The importance of intangible assets in the strategic management of the firm : an empirical application for Banco Santander

The focus of our research is to analyze, within the framework of the theory of resources and capabilities (TRC), what is the importance of intangible assets in the strategic management of the firms. An empirical application for the financial sector has been provided, a highly competitive industry which is undergoing big and major changes, and in particular the Santander Group. Specifically, we have analyzed the configuration of strategy, within the Group, at different levels: Corporate, Business, Segment and Functional. Meanwhile, due to the huge importance that corporate level is acquiring, we have also analyzed the values that underpin the organization, the source of competitive advantage, growth strategy and business levels that directly depend upon it. To respond to these objectives, we have developed a questionnaire for managers of Santander Group offices. We show the preliminary results in which we want to emphasize, as well as predicted by TRC, the importance of intangible assets in achieving results, both in terms of competition as well as purely economic. It is also noteworthy, according to managers’ perception, that the competitive advantage on which strategy is built is differentiation with a scope focused on the entire market. Similarly, this differentiation is supported by its financial strength, leadership and brand image.peer-reviewe

Análisis del llenado de la presa de Itoiz

El Plan de Puesta en Carga de la presa de Itoiz comenzó el 19 de enero del año 2004 finalizando con éxito el 9 de octubre del 2008. Para poder realizar un adecuado seguimiento de la seguridad de la presa, el Plan de Llenado se ha realizado en seis etapas. En algunas de estas fases se ha verificado el comportamiento frente al desembalse de las laderas y del cimiento. Al final de cada una de las etapas se ha realizado un informe de auscultación en el que se analizaba el comportamiento de la presa hasta ese momento y se aprobaba o no continuar el Plan de Puesta en Carga. En este artículo se resumen los aspectos más importantes del comportamiento durante el Plan de Llenado de la presa y su cimiento, de la presa auxiliar y su cimiento y del paleodeslizamiento denominado megacap

Epigenetics and Cyclooxygenase-2 Mediate Dysfunction in Alveolar Macrophages and Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils Post-bone Marrow Transplantation.

Infectious pulmonary complications limit the success of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) therapy in both autologous and allogeneic patients. Susceptibility to pathogens, like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, persists despite successful immune reconstitution. Despite high incidence of infectious pulmonary complications following HSCT, relatively little is known about the mechanisms promoting enhanced susceptibility. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are the sentinel phagocytes in the lung and following infection polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) assist in bacterial clearance. Previous human studies implicate AM and PMN impairment post-HSCT. Using a murine syngeneic or allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) model, our studies explore the mechanisms involved in promoting HSCT AM and PMN defects. We show that syngeneic BMT mice display increased susceptibility to both P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, which correlated with impaired AM function. Altered class A scavenger receptors impaired AM uptake of P. aeruginosa but not S. aureus, while defective bacterial killing conferred overall susceptibility to these pathogens. Syngeneic BMT AM susceptibility is promoted by upregulation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and its rate-limiting enzyme, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX)-2. Studies exploring the etiology of enhanced COX-2 expression revealed a loss in DNA methylation of the COX-2 promoter mediated by transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß-induced miRNA-29b, resulting in elevated COX-2. Previous data show COX-2/PGE2 impaired PMN bacterial killing but had no effect on phagocytosis post-syngeneic BMT. Here we show that upregulation of COX-2/ PGE2 inhibits PMN extracellular trap (NET) formation post-syngeneic and allogeneic BMT, a novel finding that identifies PGE2 as a physiologically relevant inhibitor of NETosis. Together, these findings highlight the importance of epigenetic changes (DNA methylation and miRNA) in BMT AMs, as they directly and indirectly result in increased COX-2 expression and PGE2 production. Upregulation of this pathway establishes an immunosuppressive environment in the lung through the inhibition of AM and PMN functions. Moreover, these findings identify potential therapeutic avenues to further explore in HSCT patients.PHDImmunologyUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110388/1/rdomingo_1.pd

