Life beyond Earth: The rings of the earth

JM de Prada Poole’s (1) Orbital Megalopolis envisions 5 concentric rings of circular cross-section, in orbit at an average height of 35.750 km above the Earth's crust (like the rings around Saturn, but with different dimensions and a different objective). Each of these rings functions in the same way as a 84.330 km diameter torus, hosting a population of 2,500 million people and providing for all their needs in its interior. The main aim of the project is to empty planet Earth of most of its human population, and thus allow the biosphere to continue its natural evolution without having to bear the harmful interference and burden of humankind. This article describes the composition and size of one of these rings, and compares its parts with other similar ones already built by the human species. It begins with a brief explanation of the historical background and an introduction discussing demographic development over the last two centuries and its most immediate consequences

Utilización y valoración de los servicios de orientación desde la perspectiva de los universitarios

Las universidades, tanto a nivel internacional como nacional contemplan en sus estructuras organizativas servicios de apoyo al estudiante universitario. Estos recursos tienen como propósito servir de apoyo al estudiante en diversas problemáticas universitarias que se puedan plantear a lo largo de sus estudios. Esta investigación pretende conocer la utilización y valoración que hacen los destinatarios de estos servicios. Así como detectar posibles diferencias significativas según sexo y rama de conocimiento de la titulación. La población objeto de estudio se circunscribe a la Universidad de Sevilla. Para ello se parte de una muestra de 137 estudiantes de todos los centros propios de la misma y se diseña un cuestionario ad hoc. El análisis de los datos obtenidos revela una baja utilización de los servicios de apoyo así como diferencias significativas en cuanto a servicios de apoyo pedagógico, discapacidad, salud, bienestar y asesoramiento vocacional.Universities, both at international and national levels in their organizational structures provides support services to the college student. These resources are intended to support the student in various university issues that may arise throughout college. This research aims to determine the use and assessment that the recipients of these services. And detect any significant differences by sex and branch of knowledge. The population under study belongs to the University of Seville. The sample consists of 137 students of all own centers thereof and an ad hoc questionnaire was designed. Analysis of the data reveals a low utilization of support services as well as significant differences in education support services, disability, health, welfare and vocational counseling.Unión Europea, Erasmus Ref: 526600-LLP-1-2012-IT-Erasmus-Esi

Perceived quality and satisfaction of spectators football

El principal objetivo de este trabajo es conocer la influencia de la calidad de servicio en la satisfacción de los espectadores de fútbol, aspecto escasamente investigado en la literatura. Los resultados, a partir de una muestra de 700 espectadores de un club de fútbol de la Primera División Española, revelan 3 grandes conclusiones: a) la calidad de servicio de un evento futbolístico viene determinada por elementos tanto tangibles -infraestructuras- como intangibles-calidad y entrega del equipo, y gestión de la Junta-; b) la calidad de servicio condiciona positivamente la satisfacción parcial que experimenta el espectador asociada al evento futbolístico; c) en la satisfacción global influye, de forma directa, la satisfacción parcial asociada a aspectos concretos del evento deportivo, e indirectamente la calidad de los servicios prestados. El estudio concluye con las principales contribuciones, limitaciones y futuras líneas de investigación.The main objective of this study is to determine the influence of service quality on satisfaction of football spectators, looking scarcely investigated in the literature. The results, from a sample of 700 spectators at a football club of the Spanish First Division, reveal three main conclusions: (i) the quality of service of a football event is determined by both tangibles — infrastructure — as intangible — quality and delivery of equipment, and management of the board; (ii) the quality of positively affects service satisfaction experienced by the viewer part associated with football event; (iii) in overall satisfaction directly influences partial satisfaction associated with specific aspects of the sporting event and indirectly the quality of services provided. The study concludes with the main contributions, limitations and future researc

Approaching In Vivo Models of Pneumococcus–Host Interaction: Insights into Surface Proteins, Capsule Production, and Extracellular Vesicles

Infections caused by the Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae have become a major health problem worldwide because of their high morbidity and mortality rates, especially in developing countries. This microorganism colonizes the human upper respiratory tract and becomes pathogenic under certain circumstances, which are not well known. In the interaction with the host, bacterial surface structures and proteins play major roles. To gain knowledge into gradual changes and adaptive mechanisms that this pathogen undergoes from when it enters the host, we mimicked several in vivo situations representing interaction with epithelial and macrophage cells, as well as a condition of presence in blood. Then, we analyzed, in four pneumococcal strains, two major surface structures, the capsule and extracellular vesicles produced by the pneumococci, as well as surface proteins by proteomics, using the “shaving” approach, followed by LC-MS/MS. We found important differences in both surface ultrastructures and proteins among the culture conditions and strains used. Thus, this work provides insights into physiological adaptations of the pneumococcus when it interacts with the host, which may be useful for the design of strategies to combat infections caused by this pathogen

Managing digital transformation: The view from the top

Digital Transformation is upending businesses everywhere. While there is ample research on this topic, there is a clear gap when it comes to understanding the changing talent management role of senior executives in digital transformation processes and the demands of individual employees. This article relies on 23 in-depth interviews with senior managers who are leading all or some of the digital transformation efforts of their respective organizations. Our research, using a grounded theory approach, identifies four key activities (and 37 sub-activities or themes) stemming from the new managerial needs and talent management practices arising from DT processes. We branded these key activities “Drive business change”, “Master fluid & loose organizational structures”, “Master Talent Complexity”, and “Prioritize learning”. This paper aims to provide an overview into the thinking and managerial practices of senior executives in a digital transformation context and complements the limited number of studies that examine the intersection between managerial actions and digital transformation. It also provides a conceptual framework that captures the key managerial demands arising from digital transformation processes and identifies key actions made by senior executives as part of these processes, which can be leveraged by both scholars and practitioners alike

CYB5R3 overexpression preserves skeletal muscle mitochondria and autophagic signaling in aged transgenic mice

Cytochrome b5 reductase 3 (CYB5R3) overexpression activates respiratory metabolism and exerts prolongevity effects in transgenic mice, mimicking some of the salutary effects of calorie restriction. The aim of our study was to understand how CYB5R3 overexpression targets key pathways that modulate the rate of aging in skeletal muscle, a postmitotic tissue with a greater contribution to resting energy expenditure. Mitochondrial function, autophagy and mitophagy markers were evaluated in mouse hind limb skeletal muscles from young-adult (7 months old) and old (24 months old) males of wild-type and CYB5R3-overexpressing genotypes. Ultrastructure of subsarcolemmal and intermyofibrillar mitochondria was studied by electron microscopy in red gastrocnemius. CYB5R3, which was efficiently overexpressed and targeted to skeletal muscle mitochondria regardless of age, increased the abundance of complexes I, II, and IV in old mice and prevented the age-related decrease of complexes I, III, IV, and V and the mitofusin MFN-2. ATP was significantly decreased by aging, which was prevented by CYB5R3 overexpression. Coenzyme Q and the mitochondrial biogenesis markers TFAM and NRF-1 were also significantly diminished by aging, but CYB5R3 overexpression did not protect against these declines. Both aging and CYB5R3 overexpression upregulated SIRT3 and the mitochondrial fission markers FIS1 and DRP-1, although with different outcomes on mitochondrial ultrastructure: old wild-type mice exhibited mitochondrial fragmentation whereas CYB5R3 overexpression increased mitochondrial size in old transgenic mice concomitant with an improvement of autophagic recycling. Interventions aimed at stimulating CYB5R3 could represent a valuable strategy to counteract the deleterious effects of aging in skeletal muscle

Alemania y Chile frente a la crisis del capitalismo (1973-1983). Notas para una discusión histórica

