Economic Enviroment and Health Care Coverage: Analysis of Social Acceptance of Access Restrictive Policies Applied in Spain in the Context of Economic Crisis

[Abstract]: Society wellbeing is one the main goals of economic development. During the XX century, societies succeeded increasing their standard of living and the general welfare. But, in 2008, barely begun the XXI century, the strongest economic crisis ever known, destroyed much of the social achievements. Although the European Union had to deal with this situation by designing common policies, the member states have handled this crisis in many different ways. Their restrictive budgets affected a lot of social policies and its effects were mainly suffered for the most disadvantaged people. In this paper we deal with a structural equations model for assessing the population acceptation of those restrictions in health expenses. Spain has one of the best public health system all over the world, and that is the reason for choosing this country to conduct our survey. Our results point out the general disagreement with the cuts in health expenses

The debate on the economic effects of minimum wage legislation

[Abstract] The minimum wage establishment has its origin in the first third of the last century. Since its creation has been a focus of continuing controversy and an unfinished debate on economics field. This work reviews the effects of the minimum wage on employment and other macroeconomic variables, from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. The method is based on the revision of the literature and the main economic indicators. The central contribution of this paper is providing a general reflection on theoretical and empirical analysis about the debate on minimum wage and its effects. The results showed that some labor policies are taking account the effects of austerity strategies, shifting the attention towards the implementation of minimum wages or their updating, in order to reduce the growing inequalities in the distribution of income, and even poverty levels

The debate on the economic effects of minimum wage legislation

The minimum wage establishment has its origin in the first third of the last century. Since its creation has been a focus of continuing controversy and an unfinished debate on economics field. This work reviews the effects of the minimum wage on employment and other macroeconomic variables, from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. The method is based on the revision of the literature and the main economic indicators. The central contribution of this paper is providing a general reflection on theoretical and empirical analysis about the debate on minimum wage and its effects. The results showed that some labor policies are taking account the effects of austerity strategies, shifting the attention towards the implementation of minimum wages or their updating, in order to reduce the growing inequalities in the distribution of income, and even poverty levels

La influencia de la educación de las TIC en la empleabilidad de los jóvenes en la Unión Europea

[Resumen]: La Unión Europea presenta elevadas tasas de desempleo juvenil, especialmente en los países más afectados por la crisis económica. Estos jóvenes desempleados suelen tener un alto conocimiento y habilidades en el campo de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC), ya que pertenecen a la generación de "millennials" o "nativos digitales", sin embargo, apenas pueden conseguir un trabajo y, a veces, se desaniman. Este trabajo analiza la influencia del conocimiento de las TIC, considerando la educación formal e informal, en las habilidades reales adquiridas en Internet y en el uso de las computadoras, así como su impacto en las tasas de empleo juvenil. En la investigación que da origen a este trabajo, se aplica una de las metodologías más adecuadas para evaluar estas relaciones: un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales, que permite probar las relaciones causales entre el conocimiento de las TIC y las tres variables dependientes o variables que se considera que pueden ser explicadas por el conocimiento o destreza con las TICs. El análisis se realiza en el contexto de la Unión Europea para jóvenes entre 15 y 24 años.[Abstract]: The European Union presents high rates of youth unemployment, especially in the countries most affected by the economic crisis. These unemployed young people usually have high knowledge and skills in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT), since they belong to the generation of “millennials” or “digital natives”, however, they can barely get a job and, sometimes, they get discouraged. This work analyzes the influence of ICT knowledge, considering both formal and informal education, on real skills acquired on the Internet and in the use of computers, as well as its impact- on youth employment rates. Paper original research uses one of the most suitable methodology for assessing these relations: the structural equations modeling, which let testing the causal relationships between knowledge of ICT and the three dependent variables or variables considered as suitables for being explained by means of ICT. The analysis is done in the context of the European Union for young people between 15 and 24 years old

Lipid droplet biogenesis induced by stress involves triacylglycerol synthesis that depends on group VIA phospholipase A2

This work investigates the metabolic origin of triacylglycerol (TAG) formed during lipid droplet (LD) biogenesis induced by stress. Cytotoxic inhibitors of fatty acid synthase induced TAG synthesis and LD biogenesis in CHO-K1 cells, in the absence of external sources of fatty acids. TAG synthesis was required for LD biogenesis and was sensitive to inhibition and down-regulation of the expression of group VIA phospholipase A2 (iPLA2-VIA). Induction of stress with acidic pH, C2-ceramide, tunicamycin, or deprivation of glucose also stimulated TAG synthesis and LD formation in a manner dependent on iPLA2-VIA. Overexpression of the enzyme enhanced TAG synthesis from endogenous fatty acids and LD occurrence. During stress, LD biogenesis but not TAG synthesis required phosphorylation and activation of group IVA PLA2 (cPLA2α). The results demonstrate that iPLA2-VIA provides fatty acids for TAG synthesis while cPLA2α allows LD biogenesis. LD biogenesis during stress may be a survival strategy, recycling structural phospholipids into energy-generating substrates

