Marketing Plan of the Hotel & Spa Peñíscola Plaza Suites

Treball Final de Grau en Administració d'Empreses. Codi: AE1049. Curs 2020/2021The Hotel&Spa Peñíscola Plaza Suites is a large hotel belonging to the ZTHoteles chain located in the coastal town of Peñíscola. This hotel offers a wide range of services for satisfying the needs of the different types of clients that can be accommodated all year round Due to the current health crisis caused by Covid-19, the hotel and tourism sector is one of the most affected. We are facing businesses closing as a result of the measures imposed by the government, severe capacity and opening hours limitations, alarming data on the risk of contagion, all of which have led to a huge drop both in demand and supply. I believe that a business restructuring is necessary to be able to compete properly. In addition, the country is on the verge of an economic recession also as a result of the global pandemic, creating a climate of uncertainty. Fortunately, the situation is changing and restrictions are being more flexible, hence bringing a return to a new normality. The following marketing plan aims to study the future of this large hotel, its adaption to new trends of all kinds, especially the rise of ICT, the Internet and useful marketing tools, as well as changes in consumer and legal regulations. Thus, it is expected to detect opportunities to exploit, threats to take into account and the strengths and weaknesses that the hotel currently has. After analysing the situation in which we find ourselves, the objectives that the company will try to achieve will be set, aimed at increasing profit, greater customer loyalty and an increase in new bookings. Based on these, the most appropriate marketing strategies will be established, those that the hotel is currently following and the new approaches. Finally, 13 marketing actions have been created. Various marketing tools will be used, as well as increasing the role of digital marketing, all in a way that is coherent with the company and its values. Finally, an organisational schedule, a budget and a control plan will be established to ensure that these actions are carried out optimally

Cell migration within confined sandwich-like nanoenvironments

Aim: We introduced sandwich-like cultures to provide cell migration studies with 4 representative nano-bio-environments where both ventral and dorsal cell receptors are activated. Methods: We have investigated different nano-environmental conditions by changing the protein coating (fibronectin, vitronectin) and/or materials (using polymers that adsorb proteins in qualitatively different conformations) of this sandwich system to show their specific role in cell migration. Results: Here we show that cell migration within sandwich cultures greatly differs from 2D cultures and shares some similarities with migration within 3D environments. Beyond differences in cell morphology and migration, dorsal stimulation promotes cell remodeling of the ECM over simple ventral 12 receptor activation in traditional 2D cultures.</p

Sensing the difference: the influence of anisotropic cues on cell behavior

From tissue morphogenesis to homeostasis, cells continuously experience and respond to physical, chemical and biological cues commonly presented in gradients. In this article we focus our discussion on the importance of nano/micro topographic cues on cell activity, and the role of anisotropic milieus play on cell behavior, mostly adhesion and migration. We present the need to study physiological gradients in vitro. To do this, we review different cell migration mechanisms and how adherent cells react to the presence of complex tissue-like environments and cell-surface stimulation in 2D and 3D (e.g. ventral/dorsal anisotropy)

Dorsal and ventral stimuli in cell–material interactions: effect on cell morphology

Cells behave differently between bidimensional (2D) and tridimensional (3D) environments. While most of the in vitro cultures are 2D, most of the in vivo extracellular matrices are 3D, which encourages the development of more relevant culture conditions, seeking to provide more physiological models for biomedicine (e.g., cancer, drug discovery and tissue engineering) and further insights into any dimension-dependent biological mechanism. In this study, cells were cultured between two protein coated surfaces (sandwich-like culture). Cells used both dorsal and ventral receptors to adhere and spread, undergoing morphological changes with respect to the 2D control. Combinations of fibronectin and bovine serum albumin on the dorsal and ventral sides led to different cell morphologies, which were quantified from bright field images by calculating the spreading area and circularity. Although the mechanism underlying these differences remains to be clarified, excitation of dorsal receptors by anchorage to extracellular proteins plays a key role on cell behavior. This approach—sandwich-like culture—becomes therefore a versatile method to study cell adhesion in well-defined conditions in a quasi 3D environment