A Parallel Application of Matheuristics in Data Envelopment Analysis

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is a non-parametric methodology for estimating technical efficiency and benchmarking. In general, it is desirable that DEA generates the efficient closest targets as benchmarks for each assessed unit. This may be achieved through the application of the Principle of Least Action. However, the mathematical models associated with this principle are based fundamentally on combinatorial NP-hard problems, difficult to be solved. For this reason, this paper uses a parallel matheuristic algorithm, where metaheuristics and exact methods work together to find optimal solutions. Several parallel schemes are used in the algorithm, being possible for them to be configured at different stages of the algorithm. The main intention is to divide the number of problems to be evaluated in equal groups, so that they are resolved in different threads. The DEA problems to be evaluated in this paper are independent of each other, an indispensable requirement for this algorithm. In addition, taking into account that the main algorithm uses exact methods to solve the mathematical problems, different optimization software has been evaluated to compare their performance when executed in parallel. The method is competitive with exact methods, obtaining fitness close to the optimum with low computational time.J. Aparicio and M. González thank the financial support from the Spanish ‘Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad’ (MINECO), the ‘Agencia Estatal de Investigacion’ and the ‘Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional’ under grant MTM2016-79765-P (AEI/FEDER, UE)

La gestión del talento humano en la imagen institucional en época de la COVID-19, en las entidades financieras del distrito de Cajamarca en el 2020

La investigación se efectuó con la tarea científica principal de determinar el impacto entre la imagen institucional y la gestión del talento humano en las entidades financieras de la jurisdicción de Cajamarca 2020 en época de covid- 19. Para tal caso, se obró un enfoque cuantitativo de tipo transversal con un nivel descriptivo – explicativo y de diseño no experimental, donde se consideró a una muestra de 259 trabajadores, los cuales fueron sometidos a dos instrumentos (24 ítems para gestión de talento humano, y 16 ítem para imagen institucional), siendo estos validados por criterio de expertos y por el alfa de Cronbach. Como resultado general se halló que la imagen institucional es influenciada por la gestión del talento humano de las entidades financieras, asimismo, su factor de determinación (R2) fue de 0.203 y su coeficiente de determinación ajustado fue de 0.200, además, con la regresión resultó un beta de 0.451, lo que significa que la influencia fue positiva; por último, se concluyó que hay evidencia de una influencia significativa (< 0.001) de la gestión del talento humano en la imagen institucional estando direccionada de manera positiva, específicamente explicó el 20% de la varianza de la variable dependiente.The research was carried out with the main scientific task of determining the impact between institutional image and human talent management in financial entities in the jurisdiction of Cajamarca 2020 during the covid-19 period. For such case, a quantitative approach of transversal type with a descriptive - explanatory level and non-experimental design was used, where a sample of 259 workers was considered, who were submitted to two instruments (24 items for human talent management, and 16 items for institutional image), being these validated by experts' criteria and Cronbach's alpha. As a general result it was found that the institutional image is influenced by the human talent management of the financial entities, likewise, its determination factor (R2) was 0.203 and its adjusted determination coefficient was 0.200, in addition, the regression resulted in a beta of 0.451, which means that the influence was positive; finally, it was concluded that there is evidence of a significant influence (< 0.001) of the human talent management on the institutional image being positively directed, specifically it explained 20% of the variance of the dependent variable

Long-term preservation of freeze-dried rabbit sperm by adding rosmarinic acid and different chelating agents

