The professional skills profile of a public affairs practitioner in Spain

Purpose: The present study identifies the professional skills profile that a Public Affairs (PA) practitioner of a major company or an organization representing the interests of various economic sectors should have in Spain. Design/methodology: The study uses a mixed qualitative and quantitative methodology. The initial identification of the competences, as well as the general functions of the profile to be evaluated, has been carried out using the in-depth interview technique with the directors of APRI (Association of Professionals of Institutional Relations of Spain), who defined these competencies from their expert perspective. Subsequently, through a survey of seventy-two managers, sufficient data were obtained to statistically process the information and obtain significant results in the identification of such competences. This information has been processed, firstly, through factorial analysis, which has made it possible to synthesize these competences. Once the analysis of factors was carried out, a cluster analysis is added for the classification of the respondents or managers. Findings: The perception of the interviewed executives has been determined regarding the functions that an institutional relations practitioner must fulfill. It should be noted that this is a profession for which there is no clarity about the role and the legitimacy of its members, particularly in Spain. In fact, it is associated with a function that is seen as exerting undue pressure on political power. A field study was conducted to determine the opinion of these managers on the competences that a professional in institutional relations should have. Originality/value: This study provides a description of the job position of a person responsible for institutional relations in Spain. Moreover, it adds a typology of managers, according to the competences defined for the person responsible for institutional relations.Peer Reviewe

Enteric Toxins from Bacteria Colonizing Human Gut

The large and heterogeneous microbial population colonising the human intestinal tract includes a number of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that produce one or more toxins. While exhibiting very different physico-chemical properties these exotoxins share the ability to penetrate intestinal cells after their binding to a specific surface receptor, thus reaching a subcellular target at membrane or cytoskeleton level. The most relevant in vitro and in vivo data, reported in the literature, on the mode of action of the major enterotoxins and cytotoxins produced by bacteria belonging to the human gut microora are reviewed in the light of our recent knowledge on bacteria-host cell interactions

Variation in expression of HMW1 and HMW2 adhesins in invasive nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae isolates

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Among surface antigens of nontypeable <it>Haemophilus influenzae </it>(NTHi), the HMW1 and HMW2 proteins are the major adhesins promoting colonization of the upper respiratory tract. Since they are potential vaccine candidates, knowledge concerning variation in HMW proteins expression among clinical isolates is of great interest. In this study, expression of <it>hmw1A </it>and <it>hmw2A </it>genes was evaluated by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR in 3 NTHi invasive isolates (strains 56, 72, 91) and in the prototype strain 12. Number of 7-bp repeats within the <it>hmwA </it>promoters and presence of HMW proteins by Western blotting were also determined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Results showed that gene transcription varied not only among different isolates but also between the <it>hmw1A </it>and <it>hmw2A </it>genes from the same isolate. Compared to that found in prototype strain 12, up-regulation of the <it>hmw1A </it>gene expression was found in strain 56, down-regulation of both <it>hmw1A </it>and <it>hmw2A </it>genes transcripts was observed in strain 72 whereas the two <it>hmwA </it>genes appeared differentially expressed in strain 91 with the <it>hmw1A </it>transcript enhanced but the <it>hmw2A </it>transcript reduced.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Increasing numbers of 7-bp repeats within the <it>hmwA </it>promoters generally correlated with decreased amounts of mRNA transcript, however additional control mechanisms contributing to modulation of <it>hmw1A </it>gene seem to be present.</p

Predicting procrastination with academic performance: Towards the anticipation of a higher education problem

Purpose: With the purpose of predicting the problem of procrastination, we study how age, sex, type of studies and grade for admission to higher education influence the procrastination behavior of students. Design/methodology/approach: In a sample of 359 university students, the Pure Procrastination scale was applied, as well as data on sex, age, grade previous to join the university, grade completed and year of study (first to fourth). To identify underlying variables or factors that explain the configuration of correlations in the items of the scale used, an exploratory factor analysis was carried out (principal component analysis with Varimax normalization). Next, a multiple linear regression analysis was performed with the variables sex, age, and admission grade as independent variables and academic procrastination as the dependent variable. Findings: It has been possible to identify the variables that influence the procrastinating behavior of university students. From the identification of which students will possibly present procrastinating behaviors, the people responsible for university education will be able to implement intervention programs to deal with procrastination. Research limitations/implications: The sample is not representative of the universe of university students, although the results obtained are relevant enough to replicate the study in other university contexts. Our data could have included more instruments for collecting information, which in future studies would entail incorporating scales related to the perception of time management, motivation or self-regulation. Practical implications: Distinguishing, among university students, those who may present more procrastination tendencies will guide those responsible for the educational process of said students with respect to measures to alleviate the negative effects of procrastination through psycho-socio-educational intervention programs. Social implications: The knowledge derived from this work has practical implications for the students themselves who, in the case of being identified as a potential procrastinator, may benefit from a psycho-socio educational intervention that will help them manage their time and reduce the discomfort derived from the procrastination. Originality/value: On the previous corpus of existing scientific knowledge, this work provides knowledge that allows optimizing, both at a public and private level, the academic, economic and social resources of university institutions in which procrastination can affect the preparation and the student performance

Cluster of invasive Neisseria meningitidis infections on a cruise ship, Italy, October 2012.

We describe a cluster of four cases of invasive meningococcal disease that occurred on a cruise ship sailing along the Italian coast in October 2012. All four cases were hospitalised with severe illness and one of them died. This report illustrates the importance of rapid implementation of emergency control measures such as administration of prophylaxis to all crew members and passengers to prevent the spread of the disease in such a close environment

Determinants of Public Health Personnel Spending in Spain

Public health is funded with government funds gathered from tax revenues, whether national, provincial or municipal. The health system therefore suffers during economic crisis periods, whether due to disinvestment, loss of purchasing power among health care personnel or the decrease in the number of professionals. This worsens the situation, as it is necessary to cover the needs of an increasingly elderly population and with a longer life expectancy at birth. The present study intends to show a model which explains the determination of the "Public Health Personnel Expenditure" in Spain for a determined period. A multiple linear regression model was applied to the period including the years 1980-2021. Macroeconomic and demographic variables were analyzed to explain the dependent variable. Variation in health personnel expenditure: "We included those variables which presented a high or very high correlation above r > 0.6. The variables which explain the behavior of Variation in health personnel expenditure". It was a determining factor in the present study to consider that the variables with the greatest repercussions on health policy were mainly macroeconomic variables rather than demographic variables, with the only significant demographic variable that had a specific weight lower than macroeconomic variables being "Birth Rate". In this sense, the contribution made to the scientific literature is to establish an explanatory model so that public policy managers and states in particular can consider it in their public spending policies, bearing in mind that health expenditures in a Beveridge-style health system, as Spain has, are paid with funds drawn from tax revenues

Surface-layer (S-layer) of Human and Animal Clostridium Difficile Strains and Their Behaviour in Adherence to Epithelial Cells and Intestinal Colonization

Clostridium difficile is a frequent cause of severe, recurrent post-antibiotic diarrhoea and pseudomembranous colitis. The surface layer (S-layer) is the predominant outer surface component of C. difficile which is involved in pathogen-host interactions critical to pathogenesis. In this study, we characterized the S-layer protein A (SIpA) of animal and human strains belonging to different PCR-ribotypes (PR) and compared the in vitro adherence and in vivo colonization properties of strains showing different SIpA variants. Since each SIpA variant has been recently associated with an S-layer cassette, we were able to deduce the cassette for each of our strains. In this study, an identity of 99-100% was found among the SIpA of isolates belonging to PR 012, 014/020, 045 and 078. One exception was the SIpA of a poultry isolate, PR 014/020, which showed 99% identity with that of strain 0160, another PR 014/020 which contains an S-layer cassette 6. Interestingly, this cassette has also been found in a PR 018 strain, an emerging virulent type currently predominant in Italy. Five other SIpA variants (v014/020a-e) were identified in strains PR 014/020. In vitro adherence assays and in vivo colonization experiments were performed on five PR 014/020 strains: human 1064 (v014/020e), human 4684/08 (v014/020b), human Ill 106 (v078a), poultry P30 (v014/020d) and poultry PB90 (v014/020b) strains. Adhesion assays indicate that C. difficile strains vary in their capacity to adhere to cells in culture and that adhesion seems to be independent of the SIpA variant. Colonization properties were assessed in vivo using a dixenic mouse model of colonization. The kinetics of faecal shedding and caecal colonization were similar when human 4684/08 (v014/020b) strain was compared with human 1064 (v014/020e) and poultry PB90 (v014/02013) strain. In contrast, poultry P30 (v014/020d) strain outcompeted both human 4684/08 (v014/020b) and IT1106 (v078a) strains and its adherence to caeca at day 7 was significantly higher. The peculiar characteristics of C. difficile P30 seem to advantage it in colonizing the intestinal mice niche, increasing its ability to compete and adapt. The results obtained underline the need of an increased attention to the genetic evolution of C. difficile to prevent and limit the consequences of the emergence of increasingly virulent strains