Ética profunda en la empresa como base de la sostenibilidad sistémica

El artículo razona un modo en que las empresas pueden contribuir a la sostenibilidad del sistema humano al que pertenecen. Propone un modelo teórico de economía ecológica para la gestión empresarial con una capacidad de análisis adecuada a la amplitud del problema de la sostenibilidad. Amplía ese modelo a partir de una definición de sostenibilidad basada en el concepto de "ética biológica relacional", desarrollado en biología cognitiva por Maturana y Varela (2002). Analiza las bases de esta ética para proponer herramientas que permitan implementar el modelo ampliado con el objetivo de contribuir a la sostenibilidad a través de la gestión empresarial. Esas herramientas son el diálogo, el liderazgo colectivo transformacional y un contexto organizacional definido bajo esos parámetros.-----This paper reasons a way in which firms can work to support the sustainability of the human system they belong to. We propound an Ecological Economics theoretical model for business management which is comprehensive enough to cope with the sustainability problem breadth. We also extend this model. Such extension is based on a sustainability definition, whose fundament is the "relational biologic ethic" concept (developed by the cognitive biologists Maturana and Varela (2002). We analyze the basis of this ethic to propose tools in order to develop the extended model with the aim to contribute to sustainability through management. These tools are dialogue propitiation, transformational collective leadership and an organisational context defined under these parameters

Development and Validation of a High-Resolution Melting Assay To Detect Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus

The global emergence of azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus strains is a growing public health concern. Different patterns of azole resistance are linked to mutations in cyp51A Therefore, accurate characterization of the mechanisms underlying azole resistance is critical to guide selection of the most appropriate antifungal agent for patients with aspergillosis. This study describes a new sequencing-free molecular screening tool for early detection of the most frequent mutations known to be associated with azole resistance in A. fumigatus PCRs targeting cyp51A mutations at positions G54, Y121, G448, and M220 and targeting different tandem repeats (TRs) in the promoter region were designed. All PCRs were performed simultaneously, using the same cycling conditions. Amplicons were then distinguished using a high-resolution melting assay. For standardization, 30 well-characterized azole-resistant A. fumigatus strains were used, yielding melting curve clusters for different resistance mechanisms for each target and allowing detection of the most frequent azole resistance mutations, i.e., G54E, G54V, G54R, G54W, Y121F, M220V, M220I, M220T, M220K, and G448S, and the tandem repeats TR34, TR46, and TR53 Validation of the method was performed using a blind panel of 80 A. fumigatus azole-susceptible or azole-resistant strains. All strains included in the blind panel were properly classified as susceptible or resistant with the developed method. The implementation of this screening method can reduce the time needed for the detection of azole-resistant A. fumigatus isolates and therefore facilitate selection of the best antifungal therapy in patients with aspergillosis.This study was financed by a research project from the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (FIS) (project PI13/02145). It was supported by Plan Nacional de I+D+i and Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, and the Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI grant RD12/0015), cofinanced by the European Development Regional Fund. L.B.-M. has a research contract from the Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI grant RD12/0015). O.R.-M. holds a predoctoral fellowship from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (grant FI14CIII/00025). S.G. was supported by a research fellowship from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (grant FI10/00464). E.M. was supported by a project from the Spanish Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (FIS grant PI15CIII/00019).S

Current Status Of Antifungal Susceptibility Testing Methods

Antifungal susceptibility testing is a very dynamic field of medical mycology. Standardization of in vitro susceptibility tests by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the European Committee for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST), and current availability of reference methods constituted the major remarkable steps in the field. Based on the established minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) breakpoints, it is now possible to determine the susceptibilities of Candida strains to fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, and flucytosine. Moreover, utility of fluconazole antifungal susceptibility tests as an adjunct in optimizing treatment of candidiasis has now been validated. While the MIC breakpoints and clinical significance of susceptibility testing for the remaining fungi and antifungal drugs remain yet unclear, modifications of the available methods as well as other methodologies are being intensively studied to overcome the present drawbacks and limitations. Among the other methods under investigation are Etest, colorimetric microdilution, agar dilution, determination of fungicidal activity, flow cytometry, and ergosterol quantitation. Etest offers the advantage of practical application and favorable agreement rates with the reference methods that are frequently above acceptable limits. However, MIC breakpoints for Etest remain to be evaluated and established. Development of commercially available, standardized colorimetric panels that are based on CLSI method parameters has added more to the antifungal susceptibility testing armamentarium. Flow cytometry, on the other hand, appears to offer rapid susceptibility testing but requires specified equipment and further evaluation for reproducibility and standardization. Ergosterol quantitation is another novel approach, which appears potentially beneficial particularly in discrimination of azole-resistant isolates from heavy trailers. The method is yet investigational and requires to be further studied. Developments in methodology and applications of antifungal susceptibility testing will hopefully provide enhanced utility in clinical guidance of antifungal therapy. However, and particularly in immunosuppressed host, in vitro susceptibility is and will remain only one of several factors that influence clinical outcome.Wo