Cabelte restructuring by OxyCapital

This case study describes OxyCapital’s intervention in Cabelte’s operational and financial restructuring. Despite Cabelte’s strong debt burden, OxyCapital believed that the Group’s financial difficulties were temporary and that it had growth potential if the said restructuring would be implemented. Hence, while striving for an operational turnaround, OxyCapital managed to reach an agreement among not only the several banks but also the Group’s shareholder for the financial restructuring. The transaction included the acquisition of a majority stake on the Group’s share capital and of a significant part of Cabelte’s bank debt by OxyCapital’s Corporate Restructuring Fund

Overview of lithium's use: a nationwide survey

BACKGROUND: Lithium is considered the gold standard treatment for bipolar disorder (BD). Current clinical guidelines and scientific evidence support its use as a first-line treatment in BD. However, over the last two decades, there has been a downward tendency in lithium's use in several developed countries. Based on a nationwide survey, this study's objective is to analyze in a large sample of psychiatrists relevant issues of the use of lithium salts in BD. METHODS: Data were collected through an anonymous survey sent by email among 500 psychiatrists who belong to a National Society of Psychiatry (Spanish Society of Biological Psychiatry). The survey is a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 21 items on the most key aspects of lithium's use (indication, dosage, monitoring, and information for patients). RESULTS: 212 psychiatrists completed the survey. 70% of psychiatrists prescribe lithium to more than 50% of patients diagnosed with BD. Adverse effects are the main reason not to use lithium salts. Over 75% of the participants consider lithium salts the treatment of choice for the maintenance phase of BD, both in women and men. Most of the participants (>50%) start lithium after the first affective episode, use conservative plasma concentrations (0.6-0.8mmol/L), and generally prescribe it twice a day. 57% of psychiatrists who treat patients under 18 do not use lithium in this population. About 70% of the survey respondents use official protocols to inform and monitor patients on lithium treatment. CONCLUSIONS: From the results of the present study, it can be concluded that the use of lithium in Spain is in line with the recommendations of the main international clinical guidelines and current scientific literature. The first reason not to prescribe lithium in our country is the perception of its adverse effects and not the aspects related to its practical use or its effectiveness. Considering that BD is a chronic disease with a typical onset in adolescence, the low rate of prescription of lithium salts in patients under 18 must be thoroughly studied.This work was supported by Carlos III Health Research Institute [Grant Number PI18/0155] (co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER/ERDF)/European Social Fund 'Investing in your future'); Networking Center for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBERSAM), the Basque Government [Grant number, 2017111104] and the University of the Basque Country [Grant Number 321212ELBY]. The psychiatric research department in Araba University Hospital is supported by the Stanley Research Foundation [Grant number 03-RC-003].

A pan-European valuation of the extent, causes and cost of escape events from sea cage fish farming

As part of an EU funded 7th Framework project, Prevent Escape, a programme of research was undertaken to document the extent, size and knowledge of the causes of escapes from marine fin fish farms in Europe over a three year period. Escape incidents were identified and assessed through questionnaires across the 6 countries (Ireland, UK, Norway, Spain, Greece, and Malta), and other data supplied by the Norwegian Fisheries Directorate and the Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum. A total of 8,922,863 fish were reported to have escaped from 242 incidents. Of these over 5 million occurred in two catastrophic escape incidents. Sea bream accounted for the highest number of escapes at 76.7% followed by Atlantic salmon at 9.2%. Of the 113 Atlantic salmon escape events, almost 75% were due to structure failure or operational error. Almost 50% of cod escape incidents were due to biological causes e.g. biting of nets. The nominal costs of escapes as calculated by value at point of first sale were very substantial, estimated at approximately €47.5 million per annum on average over the study period. Of this €42.8 million was for annual cost of losses of sea bass and sea bream in the Mediterranean and €4.7 million for losses of salmon in northern Europe.peer-reviewe

Carbon nanodot–based electrogenerated chemiluminescence biosensor for miRNA-21 detection

A simple carbon nanodot–based electrogenerated chemiluminescence biosensor is described for sensitive and selective detection of microRNA-21 (miRNA-21), a biomarker of several pathologies including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The photoluminescent carbon nanodots (CNDs) were obtained using a new synthesis method, simply by treating tiger nut milk in a microwave reactor. The synthesis is environmentally friendly, simple, and efficient. The optical properties and morphological characteristics of the CNDs were exhaustively investigated, confirming that they have oxygen and nitrogen functional groups on their surfaces and exhibit excitation-dependent fluorescence emission, as well as photostability. They act as co-reactant agents in the anodic electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of [Ru(bpy)3]2+, producing different signals for the probe (single-stranded DNA) and the hybridized target (double-stranded DNA). These results paved the way for the development of a sensitive ECL biosensor for the detection of miRNA-21. This was developed by immobilization of a thiolated oligonucleotide, fully complementary to the miRNA-21 sequence, on the disposable gold electrode. The target miRNA-21 was hybridized with the probe on the electrode surface, and the hybridization was detected by the enhancement of the [Ru(bpy)3]2+/DNA ECL signal using CNDs. The biosensor shows a linear response to miRNA-21 concentration up to 100.0 pM with a detection limit of 0.721 fM. The method does not require complex labeling steps, and has a rapid response. It was successfully used to detect miRNA-21 directly in serum samples from heart failure patients without previous RNA extraction neither amplification processThis study is funded by the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain) projects (TRANSNANOAVANSENS, S2018/NMT-4349, CAM/B2017/BMD-3686) and Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Spanish Government) projects: CTQ2015-71955-REDT (ELECTROBIONET), CTQ2014-53334-C2-1-R and PID2020-116728RB-I0

