The «enterprise» as a way of building subjectivity

A partir de nuestra investigación con ejecutivos de corporaciones transnacionales en Brasil, analizamos la difusión de la forma empresa y argumentamos que está en formación un ethos a partir de un conjunto de valores que derivan de conceptos formulados por teorías económicas y difundidos por doctrinas de la administración. Así, nociones como capital humano, emprendedorismo, innovación pasan a orientar la conducta de las personas y el neoliberalismo se impone como racionalidad gubernamental: una lógica normativa que define en la actualidad una cierta mentalidad y estilo de vida. Proponemos pensar, desde el último Foucault, a la empresa como modo de subjetivación.in Brazil, the spread out of the enterprise form is analyzed. It is argued that an ethos is in formation as a product of the diffusion of a set of values by doctrines of management. Those values, nevertheless, derive from concepts formulated by economic theories. Thus, notions as human capital, entrepreneurship, innovation end up guiding people’s conduct and neoliberalism stands up as a governmental rationality: a normative logic that defines, nowadays, a certain mentality and lifestyle. Following the last Foucault, we propose to think the enterprise as a mode of subjectivation.Fil: López Ruiz, Osvaldo Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnica

Feasibility and reliability of a Physical Fitness test battery in individuals with Down Syndrome

Background: Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder that occurs because of an abnormal division between cells that results in an extra copy of chromosome 21. Some studies show that physical exercise in people with DS increases some cognitive capacities, such as memory, and improves the quality of life. Aim: The main aim of this study was to perform an analysis of the reliability and feasibility of the SAMU-Disability Fitness (DISFIT) battery in adults with DS. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a test–retest design was performed in a maximum interval of 2 weeks in 37 subjects (11 women and 26 men) aged between 21 and 58 years old with DS. Eight field-based fitness tests were proposed to assess the physical fitness (PF) of adults with DS: Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Circumference (WC), the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), the Deep Trunk Flexibility test (DTF), the Hand Grip test (HG), the Timed Stand Test (TST), the 30-s Sit-Up (SUP) and the 6-Min Walk Test (6MWT). Results: The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) in all the tests was good and high (>0.80), except for the 6MWT, whose reliability was fair. Conclusion: The SAMU-DISFIT battery is a reliable and feasible physical fitness battery which has been created with the purpose of establishing tests which measure the four basic components of PF (flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, musculoskeletal fitness and motor fitness) in adults with D

Masking Ability of Monolithic and Layered Zirconia Crowns on Discolored Substrates

This work was supported by a grant of the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research, CCCDI-UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2019-2953, 334 PED/2020.There is scarce information on the colorimetric behavior of monolithic and layered zirconia crowns in combination with various abutment colors. This study evaluated the masking ability on discolored substrates of monolithic and layered zirconia crowns. Anterior crowns were fabricated using 3Y-TZP zirconia and layering ceramic and divided into three groups: monolithic (ML), bi-layer (BL), and tri-layer (TL). The crowns were placed over eleven substrates (ND1-ND9, zirconia, metal), and CIE L*, a*, b*, C*, and h degrees color coordinates were measured in the cervical, middle, and incisal areas with a spectrophotometer. Masking ability was calculated using the color difference formula, and values were interpreted according to the perceptibility and acceptability thresholds. Data were analyzed statistically (alpha = 0.001). The L* coordinate was not significantly different between BL and TL crowns, regardless of the measurement area or substrate (p >= 0.001). In the middle area, the L* coordinate of the ML group was statistically different from the BL and TL groups only for zirconia and metal substrates, while in the incisal area, only for ND7 and metal substrates. The a* coordinate was significantly different between the ML and layered crowns for all measurement areas and substrates (except zirconia). The b* and C* coordinates differed significantly between the groups only in the cervical area (p < 0.001). The ML crown had better masking ability than the BL and TL crowns. However, the color differences for ML crowns were below the acceptability threshold for ND2, ND3, and ND7 substrates in the cervical and middle areas and below perceptibility threshold only for the incisal area. The lowest masking ability of the crowns was found for ND9 and metal substrates in all measurement areas.(CNCS) Unitatea Executiva pentru Finantarea Invatamantului Superior, a Cercetarii, Dezvoltarii si Inovarii (UEFISCDI) PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2019-2953 334 PED/202

Color and Translucency Variation of a One-Shaded Resin-Based Composite after Repeated Heating Cycles and Staining

Background: This study aimed to determine the effect of repeated pre-polymerization heating on the color and translucency of a one-shaded resin-based composite and to evaluate whether the heating cycles affect its color stability. (2) Methods: Fifty-six samples of 1-mm thickness were fabricated from Omnichroma (OM) after applying different heating cycles (for one, five, and ten times at 45 C) before polymerization (n = 14/group) and afterwards were stained with a yellow dye solution. CIE L*, a*, b*, C*, h coordinates were recorded, and color differences, whiteness, and translucency were calculated, before and after staining. (3) Results: Heating cycles significantly influenced the color coordinates, WID00, and TP00 of OM being higher after one heating cycle and decreasing as the number of heating cycles increased. The color coordinates, WID, and TP00 after staining significantly differed for each group. The color and whiteness differences calculated after staining exceeded the acceptability thresholds for all groups. The color and whiteness variations after staining were clinically unacceptable. (4) Conclusions: Repeated pre-polymerization heating induces a clinically acceptable color and translucency change to OM. Although the color changes resulting after staining are clinically unacceptable, increasing the number of heating cycles up to ten times slightly reduces the color differences.Research Project PCD 1032/55 from the Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romani

A bacterial acetyltransferase targets the protein kinase ZIP1, a positive regulator of plant immunity

Pseudomonas syringae is a model bacterial pathogen that penetrates the leaf to reach the plant apoplast, where it replicates causing disease. In order to do that, the pathogen must interfere and suppress a two-tiered plant defense response: PTI (PAMP-Triggered Immunity, or basal resistance) and ETI (Effector-Triggered Immunity). P. syringae uses a type III secretion system to directly deliver effector proteins inside the plant cell cytosol, many of which are known to suppress PTI, some of which are known to trigger ETI, and a handful of which are known to suppress ETI. Bacterial infection can also trigger a systemic plant defense response that protects the plant against additional pathogen attacks known as SAR (Systemic Acquired Resistance). We are particularly interested in the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in effector-mediated defense evasion by P. syringae, in particular those involved in the suppression of ETI and SAR, and/or mediation of hormone signaling. Here we present data describing effector-mediated interference with plant immunity, by means of acetylation of a key positive regulator of local and systemic responses. Our work identifies a novel plant target for effector function, and characterizes its function. This work illustrates how analyzing the means by which a given effector interferes with its target can provide novel information regarding eukaryotic molecular mechanisms.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. MINECO BIO2015-64391R y FEDE

The bacterial effector HopZ1a acetylates ZIP1 kinase to suppress Arabidopsis defence responses

During the plant-pathogen interaction, disease or resistance are determined in the plant by a series of molecular events. The plant detects Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs), such as flagellin, triggering a defence response called PTI (PAMP-Triggered Immunity). Bacterial pathogens can in turn suppress such defence response through the translocation into the plant cell cytosol of virulence proteins, called effectors, via a Type Three Secretion System (T3SS). In resistant plants, intracellular receptors known as R proteins recognize these effectors, triggering a second line of defence, more specific and intense, called ETI (Effector-Triggered Immunity), which usually leads to programmed cell death known as HR (Hypersensitive Response). Pseudomonas syringae is a phytopathogenic bacterium whose virulence depends on a T3SS and its effector repertoire. Some strains include HopZ1a, an unusual effector which is able to suppress in Arabidopsis both local (PTI and ETI), and systemic (SAR, for Systemic Acquired Resistance) defences, by means of its acetyltransferase activity. In resistant Arabidopsis plants, HopZ1a acetylates the ZED1 pseudokinase, which is proposed to function as a decoy mimicking HopZ1a target in the plant: ZED1 modification activates an R-protein (ZAR1) to trigger HopZ1a-dependent ETI. None of the Arabidopsis proteins proposed to date as HopZ1a targets is a kinase, nor fully explains the effector´s defence suppression abilities. In this work we identify an Arabidopsis kinase that functions as a positive regulator of PTI, ETI and SAR, which interacts with HopZ1a and is acetylated by this effector in lysine residues essential for its kinase activity. Further, HopZ1a can specifically suppress the defence phenotypes resulting from ZIP1 expression in Arabidopsis. We propose that ZIP1 acetylation by HopZ1a interferes with its kinase activity, and consequently with positive defence signalling.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

A Cholinergic Synaptically Triggered Event Participates in the Generation of Persistent Activity Necessary for Eye Fixation

