Saffron is a monomorphic species as revealed by RAPD, ISSR and microsatellite analyses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Saffron (<it>Crocus sativus</it>) is considered the world's most expensive spice. Used mainly as a colorant for foodstuffs, it is highly appreciated for its aromatic and flavouring properties. Since no molecular markers for this species have been found in the literature, the objective of this study was to determine whether phenotypical differences found in <it>C. sativus </it>were supported by molecular analyses.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Thirty primers from Operon Technologies were used in random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, forty eight primers were screened using intersimple sequence repeats (ISSR) method and fifteen primers derived from a microsatellites library flanking sequences with repeat motifs were assayed in forty three isolates of <it>C. sativus </it>from eleven different countries and a <it>C. kotschyanus </it>isolate was used as outgroup. No polymorphic bands were detected in any of the accessions combining the different approaches used in this study.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>According to our findings, all accessions appear identical clones, not only because morphological characters but also at a molecular level. These data strongly suggested that <it>C. sativus </it>is a monomorphic species. Thus, genome sequencing is needed to find molecular markers for saffron.</p

Gestión social en una compañía colombiana : el análisis del proceso de Codensa

Administrador (a) de EmpresasPregrad

Respuestas de los consumidores a los hoteles certificados medioambientalmente: el efecto moderador de la conciencia medioambiental sobre la formación de intenciones comportamentales

Este estudio desarrolla un modelo que explora la relación entre las prácticas verdes, la imagen verde, la conciencia medioambiental y las intenciones comportamentales de los clientes en un contexto hotelero certificado. Para testar empíricamente el modelo propuesto se realizaron 502 encuestas personales a clientes hoteleros en España. Los resultados muestran como las percepciones de los clientes sobre las prácticas verdes tienen un efecto directo y positivo en la imagen verde de las compañías hoteleras. Al mismo tiempo, esta imagen influye directa y positivamente sobre las intenciones de comportamiento de los clientes hacia los hoteles certificados medioambientalmente. También se demuestra que cuanto mayor sea la conciencia medioambiental de los consumidores, mayor será su intención de hospedarse, realizar comentarios positivos y pagar una prima por alojarse en hoteles certificados. Por último, la conciencia medioambiental ejerce un efecto moderador sobre la relación causal entre la imagen verde y las intenciones comportamentales.This study develops a model that investigates the relationship among green practices, green image, environmental consciousness and the behavioral intentions of customers in a certified hotel context. The study examines the direct and the moderating role of environmental consciousness in the formation of behavioral intentions based on green initiatives. To test the proposed model empirically, 502 personal surveys of hotel customers were conducted in Spain. The findings show that customer perceptions of green practices have a positive direct effect on a hotel´s green image. At the same time, this environmental image has positive direct effects on customer behavioral intentions towards certified hotels. The authors also found that the higher the environmental consciousness of consumers, the greater their intention to stay, to spread positive word-of-mouth and pay a premium for environmentally-certified hotels. Finally, consumer environmental consciousness also exerts a moderating effect on the causal relationship between green image and behavioral intentions

Key facilitators to continuous improvement: a Spanish insight

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to analyse the nature of the facilitators of continuous improvement (CI), proposing a classification of them and identifying the different profiles of companies based on them. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve this objective, first, a literature review was done in order to identify the main facilitators; second, some of them were included in a survey based on experts' opinions; third, a survey was conducted amongst people responsible for implementing CI; and finally factorial and cluster analysis were applied. Findings: Based on the results, three main factors were identified: "cultural facilitators", "tactical facilitators" and "human resources involvement facilitators". Additionally, five clusters were defined. Practical implications: As many companies still struggle when implementing CI, the results of this study can help all them to focus on the most important aspects in order to guarantee the sustainability of the CI system. Originality/value: From a theoretical point of view, this work contributes to the CI field by analysing the nature of the main facilitators companies can find when implementing these initiatives. Thus, not only does this study provide a hierarchy of the most important facilitators, but also classifies them. As far as authors are concerned, this is the first attempt to categorise CI facilitators