Teclado soft para personas con dificultades motrices

El uso de tabletas y el software disponible pueden contribuir eficientemente a mejorar el desarrollo cognitivo de personas con dificultades motrices, pero incluyen limitaciones al querer utilizar estos dispositivos como método de escritura principalmente por las características de los teclados soft. La falta de indicaciones hápticas, el tamaño de las teclas, el auto-completado de palabras, la repetición de teclas y el cambio de caracter al mantener pulsada una tecla, son algunas de las complicaciones que encuentran las personas con problemas de motricidad fina al querer utilizar estos dispositivos. El desarrollo de un teclado específico diseñado para personas con discapacidad motriz coloca al usuario en un lugar más activo tanto en el ámbito educativo como en el social.VI Workshop Innovación en Sistemas de Software (WISS)Red de Universidades con Carreras de Informática (RedUNCI

Teclado soft para personas con dificultades motrices

El uso de tabletas y el software disponible pueden contribuir eficientemente a mejorar el desarrollo cognitivo de personas con dificultades motrices, pero incluyen limitaciones al querer utilizar estos dispositivos como método de escritura principalmente por las características de los teclados soft. La falta de indicaciones hápticas, el tamaño de las teclas, el auto-completado de palabras, la repetición de teclas y el cambio de caracter al mantener pulsada una tecla, son algunas de las complicaciones que encuentran las personas con problemas de motricidad fina al querer utilizar estos dispositivos. El desarrollo de un teclado específico diseñado para personas con discapacidad motriz coloca al usuario en un lugar más activo tanto en el ámbito educativo como en el social.VI Workshop Innovación en Sistemas de Software (WISS)Red de Universidades con Carreras de Informática (RedUNCI

Transcription factor NRF2 uses the Hippo pathway effector TAZ to induce tumorigenesis in glioblastomas

Transcription factor NRF2 orchestrates a cellular defense against oxidative stress and, so far, has been involved in tumor progression by providing a metabolic adaptation to tumorigenic demands and resistance to chemotherapeutics. In this study, we discover that NRF2 also propels tumorigenesis in gliomas and glioblastomas by inducing the expression of the transcriptional co-activator TAZ, a protein of the Hippo signaling pathway that promotes tumor growth. The expression of the genes encoding NRF2 (NFE2L2) and TAZ (WWTR1) showed a positive correlation in 721 gliomas from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Moreover, NRF2 and TAZ protein levels also correlated in immunohistochemical tissue arrays of glioblastomas. Genetic knock-down of NRF2 decreased, while NRF2 overexpression or chemical activation with sulforaphane, increased TAZ transcript and protein levels. Mechanistically, we identified several NRF2-regulated functional enhancers in the regulatory region of WWTR1. The relevance of the new NRF2/TAZ axis in tumorigenesis was demonstrated in subcutaneous and intracranial grafts. Thus, intracranial inoculation of NRF2-depleted glioma stem cells did not develop tumors as determined by magnetic resonance imaging. Forced TAZ overexpression partly rescued both stem cell growth in neurospheres and tumorigenicity. Hence, NRF2 not only enables tumor cells to be competent to proliferate but it also propels tumorigenesis by activating the TAZ-mediated Hippo transcriptional program.This study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) under the grant SAF2016-76520-R. ME is recipient of a postdoctoral contract Juan de la Cierva; DL and NRA of a FPU contract of MINECO; MP and RFG of a FPI contracts of Autonomous University of Madrid. RG has been funded by the AECC Scientific Foundation

An?lisis del sistema privado de pensiones : propuesta de reforma y generaci?n de valor

La presente investigaci?n eval?a el valor que genera el Sistema Privado de Pensiones (SPP) para sus principales stakeholders: accionistas de las AFP y afiliados al sistema, y propone medidas para aumentar su competitividad. Los inversionistas peruanos muestran mejores resultados que sus pares chilenos, a pesar de contar con un mercado sustancialmente m?s peque?o y un negocio menos eficiente. Por otro lado, los afiliados al SPP han obtenido una rentabilidad hist?rica neta anual real de comisiones de 5.87% -y una proyectada de 5.97%-, que no es mala, pero puede mejorar si se reducen las comisiones y se alinea el ciclo de vida del afiliado con el riesgo que este asume en las inversiones de su fondo de pensiones. Los autores plantean varias medidas para incentivar la competencia en el sistema y aumentar los beneficios de los afiliados, acciones que deber?an ser entendidas y aplicadas en su conjunto. As?, utilizar el mecanismo de licitaci?n de afiliados propiciar?a el ingreso de nuevos competidores; crear un centro de informaci?n independiente administrado por la SBS disminuir?a el conflicto de intereses del promotor y la asimetr?a de informaci?n; publicar informaci?n relevante sobre los estados de cuenta de cada afiliado tambi?n eliminar?a la asimetr?a de informaci?n, y sensibilizar?a al p?blico. Adem?s, cotizar sobre aguinaldos y gratificaciones permitir?a aumentar el monto de la pensi?n; alinear la inversi?n de los fondos al ciclo de vida del afiliado generar?a una mayor rentabilidad durante la etapa laboral activa; y, finalmente, establecer la licitaci?n del seguro de invalidez y sobrevivencia disminuir?a la prima. Todas estas medidas reducir?an el costo de pertenecer al SPP, haci?ndolo m?s atractivo para los segmentos informal y de bajos ingresos, que prefieren el Sistema Nacional de Pensiones (SNP); adem?s, permitir?an generar ahorros considerables en los gastos operativos de las AFP