Empresas alemanas en China; ¿Cómo solventan las empresas el problema de la formación a nivel de planta?

This article explores German transplant companies’ attempts to foster and assure the skills levels of their Chinese employees for production and innovation in consideration of a different socio-cultural and political framework. Methodologically conducted by on-site expert interviews, this paper first reports empirical findings on German companies’ strategies and practices for recruiting and retaining (skilled) local employees for the shop-floor level. On the basis of Engeström’s activity theory, the concept of boundary objects functions as the theoretical framework. The results indicate complementary innovative personnel strategies with regard to qualifying and retaining. In the discussion, the identified phenomena such as the foundation of a coopetitive practical training center are assigned to the theoretical context of boundary objects.Este artículo tiene el propósito de aprender sobre la intención de las empresas alemanas en el extranjero en fomentar y asegurar los niveles de competencia de sus empleados chinos en producción e innovación considerando un marco socio-cultural y político diferente. Llevado a cabo metodológicamente a través de entrevistas a expertos in situ, este artículo se centra en reportar sobre los primeros hallazgos empíricos en estratégias y prácticas de empresas alemanas sobre reclutamiento y vinculación de empleados locales (competentes) para el nivel de planta. En base a la teoría de la actividad de Engeström, el concepto de boundary objects actúa como marco teórico. Los resultados indican estratégias de personal innovativas complementarias con referencia a cualificación y retención. En la discusión, los fenómenos identificados como la fundación de un centro de entrenamiento práctico coopetitivo, son asignados al contexto teórico de boundary objects

Book Review: Vocational Education and Training in Times of Economic Crisis

The book was published in the series "Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Issues, Concerns and Prospects". Series Editor-in-Chief is Rupert MacLean. Editor of the volume is Matthias Pilz, professor and holder of the chair of Economic and Business Education and director of the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T) at the University of Cologne in Germany

The Anticancer Efficacy of Plasma-Oxidized Saline (POS) in the Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma Model In Vitro and In Vivo

Cold physical plasma, a partially ionized gas rich in reactive oxygen species (ROS), is receiving increasing interest as a novel anticancer agent via two modes. The first involves its application to cells and tissues directly, while the second uses physical plasma-derived ROS to oxidize liquids. Saline is a clinically accepted liquid, and here we explored the suitability of plasma-oxidized saline (POS) as anticancer agent technology in vitro and in vivo using the Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) model. EAC mainly grows as a suspension in the peritoneal cavity of mice, making this model ideally suited to test POS as a putative agent against peritoneal carcinomatosis frequently observed with colon, pancreas, and ovarium metastasis. Five POS injections led to a reduction of the tumor burden in vivo as well as in a decline of EAC cell growth and an arrest in metabolic activity ex vivo. The treatment was accompanied by a decreased antioxidant capacity of Ehrlich tumor cells and increased lipid oxidation in the ascites supernatants, while no other side effects were observed. Oxaliplatin and hydrogen peroxide were used as controls and mediated better and worse outcomes, respectively, with the former but not the latter inducing profound changes in the inflammatory milieu among 13 different cytokines investigated in ascites fluid. Modulation of inflammation in the POS group was modest but significant. These results promote POS as a promising candidate for targeting peritoneal carcinomatosis and malignant ascites and suggest EAC to be a suitable and convenient model for analyzing innovative POS approaches and combination therapies

Does Michelangelo care about age? An adult life-span perspective on the Michelangelo phenomenon

Humans are motivated to expand their actual self toward an ideal self. Known as the Michelangelo phenomenon, movement toward the ideal self can be facilitated through an affirming romantic partner and is linked to positive life outcomes. Yet, research on the Michelangelo phenomenon has primarily focused on young adult samples, and it remains unknown whether the framework generalizes across the adult life-span. The authors addressed this shortcoming by examining the Michelangelo phenomenon in a three-generation sample of 505 adults aged 18–90 years (M = 47.2 years). Multilevel analyses revealed one age effect on the framework, showing that being seen by the partner in a manner congruent with one’s ideal self (i.e., partner perceptual affirmation) becomes more important for relationship satisfaction with increasing age. Otherwise, age did not affect the Michelangelo phenomenon, suggesting life-span generalizability of the framework. By highlighting personal-growth processes that continue across the life-span, the present findings add to theories of successful aging

Book Review: Vocational Education and Training in Times of Economic Crisis

The book was published in the series "Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Issues, Concerns and Prospects". Series Editor-in-Chief is Rupert MacLean. Editor of the volume is Matthias Pilz, professor and holder of the chair of Economic and Business Education and director of the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T) at the University of Cologne in Germany.382386www.ijrvet.net4

Bacterial tRNA 2′-O-methylation is dynamically regulated under stress conditions and modulates innate immune response

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