The strategic relevance of business relationships: a preliminary assessment

The ubiquitous contention within the Industrial Networks literature - that business relationships are one of the firm´s most important resources - has not been, in our viewpoint, thoroughly explored. Hence we argue that the ‘Resource-based View of the Firm’ (‘RBV’) may complement the network-based reasoning on the strategic relevance of business relationships. A theoretical framework is proposed – a competence-based view of the firm – which solves RBV´s terminological and inconsistency problems and, more importantly, assures compatibility with the network perspective´s assumptions. The possibility of cross-fertilizing the Industrial Networks and RBV theories seems not only real, but also conceptually profitable for both theoretical fields.Business Relationships, Industrial Networks, Resource-Based View of the Firm, Competence-Based View of the Firm

How is the relationship significance brought about? A critical realist approach

The markets-as-networks theorists contend, at least tacitly, the significance of business relationships for the focal firm – that is, business relationships contribute somewhat to the focal firm’s survival and growth. We do not deny the existence of significant business relationships but sustain, in contrast to the consensus within the Markets-as-Networks Theory, that relationship significance should not be a self-evident assumption. Significance cannot be a taken-for-granted property of each and every one of the focal firm’s business relationships. We adopt explicitly a critical realist position in this conceptual paper and claim that the relationship significance is an event of the business world, whose causes remain yet largely unidentified. Where the powers and liabilities of business relationships (i.e., their functions and dysfunctions) are put to work, inevitably under certain contingencies (namely the surrounding networks and markets), effects result for the focal firm (often benefits in excess of sacrifices, i.e., relationship value) and as a result the relationship significance is likely to be brought about. In addition, the relationship significance can result from the dual influence that business relationships have on a great part of the structure and powers and liabilities of the focal firm, i.e., its nature and scope respectivelyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Electron density analysis on the alpha acidity of nitriles

24 substituted cyanocompounds and the corresponding anions obtained upon H + -abstraction from diverse positions were subjected to an electron density analysis with the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM). All the electron densities were obtained at the B3LYP/6–31 +  + G(2d,2p) level on completely optimized geometries. In accordance to experimental evidence, α-H + abstraction is found as the most favored one (by at least 100 kJ mol −1 in all the tested compounds). The presence of additional resonance electron attractors reduces significantly the α-deprotonation energy, whereas this magnitude is quite insensitive to the inclusion of resonance electron donors. The electron density rearrangement accompanying the deprotonation is apparently in line with the predictions of the resonance model (RM). In fact, a significant part of the electron density gained by expelling the proton is transferred to cyano N and to other groups where significant resonance structures delocalize the negative charge. Nevertheless, some significant modifications have to be introduced on the RM picture when the QTAIM results are studied in detail.Xunta de Galicia | Ref. GRC 2019/24Universidade de Vigo/CISU

Efeitos do alagamento do Rio Paraná na atividade horária de Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) darlingi Root (Diptera: Culicidae), na divisa dos estados do Mato Grosso do Sul e São Paulo, Brasil

INTRODUCTION: Study of the temporal activity of malaria vectors during the implantation of a hydroelectric power station on the River Paraná, intended to generate electrical energy. The river separates the States of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul, in Brazil. The objective was to verify whether alterations occurred in the wealth and diversity indices of Anopheles, following two successive floods, extended to the temporal activity and nycthemeral rhythm followed over a five year period. METHODS: Mosquito capture was performed monthly using the Human Attraction Technique and Shannon Traps. The first, executed for 24h, provided the nycthemeral rhythm and the second, lasting 15h, permitted the tracking of Anopheles during the two floods. RESULTS: The bimodal pattern of Anopheles darlingi defined before these floods was modified throughout the environment interventions. The same effect had repercussions on the populations of An albitarsis s.l., An triannulatus and An galvaoi. Activity prior to twilight was less affected by the environment alterations. CONCLUSIONS: The dam construction provoked changes in Anopheles temporal activity patterns, permitting classification of the area as an ecologically steady and unstable situation. Differences observed in Anopheles behavior due to the capture methods revealed the influence of solo and multiple attractiveness inside the populations studied.INTRODUÇÃO: Estudo da atividade horária de vetores da malária durante a implantação de uma represa no Rio Paraná, destinada à geração de energia elétrica. O rio separa os Estados de São Paulo e Mato Grosso do Sul, no Brasil. O objetivo foi verificar se as alterações na riqueza e diversidades de Anopheles diante de duas inundações sucessivas se estendiam à atividade horária e ritmo nictimeral numa série temporal de cinco anos. MÉTODOS: A captura de mosquito foi mensal, por meio dos métodos Técnica Atrativa Humana e Armadilha de Shannon. A primeira, executada durante 24 horas, forneceu o ritmo nictimeral e a segunda, com duração de 15 horas, para acompanhar os anofelinos durante as duas inundações. RESULTADOS: O padrão bimodal de Anopheles darlingi definido antes dessas inundações foi alterado ao longo das intervenções ambientais. O mesmo efeito repercutiu nas populações de An albitarsis s.l., An triannulatus e An galvaoi. A atividade pré-crepuscular foi a menos afetada pelas alterações ambientais. CONCLUSÕES: As barragens provocam mudanças no padrão de atividade horária dos anofelinos permitindo classificar a área em situação ecologicamente estável e instável. Diferenças observadas no comportamento dos anofelinos pelos métodos de captura mostram a influência da uni e múltipla atratividade dentro das populações estudadas.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Companhia Energética de São Paul

