Key Teaching Competencies for Success in Family Businesses: a Strategic Approach in Higher Education

Purpose: The main objective of the study is to develop essential teaching skills for the successful management of family businesses, proposing a strategic teaching plan that covers everything from student training to the creation and effective management of these companies, contributing to economic growth and meeting social demands.   Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework highlights the importance of preparing students to manage family businesses, focusing on specialized instructors. It underlines the crucial role of family businesses in economic growth and argues that proper training can reduce failure rates in this type of business.   Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative and qualitative methodology was used, with a descriptive-correlational approach and a non-experimental cross-sectional design. The research was carried out in Mexican universities with a sample of 180 professors. Data collection included surveys and interviews, assessing key competencies such as communication, leadership, problem-solving, and financial management.   Findings: The results indicate that, according to the teachers surveyed, the most relevant competencies for successful family business management include communication skills, leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, financial management, human resources, marketing, sales, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The research highlights the importance of specialized training and the need to align family and business interests.   Research, Practical & Social Implications:  It is suggested the implementation of a strategic educational program in higher education that covers from training to the management of family businesses, adapting to the changing demands of society and the business environment.   Originality/Value: The study addresses a relevant issue and proposes concrete measures to improve training in entrepreneurship and family business management in the academic field. It proposes a comprehensive strategic teaching plan, establishing the necessary competencies for teachers and providing specific guidance towards the creation and management of family businesses

SENSORY MARKETING: DETERMINING FACTOR IN THE DECISION TO BUY IN MYPES FOOTWEAR MARKETERS

La investigación tuvo como propósito identificar de qué manera la estimulación de los sentidos del consumidor (vista, oído y olfato) influye en su decisión de compra y en el tiempo de permanencia dentro del punto de venta. El estudio es de corte transversal y exploratorio, se adopta el estudio de casos múltiples. Los resultados muestran que el sentido más importante que influye en la decisión de compra es la vista, seguido del olfato y el oído, éstos dos últimos influyen más en la decisión del consumidor con respecto al tiempo que permanecen dentro del comercio

Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Pathophysiologic and pharmacotherapeutics links

At present, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are two highly prevalent disorders worldwide, especially among elderly individuals. T2DM appears to be associated with cognitive dysfunction, with a higher risk of developing neurocognitive disorders, including AD. These diseases have been observed to share various pathophysiological mechanisms, including alterations in insulin signaling, defects in glucose transporters (GLUTs), and mitochondrial dysfunctions in the brain. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms implicated in the association of these pathologies as well as recent therapeutic alternatives. In this context, the hyperphosphorylation of tau and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles have been associated with the dysfunction of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in the nervous tissues as well as the decrease in the expression of GLUT-1 and GLUT-3 in the different areas of the brain, increase in reactive oxygen species, and production of mitochondrial alterations that occur in T2DM. These findings have contributed to the implementation of overlapping pharmacological interventions based on the use of insulin and antidiabetic drugs, or, more recently, azeliragon, amylin, among others, which have shown possible beneficial effects in diabetic patients diagnosed with AD

La medicina tradicional: perspectiva turística y patrimonial

Traditional Medicine presupposes a set of knowledge and ancestral techniques on medicinal plants, which have passed from generation to generation as a way of cultural manifestation for health care, not only consists of knowledge developed by indigenous peoples, but also a integration of social logics where respect and use of nature coexist, which provides resources with properties for the possibility of healing or healing of the human being. All this is done through rituals and beliefs, where the practice and experience of the people who function as healers play a fundamental role. It is then where society gets involved and where tourism can take advantage of ancestral knowledge to dignify the ways of life of indigenous peoples and communities, especially with wellness tourism and rather from the valorization of knowledge than by current social dynamics, they are often at risk.La Medicina Tradicional presupone un conjunto de conocimientos, saberes y técnicas ancestrales sobre las plantas medicinales, que han pasado por generaciones como manera de manifestación cultural para el cuidado de la salud, no solo se conforma de conocimientos desarrollados por los pueblos indígenas, sino una integración de lógicas sociales donde coexisten el respeto y aprovechamiento de la naturaleza, misma que brinda recursos con propiedades para la posibilidad de la sanación o curación del ser humano. Todo ello se hace a través de rituales y creencias, donde la práctica y experiencia de las personas que funcionan como sanadores, juegan un papel fundamental. Es entonces donde la sociedad se involucra y el turismo puede aprovechar los saberes ancestrales para dignificar las formas de vida de pueblos y comunidades indígenas, sobre todo con el turismo de bienestar desde la valorización de conocimientos que por las dinámicas sociales actuales se ven en situación de riesgo

