Obstáculos al desarrollo de las pequeñas medianas empresas en América Latina

This document reports progress made in compared research about the environment, barriers and prospects facing small and intermediate size companies in eight Latin American countries, although only six are presented in this paper, namely Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, El Salvador and Panama. The first section briefly presents each country’s business environment in terms of prevailing concepts, the overall business universe and its trouble spots. It also aims at establishing a general typology of companies. The second section reviews the study’s methodology while the third chapter deals with the elements for doing business in each country (this paper deals only with the financing, human resources and technology components). Finally, it presents some reflections about the condition of small and intermediate companies and some guidelines for public policy actions.Este documento es un avance de investigación comparada sobre el entorno los obstáculos y las perspectivas de las pequeñas y medianas empresas en ocho países de América Latina aunque en este artículo sólo se trabaja con seis de ellos: Argentina Colombia Costa Rica Chile El Salvador y Panamá. En la primera parte se presenta una breve contextualización de cada país en términos de conceptos universo empresarial y áreas consideradas problemáticas. También se intenta establecer una tipología general de la empresa. En la segunda parte se reseñan los aspectos metodológicos del estudio mientras que en la tercera se muestran las condiciones del entorno de los negocios en cada país segmentándolo por áreas (para este artículo sólo financiamiento recursos humanos y tecnología) y por actores (sólo empresarios pyme). Finalmente se ofrecen algunas reflexiones respecto a la situación de la pequeña y mediana empresa y se esbozan líneas de acción en términos de políticas públicas

Multiple Optical Elastography Techniques Reveal the Regulation of Corneal Stiffness by Collagen XII

9 pags., 5 figs., 1 tab.PURPOSE. Collagen XII plays a role in regulating the structure and mechanical properties of the cornea. In this work, several optical elastography techniques were used to investigate the effect of collagen XII deficiency on the stiffness of the murine cornea. METHODS. A three-prong optical elastography approach was used to investigate the mechanical properties of the cornea. Brillouin microscopy, air-coupled ultrasonic optical coherence elastography (OCE) and heartbeat OCE were used to assess the mechanical properties of wild type (WT) and collagen XII¿deficient (Col12a1¿/¿) murine corneas. The Brillouin frequency shift, elastic wave speed, and compressive strain were all measured as a function of intraocular pressure (IOP). RESULTS. All three optical elastography modalities measured a significantly decreased stiffness in the Col12a1¿/¿ compared to the WT (P < 0.01 for all three modalities). The optical coherence elastography techniques showed that mean stiffness increased as a function of IOP; however, Brillouin microscopy showed no discernable trend in Brillouin frequency shift as a function of IOP. CONCLUSIONS. Our approach suggests that the absence of collagen XII significantly softens the cornea. Although both optical coherence elastography techniques showed an expected increase in corneal stiffness as a function of IOP, Brillouin microscopy did not show such a relationship, suggesting that the Brillouin longitudinal modulus may not be affected by changes in IOP. Future work will focus on multimodal biomechanical models, evaluating the effects of other collagen types on corneal stiffness, and in vivo measurements.Supported by the National Institutes of Health, grant numbers R01EY022362, R01EY030063, R01EY029395, R01EY028666, and P30EY007551

Propuesta de valor y el impacto del turismo: Un estudio en el centro poblado Las Pampas de Tomayquichua- Huánuco, Perú

The objective of the research was to demonstrate how the value proposition is related to the impact of tourism in the Las Pampas de Tomayquichua town center, based on applied research, with a quantitative approach, descriptive-correlational-explanatory scope and type experimental. For the application of the questionnaire to the population, a simple random sample of probabilistic type was taken, reaching 295 and for the experimental group a simple random sub sample of an intentional non-probabilistic type was taken, bequeathing 15 inhabitants. From the results we obtained that 38.64% said that the reason for visiting The Pampas would be for their tourist areas, followed by 34.92% indicating that it is for their chapels, while 22.37% said for the healthy climate, and only one 4.07% indicated that it is for recreation and recreation. Reaching the conclusion that the value proposal is related to the impact of tourism in the town of Las Pampas de Tomayquichua with a correlation of 0.70665582, so it is a positive relationship as it approaches the value of 1.El objetivo de la investigación demostró cómo la propuesta de valor se relaciona con el impacto del turismo en el centro poblado Las Pampas de Tomayquichua, con base en una investigación aplicada, con un enfoque cuantitativo, de alcance descriptivo-correlacional-explicativo, y de tipo experimental. Para la aplicación del cuestionario a la población se tomó una muestra aleatoria simple de tipo probabilística obteniendo 295 y para el grupo experimental se tomó una submuestra aleatoria simple de tipo no probabilística intencional legando a 15 pobladores. De los resultados obtuvimos que el 38.64% manifestó que el motivo de visita a Las Pampas sería por sus zonas turísticas, seguido de un 34.92% que indican que es por sus capillas, mientras que el 22.37% dijo por el clima saludable, y solo un 4.07% indicaron que es por los recreos y esparcimiento. Concluyendo que la propuesta de valor se relaciona con el impacto del turismo en el centro poblado Las Pampas de Tomayquichua con una correlación de 0.70665582, por lo que es una relación positiva ya que se acerca al valor de 1

