Voto electrónico societario, el reto de 2010 para las sociedades cotizadas

The control mechanism for company governance has always been a topic of study in Corporate Law. The importance and evolution of such means have become all the more poignant thanks to economic globalization, raising question marks against the usefulness and effectiveness of corporate voting and the Shareholders' Meeting as forms of control. There can therefore be no doubt about the need to study and develop effective control mechanisms to promote optimum, legitimate and profitable corporate management structures, highlighting the use of new technologies in corporate voting. This is in addition to Directive 2007/36/CE, which facilitates cross-border voting and therefore obliges companies listed on EU stock exchanges to allow shareholders to vote electronically at Shareholders' Meetings. This change was concluded on 3rd August, 2009. In this context, electronic voting stands as an important, relevant, necessary and far-reaching line of investigation. Results in 2010 in connection with following up on the principles of Corporate Governance, shareholders participation and the use of new technologies will, to a large extent, determine the effectiveness of revitalizing voting and Shareholders' Meetings. This means it will play an important role in future corporate practices in both Spain and the European Union.Este trabajo ha obtenido el Accésit Premio Estudios Financieros 2010 en la modalidad de DERECHO CIVIL Y MERCANTIL. Los medios de control para el gobierno de las sociedades han sido siempre materia de estudio del Derecho societario, importancia y desarrollo que se ha potencializado con la globalización económica; ante ello se ha cuestionado la utilidad y eficacia del voto societario y la junta de accionistas como mecanismos de control. En consecuencia, la pertinencia del estudio y desarrollo de mecanismos eficaces de control que fomenten administraciones societarias óptimas, lícitas y rentables resulta imprescindible, destacando el aprovechamiento de las nuevas tecnologías en el voto societario; ello sumado a la Directiva 2007/36/CE, que al facilitar el voto transfronterizo obliga a las sociedades que cotizan en un mercado de valores de la Unión permitir a los socios votar electrónicamente en las juntas de accionistas, transposición que finalizó el 3 de agosto de 2009. En este contexto, el voto electrónico se posiciona como una línea de investigación relevante, vigente, necesaria y con gran proyección. Y los resultados que arroje el 2010 en cuanto al seguimiento de los principios del Gobierno Corporativo, la participación de los accionistas y el aprovechamiento de las nuevas tecnologías determinará en buena medida la eficacia de la revitalización del voto y de la junta de accionistas y, en consecuencia, incidirá de forma relevante en el futuro de la práctica societaria en España y la Unión Europea

Conflicto de leyes en una sucesión internacional mortis causa

Reflections on the validity and effect in Spain and Catalonia of a will issued abroad by a Spanish national, in the light of Spain’s Civil Code, Book Four of Catalonia’s Civil Code, Mexico’s Federal Civil Code, applicable international agreements and the rules of Private International Law.The complex and diverse nature of the rules of Inheritance Law that come into play in an international mortis causa succession, together with the consequent conflict of laws and competencies, are the factors that gave rise to this paper. The purpose of the study is to analyze an international testate succession originated by a Spanish national living in Mexico, with the aim of ascertaining, in all of Spain’s territory, the legal validity and effect of the will issued in Mexico, as well as the criteria that will serve to resolve the regulatory conflict in view of the lack of full testate liberty and the different regulations in this regard in Spain and Catalonia. This study takes into account Book Four of Catalonia’s Civil Code in connection with inheritances, Spain’s Civil Code and Mexican inheritance law, as well as the applicable international agreements and the principles of connection of Private International Law to determine the applicable Law, international judicial competency and, if applicable, recognition by Catalonia and Spain of a foreign court sentence in connection with an international mortis causa succession.Reflexiones sobre validez y eficacia en España y Cataluña de un testamento otorgado en el extranjero por un ciudadano español, a la luz del Código Civil español, del Libro Cuarto del Código Civil de Cataluña, del Código Civil Federal de México, de los tratados internacionales aplicables y de las normas del Derecho Internacional Privado.La complejidad y diversidad de las normas de Derecho Sucesorio que convergen en una sucesión internacional mortis causa, así como el consecuente conflicto de leyes y competencias son los elementos que motivan este artículo. El objeto de estudio es el análisis de una sucesión testamentaria internacional cuyo causante es un ciudadano español con residencia en México, con la finalidad de determinar la validez y eficacia jurídica del testamento hecho en México en todo el territorio español y los criterios con los que se resolverá el conflicto normativo ante la falta de plena libertad testamentaria y la diversa regulación en la materia en España y Cataluña. Ponderando para ello el Libro Cuarto del Código Civil de Cataluña relativo a las sucesiones, el Código Civil español y el Derecho Sucesorio mexicano; así como los convenios internacionales aplicables y los principios de conexión del Derecho Internacional Privado para determinar la ley aplicable, la competencia judicial internacional, y, en su caso, el reconocimiento en Cataluña, en particular, y España, en general, de una sentencia judicial extranjera que verse sobre una sucesión internacional mortis causa

