Corporate Entrepreneurship: Building a Knowledge-Based View of the Firm

Increasing globalisation and dynamism in the economy has made it necessary for established companies to regenerate themselves and renew their ability to compete. This is the goal of Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) activities, which involve extending the firm’s domain of competence and corresponding opportunity set, through internally generated new resource combinations. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of the way the process of CE is developed within the organizations. In order to achieve this, a model relating key components of the CE process (opportunity, initiative and capability) to five phases of knowledge creation taken from Nonaka & Takeuchi is proponed.organizational knowledge creation; corporate entrepreneurship; knowledge-base view; innovation; development of capabilities

Valuation activity of Public Institutions in northeastern Lavalle (Mendoza, Argentina), according to goat producers = Valoración de la actividad de las Instituciones Públicas en el Noreste de Lavalle (Mendoza, Argentina), según los productores del sector caprino

The objective of this research was to know how the goat producer perceives the public institutions linked to rural development processes of arid of La Asunción, Lavalle Department, Mendoza Northeast, Argentina. For this, a descriptive - exploratory study of cross cutting was developed, through a survey of 29 producers of a total of 40 residents. The public entities analyzed were: Dirección de Ganadería, CONICET, INTA Lavalle, Lavalle Municipality, Secretaría de Agricultura Familiar and Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. The survey results showed the INTA Lavalle as the best known entity in the area (92.9% of the producers), followed by the Municipality and the Secretariat with 75.86%. As for the institutional participation in specific goat production advice, the Dirección de Ganadería is that of higher participation with talks and specific meetings in the goat theme, covering the 38.52% of participation, followed by the Secretariat (21.26% ), and Lavalle Municipality (16.09%) and being the most appropriate themes feeding (25,29%) and facilities (16.67%). As for the institution acceptance, the Municipality showed the highest producers accordance with 48.28%, being the foundation, the subsidy provisions and tools without refund, added to that the institution is in constant contact with the population and in many cases, producer relatives works in it. It is stresses that 10.34% of the producers showed dissatisfaction with all. In the case of Dirección de Ganadería , the acceptance was only 3.45%, being the producers justification that is an organism that requires the loans refund, which does not provide subsidies, controls the animals moving, requires own register of marks and signals, is responsible for mandatory vaccinations, among othersEl objetivo del presente trabajo fue conocer como percibe el productor caprino a las instituciones públicas vinculadas a procesos de desarrollo rural de árido de La Asunción, Departamento de Lavalle, Noreste de Mendoza, Argentina. Para ello se desarrolló un estudio de tipo descriptivo - exploratorio de corte transversal, a través de una encuesta realizada a 29 productores de un total de 40 residentes. Las entidades públicas analizadas fueron: Dirección de Ganadería, CONICET, INTA Lavalle, Municipalidad de Lavalle, Secretaría de Agricultura Familiar y la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Los resultados de la encuesta mostraron al INTA Lavalle como la entidad más conocida en la zona (92.9% de los productores), seguida de la Municipalidad y la Secretaría con 75.86%. En cuanto a la participación institucional en asesoramiento en producción caprina específica, la Dirección de Ganadería es la de mayor participación con charlas y reuniones específicas en la temática caprina, cubriendo el 38,52% de participación, seguido de la Secretaria (21,26%), y la Municipalidad de Lavalle (16,09%) y siendo las temáticas más abordada alimentación (25.29%) e instalaciones (16.67%). En cuanto a la aceptación de la institución, la Municipalidad mostró la mayor conformidad de los productores con 48.28%, siendo el fundamento, la provisión de subsidios y herramientas sin devolución, sumado a que la institución se encuentra en permanente contacto con la población y en muchos casos, familiares de los productores trabajan en ella. Se destaca que 10.34% de los productores mostraron disconformidad con todas. En el caso de la Dirección de Ganadería, la aceptación fue solo de 3.45%, siendo la justificación de los productores que es un organismo que obliga a la devolución de créditos, que no entrega subsidios, controla el tránsito de animales, obliga a poseer padrón de marcas y señales, es responsable de la vacunación obligatoria, entre otrasEEA Rama CaídaFil: Dayenoff, Patricio Mario. Universidad Juan Agustín Maza; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rama Caída; ArgentinaFil: Schiarrone, C. Universidad Juan Agustín Maza; ArgentinaFil: Accorinti, C. Universidad Juan Agustín Maza; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Las Zonas Aridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Las Zonas Aridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Las Zonas Aridas; ArgentinaFil: Morales, M. Universidad Juan Agustín Maza; ArgentinaFil: Pizarro Castaño, Juan Manuel. Universidad Juan Agustín Maza; Argentin

Crystal structures from the Plasmodium peroxiredoxins: new insights into oligomerization and product binding

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>is the protozoan parasite primarily responsible for more than one million malarial deaths, annually, and is developing resistance to current therapies. Throughout its lifespan, the parasite is subjected to oxidative attack, so <it>Plasmodium </it>antioxidant defences are essential for its survival and are targets for disease control.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To further understand the molecular aspects of the <it>Plasmodium </it>redox system, we solved 4 structures of <it>Plasmodium </it>peroxiredoxins (Prx). Our study has confirmed <it>Pv</it>Trx-Px1 to be a hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-sensitive peroxiredoxin. We have identified and characterized the novel toroid octameric oligomer of <it>Py</it>Trx-Px1, which may be attributed to the interplay of several factors including: (1) the orientation of the conserved surface/buried arginine of the NNLA(I/L)GRS-loop; and (2) the <it>C</it>-terminal tail positioning (also associated with the aforementioned conserved loop) which facilitates the intermolecular hydrogen bond between dimers (in an A-C fashion). In addition, a notable feature of the disulfide bonds in some of the Prx crystal structures is discussed. Finally, insight into the latter stages of the peroxiredoxin reaction coordinate is gained. Our structure of <it>Py</it>Prx6 is not only in the sulfinic acid (RSO₂H) form, but it is also with glycerol bound in a way (not previously observed) indicative of product binding.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The structural characterization of <it>Plasmodium </it>peroxiredoxins provided herein provides insight into their oligomerization and product binding which may facilitate the targeting of these antioxidant defences. Although the structural basis for the octameric oligomerization is further understood, the results yield more questions about the biological implications of the peroxiredoxin oligomerization, as multiple toroid configurations are now known. The crystal structure depicting the product bound active site gives insight into the overoxidation of the active site and allows further characterization of the leaving group chemistry.</p

LA REORIENTACIÓN PROFESIONAL PEDAGÓGICA, UNA PROPUESTA TEÓRICA (Original)

The article presents a theoretical proposal for the pedagogic professional reorientation in the career Degree in Education, Instructor specialty of Art, in the semipresent modality in the University of Granma, to secure the professional in its acting. The categories pedagogic professional reorientation, pedagogic professional conceptualization, pedagogic professional systematizing and appropriation of the pedagogic professional culture are approached. The objective is the socialization of a subsystem of the pedagogic pattern that intends for the pedagogic professional reaffirmation in this career, of the first author's doctoral thesis, the one that you can generalize to others. One kept in mind a population of 30 students the first years. It is considered a novel proposition in the field of the pedagogic theory, when expressing the logic of the relationships of integration of the artistic and pedagogic contents that to favor the process of pedagogic professional reaffirmation and they generate the pedagogic professional establishment, as essential quality, in the content of the career Degree in Education, Instructor specialty of Art.El artículo presenta una propuesta teórica para la reorientación profesional pedagógica en la carrera Licenciatura en Educación, especialidad Instructor de Arte, en la modalidad semipresencial en la Universidad de Granma, para afianzar al profesional en su desempeño. Se abordan las categorías reorientación profesional pedagógica, conceptualización profesional pedagógica, sistematización profesional pedagógica y apropiación de la cultura profesional pedagógica. Tiene como objetivo la socialización de un subsistema del modelo pedagógico que se propone para la reafirmación profesional pedagógica en esta carrera, de la tesis doctoral del primer autor, la cual se puede generalizar. Se tuvo en cuenta una población de 30 estudiantes del primer año. Se considera una proposición novedosa en el campo de la teoría pedagógica, al expresar la lógica de las relaciones de integración de los contenidos artísticos y pedagógicos que favorecen el proceso de reafirmación profesional pedagógica y generan el afianzamiento profesional pedagógico, como cualidad esencial, en el contenido de la carrera Licenciatura en Educación, especialidad Instructor de Arte

PCR reveals significantly higher rates of Trypanosoma cruzi infection than microscopy in the Chagas vector, Triatoma infestans: High rates found in Chuquisaca, Bolivia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Andean valleys of Bolivia are the only reported location of sylvatic <it>Triatoma infestans</it>, the main vector of Chagas disease in this country, and the high human prevalence of <it>Trypanosoma cruzi </it>infection in this region is hypothesized to result from the ability of vectors to persist in domestic, peri-domestic, and sylvatic environments. Determination of the rate of <it>Trypanosoma </it>infection in its triatomine vectors is an important element in programs directed at reducing human infections. Traditionally, <it>T. cruzi </it>has been detected in insect vectors by direct microscopic examination of extruded feces, or dissection and analysis of the entire bug. Although this technique has proven to be useful, several drawbacks related to its sensitivity especially in the case of small instars and applicability to large numbers of insects and dead specimens have motivated researchers to look for a molecular assay based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as an alternative for parasitic detection of <it>T. cruzi </it>infection in vectors. In the work presented here, we have compared a PCR assay and direct microscopic observation for diagnosis of <it>T. cruzi </it>infection in <it>T. infestans </it>collected in the field from five localities and four habitats in Chuquisaca, Bolivia. The efficacy of the methods was compared across nymphal stages, localities and habitats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined 152 nymph and adult <it>T. infestans </it>collected from rural areas in the department of Chuquisaca, Bolivia. For microscopic observation, a few drops of rectal content obtained by abdominal extrusion were diluted with saline solution and compressed between a slide and a cover slip. The presence of motile parasites in 50 microscopic fields was registered using 400× magnification. For the molecular analysis, dissection of the posterior part of the abdomen of each insect followed by DNA extraction and PCR amplification was performed using the TCZ1 (5' – CGA GCT CTT GCC CAC ACG GGT GCT – 3') and TCZ2 (5' – CCT CCA AGC AGC GGA TAG TTC AGG – 3') primers. Amplicons were chromatographed on a 2% agarose gel with a 100 bp size standard, stained with ethidium bromide and viewed with UV fluorescence.</p> <p>For both the microscopy and PCR assays, we calculated sensitivity (number of positives by a method divided by the number of positives by either method) and discrepancy (one method was negative and the other was positive) at the locality, life stage and habitat level. The degree of agreement between PCR and microscopy was determined by calculating Kappa (<it>k</it>) values with 95% confidence intervals.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We observed a high prevalence of <it>T. cruzi </it>infection in <it>T. infestans </it>(81.16% by PCR and 56.52% by microscopy) and discovered that PCR is significantly more sensitive than microscopic observation. The overall degree of agreement between the two methods was moderate (Kappa = 0.43 ± 0.07). The level of infection is significantly different among communities; however, prevalence was similar among habitats and life stages.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>PCR was significantly more sensitive than microscopy in all habitats, developmental stages and localities in Chuquisaca, Bolivia. Overall we observed a high prevalence of <it>T. cruzi </it>infection in <it>T. infestans </it>in this area of Bolivia; however, microscopy underestimated infection at all levels examined.</p

Stereo Vision Tracking of Multiple Objects in Complex Indoor Environments

This paper presents a novel system capable of solving the problem of tracking multiple targets in a crowded, complex and dynamic indoor environment, like those typical of mobile robot applications. The proposed solution is based on a stereo vision set in the acquisition step and a probabilistic algorithm in the obstacles position estimation process. The system obtains 3D position and speed information related to each object in the robot’s environment; then it achieves a classification between building elements (ceiling, walls, columns and so on) and the rest of items in robot surroundings. All objects in robot surroundings, both dynamic and static, are considered to be obstacles but the structure of the environment itself. A combination of a Bayesian algorithm and a deterministic clustering process is used in order to obtain a multimodal representation of speed and position of detected obstacles. Performance of the final system has been tested against state of the art proposals; test results validate the authors’ proposal. The designed algorithms and procedures provide a solution to those applications where similar multimodal data structures are found

Allelic Variation of MYB10 Is the Major Force Controlling Natural Variation in Skin and Flesh Color in Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) Fruit

Independent mutations in the transcription factor MYB10 cause most of the anthocyanin variation observed in diploid woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) and octoploid cultivated strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa). The fruits of diploid and octoploid strawberry (Fragaria spp) show substantial natural variation in color due to distinct anthocyanin accumulation and distribution patterns. Anthocyanin biosynthesis is controlled by a clade of R2R3 MYB transcription factors, among which MYB10 is the main activator in strawberry fruit. Here, we show that mutations in MYB10 cause most of the variation in anthocyanin accumulation and distribution observed in diploid woodland strawberry (F. vesca) and octoploid cultivated strawberry (F. xananassa). Using a mapping-by-sequencing approach, we identified a gypsy-transposon in MYB10 that truncates the protein and knocks out anthocyanin biosynthesis in a white-fruited F. vesca ecotype. Two additional loss-of-function mutations in MYB10 were identified among geographically diverse white-fruited F. vesca ecotypes. Genetic and transcriptomic analyses of octoploid Fragaria spp revealed that FaMYB10-2, one of three MYB10 homoeologs identified, regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in developing fruit. Furthermore, independent mutations in MYB10-2 are the underlying cause of natural variation in fruit skin and flesh color in octoploid strawberry. We identified a CACTA-like transposon (FaEnSpm-2) insertion in the MYB10-2 promoter of red-fleshed accessions that was associated with enhanced expression. Our findings suggest that cis-regulatory elements in FaEnSpm-2 are responsible for enhanced MYB10-2 expression and anthocyanin biosynthesis in strawberry fruit flesh.Peer reviewe