Wheat amylase/trypsin inhibitors (ATIs): occurrence, function and health aspects

Amylase/trypsin inhibitors (ATIs) are widely consumed in cereal-based foods and have been implicated in adverse reactions to wheat exposure, such as respiratory and food allergy, and intestinal responses associated with coeliac disease and non-coeliac wheat sensitivity. ATIs occur in multiple isoforms which differ in the amounts present in different types of wheat (including ancient and modern ones). Measuring ATIs and their isoforms is an analytical challenge as is their isolation for use in studies addressing their potential effects on the human body. ATI isoforms differ in their spectrum of bioactive effects in the human gastrointestinal (GI), which may include enzyme inhibition, inflammation and immune responses and of which much is not known. Similarly, although modifications during food processing (exposure to heat, moisture, salt, acid, fermentation) may affect their structure and activity as shown in vitro, it is important to relate these changes to effects that may present in the GI tract. Finally, much of our knowledge of their potential biological effects is based on studies in vitro and in animal models. Validation by human studies using processed foods as commonly consumed is warranted. We conclude that more detailed understanding of these factors may allow the effects of ATIs on human health to be better understood and when possible, to be ameliorated, for example by innovative food processing. We therefore review in short our current knowledge of these proteins, focusing on features which relate to their biological activity and identifying gaps in our knowledge and research priorities

Absence of ferromagnetic order in high quality bulk Co-doped ZnO samples

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Bulk Zn(1-x)Co(x)O samples were synthesized via standard solid-state reaction route with different Co molar concentrations up to 21%. A detailed microstructural analysis was carried out to investigate alternative sources of ferromagnetism, such as secondary phases and nanocrystals embedded in the bulk material. Conjugating different techniques we confirmed the Zn replacement by Co ions in the wurtzite ZnO structure, which retains, however, a high crystalline quality. No segregated secondary phases neither Co-rich nanocrystals were detected. Superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry demonstrates a paramagnetic Curie-Weiss behavior with antiferromagnetic interactions. We discuss the observed room temperature paramagnetism of our samples considering the current models for the magnetic properties of diluted magnetic semiconductors. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3459885]1083FAPEMIGConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FAPEMIG_BrasilCNPq_BrasilFAPESP_Brasi

Elderly Patients With Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck and the Benefit of Multimodality Therapy

Limited data are available regarding outcomes in elderly head and neck cancer patients. This retrospective study was designed to characterize head and neck cancer in geriatric patients

Endomicroscopic and transcriptomic analysis of impaired barrier function and malabsorption in environmental enteropathy

Introduction: Environmental enteropathy (EE) is associated with growth failure, micronutrient malabsorption and impaired responses to oral vaccines. We set out to define cellular mechanisms of impaired barrier function in EE and explore protective mechanisms. Methods: We studied 49 adults with environmental enteropathy in Lusaka, Zambia using confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE); histology, immunohistochemistry and mRNA sequencing of small intestinal biopsies; and correlated these with plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and a zinc uptake test. Results: CLE images (median 134 for each study) showed virtually ubiquitous small intestinal damage. Epithelial defects, imaged by histology and claudin 4 immunostaining, were predominantly seen at the tips of villi and corresponded with leakage imaged in vivo by CLE. In multivariate analysis, circulating log-transformed LPS was correlated with cell shedding events (β = 0.83; P = 0.035) and with serum glucagon-like peptide-2 (β = -0.13; P = 0.007). Zinc uptake from a test dose of 25mg was attenuated in 30/47 (64%) individuals and in multivariate analysis was reduced by HIV, but positively correlated with GLP-2 (β = 2.72; P = 0.03). There was a U-shaped relationship between circulating LPS and villus surface area. Transcriptomic analysis identified 23 differentially expressed genes in severe enteropathy, including protective peptides and proteins. Conclusions: Confocal endomicroscopy, claudin 4 immunostaining and histology identify epithelial defects which are probably sites of bacterial translocation, in the presence of which increased epithelial surface area increases the burden of translocation. GLP 2 and other protective peptides may play an important role in mucosal protection in EE