An upper limit to the secular variation of the gravitational constant from white dwarf stars

A variation of the gravitational constant over cosmological ages modifies the main sequence lifetimes and white dwarf cooling ages. Using an state-of-the-art stellar evolutionary code we compute the effects of a secularly varying G on the main sequence ages and, employing white dwarf cooling ages computed taking into account the effects of a running G, we place constraints on the rate of variation of Newton's constant. This is done using the white dwarf luminosity function and the distance of the well studied open Galactic cluster NGC 6791. We derive an upper bound G'/G ~ -1.8 10^{-12} 1/yr. This upper limit for the secular variation of the gravitational constant compares favorably with those obtained using other stellar evolutionary properties, and can be easily improved if deep images of the cluster allow to obtain an improved white dwarf luminosity function.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in JCA

Linearizing Control Based on Adaptive Observer for Anaerobic Continuous Sulphate Reducing Bioreactors with Unknown Kinetics

Anaerobic reactors are a typical example of processes that exhibit non-linear behavior and, also time varying parameters; hence their operation is known to be difficult to model and control. In contrast to modeling approaches, in practice linear controllers are widely employed for industrial processes because of their easy implementation and manipulation by plant operators; nevertheless linear approaches are not robust when the operating conditions change suddenly and/or strong disturbances are present. In order to introduce robust controllers to these processes, this paper addresses the tracking problem for the substrate (sulphate) control in a class of continuous bioreactors. An experimentally corroborated bioreactor model serves as benchmark problem for advanced non-linear analysis and control techniques; taking into account system non-linearities, stability and performance objectives over large operating regions. It is considered that, as it is common in practice, the rate of substrate consumption exhibits uncertainty. Results show that the proposed controller exhibits better dynamic performance than a classical Proportional-Integral control tuned using the methodology suggested by Internal Model Control

Effect of confinement by SARS-CoV-2 on the degree of steatohepatitis in university students from Reynosa, Tamaulipas

Introduction: Healthy lifestyles are relevant for several diseases, steatohepatitis, although little known, is common in young people. There are reasons to be concerned about homebound college youth who are at risk for steatohepatitis. By restricting the mobility of the population, the risk factors for weight gain and the intake of calorie-dense foods increase, which are elements associated with steatohepatitis. Objective: To determine the effect of confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic on the degree of steatohepatitis by comparing transient elastography results taken before and after confinement. Method: Longitudinal study. A sample of 114 young university students of random sex was included. The transient elastography technique (FibroScan) was implemented, determining the degrees of steatosis and hepatic fibrosis by performing the test before and after the confinement of the participants. Student´s t-test was used to analyse the differences in the degrees of steatohepatitis before and after confinement. Results: the degrees of steatosis during the first sampling were S0 (52.6%), S1 (14.9%), S2 (5.3%) and S3 (27.2%) (m = 250.89, DE= ± 56.91), in the second sampling were presented S0 (56.1%), S1 (13.2%), S2 (5.3%) and S3 (5.4%) (m = 243.81, DE = ± 52.330), the relation of both samples was (p = 0.131). The results in the degrees of fibrosis in the first sampling were F0 (91.4%), F1 (6.1%). F2 (2.6%) (m= 4.80, DE = ±1.11), in the second F1 (95.6%), F2 (3.5) and F2 (0.9%) (m = 4.33, DE = ±1.16) and the relation of the two sampling was (p= 0.000). Conclusions: The degrees of hepatic fibrosis presented significant changes, on the other hand, steatosis tends to decrease, but the change is not significant, however, it is necessary to investigate with third variables to detect other factors involved in the changes

Effect of high Al2O3 content on the microstructure and electrical properties of Co- and Ta-doped SnO2 varistors

