A knowledge management-based conceptual model to improve the level of utilization of ICTs in Mexican SMEs

The current commercial context for the Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is an ever-changing environment that is strongly influenced by the information and communication technologies (ICTs). This has led enterprises to implement these technologies as supportive tools for their business processes. Nevertheless, a vast number of SMEs have not obtained favorable results in implementing ICTs, since the lack of knowledge about the potential and application of these technologies has made this technological implementation activity prevail as an action oriented to the simple acquisition of equipment and informatic systems with a short-term vision without considering a business strategy. The aim of this paper is to perform a literature review that shows evidence of the low utilization of ICTs in SMEs, particularly in the Mexican environment, which leads to proposing a different approach where enterprises consider Knowledge Management (KM) in the implementation of the informatic technology, leading to a conceptual model to ensure human, organizational and relational capital provide the proper capabilities to complement a strategy that implies carrying out a correct acquisition and application of knowledge that contributes to improving the utilization of ICTs in the business processes

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality