The order of the factors matters:How digital transformation and servitization integrate more efficiently

This article draws on existing debates on standardization versus adaptation to propose two possible pathways for digital servitization. On the one hand, the standardization pathway posits that digital transformation enables servitized firms to make their service-based business model more standardized, and as a result, scalable. On the other hand, the adaptation pathway advocates that servitization enables highly digitalized firms to make their digital offerings more adaptable to heterogeneous customer needs, and as a result, customizable. We investigate which of these two paths integrates more effectively, and which one is thus likely to prevail in the long run. We use a purpose-built survey of 127 Spanish product firms to test these relationships using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), and test single- and multi-mediation models. The results corroborate the existence of both pathways, but also suggest that the standardization pathway contributes more to performance than the adaptation pathway. This is consistent with historical transitions in adoption (services existed before digital transformation) and services being dependent on digital technologies delivered remotely. These findings suggest the benefits of customization in digital servitization are lower than previous studies seem to imply, and provide important managerial implications

Estudio de la recuperación en tres formas de esfuerzo intermitente: aeróbico, umbral y anaeróbico

El objetivo del presente estudio ha sido el de comparar la respuesta de la FC durante la fase rápida de la recuperación en tres formas distintas de ejercicio intermitente (El): aeróbico (AE), aeróbico-anaeróbico o umbral (UM) y anaeróbico (AN). La importancia del estudio radica en la aportación de una información de mayor rigor científico a la hora de valorar las cargas en los El. En una primera fase, se han determinado las intensidades (km/h), mediante una prueba máxima. En la segunda fase, cada uno de los 9 sujetos voluntarios efectuó las tres formas de El, en función de los valores obtenidos en la fase anterior. El estudio de la evolución de la FC durante la recuperación en los tres tipos de El, se efectuó mediante una prueba de paralelismo de las rectas de regresión correspondientes. Los resultados indican que las tres rectas de regresión, para el punto de corte a los 120 s son diferentes (F  (4,12) > 0,05), pero, sin embargo, las pendientes son iguales (F(2,12) < 0,05). Los términos independientes difieren estadísticamente como corresponde a las distintas intensidades. La explicación de estos resultados puede deberse a que la sensibilidad del barorreflejo durante la fase rápida es independiente de la carga impuesta durante el El, pues la respuesta cardíaca durante la fase lenta viene determinada por factores añadidos a los mecanismos nerviosos. De este modo, se debe ser cauteloso cuando se determinan las intensidades exclusivamente en función de la FC de recuperación

Estudi de la recuperació en tres formes d'esforç intermitent: aeròbic, llindar i anaeróbic

L'objectiu del present estudi ha estat el de comparar la resposta de la FC durant la fase ràpida de la recuperació en tres formes diferents d'exercici intermitent (EI): aeròbic (AE), aeròbic-anaeròbic o llindar (LL) i anaeròbic (AN). La importància de l'estudi radica en l'aportació d'una informació de major rigor científic en el moment de valorar les càrregues en els El. En una primera fase, s'han determinat les intensitats (km/h), mitjançant una prova màxima. En la segona fase, cada una de les 9 persones voluntàries va fer les tres formes d'El en funció dels valors obtinguts en la fase anterior. L'estudi de l'evolució de la FC durant la recuperació en els tres tipus d'El, es va fer mitjançant una prova de paral.lelisme de les rectes de regressió corresponents. Els resultats indiquen que les tres rectes de regressió, per al punt de tall als 20 s són diferents (F (4,12) > 0,05), però, tanmateix, les pendents són iguals (F(2,12) < 0,05). Els termes independents difereixen estadísticament com correspon a les diferents intensitats. L'explicació d'aquests resultats és degut a què la sensibilitat del baroreflex durant la fase ràpida és independent de la càrrega imposada durant l'El, doncs la resposta cardíaca durant la fase lenta ve determinada per factors afegits als mecanismes nerviosos. D'aquesta manera, cal ser prudent quan es determinen les intensitats exclusivament en funció de la FC de recuperació

Análisis del estado de tensiones en uniones carpinteras de empalme de llave por el método de los elementos finitos

El objeto del presente trabajo es la determinación de la distribución de tensiones en la unión carpintera de empalme de llave mediante el método de los elementos finitos y su comparación con los valores obtenidos mediante la teoría de Resistencia de Materiales. Se analizan las zonas donde se produce concentración de tensiones y se estudia la influencia del refino de la malla sobre los resultados con el fin de determinar el tamaño que proporciona los valores de tensión más ajustados a la teoría. En las zonas donde la concentración de tensiones es menor, distintos tamaños de la malla muestran valores de tensión similares. Los resultados muestran una simetría central de la distribución de isotensiones donde el centro de simetría se corresponde con el centro geométrico de la unión. En las zonas donde se produce concentración de tensiones, los valores de las mismas aumentan considerablemente con el refino de la malla. La comparación de los niveles de tensiones normales obtenidos por el MEF y la teoría clásica muestran diferencias reducidas, excepto en los puntos de concentración de tensiones. The purpose of this study is to determine the stress distribution in the joint carpenter of halved and tabled joint with the finite element method and its comparison with the values obtained using the theory of Strength of Materials. The stress concentration areas where analyzed and the influence of mesh refinement was studied on the results in order to determine the mesh size that provides the stress values more consistent with the theory. In areas where stress concentration is lower, different mesh sizes show similar stress values. The results show a central symmetry of the isobar lines distribution where the centre of symmetry corresponds to the geometric centre of the joint. In areas where stress concentration occurs, the same values increase considerably with the refinement of the mesh. Comparison of normal stress levels obtained by the FEM and the classical theory shows small differences, except at points of stress concentration

Increased mRNA expression of cytochrome oxidase in dorsal raphe nucleus of depressive suicide victims

Suicidal behavior is a problem with important social repercussions. Some groups of the population show a higher risk of suicide; for example, depression, alcoholism, psychosis or drug abuse frequently precedes suicidal behavior. However, the relationship between metabolic alterations in the brain and premorbid clinical symptoms of suicide remains uncertain. The serotonergic and noradrenergic systems have frequently been, implicated in suicidal behavior and the amount of serotonin in the brain and CSF of suicide victims has been found to be low compared with normal subjects. However, there are contradictory results regarding the role of noradrenergic neurons in the mediation of suicide attempts, possibly reflecting the heterogeneity of conditions that lead to a common outcome. In the present work we focus on the subgroup of suicide victims that share a common diagnosis of major depression. Based on post-mortem studies analyzing mRNA expression by in situ hybridization, serotonergic neurons from the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) from depressive suicide victims are seen to over-express cytochrome oxidase mRNA. However, no corresponding changes were found in the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA in the noradrenergic neurons of the Locus Coeruleus (LC). These results suggest that, despite of the low levels of serotonin described in suicide victims, the activity of DRN neurons could increase in the suicidally depressed, probably due to the over activation of serotonin re-uptake. No alteration was found in noradrenergic neurons, suggesting that they play no crucial role in the suicidal behavior of depressive patients

Minilungs from Human Embryonic Stem Cells to Study the Interaction of Streptococcus pneumoniae with the Respiratory Tract

The new generation of organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells holds a promising strategy for modeling host-bacteria interaction studies. Organoids recapitulate the composition, diversity of cell types, and, to some extent, the functional features of the native organ. We generated lung bud organoids derived from human embryonic stem cells to study the interaction of Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) with the alveolar epithelium. Invasive pneumococcal disease is an important health problem that may occur as a result of the spread of pneumococcus from the lower respiratory tract to sterile sites. We show here an efficient experimental approach to model the main events of the pneumococcal infection that occur in the human lung, exploring bacterial adherence to the epithelium and internalization and triggering an innate response that includes the interaction with surfactant and the expression of representative cytokines and chemokines. Thus, this model, based on human minilungs, can be used to study pneumococcal virulence factors and the pathogenesis of different serotypes, and it will allow therapeutic interventions in a reliable human context. Importance: Streptococcus pneumoniae is responsible for high morbidity and mortalities rates worldwide, affecting mainly children and adults older than 65 years. Pneumococcus is also the most common etiologic agent of bacterial pneumonia and nonepidemic meningitis, and it is a frequent cause of bacterial sepsis. Although the introduction of pneumococcal vaccines has decreased the burden of pneumococcal disease, the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains and nonvaccine types by serotype replacement is worrisome. To study the biology of pneumococcus and to establish a reliable human model for pneumococcal pathogenesis, we generated human minilungs from embryonic stem cells. The results show that these organoids can be used to model some events occurring during the interaction of pneumococcus with the lung, such as adherence, internalization, and the initial alveolar innate response. This model also represents a great alternative for studying virulence factors involved in pneumonia, drug screening, and other therapeutic interventions.This work was supported by grant PI19CIII/00003 from the ISCIII to A.Z. and grantsPID2020-119298RB-I00 and PID2020-114546RB-I00 from the Spanish Ministry of Scienceand Innovation (MICINN) to J.Y. and O.Z., respectively. M.P.D.L. and J.M.R.-C. received grantsupport from AESI (PI20CIII/0029), the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC,CGB14143035THOM), and CIBERONC (group CB16/12/00273). S.A.R. was granted apostdoctoral fellowship by the Fundacão de Amparo á pesquisa do Estado do SãoPaulo (reference FAPESP-BEBE 2020/09919-0).S

Partially coherent sources with radial coherence

Partially coherent sources with radial coherence are proposed. They present a circularly symmetric intensity profile and a degree of coherence whose absolute value only depends on the angular difference between the two considered points. In particular, the source is completely coherent at pairs of points belonging to the same radius. The modal structure of such sources is determined in the general case, and conditions are derived under which the field propagated in paraxial approximation remains radially coherent at any transverse plane. In such cases, the angular dependence of the correlation function is preserved upon propagation, although the intensity profile generally changes. An example of this kind of source has been experimentally synthesized by means of a simple setup, and its coherence characteristics have been tested by means of a Young inter-ferometer. (C) 2018 Optical Society of America

Mechanical unfolding of long human telomeric RNA (TERRA)

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Multisensor experiments over vineyard: new challenges for the GNSS-R technique

An airborne campaign was performed during August, 2014 in an agricultural area in the Duero basin (Spain) in order to appraise the synergy between very different sources of Earth Observation imagery, and very different instruments for soil moisture retrieval. During the flight, an intensive field campaign comprising soil, plant and spectral measurements was carried out. An innovative sensor based on the Global Navigation Satellite Systems Reflectometry (GNSS-R) was on board the manned vehicle, the Light Airborne Reflectometer for GNSS-R Observations (LARGO) engineered by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. While the synergy between thermal, optical and passive microwave spectra observations is well known for vegetation parameters and soil moisture retrievals, the experiment aimed to evaluate the synergy of GNSS-R reflectivity with a time-collocated Landsat 8 imagery for soil moisture retrieval under semiarid climatic conditions. LARGO estimates, field measurements, and optical, NIR, SWIR and thermal bands from Landsat 8 were compared. Results showed that the joint use of GNSS-R reflectivity with vegetation and water indices together with thermal maps from Landsat 8 thoroughly improved the soil moisture estimation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version