Remote, informal, and ephemeral communities for testing technologies

Nowadays our world is more connected than ever, and as a consequence, truly isolated places on planet Earth are very rare. This is perhaps because humankind has always travelled beyond frontiers to explore faraway places, and also because technology enables the application of science and skills, and the extraction or collection of resources from new regions. Some technologies can change the current view and future expectations of our societies, and the way that people interact within their immediate environment. Remote communities offer the opportunity to research the next step in the evolution of technologies. Through the study of narratives, this paper investigates the remote, informal, and ephemeral communities of practices (RIE-CoP) that undertake the brief use of some technologies. The use of additive manufacturing technologies for improvised repairs, rapid tooling, the study of potential efficiency energetic measures, and previous tests in the Spanish Antarctic Base provide short-term benefits such as reducing emissions and logistics costs, and making life more sustainable on the frozen continent. Furthermore, these technology tests offer action-based research about the management and future of RIE-CoP under extreme conditions across four Antarctic missions (from December 2015 to March 2019). The experiences provide narrative foresight for the future RIE-CoP, and the results are valuable in sectors such as military and humanitarian assistance, construction, and space missions

Technology roadmapping in security and defence foresight

Purpose: This paper aims to provide an analysis of Spanish Defence National Foresight Exercise. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is based on a content analysis of public domain Spanish Defence National Foresight Exercise, and a study directed to analyse the impact on defence technological and industrial base. Findings: Foresight studies on the defence and security environment uses hybrid methodologies, but rarely involve all the stakeholders, and specially the citizens. The authors place a particular emphasis on the impact of these defence and security foresight studies, and following policies to increase the competitiveness and advanced technologies in the future. The analysis of the Spanish contractors allows an evaluation of the roadmaps as a policy instrument for the industrial defence industry. The main challenges for the next exercises in the European countries are to increase the interest in the firms' intelligence systems, and the participation and representation of citizens as a way to guarantee their rights. Therefore, a technology roadmap must be complemented with other more participative foresight methods. Originality/value: Foresight studies on the defence and security environment have been the subject of very few systematic analyses of impact. This paper makes a contribution to such analysis

EL EMPRESARIADO COMO FUENTE DE LA SEGREGACION POR SEXO

Este artículo presenta una parte de una amplia investigación cuyo objetivo era proponer Políticas Activas Institucionales para favorecer la inserción laboral de las mujeres en sectores o profesiones en las que estén subrepresentadas. El trabajo trata de profundizar en el comportamiento del empresariado para determinar cual es su grado de responsabilidad e influencia en la segregación sexual del mercado de trabajo. Para ello se realizó un estudio cualitativo. Los resultados nos muestran un aumento de la sensibilización. Los empresarios creen que no es justo, pero no se sienten responsables. Demandan una mayor participación del Gobierno y de la sociedad en general, a la vez que reconocen desconocer las políticas activas institucionales existentes

Buenas prácticas en la gestión de proyectos de I+D+i, capacidad de absorción de conocimiento y éxito

El modo en que se gestionan los proyectos de investigación, desarrollo e innovación (I+D+i) en las empresas puede ser diferente en función del tamaño o de la intensidad tecnológica con la que operen. Los proyectos de I+D+i se caracterizan por su alta incertidumbre técnica y económica. Y su realización constituye un proceso de aprendizaje aunque su objetivo fuera alcanzar los resultados previstos en la planificación. Los resultados del estudio de una muestra de 71 empresas españolas evidencian que las buenas prácticas en gestión de proyectos de I+D+i promueven la innovación de dos maneras. Primeramente, el grado de uso de las buenas prácticas está relacionado positivamente con la capacidad de absorción de conocimiento en la organización (CAC) y, a su vez, ésta influye en el éxito de los proyectos

Agilidad, flexibilidad de producción e innovación en la empresa manufacturera espa-ñola

Este artículo analiza en una muestra de empresas manufactureras españolas la relación de la producción ágil con el esfuerzo interno y la cooperación externa en innovación tecnológica. Los resultados del estudio indican que las empresas con mayor capacidad de agilidad utilizan con más intensidad un amplio conjunto de tecnologías agiles de desarrollo, fabricación y suministro. Las empresas más ágiles también cooperan externamente más en innovación y dicha cooperación modera la flexibilidad de producción de las empresas, indicando con ello que, gracias a la cooperación externa en innovación las empresas con menor flexibilidad de producción pueden aun así conseguir mayor capacidad de agilidad