Allelic Variation of MYB10 is the Major Force Controlling Natural Variation of Skin and Flesh Color in Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) fruit

Anthocyanins are the principal color-producing compounds synthesized in developing fruits of strawberry (Fragaria spp.). Substantial natural variation in color have been observed in fruits of diploid and octoploid accessions, resulting from distinct accumulation and distribution of anthocyanins in fruits. Anthocyanin biosynthesis is controlled by a clade of R2R3 MYB transcription factors, among which MYB10 has been shown as the main activator in strawberry fruit. Here, we show that MYB10 mutations cause most of the anthocyanin variation observed in diploid woodland strawberry (F. vesca) and octoploid cultivated strawberry (F. ×ananassa). Using a mapping-by-sequencing approach, we identified a gypsytransposon insertion in MYB10 that truncates the protein and knocks out anthocyanin biosynthesis in a white-fruited F. vesca ecotype. Two additional lossof-function MYB10 mutations were identified among geographically diverse whitefruited F. vesca ecotypes. Genetic and transcriptomic analyses in octoploid Fragaria spp. revealed that FaMYB10-2, one of three MYB10 homoeologs identified, residing in the F. iinumae-derived subgenome, regulates the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in developing fruit. Furthermore, independent mutations in MYB10-2 are the underlying cause of natural variation in fruit skin and flesh color in octoploid strawberry. We identified a CACTA-like transposon (FaEnSpm-2) insertion in the MYB10-2 promoter of red-fleshed accessions that was associated with enhanced expression and anthocyanin accumulation. Our findings suggest that putative cis regulatory elements provided by FaEnSpm-2 are required for high and ectopic MYB10-2 expression and induction of anthocyanin biosynthesis in fruit flesh. We developed MYB10-2 (sub-genome) specific DNA markers for marker-assisted selection that accurately predicted anthocyanin phenotypes in octoploid segregating populations

Target highlights in CASP9: Experimental target structures for the critical assessment of techniques for protein structure prediction

15 pags, 9 figsOne goal of the CASP community wide experiment on the critical assessment of techniques for protein structure prediction is to identify the current state of the art in protein structure prediction and modeling. A fundamental principle of CASP is blind prediction on a set of relevant protein targets, that is, the participating computational methods are tested on a common set of experimental target proteins, for which the experimental structures are not known at the time of modeling. Therefore, the CASP experiment would not have been possible without broad support of the experimental protein structural biology community. In this article, several experimental groups discuss the structures of the proteins which they provided as prediction targets for CASP9, highlighting structural and functional peculiarities of these structures: the long tail fiber protein gp37 from bacteriophage T4, the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase Iβ dimerization/docking domain, the ectodomain of the JTB (jumping translocation breakpoint) transmembrane receptor, Autotaxin in complex with an inhibitor, the DNA-binding J-binding protein 1 domain essential for biosynthesis and maintenance of DNA base-J (β-D-glucosyl-hydroxymethyluracil) in Trypanosoma and Leishmania, an so far uncharacterized 73 residue domain from Ruminococcus gnavus with a fold typical for PDZ-like domains, a domain from the phycobilisome core-membrane linker phycobiliprotein ApcE from Synechocystis, the heat shock protein 90 activators PFC0360w and PFC0270w from Plasmodium falciparum, and 2-oxo-3-deoxygalactonate kinase from Klebsiella pneumoniae. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Grant sponsor: Spanish Ministry of Education and Science; Grant number: BFU2008-01588; Grant sponsor: European Commission; Grant number: NMP4-CT-2006-033256; Grant sponsor: Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (José Castillejo fellowship); Grant sponsor: Xunta de Galicia (Angeles Alvariño fellowship); Grant sponsor: National Institutes of Health; Grant numbers: K22-CA124517 (D.E.C.); R01-GM090161 (C.K.) GM074942; GM094585; Grant sponsor: U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Biological and Environmental Research; Grant number: DE-AC02-06CH11357 (to A.J.); Grant sponsor: Foundation for Polish Science (to K.M.); Grant sponsor: NSF; Grant number: DBI 0829586