X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and Raman scattering study of K2BeF4 and comparation to other member of the (beta)-K2SO4 family with ferroelectric -paraelectric transition

Thermal analysis, powder diffraction, and Raman scattering as a function of the temperature were carried out on K2BeF4. Moreover, the crystal structure was determined at 293 K from powder diffraction. The compound shows a transition from Pna21 to Pnam space group at 921 K with a transition enthalpy of 5 kJ/mol. The transition is assumed to be first order because the compound shows metastability. Structurally and spectroscopically the transition is similar to those observed in (NH4)2SO4, which suggests that the low-temperature phase is ferroelectric. In order to confirm it, the spontaneous polarization has been computed using an ionic model.

Analysis of the present (and impact) of women in business organizations in contemporany Spanish democracy. The impact of Spanish law of equality reviewed

Since its approval, in 2007, the Spanish Law of Equality (LO 3/2007) has been the target of many scholars on gender issues. Those analyses (and those previous to the first observable results of the Spanish Law of Equality), have largely prioritized political representative institutions and political parties as the main arenas to assess the impact of the new regulation. Nevertheless, to make a comprehensive analysis of the increase and impact of the presence of women in contemporary democracies one cannot exclude the existence of many other crucial actors in our pluralist systems, such as business organizations.In this line, in order to widen the knowledge on the presence of women in Spanish contemporary democracy, as well as to further assess the impact of Spanish Law of Equality on the presence of women in economic and political life, our paper will look at the gender bias of the executive committees in the Spanish Chambers of Commerce and business associations during the period 20010-2012. By placing those actors at the front sight, we aim to contribute with new empirical insights to the current debate on this topic.

The AMPK family member Snf1 protects Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells upon glutatione oxidation

The AMPK/Snf1 kinase has a central role in carbon metabolism homeostasis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this study, we show that Snf1 activity, which requires phosphorylation of the Thr210 residue, is needed for protection against selenite toxicity. Such protection involves the Elm1 kinase, which acts upstream of Snf1 to activate it. Basal Snf1 activity is sufficient for the defense against selenite, although Snf1 Thr210 phosphorylation levels become increased at advanced treatment times, probably by inhibition of the Snf1 dephosphorylation function of the Reg1 phosphatase. Contrary to glucose deprivation, Snf1 remains cytosolic during selenite treatment, and the protective function of the kinase does not require its known nuclear effectors. Upon selenite treatment, a null snf1 mutant displays higher levels of oxidized versus reduced glutathione compared to wild type cells, and its hypersensitivity to the agent is rescued by overexpression of the glutathione reductase gene GLR1. In the presence of agents such as diethyl maleate or diamide, which cause alterations in glutathione redox homeostasis by increasing the levels of oxidized glutathione, yeast cells also require Snf1 in an Elm1-dependent manner for growth. These observations demonstrate a role of Snf1 to protect yeast cells in situations where glutathione-dependent redox homeostasis is altered to a more oxidant intracellular environment and associates AMPK to responses against oxidative stress.

Expanding the Customer Relationship Management scope to the non-profit organizations : an analysis focused on the e-university domain

Peer-reviewed

Choosing hybrid organizations for local services delivery : An empirical analysis of partial privatization

The empirical literature about factors explaining local government delivery choices has traditionally focused the attention on the public or private production dilemma. However, hybrid organizational forms such as mixed public-private firms are increasingly used in several European countries. This paper makes use of survey data from Spanish municipalities to examine motivations of local governments for engaging in hybrid organizational forms. Data refer to two very relevant local services: water distribution and solid waste collection. The empirical analysis indicates that the use of mixed firms emerge as a type of pragmatically based ‘third way’ between pure public and pure private production. Indeed, local governments make use of mixed firms when cost considerations (scale economies, transaction costs and soon), financial constraints and private interests exert contradictory pressures. On the contrary, political and ideological factors do not play any significant role on the local government decision of engaging or not in joint ventures with private partners.