Varistor behavior shows signifcant diferences when the addition levels of diferent dopants like In2O3, Cr2O3, and Al2O3 are changed, thus stimulating current investigations on the SnO2–Co3O4–Ta2O5 ceramic system. In this contribution, the infuence of high additions of Al2O3 on the microstructure, structure and the electrical properties of SnO2–Co3O4–Ta2O5 varistors ([98.95-X]%SnO2–1% Co3O4–X% Al2O3–0.05% Ta2O5, where X=0, 0.05, 0.1, 1 or 2 mol%) is investigated. Characterization techniques such as thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray difraction with Rietveld refnement were used for specimen analysis. The endothermic peaks in the ceramic system containing Al2O3 additions between 0.05 and 1% are ascribed to the formation of the Co2SnO4 and CoAl2O4 spinel type phases. Doping the ceramic system with 1 and 2 mol% Al2O3 leads to the formation of 1.163 and 3.449%, respectively, of the spinel phase Al2CoO4, which acts as a grain growth inhibitor because grain size decreases in about 16% for both addition levels. The apparent grains homogeneity and narrowest monomodal grain size distribution for the specimens with 2 mol% Al2O3 confrm the inhibitory role. With the lowest level of Al2O3 (0.05 mol%) the nonlinearity coefcient reaches a maximum, after which it decreases and fades at the highest alumina level. A remarkable decrease of about 50% in the leakage current from the reference specimen´s value to that of the one with 0.05 mol% Al2O3 concurrently with an increase in about 40% in the nonlinearity coefcient favors the potential use of alumina in the SnO2–Co3O4–Ta2O5 ceramic system.El comportamiento del varistor muestra diferencias significativas cuando los niveles de adición de diferentes dopantes como In2O3, Cr2O3 y Al2O3 se modifican, lo que estimula las investigaciones actuales sobre el sistema cerámico SnO2 – Co3O4 – Ta2O5. En esta contribución, el Influencia de altas adiciones de Al2O3 en la microestructura, estructura y propiedades eléctricas de SnO2 – Co3O4 – Ta2O5 varistores ([98.95-X]% SnO2–1% Co3O4 – X% Al2O3–0.05% Ta2O5, donde X = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 1 o 2% mol) se investiga. Técnicas de caracterización como análisis térmico, microscopía electrónica de barrido y difracción de rayos X con refinamiento de Rietveld. fueron utilizados para el análisis de muestras. Los picos endotérmicos en el sistema cerámico que contienen adiciones de Al2O3 entre 0.05 y 1% se atribuyen a la formación de las fases de tipo espinela Co2SnO4 y CoAl2O4. Dopando el sistema cerámico con 1 y 2 mol% de Al2O3 conduce a la formación de 1.163 y 3.449%, respectivamente, de la fase de espinela Al2CoO4, que actúa como un inhibidor del crecimiento del grano porque el tamaño del grano disminuye en aproximadamente un 16% para ambos niveles de adición. La aparente homogeneidad de los granos. y la distribución de tamaño de grano monomodal más estrecha para las muestras con 2% en moles de Al2O3 confirman el papel inhibidor. Con el nivel más bajo de Al2O3 (0.05 mol%) el coeficiente de no linealidad alcanza un máximo, después de lo cual disminuye y se desvanece a El nivel más alto de alúmina. Una disminución notable de aproximadamente el 50% en la corriente de fuga del valor de la muestra de referencia al de aquel con 0.05 mol% Al2O3 concurrentemente con un aumento de aproximadamente 40% en los favores coeficientes no lineales El uso potencial de alúmina en el sistema cerámico SnO2 – Co3O4 – Ta2O5

Involvement of PrPC in kainate-induced excitotoxicity in several mouse strains

The cellular prion protein (PrPC) has been associated with a plethora of cellular functions ranging from cell cycle to neuroprotection. Mice lacking PrPC show an increased susceptibility to epileptic seizures; the protein, then, is neuroprotective. However, lack of experimental reproducibility has led to considering the possibility that other factors besides PrPC deletion, such as the genetic background of mice or the presence of so-called "Prnp flanking genes", might contribute to the reported susceptibility. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of seizure-susceptibility using characterized Prnp(+/+) and Prnp(0/0) mice of B6129, B6.129, 129/Ola or FVB/N genetic backgrounds. Our study indicates that PrPC plays a role in neuroprotection in KA-treated cells and mice. For this function, PrPC should contain the aa32-93 region and needs to be linked to the membrane. In addition, some unidentified "Prnp-flanking genes" play a role parallel to PrPC in the KA-mediated responses in B6129 and B6.129 Prnp(0/0) mice