Determinantes de la aceptación del "mobile learning" como elemento de formación del capital humano en las organizaciones

La revolución tecnológica ha modificado el modo de comunicarnos, realizar gran cantidad de transacciones, así como la forma de hacer negocios. Las organizaciones han tenido que adaptarse a los vertiginosos cambios y digitalizar gran parte de sus procesos productivos y operativa diaria (Messenger & Gschwind, 2016; Stone, Deadrick, Lukaszewski & Johnson, 2015). En su intento por obtener ventajas competitivas y un rendimiento empresarial mayor (Turulja & Bajgorić, 2016), las compañías invierten en activos intangibles mediante la generación de conocimiento (Hortovanyi & Ferincz, 2015). Es por ello que una de las áreas corporativas que se ha visto afectada por la emergente digitalización es la de la formación in-company. En este sentido, en las últimas décadas el e-learning se ha consolidado como una metodología formativa ampliamente utilizada por las compañías, respondiendo tanto a las necesidades empresariales como a las de los empleados. Si a ello le añadimos que actualmente prácticamente todos llevamos un dispositivo móvil que nos acompaña a donde quiera que vayamos (Little, 2013), que el mercado laboral cuenta con una fuerza de trabajo cada vez más digitalizada, y que con dichos dispositivos inalámbricos podemos realizar prácticamente las mismas operaciones que con un ordenador (Venkatesh, Thong & Xu, 2012), las organizaciones se encuentran ante la necesidad de ofrecer soluciones de aprendizaje en cualquier momento y lugar..

The effects of entrepreneurship education

Entrepreneurship education ranks high on policy agendas in Europe and the US, but little research is available to assess its impact. To help close this gap we investigate whether entrepreneurship education a?ects intentions to be entrepreneurial uniformly or whether it leads to greater sorting of students. The latter can reduce the average intention to be entrepreneurial and yet be socially beneficial. This paper provides a model of learning in which entrepreneurship education generates signals to students. Drawing on the signals, students evaluate their aptitude for entrepreneurial tasks. The model is tested using data from a compulsory entrepreneurship course. Using ex ante and ex post survey responses from students, we find that intentions to found decline somewhat although the course has significant positive e?ects on students’ self-assessed entrepreneurial skills. The empirical analysis supports the hypothesis that students receive informative signals and learn about their entrepreneurial aptitude. We outline implications for educators and public policy

Advances in standardization of laboratory measurement procedures: implications for measuring biomarkers of folate and vitamin B-12 status in NHANES1234

Population studies such as NHANES analyze large numbers of laboratory measurements and are often performed in different laboratories using different measurement procedures and over an extended period of time. Correct clinical and epidemiologic interpretations of the results depend on the accuracy of those measurements. Unfortunately, considerable variability has been observed among assays for folate, vitamin B-12, and related biomarkers. In the past few decades, the science of metrology has advanced considerably, with the development of improved primary reference measurement procedures and high-level reference materials, which can serve as the basis for accurate measurement. A rigorous approach has been established for making field methods traceable to the highest-level reference measurement procedures and reference materials. This article reviews some basic principles of metrology and describes their recent application to measurements of folate and vitamin B-12

Nutraceutical properties of chestnut flours: beneficial effects on skeletal muscle atrophy

Plants contain a wide range of non-nutritive phytochemicals, many of which have protective or preventive properties for human diseases. The aim of the present work has been to investigate the nutraceutical properties of sweet chestnut flour extracts obtained from fruits collected from 7 geographic areas of Tuscany (Italy), and their ability in modulating skeletal muscle atrophy. We found that the cultivars from different geographic areas are characterized by the composition and quantity of various nutrients and specific bioactive components, such as tocopherols, polyphenols and sphingolipids. The nutraceutical properties of chestnut sweet flours have been evaluated in C2C12 myotubes induced to atrophy by serum deprivation or dexamethasone. We found that the pretreatment with both total extracts of tocopherols and sphingolipids is able to counterbalance cell atrophy, reducing the decrease in myotube size and myonuclei number, and attenuating protein degradation and the increase in expression of MAFbx/atrogin-1 (a muscle-specific atrophy marker). By contrast, polyphenol extracts were not able to prevent atrophy. Since we also found that γ-tocopherol is the major form of tocopherol in sweet flour and its content differs depending on the procedure of sweet flour preparation, the mechanisms by which γ-tocopherol as well as sphingolipids affect skeletal muscle cell atrophy have been also investigated. This is the first evidence that chestnut sweet flour is a natural source of specific bioactive components with a relevant role in the prevention of cell degeneration and maintenance of skeletal muscle mass, opening important implications in designing appropriate nutritional therapeutic approaches to skeletal muscle atrophy

CoRoT photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy of the interacting eclipsing binary AU Mon