Continuous improvement enablers: Defining a new construct

ABSTRACT: Purpose: Continuous improvement is a means of promoting and working through business excellence. However, due to the complexity of the implementation process, many companies fail. Some authors consider that this partly due to the lack of studies which develop and validate theoretical constructs in order to push theory in the CI field. Therefore, this study aims at identifying and better understanding the factors that could act as enablers when implementing a CI initiative by designing and analyzing a new theoretical construct. Design/methodology/approach: After conducting a rigorous literature review and consulting a group of experts, Rasch Measurement Theory was used in order to validate the construct and rank the enablers. Findings: After validating the construct, a hierarchy of priority was obtained, being the following enablers the most important ones: establishing clear objectives, training, recognizing the achievements and learning from the CI process itself and motivation. Practical implications: Identifying the key enablers could help those companies that are about to start with the implementation process. Additionally obtaining a general classification could help managers to make good decisions and handle these enablers, fostering the most important one. Originality/value: This paper provides additional evidence regarding the main enablers that an organization that decides to implement CI can foster. Additionally, as far as authors are concerned, this is the first paper that defines a theoretical construct concerning continuous improvement enablers. Going one-step further, this paper obtains a hierarchy of priority, identifying the main enablers according to managers' opinions

Physical Education and the development of autonomy: the perception of the students of Secondary Education

Este estudio se centró en conocer la percepción del alumnado sobre el apoyo docente al desarrollo de su autonomía en Educación Física (EF). Se aplicó la Escala de Percepción de Apoyo a la Autonomía en las Clases de Educación Física (EPAACEF), diseñada por los autores de este artículo y validada con adecuadas propiedades psicométricas. La escala, conteniendo 34 ítems, agrupados en cuatro dimensiones, fue aplicada a 721 alumnos y alumnas de Educación Secundaria (347 chicas), con una media de edad de 14.4 (±1.5) años. Este alumnado recibe clases de EF de siete docentes, con formación específica en EF y diferente experiencia en la enseñanza. Los resultados muestran la idoneidad de diseñar la EPAACEF, porque permite valorar los comportamientos docentes desde una perspectiva más sistémica, pudiendo afirmar que, según la percepción del alumnado, los comportamientos que apoyarían un desarrollo de su autonomía se producen con una frecuencia «moderadamente baja». Los docentes obtienen mejores resultados en los comportamientos relacionados con la atención a la motivación, y con la atención al desarrollo cognitivo y metacognitivo, debiendo atender más a las necesidades del alumnado relacionadas con los ritmos de aprendizaje y con fomento de sugerencias y participación activa. Analizando la EPAACEF globalmente no se producen diferencias significativas en función del género y de la edad, pero sí en alguna de las dimensionesThis study focused on the perception of students on the teaching support to the development of their autonomy in Physical Education (PE). The Autonomy Support Perception Scale in the Physical Education Classes (EPAACEF), designed by the authors of this article and validated with adequate psychometric properties, was applied. The scale, containing 34 items, grouped in four dimensions, was applied to 721 students of secondary education (347 girls), with a mean age of 14.4 (± 1.5) years. These students receive PE classes of seven teachers, with specific training in PE and different teaching experience. The results show the appropriateness and validity of the EPAACEF, because it allows evaluating teacher behaviours from a more systemic perspective, being able to affirm that, according to the perception of the students, the behaviours that would support a development of their autonomy occur with a frequency «moderately low». Teachers obtain better results in the behaviours related to attention to motivation, and attention to cognitive and metacognitive development. They must attend more to the needs of students related to learning rhythms and encouraging suggestions and active participation. Analysing the EPAACEF globally, there are no significant differences in terms of gender and age, but exist in some of the dimension

