HAVE SPANISH COMPANIES BUILT GREATER ENTREPRENEURSHIP AFTER PRIVATIZATION?

This study analyses some of the strategic and organizational changes experienced in public firms following privatization in its double facet: sale of companies and deregulation. Specifically, we analyse the process of innovation in terms of products, processes and organization. We also look into the development of new businesses and strategic renewal, which in the end shape the entrepreneurial capacity of a company. A sample of Spanish firms which were privatized between 1985 and 2000 shows that after privatization, these companies have experienced a significant increase in entrepreneurship. These changes are even more appreciable when a high sector competition is added to the ownership shift. Once they join the private sector, their level of product, process and organizational innovation is higher. They also develop new businesses at national level, reinforce their international activity and embark on strategic renewal processes by shedding the lesser profitable businesses and modifying their competitive strategy so as to gain efficiency.

Biocatalytic access to betazole by one-pot multienzymatic system in continuous flow

As an alternative to classical synthetic approaches for the production of betazole drug, a one-pot biocatalytic system to this pharmaceutical molecule from its alcohol precursor has been developed. An ꙍ-transaminase, an alcohol dehydrogenase and a water-forming NADH oxidase for in-situ cofactor recycling have been combined to catalyse this reaction yielding 75% molar conversion in batch reaction with soluble enzymes. This multienzyme system was then co-immobilised through a newly established protocol for sequential functionalization of a methacrylate-based porous carrier to enable tailored immobilisation chemistries for each enzyme. This pluri-catalytic system has been set up in a continuous flow packed-bed reactor, yielding a space-time yield up to 2.59 g L-1 h-1 with 15 min residence with constant supply of oxygen for in-situ cofactor recycling through a segmented air-liquid flow. The addition of an in-line catch-and-release column afforded >80% product recovery

Synthesis and study of biological activity of tetrahydro-1H-[3]-benzazepines

The 3-Benzazepines are an important class of compounds in drug discovery due to their biological activity such as analgesic, antihypertensive or anticancer properties as well as dopaminergic or antidopaminergic activity. In particular, the tetrahydro-1H-[3]- benzazepine is a common skeleton in a number of natural and pharmaceutical products. As consequence of the interesting biological properties, derivatives of the tetrahydro-1H-[3]-benzazepines, especially the 1-aryl substituted have been synthesized by different routes and evaluated their pharmacologic activity. [1,2] The stereoselective synthetic approaches of tetrahydro-1H-[3]-benzazepine have focused on ring enlargements, as the Stevens rearrangement (SR) which is a good regio- and diastereoselective synthetic methodology. In my research group, the reaction conditions to synthesize tetrahydro-1H-[3]-benzazepines 1,2-disubstituted by via SR from tetrahydroisoquinolinium salts conveniently functionalized have been optimized. [3,4] This methodology allowed us to obtain a wide variety of tetrahydro-1H-[3]- benzazepines 1,2-disubstituted with different substituents at A-ring (Cl, OMe) and the C-1 (-C6H4X, X = H, OMe, Cl, NO2, NMe2, NH2, SMe) and C-2 (Electron-withdrawing groups) positions. The demethylation of the synthesized tetrahydroisoquinolines and tetrahydro-1H-[3]-benzazepines 1,2-disubstituted, lead us to get catechol structure, an important requirement for their dopaminergic activity. We have studied the dopaminergic activity of the synthesized compounds by radioligand binding assays, establishing a structure-activity relationships. Literature: [1] A. Gini, Adv. Synth. Catal. 2016, 358, 4049. [2] H. Damsen, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2015, 36, 7880. [3] M. Valpuesta, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2010, 23, 4393. [4] M. Ariza, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 32, 6507.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Synthesis of bioactive compounds. Studies of their attachment to nanoparticles

The 1-aryl tetrahydroisoquinolines have attracted great attention in medicinal chemistry due to their biological activity. These compounds present antitumor, anti-HIV and antibacterial activities. Several analogues of 1-aryl tetrahydroisoquinoline are used for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson´s and Alzheimer´s diseases since also act as dopaminergic antagonists and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist. [1] The 1-substituted tetrahydro-3-benzazepines have also been studied for their affinity to the Phencylclidine binding site of the NMDA receptor as well as for their affinity to the dopaminergic receptors. [2] In the last years, various methods have been carried out to satisfy the demand of novel tetrahydroisoquinolines and tetrahydro-3-benzazepines. We have synthesized nor-1-aryl tetrahydroisoquinolines with different substituents in the aryl group of C-1 (H, NMe2, SMe, NO2, NH2). In addition to this, we have performed the synthesis of nor-tetrahydro-3-benzazepinas by different routes, obtaining the best results via opening of epoxides by arylphenethylamines and subsequent cyclization. The nor-tetrahydroisoquinolines and nor-tetrahydro-3-benzazepines have been derivatized to obtain appropiate adsorbates which can be attached to nanoparticles. This fact is crutial in drug delivery systems as well as in the improvement of the biocompatibility of these compounds. Literature: [1] Toshiaki Saitoh, Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2006, 41, 241. Mattias Ludwig, Eur. J. Med. 2006, 41, 1003. [2] Olaf Krull, Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2004, 12, 1439.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

The use of geographic information systems for the optimal location of biomass power plants in the Madrid Community (Spain)

This article has been extracted from the results of a thesis entitled “Potential bioelectricity production of the Madrid Community Agricultural Regions based on rye and triticale biomass.” The aim was, first, to quantify the potential of rye (Secale Cereale L.) and triticale ( Triticosecale Aestivum L.) biomass in each of the Madrid Community agricultural regions, and second, to locate the most suitable areas for the installation of power plants using biomass. At least 17,339.9 t d.m. of rye and triticale would be required to satisfy the biomass needs of a 2.2 MW power plant, (considering an efficiency of 21.5%, 8,000 expected operating hours/year and a biomass LCP of 4,060 kcal/kg for both crops), and 2,577 ha would be used (which represent 2.79% of the Madrid Community fallow dry land surface). Biomass yields that could be achieved in Madrid Community using 50% of the fallow dry land surface (46,150 ha representing 5.75% of the Community area), based on rye and triticale crops, are estimated at 84,855, 74,906, 70,109, 50,791, 13,481, and 943 t annually for the Campiña, Vegas, Sur Occidental, Área Metropolitana, Lozoya-Somosierra, and Guadarrama regions. The latter represents a bioelectricity potential of 10.77, 9.5, 8.9, 6.44, 1.71, and 0.12 MW, respectively

Tripod-shaped penta (p-phenylene)s for the functionalization of silicon surfaces

In order to obtain nanostructured thin films to be used in biosensor devices, several chemical functionalization methods have been developed, such as Click chemistry or Suzuki carbon-carbon coupling reactions on surfaces.1 With the aim to control the orientation and spacing between grafted functional groups on a surface, tripodal oligo (p-phenylene)s have become the ideal anisotropic adsorbates due to their shape-persistent and self-standing characteristics.2 Here we report the synthesis and characterization of several tripod-shaped oligo(p-phenylene)s molecules with legs composed of five phenylene units, compounds 1, 2 and 3. In these structures, each leg is end-capped with an NH-Boc, NH2 and N3 group, respectively. The functional arm contains an acetylene group. The presented synthesis has as key step the Pd-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reaction. In particular, a iodine derivative from the silicon core molecule reacts with the appropriate tetra(p-phenylene) boron derivative, thus generating the final tripod-shaped structure. The azide end-capped leg in 3 is specifically designed for its covalent incorporation on alkynyl terminated silicon surfaces by an easy and reproducible way. As a preliminary study, we present the alkynyl-functionalized silicon wafers nanostructuration with tripod 3 through the cooper catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Comparative study of dopaminergic activity of tetrahydro-1H-[3]-benzazepines and their precursors

The discovery of the tetrahydro-1H-[3]-benzazepine SCH23390 [1], represented one of the most important advances in the study of dopaminergic receptors due to their behavior as a selective D1 receptor antagonist. The high affinity and selectivity of this tetrahydro-1H-[3]-benzazepine has led to the search for new structures because of their potential dopaminergic activity, especially 1-aryl-substituted tetrahydro-1H-[3]-benzazepines. Furthermore, their precursors, the tetrahydroisoquinolines 1-substituted have shown to have activity for D1 and D2 dopaminergic receptors.[2] We have carried out the synthesis of tetrahydro-1H-[3]-benzazepines 1,2-di-substituted by Stevens rearrangement (SR) on tetrahydroisoquinolinium salts. Stevens rearrangement is an efficient regio- and diastereoselective synthetic methodology. [3a,b] As part of our studies, we have performed the synthesis of benzazepines with modifications at the C-1 and C-2 positions with chlorine and hydroxyl groups at A-ring which is an important factor to modulate affinity at dopaminergic receptors. The interaction of these molecules with D1 and D2 dopaminergic receptors have been studied to establish a structure-activity relationship by radioligand binding assays.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Study and characterization of modified silicon surfaces with organic molecules

