minocycline alone or combined with antidepressant drugs or with several glutamate receptor antagonists, using the time-sampling method in the FST. The results show that intra-NAcc infusions of minocycline reduced immobility (1.0 microg, P<0.05; 1.5 microg, P<0.05) by increasing climbing (1.0 microg, P<0.05; 1.5 microg, P<0.05) in the FST. Likewise, systemic injections of desipramine (P<0.05), fluoxetine (P<0.05) or several glutamate receptor antagonists: EMQMCM (P<0.05), MTEP (P<0.05) or dizocilpine (P<0.05) combined with intra-nucleus accumbens infusions of vehicle produced antidepressant-like actions. The subthreshold dose of intra-nucleus accumbens infusions of minocycline combined with systemic injections of subthreshold doses of desipramine (P<0.05) or EMQMCM (P<0.05) or MTEP (P<0.05) or dizocilpine (P<0.05) produced antidepressant-like actions. It is concluded that intra-NAcc infusions of minocycline alone or combined with systemic injections of desipramine or with systemic injections of several glutamate receptor antagonists produced antidepressant-like actions in the FST.

Antidepressant-like actions of minocycline combined with several glutamate antagonists.

This study tested the potential antidepressant activity of minocycline alone or combined with two traditional antidepressant drugs or several glutamate receptor antagonists, using the time sampling method in the forced swimming test. Results showed that: desipramine (10.0 mg/kg, P<0.05; 15.0 mg/kg, P<0.05), minocycline (60.0 mg/kg, P<0.05; 80.0 mg/kg, P<0.05) and EMQMCM (1.5 mg/kg, P<0.05; 2.0 mg/kg, P<0.05), reduced immobility by increasing climbing. Fluoxetine (20.0 mg/kg, P<0.05; 25.0 mg/kg, P<0.05) reduced immobility by increasing swimming. MTEP (5.0 mg/kg, P<0.05; 10.0 mg/kg, P<0.05) and dizolcipine (1.0 mg/kg, P<0.05; 1.5 mg/kg, P<0.05) reduced immobility by increasing swimming and climbing. Combination experiments showed that a subthreshold dose of minocycline (50.0 mg/kg) synergized the antidepressant-like actions of subthreshold doses of: desipramine (5.0 mg/kg; P<0.05), EMQMCM (0.6 mg/kg; P<0.05), MTEP (2.5 mg/kg; P<0.05) and dizolcipine (0.5 mg/kg; P<0.05). In conclusion, minocycline produced antidepressant-like actions in the FST and subthreshold dose of minocycline combined with subthreshold dose of desipramine and several glutamate receptor antagonists and produced antidepressant-like actions.

[Biotechnology's macroeconomic impact]. / El impacto macroeconómico de la biotecnología.

OBJECTIVE: This paper tries to yield an economic valuation of biotechnological activities in terms of aggregated production and employment. This valuation goes beyond direct estimation and includes the indirect effects derived from sectorial linkages between biotechnological activities and the rest of economic system. MATERIAL AND METHOD: To deal with the proposed target several sources of data have been used, including official data from National Statistical Office (INE) such us national accounts, input-output tables, and innovation surveys, as well as, firms' level balance sheets and income statements and also specific information about research projects compiled by Genoma Spain Foundation. Methodological approach is based on the estimation of a new input-output table which includes the biotechnological activities as a specific branch. This table offers both the direct impact of these activities and the main parameters to obtain the induced effects over the rest of the economic system. RESULTS: According to the most updated available figures, biotechnological activities would have directly generated almost 1,600 millions of euros in 2005, and they would be employed more than 9,000 workers. But if we take into account the full linkages with the rest of the system, the macroeconomic impact of Biotechnological activities would reach around 5,000 millions euros in production terms (0.6% of total GDP) and would be responsible, directly or indirectly, of more than 44,000 employments.

Estrus variation in anxiolytic-like effects of intra-lateral septal infusions of the neuropeptide Y in Wistar rats in two animal models of anxiety-like behavior.

Anxiolytic-like effects of intra-lateral septal infusions of the neuropeptide Y (NPY) were assessed during several estrus phases in Wistar rats tested in two animal models of anxiety-like behavior. In a conflict operant test, results showed that during late proestrus, intra-lateral septal nuclei infusions of NPY (1.0 microg/microl, P<0.05; 2.0 microg/microl, P<0.05; 2.5 microg/microl, P<0.05) increased the number of immediately punished responses. During metestrus-diestrus only the highest doses of NPY (2.5 microg/microl, P<0.05) increased the number of immediately punished reinforcers. In the elevated plus-maze test, results showed that during late proestrus, intra-lateral septal nuclei infusions of NPY (1.0 microg/microl, P<0.05; 2.0 microg/microl, P<0.05) produced anxiolytic-like actions. During metestrus-diestrus only the highest doses of NPY (2.0 microg/microl, P<0.05) produced anxiolytic-like actions. Neither NPY nor estrus phases significantly modified the number of closed arms entries in the elevated plus-maze test. It is concluded that anxiolytic-like effects of NPY vary within the estrus cycle in Wistar rats.

Antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like actions of the mGlu5 receptor antagonist MTEP, microinjected into lateral septal nuclei of male Wistar rats.

This study describes the effects of intra-lateral septal infusions of different doses of the mGluR5 antagonist MTEP in the DRL-72 s paradigm and the elevated plus-maze test in rats, two behavioral models known to be sensitive to antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like drug effects, respectively. Intra-lateral septal infusions of MTEP induced a dose-dependent (5.0 microg/microl, P<0.05; 10.0 microg/microl, P<0.05) increase in reinforced lever presses and a cohesive rightward shift of the inter-response time distribution (5.0 microg/microl, P<0.05; 10.0 microg/microl, P<0.05). These effects are indicative of antidepressant-like actions of the compound. Desipramine, a prototypical antidepressant drug, induced (5.0 microg/microl; P<0.05) similar effects. In the elevated plus-maze test, intra-lateral septal infusions of MTEP (5.0 microg/microl, P<0.05; 10.0 microg/microl, P<0.05) increased the exploration of the open arms without affecting locomotion. This anxiolytic-like effect was similar to that observed with the infusion of the benzodiazepine midazolam (10.0 microg/microl; P<0.05) in the same brain area. It is concluded that intra-lateral septal infusions of the mGlu5 receptor antagonist MTEP produced antidepressant-like actions or anxiolytic-like effects in male rats.