Development and sedative effect of a new formulation of midazolam in chocolate bars

The aim of this work was to assess the stability and sedative effect of midazolam in chocolate bars. The stability of 5 g chocolate bars containing 6 mg midazolam hydrochloride was evaluated at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C), at 4 and 40 °C, by HPLC. Drug plasma levels were measured and the sedative effect was confirmed in six healthy volunteers according to the Ramsay’s scale. Data regarding chocolate bar administration were compared to those from the apple juice solution. Pharmacokinetic data were processed using the WinNonLin 5.2 software. Midazolam in chocolate bars remained stable for 14 days at room temperature and exposed to light; for 90 days at 4 and 40 °C protected from light, and showed a longer shelf life, better flavour and appearance, inducing the same sedative effect as the apple juice preparation. Raspberry flavour masked midazolam unpleasing taste most favourably.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Laponite Composites:In Situ Films Forming as a Possible Healing Agent

A healing material must have desirable characteristics such as maintaining a physiological environment, protective barrier-forming abilities, exudate absorption, easy handling, and non-toxicity. Laponite is a synthetic clay with properties such as swelling, physical crosslinking, rheological stability, and drug entrapment, making it an interesting alternative for developing new dressings. This study evaluated its performance in lecithin/gelatin composites (LGL) as well as with the addition of maltodextrin/sodium ascorbate mixture (LGL MAS). These materials were applied as nanoparticles, dispersed, and prepared by using the gelatin desolvation method—eventually being turned into films via the solvent-casting method. Both types of composites were also studied as dispersions and films. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and rheological techniques were used to characterize the dispersions, while the films’ mechanical properties and drug release were determined. Laponite in an amount of 8.8 mg developed the optimal composites, reducing the particulate size and avoiding the agglomeration by its physical crosslinker and amphoteric properties. On the films, it enhanced the swelling and provided stability below 50 °C. Moreover, the study of drug release in maltodextrin and sodium ascorbate from LGL MAS was fitted to first-order and Korsmeyer–Peppas models, respectively. The aforementioned systems represent an interesting, innovative, and promising alternative in the field of healing materials.</p

Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immunological Basis of the Placebo Effect: Potential Applications beyond Pain Therapy

The placebo effect can be defined as the improvement of symptoms in a patient after the administration of an innocuous substance in a context that induces expectations regarding its effects. During recent years, it has been discovered that the placebo response not only has neurobiological functions on analgesia, but that it is also capable of generating effects on the immune and endocrine systems. The possible integration of changes in different systems of the organism could favor the well-being of the individuals and go hand in hand with conventional treatment for multiple diseases. In this sense, classic conditioning and setting expectations stand out as psychological mechanisms implicated in the placebo effect. Recent advances in neuroimaging studies suggest a relationship between the placebo response and the opioid, cannabinoid, and monoaminergic systems. Likewise, a possible immune response conditioned by the placebo effect has been reported. There is evidence of immune suppression conditioned through the insular cortex and the amygdala, with noradrenalin as the responsible neurotransmitter. Finally, a conditioned response in the secretion of different hormones has been determined in different studies; however, the molecular mechanisms involved are not entirely known. Beyond studies about its mechanism of action, the placebo effect has proved to be useful in the clinical setting with promising results in the management of neurological, psychiatric, and immunologic disorders. However, more research is needed to better characterize its potential use. This review integrates current knowledge about the psycho-neuro-endocrine-immune basis of the placebo effect and its possible clinical applications

Synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of octyltrimethylammonium tetrathiotungstate

Octyltrimethylammonium tetrathiotungstate salt (ATT-C8) was synthesized and its ability to chelate copper was evaluated. The biological and toxic aspects were evaluated by in vitro and in vivo assays, using bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAEC) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. The obtained results suggest that ATT-C8 has better biocompatibility, showing a significantly lower lethal concentration 50 (LC50) value in comparison to ammonium tetrathiotungstate (ATT). Zebrafish embryos assay results indicate that both tetrathiotungstate salts at the studied concentrations increase the hatching time. Even more, an in vivo assay showed that synthesized materials behave as copper antagonists and have the ability to inhibit its toxicological effects. Also, both materials were found to be active for the in vitro 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The characterization of the materials was carried out using the following spectroscopic techniques: Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–Vis), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NRM).The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the UABC-UNAM SENERCONACYT 117373 project. Authors thank David Navas Fernandez for excellent technical support in these experiments, as well as Dr. Raúl Romero Rivera for his valuable comments. The scientific work developed by MAM’s group is supported by grants PID2019-105010RB-I00 (Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities), and UMA18- FEDERJA-220 (Andalusian Government and FEDER) and funds from group BIO 267 (Andalusian Government), as well as funds from ‘‘Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia’’ (U. Málaga)