Acute Oxygen Sensing in Heme Oxygenase-2 Null Mice

Hemeoxygenase-2 (HO-2) is an antioxidant enzyme that can modulate recombinant maxi-K+ channels and has been proposed to be the acute O2 sensor in the carotid body (CB). We have tested the physiological contribution of this enzyme to O2 sensing using HO-2 null mice. HO-2 deficiency leads to a CB phenotype characterized by organ growth and alteration in the expression of stress-dependent genes, including the maxi-K+ channel α-subunit. However, sensitivity to hypoxia of CB is remarkably similar in HO-2 null animals and their control littermates. Moreover, the response to hypoxia in mouse and rat CB cells was maintained after blockade of maxi-K+ channels with iberiotoxin. Hypoxia responsiveness of the adrenal medulla (AM) (another acutely responding O2-sensitive organ) was also unaltered by HO-2 deficiency. Our data suggest that redox disregulation resulting from HO-2 deficiency affects maxi-K+ channel gene expression but it does not alter the intrinsic O2 sensitivity of CB or AM cells. Therefore, HO-2 is not a universally used acute O2 sensor

Fracture toughness of cemented carbides obtained by electrical resistance sintering

The unique combination of hardness, toughness and wear resistance exhibited by WC-Co cemented carbides (hardmetals) has made them a preeminent material choice for extremely demanding applications, such as metal cutting/forming tools or mining bits, in which improved and consistent performance together with high reliability are required. The high fracture toughness values exhibited by hardmetals are mainly due to ductile ligament bridging and crack deflection (intrinsic to carbides). In this work two WC-Co grades obtained by using the electric resistance sintering technique are studied. The relationships between the process parameters (cobalt volume fraction, sintering current and time, die materials, etc.), the microstructural characteristics (porosity, cobalt volume fraction, carbide grain size, binder thickness and carbide contiguity) and mechanical properties (Vickers hardness and fracture toughness) are established and discussed. Also the presence of microstructural anisotropy and residual stresses is studied. The sintering process at 7 kA, 600 ms and 100 MPa, in an alumina die, followed by a treatment of residual stress relief (800 °C, 2 h in high vacuum), allows to obtain WC-Co pellets with the best balance between an homogeneous microstructure and mechanical behaviour.EU for funding this research with in the framework of the EU 7th Framework FoF.NMP.2013-10 608729 EFFIPRO Projec

Medium-frequency electrical resistance sintering of oxidized C.P. iron powder

Commercially pure (C.P.) iron powders with a deliberate high degree of oxidation were consolidated by medium-frequency electrical resistance sintering (MF-ERS). This is a consolidation technique where pressure, and heat coming from a low-voltage and high-intensity electrical current, are simultaneously applied to a powder mass. In this work, the achieved densification rate is interpreted according to a qualitative microscopic model, based on the compacts global porosity and electrical resistance evolution. The effect of current intensity and sintering time on compacts was studied on the basis of micrographs revealing the porosity distribution inside the sintered compact. The microstructural characteristics of compacts consolidated by the traditional cold-press and furnace-sinter powder metallurgy route are compared with results of MF-ERS consolidation. The goodness of MF-ERS versus the problems of conventional sintering when working with oxidized powders is analyzed. The electrical consolidation can obtain higher densifications than the traditional route under non-reducing atmospheres.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad DPI2015-69550-C2-1-PMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad DPI2015-69550-C2-2-

Selectivity analysis of 99Tc determination by LSC in the field of nuclear decommissioning

In this work, two Tc radiochemical isolation methods—a conventional method by Triskem TEVA ® resin and a rapid method by Empore™ Tc Rad Disk—are compared in the field of nuclear decommissioning and 99Tc assessment. The conventional method results more selective than the rapid one, being able to remove almost 100% of the main radiological interferers with the exception of the 90Y; however, the rapid method obtains higher chemical yields (97% vs. 80%) and slightly lower detection limits (0.025 Bq vs. 0.030 Bq) than the conventional. Both methods are similar with regards to equipment and reagent costs.We would like to acknowledge the Open Access funding provided by the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU