Homologous Recombination: To Fork and Beyond

Accurate completion of genome duplication is threatened by multiple factors that hamper the advance and stability of the replication forks. Cells need to tolerate many of these blocking lesions to timely complete DNA replication, postponing their repair for later. This process of lesion bypass during DNA damage tolerance can lead to the accumulation of single-strand DNA (ssDNA) fragments behind the fork, which have to be filled in before chromosome segregation. Homologous recombination plays essential roles both at and behind the fork, through fork protection/lesion bypass and post-replicative ssDNA filling processes, respectively. I review here our current knowledge about the recombination mechanisms that operate at and behind the fork in eukaryotes, and how these mechanisms are controlled to prevent unscheduled and toxic recombination intermediates. A unifying model to integrate these mechanisms in a dynamic, replication fork-associated process is proposed from yeast results.España Gobierno (BFU2015-63698-P

Modelling Personal Income Taxation in Spain:Revenue Elasticities and Regional Comparisons

This paper derives analytical expressions for the revenue elasticity of the Spanish personal income tax system, as applied to tax units and in aggregate. This is complicated by the schedular nature of the system, and the role of central and regional governments, along with the existence of a range of tax credits and eligible expenditures and deductions. Empirical estimates are obtained using a cros -sectional dataset which enables a number of important ancillary elasticities (relating to allowances and tax credits, and different income sources) to be estimated. It was found that there is considerable variation among tax units in the revenue elasticity, with highly (positively) skewed distributions. The nature of the distributions varies among regions of Spain, and the aggregate elasticities for each region were found to display some variation associated with income distribution differences. The national aggregate is found to be around 1.3. The paper also derives aggregate tax revenue as a function of characteristics of the distribution of taxable income in each region. This allows the sources of revenue differences among regions to be identified.

The success factors for SMEs: Empirical evidence

This paper empirically analyzes the success factors for SMEs. Particularly, the paper intends to analyze if firm age, human resource costs, debt, venture capital funding, investment in innovation and productivity are success factors for SMEs. The effects were tested using static and dynamic panel data, on a data set of 200 Portuguese SMEs. The use of dynamic panel data is important in order to control for: endogeneity; time-invariant characteristics; possible collinearity between independent variables; effects from possible omission of independent variables; elimination of non-observable individual effects; and, the correct estimation of the relationship between the dependent variable in the previous and current periods. Our results reveal a positive impact on success of: human resource costs; investments in innovation; productivity; and, venture capital funding. We also confirm the negative impact of firm age and debt. Also, the results show evidence of persistence in success for the case of one of the success proxies used

APROXIMACIÓN AL ESTUDIO DE LA POBREZA EN MÉXICO. PROPUESTA DE POLÍTICA DE ESTADO CONTRA LA POBREZA

La globalización y la economía neoliberal, han significado progreso tecno económico y bienestar social, también han traído consigo niveles enormes de pobreza y desigualdad a escala global. Actualmente, se estima que mil setecientos millones de personas en el mundo viven en condiciones de pobreza multidimensional, indicador cuantitativo que toma en cuenta el acceso de la población a diversos satisfactores básicos, así como el nivel de ingreso percibido, esta cifra es mayor a los mil trescientos millones de personas que viven simplemente en estado de pobreza económica; es decir, subsistiendo con un ingreso familiar promedio menor a 1.25 dólares al día. Una de las razones que explican el alto nivel de bienestar y prosperidad de los países ricos, es el papel jugado por el Estado como promotor del desarrollo económico y social. Ello ha significado largos períodos de esfuerzos y sacrificios, es-fuerzos que han descansado básicamente en el ahorro interno, en la inversión en capital y tecnología, y sobre todo en la inversión pública realizada para la formación de capital humano y físico. Todo ello, se ha traducido en altos niveles de progreso económico, bienestar y desarrollo humano de sus habitantes. En contraste, los países pobres y en vías de desarrollo no cuentan con la suficiente base económica y voluntad política que les permita invertir los recursos necesarios para la superación de la pobreza y el rezago social. Particularmente, América Latina se destaca por injustificables niveles de pobreza y desigualdad social y económica. La pobreza es una condición socioeconómica que limita el bienestar de las personas y el desarrollo económico de los países. De manera tradicional, se consideran pobres aquellas personas, familias y grupos de personas cuyos recursos monetarios comparados con una línea de bienestar predeterminada son tan limitados, que los obligan a estar excluidos de una forma de vida mínimamente aceptable. Como puede apreciarse, el ingreso monetario es la única variable comúnmente utilizada para la medición de la pobreza, lo que se conoce también como pobreza absoluta. Este criterio de medición constituye una de las principales limitantes de los programas públicos contra la pobreza implementados por los países, ya que al reducir su propósito al hecho de que los pobres cuenten con un ingreso monetario que los ubique por encima de una línea de pobreza predeterminada, deja de lado múltiples factores determinantes y condicionantes del problema, puesto que la pobreza es un problema de naturaleza multidimensional y compleja. Esto es, la pobreza tiene múltiples dimensiones que no pueden reducirse simplemente al aspecto monetario

O Irão, os EUA e a geopolítica do Golfo Pérsico

A geopolítica da energia no Golfo Pérsico tem sofrido alterações significativas. Por um lado,a dinâmica da oferta e da procura está a ser alterada pela emergência de novas potências; por outro, a relação privilegiada Arábia Saudita-EUA foi abalada pela tentativa americana de romper o modelo da OPEP no Iraque. Mas, mais importante, a transferência parcial do consumo do petróleo para o gás natural como hidrocarboneto mais procurado pelas economias desenvolvidas, está a criar uma mudança no grau de importância dos países produtores: a Rússia, o Irão e o Qatar, ricos em gás natural, tendem no longo prazo a sobrepor- se à Arábia Saudita. Este artigo analisa as consequências de todas estas alterações no panorama de Médio Oriente, concluindo que o futuro da região em muito dependerá das opções estratégicas da potência ainda dominante na região, os Estados Unidos

Which criteria matter most in the evaluation of venture capital investments?

This study identifies the importance assigned to the various criteria used by the Portuguese Venture Capitalists (VCs) to evaluate and select early stage venture capital projects. The data was collected through a questionnaire answered by 20 Portuguese VCs. We use descriptive statistics techniques and non-parametric tests to identify the most valued criteria and test differences in the importance assigned to the criteria of several types of VCs and investments. The study reveals that the personality and experience of the entrepreneur and of the management team are the most valued groups of criteria. VCs with a majority of private share capital value more the personality of the entrepreneur and management team than the companies with a majority of public share capital. Additionally, the VCs that did not yet internationalize consider the personality of the entrepreneur and management team and the financial aspects, to be more important than the VCs that have already expanded abroad.Venture capital; Evaluation criteria; Early-stage investments; Internationalization.

Ethical decision making in business: the contribution of neuroethics

[ES]: El objetivo de este artículo es analizar las aportaciones que los avances en neuroética. Empezaremos por cuestionar el paradigma dominante de la toma de decisiones empresariales desde el análisis crítico de los presupuestos epistemológicos de la teoría económica liberal, así como desde las perspectivas de las ciencias cognitivas y sus aportaciones al análisis del compartamiento humano. Continuaremos presentando dos grandes modelos de toma de decisiones éticas que se basan en la creación de sentido intuitivo y ue tienen sus fundamentos en los avances de las eurociencias. Concluiremos con breves observaciones críticas.[EN]: The aim of this article is to analyze the contribution that neuroethics research is making to business decision making. We are going to start questioning the dominant paradigm of business decision making from two perspectives. One is the critique to epistemological assumptions of the economic liberal theory and the other is based on recent results of cognitive sciences. Later on, we are going to present two models of intuitive ethical decision making and sensemaking which are being developed in recent years. Finally we present some critical considerations to these intuitive models.Este estudio se inserta en el Proyecto de Investigación Científica y Desarrollo Tecnológico FFI2010-21639-C02-01, financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (actualmente Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad) con Fondos FEDER de la Unión Europea, y en las actividades del grupo de investigación de excelencia PROMETEO/2009/085 de la Generalitat Valenciana y de la Red de Excelencia ISIC 2012/017 de la Generalitat Valenciana.Peer reviewe