Activació de les fosfolipases C i D per neurotransmissors

Els fosfolípids de les membranes cel·lulars compleixen un paper fonamental en el manteniment de 1'estructura i la compartició cel·lular, gràcies a la seva naturalesa molecular amfipàtica, i cada cop més són observats des de la perspectiva de la transducció de senyals com a precursors de missatgers intracel·lulars. Diverses fosfolipases, sensibles a l'activació per neurotransmissors i altres estímuls extracel·lulars, catalitzen la seva hidròlisi trencant enllaços ester o fosfoester, i l'acció, com a segons missatgers, dels productes que en poden derivar permet dibuixar una xarxa d'esdeveniments que se succeeixen i s'entrellacen configurant una part important del complex comandament del metabolisme i de les funcions cel·lulars. En aquest capítol tractarem alguns aspectes relacionats amb la intervenció de les fosfolipases C de fosfoinosítids (PLC) i de les fosfolipases D (PLD) en sistemes de transducció

Group IVA phospholipase A2 is necessary for the biogenesis of lipid droplets

Lipid droplets (LD) are organelles present in all cell types, consisting of a hydrophobic core of triacylglycerols and cholesteryl esters, surrounded by a monolayer of phospholipids and cholesterol. This work shows that LD biogenesis induced by serum, by long-chain fatty acids, or the combination of both in CHO-K1 cells was prevented by phospholipase A2 inhibitors with a pharmacological profile consistent with the implication of group IVA cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2α). Knocking down cPLA2α expression with short interfering RNA was similar to pharmacological inhibition in terms of enzyme activity and LD biogenesis. A Chinese hamster ovary cell clone stably expressing an enhanced green fluorescent protein-cPLA2α fusion protein (EGFP-cPLA2) displayed higher LD occurrence under basal conditions and upon LD induction. Induction of LD took place with concurrent phosphorylation of cPLA2α at Ser505. Transfection of a S505A mutant cPLA2α showed that phosphorylation at Ser505 is key for enzyme activity and LD formation. cPLA2α contribution to LD biogenesis was not because of the generation of arachidonic acid, nor was it related to neutral lipid synthesis. cPLA2α inhibition in cells induced to form LD resulted in the appearance of tubulo-vesicular profiles of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, compatible with a role of cPLA2α in the formation of nascent LD from the endoplasmic reticulum

Creació de vídeos de tècniques de bioquímica i de bases de dades de preguntes comentades

El treball dut a terme s'emmarca en un objectiu general de producció de materials perquè s'utilitzin com a eines per afavorir l'autoaprenentatge en un entorn de docència semipresencial. S'han fet dos vídeos de dues tècniques experimentals fonamentals en bioquímica: la cromatografia i la fixació de radiolligands. Ambdós vídeos corresponen a la filmació d'experiments que implicaven manipulacions sofisticades i es van dur a terme en els laboratoris docents de la Unitat de Bioquímica de Medicina. S'ha confeccionat una base de dades de preguntes de resposta múltiple que consta actualment de 200 preguntes de bioquímica i biologia molecular classificades i revisades. La utilització tutoritzada dels vídeos i de les preguntes, juntament amb l'avaluació de la comprensió de sessions presencials mitjançant un test ràpid i també l'apropament del coneixement bioquímic a coneixements intuïtius habituals, han permès millorar el rendiment acadèmic de l'alumnat, ja que se n'ha incrementat el nombre que superen les assignatures i també la proporció d'alumnat amb bones qualificacions.El trabajo llevado a cabo se enmarca en un objetivo general de producción de materiales para que se utilicen como herramientas para favorecer el autoaprendizaje en un entorno de docencia semipresencial. Se han hecho dos vídeos de dos técnicas experimentales fundamentales en bioquímica: la cromatografía y la fijación de radio-ligandos. Ambos vídeos corresponden a la filmación de experimentos que implicaban manipulaciones sofisticadas y se llevaron a cabo en los laboratorios docentes de la Unidad de Bioquímica de Medicina. Se ha confeccionado una base de datos de preguntas de respuesta múltiple que consta actualmente de 200 preguntas de bioquímica y biología molecular clasificadas y revisadas. La utilización tutorizada de los vídeos y de laspreguntas, junto con la evaluación de la comprensión de sesiones presenciales mediante un test rápido y también el acercamiento del conocimiento bioquímico a conocimientos intuitivos habituales, han permitido mejorar el rendimiento académico del alumnado, ya que se ha incrementado el número que superan las asignaturas y también la proporción de alumnado con buenas calificaciones.The general objective of this project is the production of materials for use as toolsfor promoting independent learning in a semi-distance learning environment. Two videos were produced of two basic experimental techniques in Biochemistry: chromatography and radioligand binding. Both videos include the filming of experiments that involved sophisticated manipulations which had to be carried out in the teaching laboratories of the Biochemistry Unit in the Faculty of Medicine. A data-base of multiple choice questions was produced. This currently consists of 200 classified and reviewed Biochemistry and Molecular Biology questions. Supervised use of the video and the questions, together with assessment of understanding of presence sessions by means of a Rapid Test and linking biochemical knowledge to normal intuitive knowledge, has led to an improvement in the academic performance of the students, as it has increased the number of students passing the subject as well as the proportion of students with good grades