These research notes examine the discussions and political actions against the impact of the economic crises in Chile and the Federal Republic of Germany between the 1970s and 1983. Presenting a state of the art on the various variables related to the political discussion of the economy and the management of the economic crises of the 1970s and 1982, the article seeks to make a contribution to the development of transnational history, where the comprehension of the diversity of responses in different societies improves the knowledge and understanding of global connections and common problems, leaving behind the Eurocentric view of history. The final conclusion suggests that neoliberal measures do not follow a single path and cannot be seen abstractly or separately from the socio-political conditions and developments.Keywords: neoliberalism, crisis of capitalism, Chile, West Germany.En estas notas de investigación abordaremos preliminarmente las discusiones y acciones políticas frente a las crisis acaecidas en Chile y la República Federal de Alemania entre la década de 1970 y 1983. Se presenta un estado de las diversas variables relacionadas con la discusión política en torno a la economía y el manejo de las crisis del petróleo de 1973 y 1979 y la crisis de 1982. Este estudio es una contribución al desarrollo de la historia transnacional, donde la comprensión de la diversidad de respuestas en las diferentes sociedades mejora el conocimiento y la comprensión de las conexiones globales y problemas en común, dejando atrás la visión eurocéntrica de la historia. Se propone que las medidas neoliberales no siguen un camino único y que no pueden ser abstraídas o separadas de las condiciones y desarrollos históricos de carácter político y social.Palabras clave: neoliberalismo, crisis del capitalismo, Chile, Alemania Federal

Alemania y Chile frente a la crisis del capitalismo (1973-1983). Notas para una discusión histórica

These research notes examine the discussions and political actions against the impact of the economic crises in Chile and the Federal Republic of Germany between the 1970s and 1983. Presenting a state of the art on the various variables related to the political discussion of the economy and the management of the economic crises of the 1970s and 1982, the article seeks to make a contribution to the development of transnational history, where the comprehension of the diversity of responses in different societies improves the knowledge and understanding of global connections and common problems, leaving behind the Eurocentric view of history. The final conclusion suggests that neoliberal measures do not follow a single path and cannot be seen abstractly or separately from the socio-political conditions and developments.Keywords: neoliberalism, crisis of capitalism, Chile, West Germany.En estas notas de investigación abordaremos preliminarmente las discusiones y acciones políticas frente a las crisis acaecidas en Chile y la República Federal de Alemania entre la década de 1970 y 1983. Se presenta un estado de las diversas variables relacionadas con la discusión política en torno a la economía y el manejo de las crisis del petróleo de 1973 y 1979 y la crisis de 1982. Este estudio es una contribución al desarrollo de la historia transnacional, donde la comprensión de la diversidad de respuestas en las diferentes sociedades mejora el conocimiento y la comprensión de las conexiones globales y problemas en común, dejando atrás la visión eurocéntrica de la historia. Se propone que las medidas neoliberales no siguen un camino único y que no pueden ser abstraídas o separadas de las condiciones y desarrollos históricos de carácter político y social.Palabras clave: neoliberalismo, crisis del capitalismo, Chile, Alemania Federal

Extracellular Vesicles from Different Pneumococcal Serotypes Are Internalized by Macrophages and Induce Host Immune Responses

Bacterial extracellular vesicles are membranous ultrastructures released from the cell surface. They play important roles in the interaction between the host and the bacteria. In this work, we show how extracellular vesicles produced by four different serotypes of the important human pathogen, Streptococcus pneumoniae, are internalized by murine J774A.1 macrophages via fusion with the membrane of the host cells. We also evaluated the capacity of pneumococcal extracellular vesicles to elicit an immune response by macrophages. Macrophages treated with the vesicles underwent a serotype-dependent transient loss of viability, which was further reverted. The vesicles induced the production of proinflammatory cytokines, which was higher for serotype 1 and serotype 8-derived vesicles. These results demonstrate the biological activity of extracellular vesicles of clinically important pneumococcal serotypes