Corporate Social Responsibility as a Strategic Opportunity for Small Firms during Economic Crises

The aim of this study is to analyze if there is a direct causal relationship between small firms’ orientation toward corporate social responsibility and their competitive success, mediated by innovation and performance. A structural equation model has been applied to a sample of 758 small Spanish firms. The results indicate that, in times of economic crisis, socially responsible strategies are a determining factor in firms’ competitiveness. Pragmatic advice for practitioners derives from research results, considering that social responsibility represents an opportunity for small firms in the complex and turbulent time. The findings encourage small firms to manage operations responsibly as a guarantee of market success

Detección no destructiva de semillas en mandarina con imágenes de Resonancia Magnética ultrarrápidas: comparativa entre métodos de segmentación automática

La Imagen de Resonancia Magnetica (IRM) se ha propuesto para adquirir imagenes de la estrcretura interna de mandarinas para la identificacion no destructive de semi Has. Se han investigado dos tipos de secuencias rapidas de IRM: una de tipo eco de gradiente y otra de tlpo espiral-radial, con tiempo de adquisicion de 484 ms para la primera y 240 ms para la segunda. La opcion espiral-radial permite un sobremuestreo del area central del espacic-k en la que esta contenida la information sobre el conlraste en las imagenes de RM y con ello la posibilidad de segmentation de las semillas. Se aplican tres tecnicas de segmentacion para el post-procesado de las imagenes: una basada en regiones, una basada en la varianza del bistograma unidimensional y una basada en !a varianza del histograma bidimensional, siendo la ultima la que ha proporcionado los resultados mas prometedores. Parametros como el perimetro, la compacidad, la distancia maxima al centro de gravedad y la relacidn entre altura y ancho se utilizan en una funcion lineal discriminante mediante la que la identificacion de mandarinas con semilla se puede conseguir con el 100% de exactitud cuando se utilizan secuencias espiral- radial y con el 98,7% cuando se obtienen imagenes de eco de gradiente

SICAC: an information system for the Conjunto arqueológico de Carmona (Carmona Archaeological Ensemble) (Seville, Spain)

The Roman necropolis and amphitheater of Carmona (Seville, Spain) were excavated and opened to the public at the end of the Nineteenth century. Because of this long continuity, the Carmona Archaeological Ensemble boasts a special trait: a broad archaeological documentary archive. Efficient management of this store of information that is updated and added to on a daily basis required a computer application that could gather, integrate, conserve and facilitate the use of this volume of data from different sources. At the same time, it was considered necessary for researchers to have online access to the core substance of the information. Our information system for CAC was developed over the course of five years and is called SICAC. All of the graphic and alphanumerical data is organized in the same environment, thereby guaranteeing their integration, availability, quality and accessibility. SICAC has three platforms: desktop, online and mobile

Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis, Krøyer) from Spanish Bottom Trawl Survey 2009 in NAFO Div. 3LNO

The Spanish Institute of Oceanography carried out in 2009 two bottom trawl surveys in the NAFO Regulatory Area in Division 3NO and 3L during the months of June, July and August respectively. The results on Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) are presented and compared with those from previous surveys from the same series. In 2009 the catch (33 kg.) and estimated biomass (139 t.) confirm the decrease of shrimp importance from 2004 in 3NO. In 2009 the biomass estimated of northern shrimp in 3L Division was 74091 t. showing a drastic decline (50% with respect to 2008) after the upward trend a long the whole period studied. Catch results from the surveys and data analysis are discussed in this paper

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients with IGH translocations are characterized by a distinct genetic landscape with prognostic implications

Chromosome 14q32 rearrangements/translocations involving the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) are rarely detected in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The prognostic significance of the IGH translocation is controversial and its mutational profile remains unknown. Here, we present for the first time a comprehensive next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of 46 CLL patients with IGH rearrangement (IGHR-CLLs) and we demonstrate that IGHR-CLLs have a distinct mutational profile with recurrent mutations in NOTCH1, IGLL5, POT1, BCL2, FBXW7, ZMYM3, MGA, BRAF and HIST1H1E genes. Interestingly, BCL2 and FBXW7 mutations were significantly associated with this subgroup and almost half of BCL2, IGLL5 and HISTH1E mutations reported were previously identified in non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Notably, IGH/BCL2 rearrangements were associated with a lower mutation frequency and carried BCL2 and IGLL5 mutations, while the other IGHR-CLLs had mutations in genes related to poor prognosis (NOTCH1, SF3B1 and TP53) and shorter time to first treatment (TFT). Moreover, IGHR-CLLs patients showed a shorter TFT than CLL patients carrying 13q-, normal fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and +12 CLL, being this prognosis particularly poor when NOTCH1, SF3B1, TP53, BIRC3 and BRAF were also mutated. The presence of these mutations not only was an independent risk factor within IGHR-CLLs, but also refined the prognosis of low-risk cytogenetic patients (13q-/normal FISH). Hence, our study demonstrates that IGHR-CLLs have a distinct mutational profile from the majority of CLLs and highlights the relevance of incorporating NGS and the status of IGH by FISH analysis to refine the risk-stratification CLL model

Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis, Krøyer) from Spanish Bottom Trawl Survey 2011 in NAFO Div. 3LNO

The Spanish Institute of Oceanography carried out in 2011 two bottom trawl surveys in the NAFO Regulatory Area in Division 3NO and 3L during the months of June and August respectively. The results on Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) are presented and compared with those from previous surveys from the same series. In 2011 the catch (9429 Kg) and estimated biomass (37290 t) confirm the decrease of shrimp importance from 2004 in 3NO. In 3L Division, northern shrimp indices show consecutive and drastic declines (35.6% with respect to 2010) and confirm the downward trend initiated in 2009. Estimated biomass increased from 2003-2006; then, the values of these indices declined in 2007 (about 10%) and increased again in 2008 up to its historical maximum (149265 t). In 2011 the biomass estimated 24346 t in 3L and 37.29 t in 3NO were the lowest in the Spanish surveys series. Catch results from the surveys and data analysis are discussed in this paper

Disorder induced phase segregation in La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 manganites

Neutron powder diffraction experiments on La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 over a broad temperature range above and below the metal-insulator transition have been analyzed beyond the Rietveld average approach by use of Reverse Monte Carlo modelling. This approach allows the calculation of atomic pair distribution functions and spin correlation functions constrained to describe the observed Bragg and diffuse nuclear and magnetic scattering. The results evidence phase separation within a paramagnetic matrix into ferro and antiferromagnetic domains correlated to anistropic lattice distortions in the vicinity of the metal-insulator transition.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. Figure 1 replace

Anatomo-functional organization in brain networks

There are several studies focused on comparing rsFC networks with their structural substrate \cite{hagmann2008, honey2010}. However an accurate description of how anatomo-­functional connections are organized, both at physical and topological levels, is still to be defined. Here we present an approach to quantify the anatomo-functional organization and discuss its consistency

Regional assessment of seismically induced slope instabilities in the Lorca Basin (Murcia): Implementation of Newmark’s method in a GIS

La Cuenca de Lorca (Murcia, SE España) constituye un territorio de gran interés para estudios de sismicidad y fenómenos inducidos ya que en ella se registra una elevada actividad sísmica, se localizan algunas de las fallas activas con mayor potencial sísmico de España y existen casos reconocidos de desprendimientos asociados a terremotos (e.g., Mula 1999, Bullas 2002, La Paca 2005). En esta área, se ha desarrollado una aplicación a escala regional del método del “bloque rígido deslizante” de Newmark en un sistema de información geográfica (SIG). Además, en este trabajo hemos propuesto una modificación del método de Newmark para tener en cuenta los efectos de amplificación sísmica relacionados con el suelo y con la topografía. Posteriormente, se han generado los mapas de desplazamiento de Newmark considerando tanto escenarios sísmicos deterministas como probabilistas para la Cuenca de Lorca. El cálculo del factor de seguridad estático para cada píxel del área de estudio ha permitido obtener un mapa de aceleración crítica (ac), el cual representa la susceptibilidad de las laderas a inestabilidades inducidas sísmicamente. Los mapas de desplazamiento de Newmark obtenidos permiten identificar las áreas con mayor peligrosidad así como zonas de interés para posteriores estudios de detalle. Los resultados predicen la mayoría de las inestabilidades observadas en trabajos previos (principalmente, desprendimientos) y los desprendimientos asociados a terremotos concretos con valores de desplazamiento de Newmark menores de 2 cm. Inestabilidades de mayor entidad y deslizamientos ocurrirían con desplazamientos de Newmark mayores de 2 cm para lo que se requeriría un terremoto de gran magnitud (Mw=6.7-6.8).The Lorca Basin (Murcia, SE Spain) exhibits a high seismic activity because some of the most active faults in Spain have been identified in the surroundings of this basin and there are well known cases of rock-falls associated to specific earthquakes (e.g., Mula 1999, Bullas 2002, La Paca 2005). In this area, we have used a geographic information system (GIS) to develop an implementation for the Newmark’s sliding rigid block method at a regional scale. In addition, we have particularly proposed a new small variation of Newmark’s method to consider soil and topographic amplification effects. Subsequently, we produce “Newmark displacement” maps for both deterministic and probabilistic seismic scenarios in the Lorca Basin. The estimation of static safety factor for each pixel of study area has allowed obtaining the critical acceleration (ac) map that represents seismically induced slope instability susceptibility. The obtained Newmark displacement maps allowed us to identify areas with the highest potential seismic hazard as well as interesting areas for future particular studies. The results predict the majority of identified instabilities in previous studies (mainly, rock-falls) and rock-falls associated with specific earthquakes with values of Newmark displacement lower than 2 cm. Larger instabilities and landslides occur with Newmark displacement higher than 2 cm assuming that a great earthquake (Mw=6.7-6.8) take place.Depto. de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y PaleontologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasTRUEAndalucia. Juntapu