Nanostructured thin films and subsequent biofunctionalization of silicon substrates are essential for the development of biosensors devices. The formation of organic monolayers on silicon substrates via Si-C bound allows specific interactions with biomolecules and presents several advantages like greater detection sensitivity and stability against hydrolytic cleavage.1 In this sense, to control the orientation and spacing between grafted functional moieties on the surface, tripodal oligo (p-phenylene)s have become ideal anisotropic adsorbates due to their shape-persistent and selfstanding characteristics.2 On the other hand, biomolecules such as tehtahydro[3]benzazepines are well-known to contain in their structure a phenetylamine skeleton, which is also present in dopaminergic receptors and drugs, therefore these molecules have a remarkable interest in medicinal chemistry. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of several tetrahydro[3]benzazepines and tripod-shaped oligo(p-phenylene)s which were suitably functionalized for its subsequent adsorption on silicon surfaces by hydrosilylation and/or CuAAc click reaction. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis were also carried out to reveal the presence of the grafted molecules on the different Si surfaces.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Metabolic risk score indexes validation in overweight healthy people

The constellation of adverse cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic risk factors, including elevated abdominal obesity, blood pressure (BP), glucose, and triglycerides (TG) and lowered high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), has been termed the metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) [1]. A number of different definitions have been developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) [2], the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) [3], the European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance (EGIR) [4] and, most recently, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) [5]. Since there is no universal definition of the Metabolic Syndrome, several authors have derived different risk scores to represent the clustering of its components [6-11]

Validade e confiabilidade das medidas referidas de peso e estatura para o diagnóstico do estado nutricional de adolescentes

PURPOSE: To assess the validity and reliability of self-reported height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI) to diagnose the nutritional status of adolescents. METHODS: The study included 360 public school students of both genders, with ages ranging from 10 to 15 years. Adolescents self-reported their weight and height, and these values were later obtained directly by interviewers. The validity of BMI based on self-reported measures was calculated using sensitivity and specificity indexes, and positive predictive value (PPV). Agreement between self-reported and measured BMI was evaluated using Kappa's weight coefficient, the Lin correlation coefficient, and Bland-Altman and Lin's plots. RESULTS: Both girls and boys underestimated their weight (-1.0 girls and boys) and height (girls - 1.2 and boys - 0.8) (p < 0.001). BMI presented moderate agreement between measured and self-reported values. Sensitivity of estimated BMI based on reported measures to classify obese subjects was higher for boys (87.5%) than it was for girls (60.9%), whereas specificity was higher for girls (92.7%) than it was for boys (80.6%). PPV was high only for classification of normal-weight adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported measures of weight and height in adolescents do not present valid measures; therefore, they should not be used to replace measured values. Additionally, we observed that 10% of obese boys and 40% of obese girls could have remained unidentified if we had used only self-reported measures, emphasizing the effects of the low reliability of self-reporting. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ RESUMO:OBJETIVO: Avaliar a validade do peso, estatura e Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC) referidos e sua confiabilidade para o diagnóstico do estado nutricional de adolescentes de Piracicaba. MÉTODOS: Participaram do estudo 360 adolescentes de ambos os sexos, de escolas públicas de Piracicaba, com idade entre 10 e 15 anos. Os adolescentes auto-relataram seu peso e estatura, sendo esses valores obtidos por medidas diretas, logo em seguida, pelos entrevistadores. A validade do IMC referido foi calculada segundo índices de sensibilidade, especificidade e valor preditivo positivo (VPP). Avaliou-se a concordância entre as categorias de IMC obtido por meio das medidas referidas e aferidas a partir do coeficiente kappa ponderado, coeficiente de correlação de Lin. e gráficos de Bland e Altman e Lin. RESULTADOS: Verificou-se que tanto os meninos quanto as meninas subestimaram o peso (-1,0 meninas e meninos) e a estatura (meninas -1,2 e meninos -0,8) (p < 0,001). Os valores de IMC aferidos e referidos apresentaram uma concordância moderada. A sensibilidade do IMC referido para classificar os indivíduos obesos foi maior para os meninos (87,5%), enquanto a especificidade foi maior para as meninas (92,7%). O VPP foi elevado somente para a classificação da eutrofia. CONCLUSÕES: As medidas referidas de peso e estatura de adolescentes não representam medidas válidas e, portanto, não devem ser usadas em substituição aos valores mensurados. Além disso, verificou-se que 10% dos meninos obesos e 40% das meninas obesas poderiam permanecer não identificados utilizando-se as medidas auto-referidas, confirmando a baixa validade das medidas auto-referidas