Freeze-drying (FD) technique has been applied as an alternative technology to preserve gene resources to allow simple sperm preservation and shipment at 4 degrees C. Nevertheless, DNA sperm might be damaged by mechanical or oxidative stress throughout FD procedure. Therefore, suitable protection to maintain DNA integrity is required. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of rosmarinic acid (RA) as an antioxidant and two chelating agents (EGTA and EDTA) on the DNA integrity of freeze-dried rabbit sperm after storage of the samples at 4 degrees C and room temperature for 8 months. Rabbit sperm were freeze-dried in basic medium (10 mM Tris-HCl buffer and 50 mM NaCl) supplemented with 50 mM EGTA (1), 50 mM EGTA plus 105 mu M RA (2), 50 mM EDTA (3) or 50 mM EDTA plus 105 mu M RA (4). Semen samples were kept at 4 degrees C and room temperature during 8 months. After rehydration, DNA integrity was evaluated with Sperm Chromatin Dispersion test observing that DNA fragmentation was higher when semen samples were freeze-dried with EGTA (10.9%) than with EDTA (4.1%) (p < 0.01). Furthermore, RA acted better under adverse conditions and no significant differences were found in temperature storage. Summarizing, FD is a method that can allow simple gene resources preservation among 4 degrees C to 25 degrees C during 8 months and transportation without the need for liquid nitrogen or dry ice. EDTA chelating agent is the most suitable media for freeze-dried rabbit sperm and the addition of RA protects the DNA against the oxidative stress caused during FD procedure

“Y aunque los sueños se nos rompan en pedazos, resistiré”: narraciones digitales para analizar el impacto emocional de la pandemia en los estudiantes universitarios

Covid-19 generated an important impact on the mental health of university students. In this context, a double need arises: to analyse the effects of this impact and to work on emotional education with this educational sector. This study is part of a broader educational innovation project focused on working on the emotional education of university students. In this case, our purpose was to analyse the experiences of university students (N=6) during the pandemic through Digital Storytellings. The results showed revealing aspects regarding the influence that the pandemic had on students: the shortcomings of virtuality in teaching, the development of coping strategies, the lessons learned from the pandemic, etc. Finally, it was set out a number of implications for higher education, like the promotion of emotional education plans, the optimisation of online educational resources, and increased teacher training in digital issues and emotional support.La Covid-19 generó un importante impacto en la salud mental de los estudiantes universitarios. En este contexto, surge una doble necesidad: analizar los efectos de este impacto y trabajar la educación emocional con este sector educativo. Este estudio forma parte de un proyecto más amplio de innovación educativa centrado en trabajar la educación emocional de los estudiantes universitarios. En este caso, el principal objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar las experiencias de los estudiantes universitarios (N=6) durante la pandemia a través de Digital Storytellings. Los resultados muestran aspectos reveladores sobre la influencia que tuvo la pandemia en los estudiantes: las carencias de la virtualidad en la enseñanza, el desarrollo de estrategias para afrontar, las lecciones aprendidas de la pandemia, etc. Por último, se exponen una serie de implicaciones para la educación superior, como la promoción de planes de educación emocional, la optimización de los recursos educativos en línea y el aumento de la formación del profesorado en temas digitales y de apoyo emocional.Proyecto I+D+i in the framework of the Operational Programme FEDER “New Teaching Staff in Andalusian Universities: Academic, quantified and digitised identities” (Reference B_SEJ-534-UGR20)Ministry of Universities through the University Teacher Training Grants Programme (FPU19/00942

An error estimator for real-time simulators based on model order reduction

Model order reduction (MOR) is one of the most appealing choices for real-time simulation of non-linear solids. In this work a method is presented in which real time performance is achieved by means of the o-line solution of a (high dimensional) parametric problem that provides a sort of response surface or computational vademecum. This solution is then evaluated in real-time at feedback rates compatible with haptic devices, for instance (i.e., more than 1kHz). This high dimensional problem can be solved without the limitations imposed by the curse of dimensionality by employing Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD) methods. Essentially, PGD assumes a separated representation for the essential eld of the problem. Here, an error estimator is proposed for this type of solutions that takes into account the non-linear character of the studied problems. This error estimator allows to compute the necessary number of modes employed to obtain an approximation to the solution within a prescribed error tolerance in a given quantity of interest