LA INFLUENCIA DE LA DIVERSIFICACIÓN Y EXPERIENCIA INTERNACIONAL EN LA ESTRATEGIA MEDIOAMBIENTAL PROACTIVA DE LAS EMPRESAS

RESUMENEste trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar la influencia que la internacionalización puede tener sobre la adopción de una estrategia medioambiental más proactiva por parte de las empresas. Para conseguir este objetivo realizamos 103 entrevistas personales a los directores generales de empresas exportadoras españolas pertenecientes al sector de la alimentación. Nuestros resultados muestran que un alto grado de diversificación internacional favorece el desarrollo de una estrategia medioambiental más proactiva. Además, la experiencia internacional de las empresas contribuye también a la adquisición de capacidades medioambientales valiosas. Por tanto, la internacionalización permite a las empresas desarrollar una estrategia más avanzada en gestión medioambiental. Finalmente, recogemos una serie de implicaciones de carácter práctico para directivos y reguladores públicos.ABSTRACTWe analyze the influence of the firms' internationalization process of firms on the adoption of a proactive environmental strategy. Using direct interviews with the CEOs of 103 export Spanish firms from the food industry, we show that a high degree of international diversification encourages these firms to take advantage of different environmental competitive advantages from the different regions where they operate. In addition, firms' international experience contributes to acquiring valuable environmental capabilities. Thus, our results support that internationalization leads firms to develop an advanced posture to environmental issues and adopt a proactive environmental strategy. Our paper discusses implications for managers and policy-makers

Asymptotic iteration method for eigenvalue problems

An asymptotic interation method for solving second-order homogeneous linear differential equations of the form y'' = lambda(x) y' + s(x) y is introduced, where lambda(x) \neq 0 and s(x) are C-infinity functions. Applications to Schroedinger type problems, including some with highly singular potentials, are presented.Comment: 14 page

A basis for variational calculations in d dimensions

In this paper we derive expressions for matrix elements (\phi_i,H\phi_j) for the Hamiltonian H=-\Delta+\sum_q a(q)r^q in d > 1 dimensions. The basis functions in each angular momentum subspace are of the form phi_i(r)=r^{i+1+(t-d)/2}e^{-r^p/2}, i >= 0, p > 0, t > 0. The matrix elements are given in terms of the Gamma function for all d. The significance of the parameters t and p and scale s are discussed. Applications to a variety of potentials are presented, including potentials with singular repulsive terms of the form b/r^a, a,b > 0, perturbed Coulomb potentials -D/r + B r + Ar^2, and potentials with weak repulsive terms, such as -g r^2 + r^4, g > 0.Comment: 22 page

Impact of Physical Activity and Exercise on the Epigenome in Skeletal Muscle and Effects on Systemic Metabolism

Julio Plaza-Diaz and Concepcion M. Aguilera are part of the "UGR Plan Propio de Investigacion 2016" and the "Excellence actions: Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES), University of Granada". Julio Plaza-Diaz is supported by a fellowship to postdoctoral researchers at foreign universities and research centers from the "Fundacion Ramon Areces", Madrid, Spain. Francisco Javier Ruiz-Ojeda is supported by a fellowship from Spanish Government "Agencia Estatal de Investigacion-Juan de la Cierva-Incorporacion" program (IJC2020-042739-I). Alvaro TorresMartos is supported by the Project "Transductores Moleculares del Ejercicio Fisico y la Activacion del Tejido Adiposo Pardo: en Busca de Nuevas Dianas Terapeuticas en la Comunicacion Intercelular" funded by "Consejeria de Economia, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad (PY18-4455), Junta de Andalucia", Spain.Exercise and physical activity induces physiological responses in organisms, and adaptations in skeletal muscle, which is beneficial for maintaining health and preventing and/or treating most chronic diseases. These adaptations are mainly instigated by transcriptional responses that ensue in reaction to each individual exercise, either resistance or endurance. Consequently, changes in key metabolic, regulatory, and myogenic genes in skeletal muscle occur as both an early and late response to exercise, and these epigenetic modifications, which are influenced by environmental and genetic factors, trigger those alterations in the transcriptional responses. DNA methylation and histone modifications are the most significant epigenetic changes described in gene transcription, linked to the skeletal muscle transcriptional response to exercise, and mediating the exercise adaptations. Nevertheless, other alterations in the epigenetics markers, such as epitranscriptomics, modifications mediated by miRNAs, and lactylation as a novel epigenetic modification, are emerging as key events for gene transcription. Here, we provide an overview and update of the impact of exercise on epigenetic modifications, including the well-described DNA methylations and histone modifications, and the emerging modifications in the skeletal muscle. In addition, we describe the effects of exercise on epigenetic markers in other metabolic tissues; also, we provide information about how systemic metabolism or its metabolites influence epigenetic modifications in the skeletal muscle."Fundacion Ramon Areces", Madrid, SpainSpanish Government "Agencia Estatal de Investigacion-Juan de la Cierva-Incorporacion" program IJC2020-042739-IProject "Transductores Moleculares del Ejercicio Fisico y la Activacion del Tejido Adiposo Pardo: en Busca de Nuevas Dianas Terapeuticas en la Comunicacion Intercelular" - "Consejeria de Economia, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad, Junta de Andalucia", PY18-445

A specific protein-enriched enteral formula decreases cortisolemia and improves plasma albumin and amino acid concentrations in elderly patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Old age is associated with an involuntary and progressive but physiological loss of muscle mass. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exclusive consumption for 6 months of a protein-enriched enteral diet with a relatively high content of branched-chain amino acids on albuminemia, cortisolemia, plasma amino acids, insulin resistance, and inflammation biomarkers in elderly patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thirty-two patients from the Clinical Nutrition Outpatient Unit at our hospital exclusively consumed a protein-enriched enteral diet for 6 months. Data were collected at baseline and at 3 and 6 months on anthropometric and biochemical parameters and on plasma concentrations of amino acids, cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone, urea, creatinine, insulin resistance, and inflammation biomarkers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The percentage of patients with albumin concentration below normal cut-off values decreased from 18% to 0% by the end of the study. At 6 months, concentrations of total plasma (<it>p </it>= 0.008) and essential amino acids (<it>p </it>= 0.011), especially branched-chain amino acids (<it>p </it>= 0.031), were higher versus baseline values, whereas 3-methylhistidine (<it>p </it>= 0.001), cortisol (<it>p </it>= 0.001) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (<it>p </it>= 0.004) levels were lower.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Regular intake of specific protein-enriched enteral formula increases plasma essential amino acids, especially branched-chain amino acids, and decreases cortisol and 3-methylhistidine, while plasma urea and creatinine remain unchanged.</p

Reaction mechanisms for weakly-bound, stable nuclei and unstable, halo nuclei on medium-mass targets

An experimental overview of reactions induced by the stable, but weakly-bound nuclei 6Li, 7Li and 9Be, and by the exotic, halo nuclei 6He, 8B, 11Be and 17F on medium-mass targets, such as 58Ni, 59Co or 64Zn, is presented. Existing data on elastic scattering, total reaction cross sections, fusion processes, breakup and transfer channels are discussed in the framework of a CDCC approach taking into account the breakup degree of freedom.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, Invited Talk given by C. Beck to the 10th International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, August 16-21, 2009 Beijing, China; Paper submitted to the NN2009 Proceedings, Nuclear Physics A (to be published

Effect of continuum couplings in fusion of halo 11^{11}Be on 208^{208}Pb around the Coulomb barrier

The effect of continuum couplings in the fusion of the halo nucleus $^{11}$Be on $^{208}$Pb around the Coulomb barrier is studied using a three-body model within a coupled discretised continuum channels (CDCC) formalism. We investigate in particular the role of continuum-continuum couplings. These are found to hinder total, complete and incomplete fusion processes. Couplings to the projectile $1p_{1/2}$ bound excited state redistribute the complete and incomplete fusion cross sections, but the total fusion cross section remains nearly constant. Results show that continuum-continuum couplings enhance the irreversibility of breakup and reduce the flux that penetrates the Coulomb barrier. Converged total fusion cross sections agree with the experimental ones for energies around the Coulomb barrier, but underestimate those for energies well above the Coulomb barrier.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev.