An exciting topic regarding integrative properties of the nervous system is how transient motor commands or brief sensory stimuli are able to evoke persistent neuronal changes, mainly as a sustained, tonic action potential firing. A persisting firing seems to be necessary for postural maintenance after a previous movement. We have studied in vitro and in vivo the generation of the persistent neuronal activity responsible for eye fixation after spontaneous eye movements. Rat sagittal brainstem slices were used for the intracellular recording of prepositus hypoglossi (PH) neurons and their synaptic activation from nearby paramedian pontine reticular formation (PPRF) neurons. Single electrical pulses applied to the PPRF showed a monosynaptic glutamatergic projection on PH neurons, acting on AMPA-kainate receptors. Train stimulation of the PPRF area evoked a sustained depolarization of PH neurons exceeding (by hundreds of milliseconds) stimulus duration. Both duration and amplitude of this sustained depolarization were linearly related to train frequency. The train-evoked sustained depolarization was the result of interaction between glutamatergic excitatory burst neurons and cholinergic mesopontine reticular fibers projecting onto PH neurons, because it was prevented by slice superfusion with cholinergic antagonists and mimicked by cholinergic agonists. As expected, microinjections of cholinergic antagonists in the PH nucleus of alert behaving cats evoked a gaze-holding deficit consisting of a re-centering drift of the eye after each saccade. These findings suggest that a slow, cholinergic, synaptically triggered event participates in the generation of persistent activity characteristic of PH neurons carrying eye position signals.Unión Europea Grants BI04-CT98-0546España, Ministerio de Ciencia PB98-0011, BFI2000-00936, BFI2000-1190, y BFI2002-0137

The early thermal and magnetic state of the cratered highlands of Mars

Surface heat flows are calculated from elastic lithosphere thicknesses for the heavy cratered highlands of Mars, in terms of the fraction of the surface heat flow derived from crustal heat sources. Previous heat flow estimations for Mars used linear thermal gradients, which is equivalent to ignoring the existence of heat sources within the crust. We compute surface heat flows following a methodology that relates effective thickness and curvature of an elastic plate with the strength envelope of the lithosphere, and assuming crustal heat sources homogeneously distributed in a radioactive element-rich layer 20 or 60 km thick. The obtained results show that the surface heat flow increases with the proportion of heat sources within the crust, and with the decrease of both radioactive element-rich layer thickness and surface temperature. Also, the results permit us to calculate representative temperatures for the crust base, rock strength for the upper mantle, and lower and upper limits to the crustal magnetization depth and intensity, respectively. For Terra Cimmeria, an effective elastic thickness of 12 km implies between 30% and 80% of heat sources located within the crust. In this case the uppermost mantle would be weak at the time of loading, and temperatures in the lower crust cold enough to favor unrelaxed crustal thickness variations and to permit deep Curie depths in the highlands, as suggested by the observational evidence

Uso de Google+ en el proceso de enseñanza – aprendizaje de la asignatura informática aplicada, del III año de Turismo Sostenible, segundo semestre 2015, FAREM–ESTELÍ

El propósito general de esta investigación fue usar la red social Google+, como una estrategia de enseñanza – aprendizaje de la asignatura informática aplicada en las y los estudiantes del III año de Turismo Sostenible de FAREM–Estelí. Es una investigación mixta con predominio del enfoque cualitativo y según su aplicabilidad es: descriptiva y aplicada, ya que se hizo uso de la red social Google+ como una estrategia en el desarrollo de la asignatura, permitiendo al docente crear un nuevo escenario de enseñanza – aprendizaje de manera virtual, además se describen aquellas aplicaciones que pueden ser utilizadas de manera didáctica en dicha red social. Los resultados se analizaron en cuatro momentos: en el primero se identificó los usos que le daban los estudiantes y docentes a Google+, en el segundo se analizaron que aplicaciones de Google+ podrían ser utilizadas en el proceso de enseñanza – aprendizaje, en el tercero se realizó un análisis al uso de Google+ como una estrategia en el proceso educativo y finalmente se diseñó un plan de capacitación para los docentes que estén interesados en utilizar la red social Google+ en los procesos educativos. La utilización de Google+ en proceso educativo permitió: la integración de todos los estudiantes, la participación activa de ellos, el cumplimiento de las tareas asignadas. De esta manera se mejoró la comunicación entre el grupo y también con el docente, ya que se pudo compartir información confiable durante el desarrollo de sus trabajos, además de despertar el pensamiento crítico de los estudiantes, quienes pudieron comentar los trabajos elaborados por ellos mismos. Por último, se concluye que el uso de Google+ facilita la comunicación entre estudiantes y docentes, permite compartir recursos didácticos con los estudiantes, es una manera innovadora de facilitar aprendizajes, es dinámico e interactivo, rompe barreras comunicativas, ayuda a despertar el interés de los estudiantes y desarrolla el trabajo colaborativo y pensamiento crítico. Además, es necesario seguir explorando estos espacios, estructurando propuestas educativas que se desarrollen a través de ellos, utilizando las aplicaciones que allí están con intencionalidades pedagógicas y didácticas