Edaphoclimatic descriptors of wild tomato species (Solanum Sect. Lycopersicon) and closely related species (Solanum Sect. Juglandifolia and Sect. Lycopersicoides) in South America

Wild species related to cultivated tomato are essential genetic resources in breeding programs focused on food security to face future challenges. The ecogeographic analysis allows identifying the species adaptive ranges and most relevant environmental variables explaining their patterns of actual distribution. The objective of this research was to identify the diversity, ecological descriptors, and statistical relationship of 35 edaphoclimatic variables (20 climatic, 1 geographic and 14 edaphic variables) from 4,649 accessions of 12 wild tomato species and 4 closely related species classified in Solanum sect. Lycopersicon and clustered into four phylogenetic groups, namely “Lycopersicon group” (S. pimpinellifolium, S. cheesmaniae, and S. galapagense), “Arcanum group” (S. arcanum, S. chmielewskii, and S. neorickii), “Eriopersicon group” (S. habrochaites, S. huaylasense, S. corneliomulleri, S. peruvianum, and S. chilense), “Neolycopersicon group” (S. pennellii); and two phylogenetically related groups in Solanum sect. Juglandifolia (S. juglandifolium and S. ochranthum), and section Lycopersicoides (S. lycopersicoides and S. sitiens). The relationship between the climate and edaphic variables were determined by the canonical correlation analysis, reaching 89.2% of variation with the first three canonical correlations. The most significant climatic variables were related to humidity (annual evapotranspiration, annual precipitation, and precipitation of driest month) and physicochemical soil characteristics (bulk density, pH, and base saturation percentage). In all groups, ecological descriptors and diversity patterns were consistent with previous reports. Regarding edaphoclimatic diversity, 12 climate types and 17 soil units were identified among all species. This approach has promissory applications for biodiversity conservation and uses valuable genetic resources related to a leading crop.Fil: Ramírez Ojeda, Gabriela. Universidad Autónoma Chapingo; MéxicoFil: Peralta, Iris Edith. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez Guzmán, Eduardo. Universidad de Guadalajara; MéxicoFil: Sahagún Castellanos, Jaime. Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo; MéxicoFil: Chávez Servia, José Luis. Instituto Nacional Politécnico; MéxicoFil: Medina Hinostroza, Tulio Cecilio. Gobierno del Perú. Ministerio del Ambiente; PerúFil: Rijalba Vela, Jorge Rodrigo. Universidad Pedro Ruiz Gallo; PerúFil: Vásquez Núñez, Leopoldo Pompeyo. Univeridad Pedro Ruiz Gallo; PerúFil: Rodríguez Pérez, Juan Enrique. Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo; Méxic

Mental health data available in representative surveys conducted in Latin America and the Caribbean countries: a scoping review

Background: Mental health data from Latin America and the Caribbean countries (LACC) national and international surveys are essential for public health surveillance. This review aimed to identify and describe available mental health survey data in LACC, providing access details for researchers. // Methods: Our study was a scoping review. The search for available mental health survey data was conducted in PubMed and through grey literature searches, and the search dates were between 26 August 2021 and 15 October 2021. Included survey data were/had (1) nationally representative, (2) the latest version available from 2012 onward, (3) collected in at least one LACC and (4) at least one mental health variable or related factor. We accepted all written languages, including Spanish and English. // Results: A total of 56 national and 13 international surveys were included, with data available on 95 mental health variables classified into 10 categories. Most national surveys were performed in upper-middle-income countries. Variables categorised as ‘Substance use’ and ‘Violence’ were the most frequent. Mexico and Colombia had the highest production in both the national and international surveys. The main target population was the adult population. However, there are several mental health topics and LACC yet unsurveyed. // Conclusion: We identified a total of 69 representative surveys from LACCs since 2012. We categorised the available data on mental health variables into 10 categories, and provided technical details to facilitate the future selection and use of these surveys