Agilidad, flexibilidad de producción e innovación en la empresa manufacturera española

Este artículo analiza en una muestra de empresas manufactureras españolas la relación de la producción ágil con el esfuerzo interno y la cooperación externa en innovación tecnológica. Los resultados del estudio indican que las empresas con mayor capacidad de agilidad utilizan con más intensidad un amplio conjunto de tecnologías agiles de desarrollo, fabricación y suministro. Las empresas más ágiles también cooperan externamente más en innovación y dicha cooperación modera la flexibilidad de producción de las empresas, indicando con ello que, gracias a la cooperación externa en innovación las empresas con menor flexibilidad de producción pueden aun así conseguir mayor capacidad de agilidad

Uncertainty Estimation for Performance Evaluation of a Confocal Microscope as Metrology Equipment

Both in industry and research, the quality control of micrometric manufactured parts is based on the measurement of parameters whose traceability is sometimes difficult to guarantee. In some of these parts, the confocal microscopy shows great aptitudes to characterize a measurand qualitatively and quantitatively. The confocal microscopy allows the acquisition of 2D and 3D images that are easily manipulated. Nowadays, this equipment is manufactured by many different brands, each of them claiming a resolution probably not in accord to their real performance. The Laser Center (Technical University of Madrid) has a confocal microscope to verify the dimensions of the micro mechanizing in their own research projects. The present study pretends to confirm that the magnitudes obtained are true and reliable. To achieve this, a methodology for confocal microscope calibration is proposed, as well as an experimental phase for dimensionally valuing the equipment by 4 different standard positions, with its seven magnifications and the six objective lenses that the equipment currently has, in the x–y and z axis. From the results the uncertainty will be estimated along with an effect analysis of the different magnifications in each of the objective lenses

Histopathological alterations in Senegal sole, Solea Senegalensis, from a polluted Huelva estuary (SW, Spain)

As a component of a large research project to evaluate the effects of contaminants on fish health in the field, histopathological studies have been conducted to help establish causal relationship between pollutants (heavy metals and aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons—PAHs) and histopathological responses in Senegal sole, Solea senegalensis, from an estuary of SW Spain. Heavy metals (As, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu and Fe) and 16 PAHs (proprietary USEPA) concentrations in water, sediment and tissues (liver and gills) and histopathological alterations in S. senegalensis from three sampling sites of Ria de Huelva estuary during 2004–2006 years have been analysed. The histopathological studies revealed seasonal and spatial differences in the lesion grade of alterations observing the highest lesion grades in fish from Odiel River and autumn season. No significant differences were observed in the alterations prevalence between sampling sites, but significant differences were observed between seasons observing the highest prevalence in autumn season. However, calculated IPAT demonstrated a low–moderate impact of pollutants on health fish. Correlations between histopathological alterations and pollutants analysed were observed being heavy metals the group that presented a major number of correlations with alterations in several organs of S. senegalensis. In evaluating the general health of fish, the use of histopathological studies in recommended for making more reliable assessment of biochemical responses in fish exposed to a variety of environmental stressors. Statistical analysis using semiquantitative data on pathological lesions can help to establish correlation between cause (stressor) and effect (biomarker)

The Ustilago maydis Effector Pep1 Suppresses Plant Immunity by Inhibition of Host Peroxidase Activity

The corn smut Ustilago maydis establishes a biotrophic interaction with its host plant maize. This interaction requires efficient suppression of plant immune responses, which is attributed to secreted effector proteins. Previously we identified Pep1 (Protein essential during penetration-1) as a secreted effector with an essential role for U. maydis virulence. pep1 deletion mutants induce strong defense responses leading to an early block in pathogenic development of the fungus. Using cytological and functional assays we show that Pep1 functions as an inhibitor of plant peroxidases. At sites of Δpep1 mutant penetrations, H2O2 strongly accumulated in the cell walls, coinciding with a transcriptional induction of the secreted maize peroxidase POX12. Pep1 protein effectively inhibited the peroxidase driven oxidative burst and thereby suppresses the early immune responses of maize. Moreover, Pep1 directly inhibits peroxidases in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner. Using fluorescence complementation assays, we observed a direct interaction of Pep1 and the maize peroxidase POX12 in vivo. Functional relevance of this interaction was demonstrated by partial complementation of the Δpep1 mutant defect by virus induced gene silencing of maize POX12. We conclude that Pep1 acts as a potent suppressor of early plant defenses by inhibition of peroxidase activity. Thus, it represents a novel strategy for establishing a biotrophic interaction