The diversification-performance relationship in Spanish firms : does the CEO´S behaviour style matter?

The agency-stewardship theoretical framework posits that CEOs may choose to act as agents or as stewards. CEOs as agents are economically rational individuals driven by self-interest, whereas CEOs as stewards are self-actualizing individuals that behave pro-organizationally. Our study extends this framework to analyze whether the CEO´s behavior style affects the diversification-performance relationship. After applying Heckman´s method on a sample of Spanish firms, our results verify that diversification affects positively on firm performance and such effect is significantly strong when this strategy is managed and implemented by a CEO inclined to behave as steward.peer-reviewe

How important is the European economic and monetary union in the foreign trade with the EU-27 countries? Empirical evidence from Spain

This paper analyzes the effect of the European Economic and Monetary Union on export flows from a Spanish region (Castilla y Leon) to the EU-27 countries during the last years Applying static panel data estimation technique, this study finds that exporter and importer incomes, exporter population, distance, and a common land border are the main explanatory factors of exports from this Spanish region. Moreover, the EU membership of the importer country only caused positive and significant effects between 1994 and 1996, whereas the EMU membership reduced export flows from Castilla y Leon to the European countries during the whole period.peer-reviewe

Cooperative Learning vs. Projecto Based Learning a practical case

The Bologna Declaration and the implementation of the European Higher Education Area are promoting the use of active learning methodologies such as cooperative learning and project based learning. This study was motivated by the comparison of the results obtained after applying Cooperative Learning (CL) and Project Based Learning (PBL) to a subject of Computer Engineering. The fundamental hypothesis tested was whether the academic success achieved by the students of the first years was higher when CL was applied than in those cases to which PBL was applied. A practical case, by means of which the effectiveness of CL and PBL are compared, is presented in this work. This study has been carried out at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, where these mechanisms have been applied to the Operating Systems I subject from the Technical Engineering in Computer Systems degree (OSIS) and to the same subject from the Technical Engineering in Computer Management degree (OSIM). Both subjects have the same syllabus, are taught in the same year and semester and share also formative objectives. From this study we can conclude that students' academic performance (regarding the grades given) is greater with PBL than with CL. To be more specific, the difference is between 0.5 and 1 point for the individual tests. For the group tests, this difference is between 2.5 and 3 points. Therefore, this study refutes the fundamental hypothesis formulated at the beginning. Some of the possible interpretations of these results are referred to in this stud

Correction to: Dimensions of leisure-time physical activity and risk of depression in the “Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra” (SUN) prospective cohort

After publication of our article [1] we have been notified that Table 2 was incorrectly formatte

Lung Ultrasound as a First-Line Test in the Evaluation of Post-COVID-19 Pulmonary Sequelae

COVID-19; Lung ultrasound (LUS); Pulmonary sequelaeCOVID-19; Ecografía pulmonar (LUS); Secuelas pulmonaresCOVID-19; Ecografia pulmonar (LUS); Seqüeles pulmonarsBackground: Interstitial lung sequelae are increasingly being reported in survivors of COVID-19 pneumonia. An early detection of these lesions may help prevent the development of irreversible lung fibrosis. Lung ultrasound (LUS) has shown high diagnostic accuracy in interstitial lung disease (ILD) and could likely be used as a first-line test for post-COVID-19 lung sequelae. Methods: Single-center observational prospective study. Follow-up assessments of consecutive patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia were conducted 2–5 months after the hospitalization. All patients underwent pulmonary function tests (PFTs), high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and LUS. Radiological alterations in HRCT were quantified using the Warrick score. The LUS score was obtained by evaluating the presence of pathological B-lines in 12 thoracic areas (range, 0–12). The correlation between the LUS and Warrick scores was analyzed. Results: Three hundred and fifty-two patients who recovered from COVID-19 pneumonia were recruited between July and September 2020. At follow-up, dyspnea was the most frequent symptom (69.3%). FVC and DLCO alterations were present in 79 (22.4%) and 234 (66.5%) patients, respectively. HRCT showed relevant interstitial lung sequelae (RILS) in 154 (43.8%) patients (Warrick score ≥ 7). The LUS score was strongly correlated with the HRCT Warrick score (r = 0.77) and showed a moderate inverse correlation with DLCO (r = −0.55). The ROC curve analysis revealed that a LUS score ≥ 3 indicated an excellent ability to discriminate patients with RILS (sensitivity, 94.2%; specificity, 81.8%; negative predictive value, 94.7%). Conclusions: LUS could be implemented as a first-line procedure in the evaluation of Post-COVID-19 interstitial lung sequelae. A normal LUS examination rules out the presence of these sequelae in COVID-19 survivors, avoiding the need for additional diagnostic tests such as HRCT

PAT Ciencias: Actividades del Programa de Acción Tutorial de la Facultad de Ciencias

El principal objetivo de este proyecto es organizar actividades enmarcadas dentro del Plan de Acción Tutorial de la Facultad de Ciencias que puedan ser de interés general para los estudiantes de nuestra facultad. Estas actividades, ya sean seminarios o reuniones, tendrán diferentes objetivos: ayudar al estudiante a mejorar su organización y planificación; fomentar programas de movilidad europea y no europea; y preparar a los estudiantes para enfrentarse a su futura vida laboral. Todas estas actividades, junto con la información que pueda ser de interés para el estudiante, serán promovidas gracias a la creación de una página de Facebook para el PAT de la Facultad de Ciencias. Con la organización de las actividades propuestas, desde el PAT de la Facultad de Ciencias se pretende favorecer el desarrollo de las competencias transversales de sus estudiantes, ayudándoles y apoyándoles para la superación de las asignaturas matriculadas. Asimismo, se pretende también fomentar la movilidad de nuestros estudiantes tanto a nivel europeo como no europeo, y prepararlos para su futura incursión en el mundo laboral

Morton’s Extension on Hallux Rigidus Pathology

Study design, case-control study: Background, Morton’s extension (ME) is a kind of orthotic that has been used as a conservative treatment of painful hallux rigidus (HR) osteoarthritis, but only their effects on first metatarsophalangeal joint (MPJ) mobility and position in healthy subjects have been studied, but not on its applied pulled tension forces neither in subjects with HR. Objectives: This study sought to understand how ME’s orthotics with three different thicknesses could influence the kinematic first MPJ by measuring hallux dorsiflexion using Jack’s test and a digital algometer with a rigid strip anchored to the iron hook’s extremity and comparing subjects with healthy first MPJ mobility to those with HR.We aimed to clarify whether tension values were different between healthy and HR subjects. Methods: Fifty-eight subjects were selected, of whom thirty were included in the case group according to HR criteria and twenty-eight were included in the control group. A digital algometer (FPX®® 25,Wagner Instruments®®, Greenwich, CT, USA) was used to assess the pulled tension values (kgf) of the first MPJ during Jack’s test. Results: The pulled tension values were highly reliable (ICC > 0.963). There were no statistically significant differences between the pulled tension values for the different ME conditions in the case (p = 0.969) or control (p = 0.718) groups. However, as it’s expected, there were statistically significant differences comparing all pulled tension values between case and control group subjects (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Different ME’s thicknesses had no influence on the pulled effort applied during the dorsiflexion Jack’s test between the healthy and HR groups; therefore, it can be prescribed without joint-care danger. In addition, it is proven that there is greater resistance to performing Jack’s test in the HR group than in the healthy group, regardless of ME’s orthotics. Furthermore, it is shown that the digital algometer device is a valid tool to detect the first MPJ restriction and is more reliable than other tests

A novel role for Gemin5 in mRNA translation

In eukaryotic cells translation initiation occurs through two alternative mechanisms, a cap-dependent operating in the majority of mRNAs, and a 5′-end-independent driven by internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements, specific for a subset of mRNAs. IRES elements recruit the translation machinery to an internal position in the mRNA through a mechanism involving the IRES structure and several trans-acting factors. Here, we identified Gemin5 protein bound to the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) IRES using two independent approaches, riboproteomic analysis and immunoprecipitation of photocroslinked factors. Functional analysis performed in Gemin5 shRNA-depleted cells, or in in vitro translation reactions, revealed an unanticipated role of Gemin5 in translation control as a down-regulator of cap-dependent and IRES-driven translation initiation. Consistent with this, pull-down assays showed that Gemin5 forms part of two distinct complexes, a specific IRES-ribonucleoprotein complex and an IRES-independent protein complex containing eIF4E. Thus, beyond its role in snRNPs biogenesis, Gemin5 also functions as a modulator of translation activity