Role of Surface Chemistry in Protein Remodeling at the Cell-Material Interface

Background: The cell-material interaction is a complex bi-directional and dynamic process that mimics to a certain extent the natural interactions of cells with the extracellular matrix. Cells tend to adhere and rearrange adsorbed extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins on the material surface in a fibril-like pattern. Afterwards, the ECM undergoes proteolytic degradation, which is a mechanism for the removal of the excess ECM usually approximated with remodeling. ECM remodeling is a dynamic process that consists of two opposite events: assembly and degradation. Methodology/Principal Findings: This work investigates matrix protein dynamics on mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of –OH and –CH3 terminated alkanethiols. SAMs assembled on gold are highly ordered organic surfaces able to provide different chemical functionalities and well-controlled surface properties. Fibronectin (FN) was adsorbed on the different surfaces and quantified in terms of the adsorbed surface density, distribution and conformation. Initial cell adhesion and signaling on FN-coated SAMs were characterized via the formation of focal adhesions, integrin expression and phosphorylation of FAKs. Afterwards, the reorganization and secretion of FN was assessed. Finally, matrix degradation was followed via the expression of matrix metalloproteinases MMP2 and MMP9 and correlated with Runx2 levels. We show that matrix degradation at the cell material interface depends on surface chemistry in MMP-dependent way. Conclusions/Significance: This work provides a broad overview of matrix remodeling at the cell-material interface, establishing correlations between surface chemistry, FN adsorption, cell adhesion and signaling, matrix reorganization and degradation. The reported findings improve our understanding of the role of surface chemistry as a key parameter in the design of new biomaterials. It demonstrates the ability of surface chemistry to direct proteolytic routes at the cell-material interface, which gains a distinct bioengineering interest as a new tool to trigger matrix degradation in different biomedical applications

Sustainable selection of waste collection trucks considering feasible future scenarios by applying the stratified best and worst method

[EN] Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is vital in achieving sustainable development goals. It is a complex activity embracing collection, transport, recycling, and disposal; and whose management depends on proper strategic decision-making. The use of decision support methods such as multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) is widespread in MSW management. However, their application mainly focuses on selecting plant locations and the best technologies for waste treatment. Despite the critical role played by transport in promoting sustainability, MCDM has seldom been applied for the selection of sustainable transport alternatives in the field of MSW management. There are a few MCDM studies about choosing waste collection vehicles, but none that include the most recent green vehicles among the options or consider feasible future scenarios. In this article, different engine technologies for collection trucks (diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), hybrid CNG-electric, electric, and hydrogen) are evaluated under sustainability criteria in a Spanish city by applying the stratified best and worst method (SBWM). This method enables considering the uncertainty associated with future events to establish various feasible scenarios. The results show that the best-valued options are electric and diesel trucks, in that order, followed by CNG and hybrid CNG-electric, and with hydrogen-powered trucks coming last. The SBWM has proven helpful in defining a comprehensive framework for selecting the most suitable engine technology to support long-term MSW collection. Considering sustainability among the criteria and feasible future scenarios in waste management collection decision-making provides more comprehensive and conclusive results that help managers and policymakers make better informed and more reliable decisions.The authors would like to thank Castellon City Council for its contribution in providing data for the analysis. Funding for open access charge: Universitat Politecnica de Valencia.Moreno-Solaz, H.; Artacho Ramírez, MÁ.; Aragonés-Beltrán, P.; Cloquell Ballester, VA. (2023). Sustainable selection of waste collection trucks considering feasible future scenarios by applying the stratified best and worst method. Heliyon. 9(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e154819

Fibronectin-matrix sandwich-like microenvironments to manipulate cell fate

[EN] Conventional 2D substrates fail to represent the natural environment of cells surrounded by the 3D extracellular matrix (ECM). We have proposed sandwich-like microenvironments as a versatile tool to study cell behaviour under quasi-3D conditions. This is a system that provides a broad range of dorsal and ventral independent spatio-temporal stimuli. Here, we use this sandwich technology to address the role of dorsal stimuli in cell adhesion, cell proliferation and ECM reorganisation. Under certain conditions, dorsal stimuli within sandwich microenvironments prevent the formation of focal plaques as well as the development of the actin cytoskeleton, whereas alpha(5) versus alpha(v) integrin expression is increased compared to the corresponding 2D controls. Cell signaling is similarly enhanced after dorsal stimuli (measured by the pFAK/FAK level) for cells sandwiched after 3 h of 2D ventral adhesion, but not when sandwiched immediately after cell seeding (similar levels to the 2D control). Cell proliferation, studied by the 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assay, was significantly reduced within sandwich conditions as compared to 2D substrates. In addition, these results were found to depend on the ability of cells to reorganise the dorsal layer of proteins at the material interface, which could be tuned by adsorbing FN on material surfaces that results in a qualitatively different conformation and distribution of FN. Overall, sandwich-like microenvironments switch cell behaviour (cell adhesion, morphology and proliferation) towards 3D-like patterns, demonstrating the importance of this versatile, simple and robust approach to mimic cell microenvironments in vivo.The support from ERC through HealInSynergy (306990) and the FPU program AP2009-3626 are acknowledged.Ballester Beltrán, J.; Moratal Pérez, D.; Lebourg, MM.; Salmerón Sánchez, M. (2014). Fibronectin-matrix sandwich-like microenvironments to manipulate cell fate. Biomaterials Science. 2(3):381-389. https://doi.org/10.1039/C3BM60248FS3813892

Confined Sandwichlike Microenvironments Tune Myogenic Differentiation.

Sandwichlike (SW) cultures are engineered as a multilayer technology to simultaneously stimulate dorsal and ventral cell receptors, seeking to mimic cell adhesion in three-dimensional (3D) environments in a reductionist manner. The effect of this environment on cell differentiation was investigated for several cell types cultured in standard growth media, which promotes proliferation on two-dimensional (2D) surfaces and avoids any preferential differentiation. First, murine C2C12 myoblasts showed specific myogenic differentiation. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) of adipose and bone marrow origin, which can differentiate toward a wider variety of lineages, showed again myodifferentiation. Overall, this study shows myogenic differentiation in normal growth media for several cell types under SW conditions, avoiding the use of growth factors and cytokines, i.e., solely by culturing cells within the SW environment. Mechanistically, it provides further insights into the balance between integrin adhesion to the dorsal substrate and the confinement imposed by the SW system

Dorsal and ventral stimuli in sandwich-like microenvironments. Effect on cell differentiation

While most of the in vivo extracellular matrices are 3D, most of the in vitro cultures are 2D--where only ventral adhesion is permitted--thus modifying cell behavior as a way to self-adaptation to this unnatural environment. We hypothesize that the excitation of dorsal receptors in cells already attached on a 2D surface (sandwich culture) could cover the gap between 2D and 3D cell-material interactions and result in a more physiological cell behavior. In this study we investigate the role of dorsal stimulation on myoblast differentiation within different poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) sandwich-like microenvironments, including plain material and aligned fibers. Enhanced cell differentiation levels were found for cells cultured with dorsal fibronectin-coated films. Seeking to understand the underlying mechanisms, experiments were carried out with (i) different types of dorsal stimuli (FN, albumin, FN after blocking the RGD integrin-binding site and activating dorsal cell integrin receptors), (ii) in the presence of an inhibitor of cell contractility, and (iii) increasing the frequency of culture medium changes to assess the effect of paracrine factors. Furthermore, FAK and integrin expressions, determined by Western blotting, revealed differences between cell sandwiches and 2D controls. Results show a stimuli-dependent response to dorsal excitation, proving that integrin outside-in signaling is involved in the enhanced cell differentiation. Due to their easiness and versatility, these sandwich-like systems are excellent candidates to get deeper insights into the study of 3D cell behavior and to direct cell fate within multilayer constructs.Contract grant sponsor: ERC - 306990Ballester Beltrán, J.; Lebourg, MM.; Salmerón Sánchez, M. (2013). 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Robust fabrication of electrospun-like polymer mats to direct cell behaviour

Currently, cell culture systems that include nanoscale topography are widely used in order to provide cells additional cues closer to the in vivo environment, seeking to mimic the natural extracellular matrix. Electrospinning is one of the most common techniques to produce nanofiber mats. However, since many sensitive parameters play an important role in the process, a lack of reproducibility is a major drawback. Here we present a simple and robust methodology to prepare reproducible electrospun-like samples. It consists of a polydimethylsiloxane mold reproducing the fiber pattern to solvent-cast a polymer solution and obtain the final sample. To validate this methodology, poly( L-lactic) acid ( PLLA) samples were obtained and, after characterisation, bioactivity and ability to direct cell response were assessed. C2C12 myoblasts developed focal adhesions on the electrospun-like fibers and, when cultured under myogenic differentiation conditions, similar differentiation levels to electrospun PLLA fibers were obtained.The support of ERC through HealInSynergy (306990) and FPU program AP2009-3626 is acknowledged.Ballester Beltrán, J.; Lebourg., MM.; Capella Monsonís, H.; Díaz Lantada, A.; Salmerón Sánchez, M. (2014). Robust fabrication of electrospun-like polymer mats to direct cell behaviour. Biofabrication. 6(3). https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5082/6/3/035009S6