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Studying the effect of quench and tempering heat treatments on steel, more specifically screening the effect of the austenitizing, quenching, and tempering conditions on mechanical properties, can be extremely material- and time-consuming when standard tensile testing specimens are employed. Jominy bar end quench testing has been used as a standard method to reduce the resources that are required for this type of screening. Jominy bar testing by itself shows, though, the limitation of yielding only hardness and microstructure as a result. In the last few years, the small punch test (SPT) standard has been developed. This technique can obtain an estimation of tensile mechanical properties with miniaturized specimens, which can be dissected from Jominy bars. The paper proposes a new testing methodology for screening the outcome of heat treatment conditions by combining the Jominy bar testing and SPT. Quench and tempering of API 5L X65Q pipe steel is used as a case study to describe the proposed methodology. The ability of the Jominy with SPT to detect variations in the mechanical properties produced by heat treatments is shown. This methodology can be directly applied as a high-throughput testing approach in the optimization of heat treatments.

The relationship between milk fat intake (because of its high saturated fatty acid content) and the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases remains controversial. Thus, Golden Syrian hamsters were fed two types of fat—sheep milk fat that was rich in rumenic (cis9,trans11-18:2) and vaccenic (trans11-18:1) acids and olive oil—and two doses (a high- or normal-fat diet) for 14 weeks, and markers of lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis evolution were analyzed. The results revealed that the type and percentage of fat affected most plasma biochemical parameters related to lipid metabolism, while only the expression of five (CD36, SR-B1, ACAT, LDLR, and HMG-CoAR) of the studied lipid-metabolism-related genes was affected by these factors. According to aortic histology, when ingested in excess, both fats caused a similar increase in the thickness of fatty streaks, but the high-milk-fat-based diet caused a more atherogenic plasma profile. The compositions of the fats that were used, the results that were obtained, and the scientific literature indicated that the rumenic acid present in milk fat would regulate the expression of genes involved in ROS generation and, thus, protect against LDL oxidation, causing an effect similar to that of olive oil.

[EN] Hamsters have been long accepted as animal models to study the lipid metabolism in humans. However, very few scientific works described in detail the fatty acid (FA) composition of plasma and erythrocytes in hamsters in relation to their dietary intake, and none work was found comparing them with that described in humans. Therefore, a study was carried out to compare the effect of ingesting olive oil or dairy fat, as part of an equilibrated diet in healthy subjects, on plasma and erythrocytes FA composition. More than 40 FA were detected in samples of both species. It was demonstrated that plasma total FA (TFA) concentration and FA profiles are similar in humans and hamsters. In both species linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids are the main FA and accounted for the 70% of TFA. Differences found between species can be explained by differences in the dietary intake and differences in the proportion of triglycerides, cholesteryl esters and phospholipid fractions in plasma of both species. Changes in dietary FA intake causes similar changes in FA concentration in the plasma of both species and can be explained by the same metabolic processes. The erythrocyte FA profile differs more between the two species. Moreover, unlike humans, the FA profile of hamster erythrocytes is more sensitive to changes in dietary FA than that of plasma.

The Basque Cooperatives Act 11/2019 of 20 December 2009 has included junior co-operatives as a new type of cooperative in its regulation, stating that they "deserve specific identification and regulation". The inclusion of junior co-operatives in the new law is a step forward, as they constitute de facto, a new type of co-operative, different from the other co-operatives covered by the Law. This recognition has been necessary because, in practice, although this type of co-operative existed prior to the passing of the Law, apart from a Service Instruction issued by the Register of co-operatives, they were not mentioned or regulated. However, although regulatory recognition has been essential, there is still a long path to work on, as junior co-operatives continue to encounter various problems.; La Ley 11/2019, de 20 de diciembre, de Cooperativas de Euskadi ha incluido en su regulación a las junior cooperativas como un nuevo tipo de cooperativas señalando que éstas “merecen identificación y regulación específicas”. La inclusión de las junior cooperativas dentro de la nueva ley ha supuesto un paso hacia delante, ya que constituyen de facto, una nueva clase de cooperativa, distinta del resto de cooperativas contempladas en la Ley. Y es que, este reconocimiento ha sido necesario, ya que, en la práctica, si bien este tipo de cooperativas ya existían con anterioridad a la aprobación de la Ley, salvo una Instrucción de Servicio dictada por el Registro de Cooperativas, éstas carecían de mención y regulación. No obstante, y si bien el reconocimiento normativo ha sido imprescindible, todavía queda camino por recorrer ya que las junior cooperativas siguen encontrando diversos problemas.

The questioned reliability of 15:0, 17:0, and trans9-16:1 acids as biomarkers of dairy fat intake also questions the relationship between the intake of these products and their health effects. Two studies were conducted in the same geographical region. In an intervention study, volunteers followed a diet rich in dairy products followed by a diet without dairy products. Plasma and erythrocyte fatty acids (FA) were analyzed, and their correlations with dairy product intakes were tested. The FA biomarkers selected were validated in the Gipuzkoa cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) observational study. The correlation coefficients between plasma concentrations of iso16:0, iso17:0, trans11-18:1, cis9, trans11-18:2, and cis6-18:1 and the dairy fat ingested are similar in both studies, indicating that their concentration increases by 0.8 µmol/L per gram of dairy fat ingested. The biomarkers are positively related to plasma triglycerides (r = 0.324 and 0.204 in the intervention and observational studies, respectively) and total cholesterol (r = 0.459 and 0.382), but no correlation was found between the biomarkers and atherogenicity indexes. In conclusion, the sum of the plasma concentration of the selected FAs can be used as biomarkers of dairy product consumption. A linear relationship exists between their plasma concentrations and ruminant product intake. These biomarkers allow for obtaining consistent relationships between dairy intake and plasma biochemical parameters.

Maintaining the ability to walk is one of the significant challenges in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) for keeping a good quality of life as the disease and the aging process progresses. Overground robotic (OR) wearable exoskeletons are promising tools for gait rehabilitation, but currently there is no evidence of their clinical effects on patients with MS. The present study aims to determine the effects of an OR intervention in people with MS and moderate to severe walking disabilities and ascertain if benefits are maintained over a follow-up period of 3 months. This randomized controlled trial will include 36 participants with MS. Inclusion criteria are: older than 18 years, definitive diagnosis of MS, 4.5-7 points on the EDSS (Expanded Disability Status Scale), and needing one or two canes or crutches for walking outdoors. Subjects in the control group will receive conventional physiotherapy sessions at ADEMBI (Asociacion de Esclerosis Multiple de Bizkaia) provided to control spasticity, maintain articular range and exercise balance. Subjects in the intervention group will receive the same physiotherapy but also participate in a progressive OR gait training program assisted by the EksoTM exoskeleton. The program consists of twice a week individually supervised sessions in two setting modalities: PreGait and ProStepPlus. The training parameters (duration, speed, cadence, length of steps) will be set during the first session and the progression and intensity of the intervention will be adapted to the tolerance of each participant. The primary outcome of this study is gait speed. Secondary outcomes will include physical and cognitive performance tests, clinical, fatigue and quality of life assessments, and changes in the plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines. The present trial is the first analyzing the effectiveness of an OR intervention for gait training in patients with MS. It will help clarify the applicability of robotic technologies to clinical practice

Proiektu hau Murueta herrian, trenbide baten gainetik pasatzen den pasarelaren ejekuzio proiektua da.

El objetivo central de esta tesis doctoral es analizar y comprobar en qué contexto y bajo que procesos o mecanismos los sistemas de prácticas de recursos humanos denominadas de alto rendimiento (PAR) influyen en los resultados empresariales de las empresas de 50 o más trabajadores de la Comunidad Autónoma Vasca (CAPV). Para lograr el objetivo definido se consideran en el modelo de investigación variables como el compromiso organizativo, el tamaño y tipo de empresa. Las hipótesis formuladas se validan a través de un estudio empírico de una muestra de empresas vascas. Los resultados obtenidos se analizan mediante ecuaciones estructurales (PLS-SEM). Como principales conclusiones se destaca el papel mediador que ejerce el compromiso organizativo en la relación entre los sistemas de prácticas de recursos humanos de alto rendimiento (PAR) y los resultados empresariales, así como la influencia positiva de la PAR en los resultados organizativos. Asimismo, el tipo de empresa se muestra como una variable moderadora.

Kooperatibak, arian-arian, garrantzi handia hartu dute enpresa eremuan, erakunde ekonomiko garrantzitsu bilakatu direlarik. Izan ere, kooperatibistekiko konpromisoa eta jarduten duten inguru geografikoa dela eta, kooperatibek erakutsi dute alternatiba erreala direla krisiaren eragin maltzurren aurrean. Mondragon Korporazioko kooperatiben kasuan, arestian aipatutako konpromisoak euren balioak eta irizpide kooperatiboak betetzean datza. Azterketa honek Mondragon Korporazioko kooperatibek krisiari aurre egiteko hartutako estrategiak aztertzen ditu. Hori horrela, honako hauek deskribatuko dira: euren politiken eragin sozioekonomikoa, euren kudeaketa ereduak, taldearen interkooperazio mekanismoak eta euren harremana irizpide kooperatiboekin, Cooperatives are increasingly important in business circles, becoming agents of great relevance in economy. Cooperatives are now a real option to cope with the negative effects of the crisis, given its commitment among the people working in cooperatives and its geografic location. In the case of cooperatives in the Mondragon Corporation, that commitment translates into compliance with its cooperative values and principles. This study will analyze the strategies adopted by the cooperatives of Mondragón Corporación to manage the crisis. It describes the economic impact of their policies and their relationship with the cooperative principles through its management model and mechanisms of inter-group aid., Las cooperativas han venido adquiriendo una gran relevancia en el ámbito empresarial, convirtiéndose en entidades económicas de importancia. Asimismo han demostrado ser una alternativa real ante los efectos negativos de la crisis, dado su compromiso entre los cooperativistas y el entorno geográfico en el que se desenvuelven. En el caso de las cooperativas de la Corporación Mondragon, ese compromiso se traduce en el cumplimiento de sus valores y principios cooperativos. El presente estudio analiza las estrategias adoptadas por las cooperativas de la Corporación Mondragon para hacer frente a la crisis. Se describirá el impacto socioeconómico de sus políticas, sus modelos de gestión y mecanismos de intercooperación del grupo y su relación con los principios cooperativos.

El objeto del presente trabajo es exponer las características identificadoras de las Cooperativas y analizar su procedimiento de constitución. La Ley Vasca de Cooperativas ha sido recientemente modificada, siendo uno de los principales objetivos de dicha reforma facilitar la constitución de nuevas Cooperativas. En consecuencia, se han adoptado medidas, tales como la reducción del número mínimo de socios o del capital social mínimo. Sin embargo, a pesar de que dentro del movimiento Cooperativo vasco se ha venido planteando la necesidad de simplificar el procedimiento de constitución, los trámites para constituir las Cooperativas no han sido modificados., Lan honen helburua, alde batetik, Kooperatiben ezaugarri identifikatzaileak azaltzea da eta, bestetik, horiek eratzeko prozedura aztertzea. Euskadiko Kooperatiben Legea orain dela gutxi aldatu da, batez ere, Kooperatibak eratzeko erraztasunak emateko. Ondorioz, bazkideen eta sozietate kapitalaren gutxieneko kopurua murriztea bezalako neurriak hartu dira. Nolanahi ere, nahiz eta azkenaldi honetan Euskal Kooperatiben mugimenduan Kooperatiben eraketa prozeduraren sinplifikazioa planteatu ohi den, ondoren azalduko ditugun alternatibak proposatuz, sozietate horiek eratzeko izapideak ez dira aldatu., Le but de ce travail est d'expliquer les caractéristiques d'identification des Coopératives et d'analyser le processus de leur constitution. La Loi Basque de Coopératives a été récemment modifiée, le but principal de cette réforme étant de faciliter la constitution de nouvelles Coopératives. Par conséquent, on a adopté des mesures, comme la réduction du nombre minimum de membres ou du capital social minimum. Pourtant, bien que l'on ait envisagé la nécessité de simplifier le procédé de constitution dans le mouvement Coopératif basque, les formalités pour constituer les Coopératives n'ont pas été modifiées., The object of the present work is to show the identifying characteristics of Co-operatives and to analyse the procedure for their constitution. The Basque Law on Co-operatives has been recently modified. One of the main objectives of that reform is to facilitate the constitution of new co-operatives. Consequently, certain measures have been taken, such as the reduction of the minimum number of associates or of the minimum capital necessary to constitute a co-operative. However, in spite of the fact that the need for simplifying the procedure for constitution of co-operatives has been expressed within the Basque Co-operative movement, such procedures have not been modified.

QC 20221213