Analyses of very accurate CoRoT space photometry, past Johnson V photoelectric photometry and high-resolution \'echelle spectra led to the determination of improved and consistent fundamental stellar properties of both components of AU Mon. We derived new, accurate ephemerides for both the orbital motion (with a period of 11.113d) and the long-term, overall brightness variation (with a period of 416.9d) of this strongly interacting Be + G semi-detached binary. It is shown that this long-term variation must be due to attenuation of the total light by some variable circumbinary material. We derived the binary mass ratio $M_{\rm G}/M_{\rm B}$ = 0.17\p0.03 based on the assumption that the G-type secondary fills its Roche lobe and rotates synchronously. Using this value of the mass ratio as well as the radial velocities of the G-star, we obtained a consistent light curve model and improved estimates of the stellar masses, radii, luminosities and effective temperatures. We demonstrate that the observed lines of the B-type primary may not be of photospheric origin. We also discover rapid and periodic light changes visible in the high-quality residual CoRoT light curves. AU Mon is put into perspective by a comparison with known binaries exhibiting long-term cyclic light changes.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA

A taxonomic and phylogenetic revision of the Penicillium sclerotiorum complex

The morphological concept of Penicillium sclerotiorum (subgenus Aspergilloides) includes strains with monoverticillate, vesiculate conidiophores, and vivid orange to red colony colours, with colourful sclerotia sometimes produced. Multigene phylogenetic analyses with the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1), β-tubulin (benA), translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α), and calmodulin (cmd), reveal that the P. sclerotiorum morphospecies is a complex of seven phylogenetically distinct species, three of which were recently described, namely P. guanacastense, P. mallochii, and P. viticola. Three previously unidentified species are described here as P. cainii, P. jacksonii, and P. johnkrugii. The phylogenetic species are morphologically similar, but differ in combinations of colony characters, sclerotium production, conidiophore stipe roughening and branching, and conidial shape. Ecological characters and differences in geographical distribution further characterise some of the species, but increased sampling is necessary to confirm these differences. The fungal DNA barcode, the ITS, and the animal DNA barcode, cox1, have lower species resolving ability in our phylogenetic analyses, but still allow identification of all the species. Tef1-α and cmd were superior in providing fully resolved, statistically well-supported phylogenetic trees for this species complex, whereas benA resolved all species but had some issues with paraphyly. Penicillium adametzioides and P. multicolor, considered synonyms of P. sclerotiorum by some previous authors, do not belong to the P. sclerotiorum complex

Molecular detection of fungi in paprika, chili powder and black pepper

Paprika powder, chili powder, and black pepper are among the most frequently used spices in the world. The Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) regions were identified by high sequence similarity with the ITS regions of many microscopic fungi, especially representatives of the phylum Ascomycota, from 18 different spice samples that were examined. However, supplied quality certificates indicated that 10 of the 18 samples had no contamination present and were safe for human consumption. The various genera of fungi that were identified from the spices are considered to be a food safety concern as they are able to produce mycotoxins. Qualitative detection was supplemented by positive detection of viable fungal DNA using qPCR for the genera Aspergillus/Penicillium in two paprika powder and black pepper samples. These results concurred with the control analysis using axenic cultures. The described methods can be used for routine testing of spices to provide safe spices and other products to consumers.O

Genetic regulation of pituitary gland development in human and mouse

Normal hypothalamopituitary development is closely related to that of the forebrain and is dependent upon a complex genetic cascade of transcription factors and signaling molecules that may be either intrinsic or extrinsic to the developing Rathke’s pouch. These factors dictate organ commitment, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation within the anterior pituitary. Abnormalities in these processes are associated with congenital hypopituitarism, a spectrum of disorders that includes syndromic disorders such as septo-optic dysplasia, combined pituitary hormone deficiencies, and isolated hormone deficiencies, of which the commonest is GH deficiency. The highly variable clinical phenotypes can now in part be explained due to research performed over the last 20 yr, based mainly on naturally occurring and transgenic animal models. Mutations in genes encoding both signaling molecules and transcription factors have been implicated in the etiology of hypopituitarism, with or without other syndromic features, in mice and humans. To date, mutations in known genes account for a small proportion of cases of hypopituitarism in humans. However, these mutations have led to a greater understanding of the genetic interactions that lead to normal pituitary development. This review attempts to describe the complexity of pituitary development in the rodent, with particular emphasis on those factors that, when mutated, are associated with hypopituitarism in humans

The effect of curricular and extracurricular activities on university students? entrepreneurial intention and competences

This study examines how the alliance-building process affects the intention to enter into international alliances in the case of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). From a psychological perspective (Perceived Behavioural Control), the authors analyse the alliance-building process as an inhibitor of the international collaboration intention, considering to what extent the experience affects the intention of the partners involved. The study explores these hypotheses based on a sample of 220 Spanish SMEs. The results provide empirical evidence showing that the intention to develop international alliances is negatively affected by the search and the selection process as well as by the negotiation of the agreement, which reduces the intention to establish an international agreement. In addition, the intention is moderated by the experience of the SME manager. Moreover, there is a negative relationship between the extent of the SME manager's international experience and the intention to develop an international alliance