The mitochondrial genome of the pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) lineage introduced in Europe

The pinewood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is the causative agent of pine wilt disease and the greatest biological threat to conifer forests worldwide. Here we describe the near-complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence (12,945 bp) of the PWN lineage recently introduced in Europe. The absence of polymorphisms across the mtDNA of three Portuguese isolates suggests that a single mitochondrial lineage was introduced in southwestern Europe. We also found that Portuguese isolates have an incomplete stop codon (TA) at COX3, while the reference mtDNA from a South Korean isolate has a complete stop codon (TAA). Moreover, two insertion/deletion polymorphisms change the ND4 protein in a stretch of seven amino acids, and a polymorphic mononucleotide repeat alters the predicted structure of the tyrosine tRNA in different geographical isolates. Overall, the new PWN mtDNA sequence provides a basis for studying the European dispersion of this important invasive species

Elastic modulus and stress-strain curve analysis of a tungsten mine waste alkali-activated concrete

In the paper the compressive strength, the elastic modulus and the stress-strain curve of an alkaliactivated concrete were studied. A tungsten mine waste mud (TMWM), aggregate (also from the tungsten mine), glass waste and metakaolin were used as raw materials. Sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide were used as activators. First, TMWM chemical composition was determined by scanning electron microscopyenergy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The maximum particle size was 18mm. Two cubes with side dimension of 15cm were prepared from the mixture. Samples were cured at 60°C for 24 hours. A concrete mixer, vibration table and an oven were used in the process. After the curing process, cubes were cut into seven prisms and one cube with the dimensions 15x7.4x7.4cm and 7.4cm respectively. After 28 days, the laboratory tests were performed. During the compressive strength tests, the displacements were also recorded which allowed drawing the stress-strain curve of the samples. The compressive strength ranged from 17.27 to 28.84MPa. The elastic modulus was calculated by four different standards: ASTM, LNEC and European standard. The elastic modulus ranged from 2.48 to 7.49GPa what showed that the material is more elastic than ordinary Portland cement concrete

Transcriptomic data on the transgenerational exposure of the keystone amphipod Gammarus locusta to simvastatin

The use of transcriptomics data brings new insights and works as a powerful tool to explore the molecular mode of action (MoA) of transgenerational inheritance effects of contaminants of emerging concern. Therefore, in this dataset, we present the transcriptomic data of the transgenerational effects of environmentally relevant simvastatin levels, one of the most prescribed human pharmaceuticals, in the keystone amphipod species Gammarus locusta. In summary, G. locusta juveniles were maintained under simvastatin exposure up to adulthood (exposed group - F0E) and the offspring of F0E were transferred to control water for the three subsequent generations (transgenerational group - F1T, F2T and F3T). To gain insights into the biological functions and canonical pathways transgenerationally disrupted by simvastatin, a G. locusta de novo transcriptome assembly was produced and the transcriptomic profiles of three individual G. locusta females, per group, over the four generations (F0 to F3) - solvent control groups (F0.C, F1.C, F2.C and F3.C), F0 320 ng/L simvastatin exposed group (F0.320E) and F1 to F3 320 transgenerational group (F1.320T; F2.320T and F3.320T) - were analyzed. Briefly, Illumina HiSeq™ 2500 platform was used to perform RNA sequencing, and due to the unavailability of G. locusta genome, the RNA-seq datasets were assembled de novo using Trinity and annotated with Trinotate software. After assembly and post-processing steps, 106093 transcripts with N50 of 2371 bp and mean sequence length of 1343.98 bp was produced. BUSCO analyses showed a transcriptome with gene completeness of 97.5 % Arthropoda library profile. The Bowtie2, RSEM and edgeR tools were used for the differential gene expression (DEGs) analyses that allowed the identification of a high quantity of genes differentially expressed in all generations. Finally, to identify the main metabolic pathways affected by the transgenerational effects of SIM across all generations, the DGEs genes were blasted onto KEGG pathways database using the KAAS webserver. The data furnished in this article allows a better molecular understanding of the transgenerational effects produced by simvastatin in the keystone amphipod G. locusta and has major implications for hazard and risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and other emerging contaminants. This article is related to the research article entitled “Transgenerational inheritance of chemical-induced signature: a case study with simvastatinThis article was developed under the Transobesogen project - Trans-phyletic obesogenic responses: from epigenetic modules to transgenerational environmental impacts (reference PTDC/CTA-AMB/31544/2017 - NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-031544), cofunded by Portugal 2020, the European Union through the ERDF and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology – FCT. This article was also supported by FCT through national funds (UIDB/04423/2020; UIDP/04423/2020), by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (CTM2017-84763-C3-2-R) and by the Galician Council of Culture, Education and Universities (ED431C2017/36), cofounded by ERDF. A PhD grant awarded to Susana Barros acknowledges the doctoral grant attributed by FCT with reference PD/BD/143090/2018S

Transgenerational inheritance of chemical-induced signature: A case study with simvastatin

The hypothesis that exposure to certain environmental chemicals during early life stages may disrupt reproduction across multiple non-exposed generations has significant implications for understanding disease etiology and adverse outcomes. We demonstrate here reproductive multi and transgenerational effects, at environmentally relevant levels, of one of the most prescribed human pharmaceuticals, simvastatin, in a keystone species, the amphipod Gammarus locusta. The transgenerational findings has major implications for hazard and risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern given that transgenerational effects of environmental chemicals are not addressed in current hazard and risk assessment schemes. Considering that the mevalonate synthesis, one of the key metabolic pathways targeted by simvastatin, is highly conserved among metazoans, these results may also shed light on the potential transgenerational effects of simvastatin on other animals, including humans.This research was funded by COMPETE 2020, Portugal 2020, the European Union through the ERDF and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology – FCT (Transobesogen project – Trans-phyletic obesogenic responses: from epigenetic modules to transgenerational environmental impacts, reference: PTDC/CTA-AMB/31544/2017 – NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-031544). This research was also supported by the National Funds through FCT under the projects (UIDB/04423/2020; UIDP/04423/2020), by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (CTM2017-84763-C3-2-R), and by the Galician Council of Culture, Education and Universities (ED431C2017/36), cofounded by ERDF. A PhD grant awarded to Susana Barros (PD/BD/143090/2018) was funded by the FCTS

Influence of seagrass meadows on nursery and fish provisioning ecosystem services delivered by Ria Formosa, a coastal lagoon in Portugal

This study is the first to evaluate the fish provisioning services of a whole transitional landscape (Ria Formosa lagoon, Portugal), in parallel with the enhancement of growth, survival and production of single cohorts of the most important commercial fish species by vegetated and unvegetated sub-tidal habitats. Based on monthly beach seine samples, total density and biomass of 96 species of fishes were 1.89 and 3.03 times greater in vegetated habitats than unvegetated habitats, respectively. Vegetated habitat enhanced survival in six of eight commercial species for which survival could be estimated in both habitats. The total production of all 12 commercially important species within vegetated habitat was approximately double that of unvegetated habitat, with production enhancement in 7 of 12 species ranging from 1.8 to 169-fold for the vegetated habitats. Within the lagoon, vegetated sub-tidal habitat covers an area 5-fold smaller than unvegetated habitat, yet it accounts for 27.1 % of fish production. Estimated total lifetime economic values of the single cohorts of the 12 commercial species were between 30 million and 59 million EUR. An exceptionally strong year class of the European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), a species with higher density and biomass in unvegetated habitat, accounts for the higher overall values per hectare for unvegetated habitat (Low natural mortality (M): EUR 32,844 ha-1; High M: EUR 16,751 ha-1) than for vegetated habitat (Low M: EUR 22,028 ha-1; High M: EUR 10,700 ha-1). These results highlight the enormous importance of temperate coastal lagoons as a nursery and source of recruits for coastal fisheries. Our evaluation of fish provisioning services based on data for individual cohorts of fish for a whole transitional landscape is a stronger and more valid approach for estimating future biomass and value than previous studies based on mean densities and biomasses of fish that did not distinguish between cohorts.ICTIORIA (Recruitment of sea breams) DG XIV C1/99/061; LA/P/0101/2020;info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Search for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a bbˉb\bar{b} pair in pppp collisions at s\sqrt{s} = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a top-quark pair, tt¯H, is presented. The analysis uses 36.1  fb-1 of pp collision data at s=13  TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016. The search targets the H→bb¯ decay mode. The selected events contain either one or two electrons or muons from the top-quark decays, and are then categorized according to the number of jets and how likely these are to contain b-hadrons. Multivariate techniques are used to discriminate between signal and background events, the latter being dominated by tt¯+jets production. For a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV, the ratio of the measured tt¯H signal cross-section to the standard model expectation is found to be μ=0.84-0.61+0.64. A value of μ greater than 2.0 is excluded at 95% confidence level (C.L.) while the expected upper limit is μ<1.2 in the absence of a tt¯H signal.Peer Reviewe