Fusion of light exotic nuclei at near-barrier energies : effect of inelastic excitation

The effect of inelastic excitation of exotic light projectiles (proton- as well as neutron-rich) $^{17}$F and $^{11}$Be on fusion with heavy target has been studied at near-barrier energies. The calculations have been performed in the coupled channels approach where, in addition to the normal coupling of the ground state of the projectile to the continuum, inelastic excitation of the projectile to the bound excited state and its coupling to the continuum have also been taken into consideration. The inclusion of these additional couplings has been found to have significant effect on the fusion excitation function of neutron-rich $^{11}$Be on $^{208}$Pb whereas the effect has been observed to be nominal for the case of proton-rich $^{17}$F on the same target. The pronounced effect of the channel coupling on the fusion process in case of $^{11}$Be is attributed to its well-developed halo structure.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, Revtex.st

Significados de la calidad de vida laboral en docentes de una universidad privada de Colombia

Objetivo. Comprender los significados de la calidad de vida laboral en docentes de una universidad privada en Bogotá, Colombia, mediante su descripción, análisis e interpretación. Materiales y métodos. Enfoque cualitativo con diseño de estudio de casos. Se hicieron entrevistas individuales en profundidad que contemplaron los ejes temáticos de condiciones de trabajo, empresa, factores individuales y entorno social. Participaron docentes voluntarios de un programa de salud de pregrado, vinculados con cualquier tipo de contrato laboral vigente durante el periodo académico de julio a noviembre del año 2015. Los Datos se analizaron con fundamento en los supuestos del construccionismo social de Berger y Luckmann. Los Datos se analizaron en el programa Atlas ti. Resultados. La calidad de vida laboral significó la satisfacción de necesidades fisiológicas, de seguridad, de autorrealización, de reconocimiento y de autonomía en el manejo del tiempo, a pesar de la insatisfacción de las necesidades de claridad en ascensos, espacios físicos para sus hijos pequeños, tiempos de desplazamiento y ambientes de descanso. Conclusiones. La calidad de vida laboral tiene significados particulares en cada docente, pero existen aspectos comunes al considerarla vivificante, tales como: flexibilidad en el manejo del tiempo, atrayente, diversa, facilitadora de la autonomía para la toma de decisiones y control de sus actividades. La Calidad de vida laboral significó la interacción de múltiples dimensiones del trabajo que favorecen la realización integral personal, familiar y social de los docentes universitarios. De Igual manera implica tener un ambiente amable, respetuoso, de estabilidad laboral, en el que se puedan mostrar todas las habilidades profesionales y con reconocimiento permanente de la institución

Towards an eco-friendly coffee rust control : compilation of natural alternatives from a nutritional and antifungal perspective

Hemileia vastatrix (HV) is the pathogen responsible for the coffee leaf rust (CLR) disease that has spread globally. CLR causes losses of up to a billion dollars annually and affects all types of crops regardless of their production regime (organic or inorganic). Additionally, smallholders produce approximately 80% of coffee in developing countries. The condition causes losses of up to a billion dollars annually. It affects all types of crops regardless of their production regime (organic or inorganic). Approximately 80% of coffee is produced by smallholders in developing countries. Until the 90s, shaded-production systems and native varieties were encouraged; however, the rapid spread of CLR has forced farmers to migrate towards inorganic schemes, mainly due to a lack of knowledge about natural alternatives to pesticides that can be implemented to control HV. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to compile the currently existing options, emphasizing two key factors that guarantee efficient rust control: selective fungicidal activity against HV and the nutrition of coffee crops. Thus, by comprehending how these natural compounds (such as plant, bacteria, fungi, animals, or algae metabolites) impact coffee rust proliferation. Furthermore, since a various range of biochar effects contributes to the control of foliar fungal pathogens through modification of root exudates, soil properties, and nutrient availability, which influence the growth of antagonist microorganisms, we present a review of the pathogen-suppressive effects of biochar, and new control strategies suitable for organic schemes can be developed.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe