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Can scientific laws be discussed on philosophical grounds? a reply to naïve arguments on ‘predators’ proposed by Bramble (2021)
No full text[EN] A recent paper by Bramble (2021) argues that given that predators inflict pain and fear on their prey we have the moral right to act to minimize these effects. The author proposes two alternatives. The first is to transform predators by ‘genetically modifying them so that their offspring gradually evolve into herbivores’. The second is simply ‘painlessly killing predators’, which is the title of Bramble’s essay. We address the misconceptions that Bramble uses as central in his arguments and present scientific reasoning to discuss the ethical implications of disregarding scientific knowledge when addressing animal welfare and animal rights. We conclude that both Bramble’s alternatives are nonsensical, not only from a scientific point of view, but also, and more importantly, from ethical grounds[ES] ¿Se puede mantener un debate filosófico sobre las leyes de la ciencia? una respuesta a los ingenuos argumentos sobre "depredadores" propuestos por Bramble (2021). En un reciente artículo, Bramble (2021) sostiene que, dado que los depredadores infligen dolor y miedo a sus presas, tenemos el derecho moral de
actuar para minimizar estos efectos, y propone dos alternativas. La primera es transformar a los depredadores "modificándolos genéticamente para que sus descendientes se conviertan gradualmente en herbívoros". La segunda es simplemente "matar a los depredadores sin dolor", que es el título del ensayo de Bramble. Aquí abordamos los conceptos erróneos utilizados por Bramble y que son centrales en sus argumentos y presentamos un razonamiento científico para analizar las implicaciones éticas de ignorar el conocimiento científico al abordar el bienestar y los derechos de los animales. Concluimos que las dos alternativas de Bramble carecen de sentido, no solo desde un punto de vista científico, sino sobre todo, desde el punto de vista éticoSIACR was supported by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science, including ERD funds (PGC2018–096656–B–I00). RRC, RGF and VML thank National Council for Scientific and Technological Development– CNPq (130346/2020–9, proc. 307836/2019–3 and 142299/2020–0
Geomorphological impact, hydraulics and watershed- lake connectivity during extreme floods in mountain areas: The 1959 Vega de Tera dam failure, NW Spain
No full text[EN] Dam-failure floods typically involve greater peak discharge than the largest meteorological flood at a basin. Determining the geomorphic effectiveness of extreme flooding caused by a breach mechanism provides insight into the role of flood scale on the resulting processes and landforms. Here, we present a geomorphological and hydraulic analysis of the 1959 Vega de Tera (NW Spain) dam-break flood, a worldwide notable dam-failure incident that released a flow of 7.8 106 m3 that caused the death of 144 people at Ribadelago before reaching Lake Sanabria (9 km down valley). This watershed-lake connection provides a comprehensive analysis of an extreme sediment delivery event in the context of a millennial long lake depositional record. One-dimensional unsteady flow computation shows a peak flow hydrograph attenuating from 13,000 m3 s−1 to 5150 m3 s−1, that reached a maximum flow depth of 34 m and velocity of 30 ms−1. Spatial variation of erosional and depositional landforms are related with local flow hydraulics: i) in steep sectors flow regime was supercritical (shear value up to 11,200 Pa) and produced up to 30 m deep bedrock channel erosion; ii) at the boundary of steep and flatten sectors, transition to subcritical regime generated large plunge pools (up to 6000 m2 and 15.2 m in depth); iii) in low-gradient sectors low shear stress gave rise to depositional landforms, namely gravel bars with dam boulders up to 3 m long, and a debris cone with coarse gravel and expansion sand bars. The depositional landforms amount for a total volume of ca 2.11 · 106 m3 in the Tera valley (37% in the gorge and 63% in the floodplain). The dense, energetic sediment-laden flow reached Lake Sanabria forming a debris cone close to the mouth and caused an underwater hyperpycnal current, depositing a ~10 cm-thick sandy-silt layer all over the two distal subbasins. The estimated volume of the deposited fine sediments in the lake ranges between 200,000 and 368,000 m3. The lake record shows that this was the largest flood in the basin during the Holocene. Previous to the dam break, the sediment connectivity between the Sanabria watershed and the lake was limited because of the “staircase” topography and the presence of small glacial depressions filled with sediments since deglaciation. Even during the flood, the great majority of the sediments were deposited along the flood pathway, and only a small percentage (10–20%) reached the lake. Although the hydraulics of the Tera River were not changed after the flood, the newly formed pools in the watershed could diminish the connectivity between the river and the lake in the future, as some new sedimentation areas (pools) were generated acting as natural dams and thus decreasing sediment input to the lake.SIIn memoriam of the 144 people who died due to the dam failure. This research was supported by the MEDLANT (Depositional and geochemical dynamics of MEDiterranean Watershed-LAke Systems during the ANThropocene: disentangling human and climate forcings) project (CGL2016-76215-R), funded by the Spanish Government (Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología), and by the project ‘Paleo-environmental meaning and relationship with the global change of the rock glaciers of the Cantabrian Mountains: relative dating and analysis of the internal structure by means of electrical tomography’, founded by the Junta de Castilla y León (LE080G19). G. Benito was funded by project EPHIMED (CGL2017-86839-C3-1-R). J.P. Corella holds a MSCA fellowship (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, grant n° 796752; FLOODARC) funded by the European Union (MSCA-IF-EF-ST funding scheme). Sergio Alberto Peña and Ignacio Prieto Sarro contributed to obtain dron images and detailed ortophotos generation from them. Ricardo Sánchez Rodríguez generate an DSM from high resolution scanning images of 1956 American Aerial Flight. María Jesús Otero Puente, survivor of the tragedy, contributed to the reconstruction of the deposits around the village, the water level and the names of places and sites
Valoración del papel y la modulación de la microbiota intestinal en la lesión hepática idiosincrásica inducida por fármacos causada por amoxicilina-clavulanato: un estudio en pacientes y modelos experimentales
No full text207 p.[EN] Drug-induced liver injury (DILI), particularly its idiosyncratic form (iDILI), represents a
relevant clinical concern. In this context, hepatotoxicity associated with the administration of
amoxicillin-clavulanate (AC) is a common etiology. The influence of the intestinal microbial
ecosystem on the pathogenesis of iDILI-AC remains insufficiently understood. Therefore, the
primary objective of this PhD Thesis is to evaluate the relevance of the intestinal microbiota
composition in the onset and progression of iDILI-AC, using a methodological strategy that
included both a patient study and the development of in vivo and in vitro experimental models.
In Chapter 1, prolonged administration of AC in a conventional murine model induced a dosedependent
modulation of the intestinal microbiota composition. However, the iDILI-AC phenotype
could not be replicated in this model. Moreover, the combination quercetin-Akkermansia muciniphila
after prolonged AC administration modulated the gut microbiota composition. In Chapter 2,
analysis of a cohort of patients revealed the existence of specific profiles of intestinal microbiota,
fecal metabolome, and bile acids, distinct in individuals with iDILI and iDILI-AC, suggesting a
functional interrelationship with the pathophysiology of the disease. In Chapter 3, fecal microbiota
transplantation from patients to germ-free mice triggered functional alterations at the hepatic and
intestinal levels, along with disruption of bile acid metabolism, probably associated with specific
microbial profiles conferred by the donor and subsequent exposure to AC. Finally, in Chapter 4, an
in vitro model simulating the gut-liver axis demonstrated that metabolites or bacterial components
derived from patients with iDILI-AC are capable of altering the gene expression of markers related
to intestinal permeability and bile acid homeostasis.
In conclusion, the results obtained in this PhD Thesis establish that the intestinal microbiota
could play a fundamental role in the development of iDILI-AC. Characteristic microbial profiles
have been identified, and potentially involved mechanisms have been proposed, such as the
alteration of bile acid homeostasis, the presence of specific fecal metabolites, and disruption of
intestinal barrier integrity. These findings lay the groundwork for the potential identification of new
diagnostic biomarkers and for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies based on the
modulation of the intestinal microbiota.[ES] El daño hepático inducido por fármacos (DILI), particularmente su variante idiosincrásica (iDILI),
constituye un problema clínico significativo. Dentro de este contexto, la hepatotoxicidad asociada
a la administración de amoxicilina-clavulanato (AC) representa una etiología frecuente. La
influencia de la microbiota intestinal en la patogénesis del iDILI-AC permanece insuficientemente
elucidada. Por ello, en la presente Tesis Doctoral, se planteó como objetivo principal evaluar la
relevancia de la composición de la microbiota intestinal en la aparición y la progresión del iDILIAC,
basada em una estrategia metodológica que incluyó un estudio en pacientes y modelos
experimentales in vivo e in vitro.
En el capítulo 1, la administración prolongada de AC en un modelo murino convencional
indujo una modulación dosis-dependiente en la composición de la microbiota intestinal. No
obstante, no se pudo reproducir el fenotipo iDILI-AC en este modelo. Además, la administración
de la combinación quercetina-Akkermansia muciniphila moduló la composición de la microbiota
intestinal tras una administración prolongada de AC. En el capítulo 2, el estudio en pacientes
reveló la existencia de perfiles específicos de microbiota intestinal, del metaboloma fecal y de
ácidos biliares, distintivos en individuos con iDILI e iDILI-AC, lo que sugiere una interrelación
funcional con la etiopatogenia de la enfermedad. En el capítulo 3, el trasplante de microbiota
fecal de pacientes a ratones libres de gérmenes desencadenó alteraciones funcionales a nivel
hepático, intestinal y alteración del metabolismo de los ácidos biliares, fenómenos asociados a
perfiles microbianos específicos conferidos por el donante y la subsiguiente exposición a AC. Por
último, en el capítulo 4, en un modelo in vitro que mimetiza el eje intestino-hígado se demostró
que metabolitos o componentes bacterianos derivados de pacientes con iDILI-AC pueden alterar
la expresión génica de marcadores relacionados con la permeabilidad intestinal y la homeostasis
de los ácidos biliares.
En conclusión, los resultados obtenidos establecen que la microbiota intestinal podría
desempeñar un papel fundamental en el desarrollo del iDILI-AC. Se han identificado perfiles
microbianos característicos y se han propuesto mecanismos potencialmente involucrados, tales
como la alteración de la homeostasis de los ácidos biliares, la presencia de metabolitos fecales
específicos y la alteración de la integridad de la barrera intestinal. Estos hallazgos sientan las
bases para la identificación potencial de nuevos biomarcadores diagnósticos y para el desarrollo
de estrategias terapéuticas innovadoras basadas en la modulación de la microbiota intestinal.Gerencia Regional de Salud de Castilla y León. Proyectos de Investigación en Biomedicina. Consejería de Sanidad (GRS2126/A/2020). 2020-2021. “Estudio de la composición y funcionalidad de la microbiota intestinal en pacientes con daño hepático inducido por fármacos (DILI)”.Programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación cofi nanciados por el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional de la Junta de Castilla y León (LE017P20). 2021-2023. “Efecto de la melatonina y su combinación con Akkermansia muciniphila sobre la composición y funcionalidad de la microbiota intestinal en el tratamiento de la fi brosis hepática”
Survival and longevity in neotropical damselflies (Odonata, Polythoridae)
No full text[EN] Longevity among insect orders varies greatly, and has mainly been studied in insects in temperate biomes, where seasonality determines high synchronization of reproductive activities and limits lifespan. Most forest damselflies in tropical regions have low population densities and are almost never observed in copula. We hypothesized that selection will favour a high survival rate and hence high lifespan, allowing the animals to be ready for the occasional events that favour reproduction. We studied two neotropical damselflies, Polythore mutata and P. derivata, in Ecuador, using mark–recapture methods. We found that sex affected the rate of recapture, but daily survival rate was affected by sex only in one population. We found evidence that suggests stabilizing or directional selection on body size. The maximum lifespan was 54–63 days. We conclude that the survival rate of Polythore damselflies in tropical forests is comparable to that of similar damselflies in temperate zones[ES] Supervivencia y longevidad de las libélulas del neotrópico (Odonata, Polythoridae). La longevidad, que entre los órdenes de insectos es muy variable, se ha estudiado principalmente en insectos de biomas templados, donde la estacionalidad determina una alta sincronización de las actividades reproductivas y limita la longevidad. La mayoría de las libélulas de las regiones tropicales vive en poblaciones con una densidad baja y casi nunca se observan en cópula. Nuestra hipótesis es que la selección favorecerá una alta tasa de supervivencia y, por lo tanto, una gran esperanza de vida, lo que permitiría que los animales estuvieran listos para los eventos ocasionales que favorecen la reproducción. Estudiamos dos libélulas neotropicales, Polythore mutata y P. derivata, en Ecuador, utilizando métodos de marcaje y recaptura. Constatamos que el sexo afectó a la tasa de recaptura, pero que solo afectó a la tasa de supervivencia diaria en una población. Hallamos indicios que sugieren la existencia de selección estabilizadora o direccional del tamaño del cuerpo. La longevidad máxima observada fue de 54–63 días. Concluimos que la tasa de supervivencia de las libélulas del género Polythore en los bosques tropicales es comparable a la de libélulas similares de las zonas templadasSIFunding was provided by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, including FEDER funds (CGL2014–53140–P). ISV and ART were supported by FPI grants (BES–2012–052005 and BES–2015–071965
Brady's Deep Relevant Logic DR plus the Qualified Factorization Principles Has the Depth Relevant Condition
Get PDF[EN] The 'depth relevance condition' (drc) is a strengthening of the 'variable-sharing property' (vsp). Deep relevant logics are logics fulfilling the drc, and Brady’s DR is a key item in this class. The 'qualified factorization principles' (qfp) are strong distribution principles. The qfp can be added to Relevance logic R without the result collapsing in a logic lacking the vsp. The aim of this paper is to show that DR (and any logic included in it) can be extended with the qfp, the drc being preserved.SIMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad (España
Experimental infection of lambs with C and S-type strains of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis: immunological and pathological findings
Get PDF[EN] The two main genotypes of recognized isolates of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) are cattle (C) and sheep (S) strains. An experimental infection was conducted to establish the effect of Map strain on the pathogenesis of ovine paratuberculosis. Twenty-four out of thirty 1.5-month-old Assaf lambs were divided into 4 groups of 6 and infected orally with three low passage field isolates, two of S- (22G and the pigmented Ovicap49) and one of C- (764) type, and the reference K-10 strain (C type). The remaining six animals were unchallenged controls. Animals were euthanized at 150 and 390 days post-infection (dpi). Throughout the experiment, the peripheral immune response was assessed and histological and molecular (PCR) studies were conducted on samples of intestine and related lymphoid tissue. Specific antibody and IFN-γ production was significantly higher in animals infected with the C strains, while no consistent IFN- γ responses were observed in the S-type strain infected groups. A positive intradermal skin test response was detected in all infected groups. Lambs infected with S-type strains had granulomatous lesions restricted to the lymphoid tissue with no differences in the lesion intensity over time. In both C-type strain groups, lesions were more severe at 150 dpi while at 390 dpi lesions, characterized by well-demarcated granulomas with fibrosis, decreased in severity. Only infected lambs were positive to PCR. These results suggest that the strain of Map has a strong influence over the immune and pathological responses developed by the host. Lesions induced by C-type strains in lambs show a regressive character and tend to decrease as the infection progressesSIThis work was supported by grant AGL2008-05820-C02 of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. The authors wish to thank all the staff of the IGM (CSIC-ULE) responsible for handling the experimental animals. The technical help of S. Morales, G. Belver and J. Reyero, and the proof-reading of the manuscript by Dr Stephen Maley, of the Moredun Research Institute, is also acknowledged. M. Fernández is founded by a predoctoral contract from the “Junta de Castilla y León”. J. Benavides is supported by CSIC through the JAE-Doc program, financed in part by European Social Fund (ESF). We acknowledge support of the publication fee by the CSIC Open Access Publication Support Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI
Middle Stone Age (MSA) in the Atlantic rainforests of Central Africa. The case of Río Campo region in Equatorial Guinea
Get PDF[EN] Understanding the evolutionary history of humans within the rainforest ecosystems of Central West Africa poses a significant challenge. These environments are crucial for exploring both the biological and cultural development of Homo sapiens. However, the lack of comprehensive archaeological and chronological sequences in African rainforests hampers efforts to situate them within a broader evolutionary framework. In this study, we present findings from our surveys conducted in northern Equatorial Guinea. Specifically, in the Río Campo (also referred to as Río Ntem) region, we investigated 30 Quaternary stratigraphic outcrops, 16 of which contained stone tools. Among these, the Campo 11 site stands out due to the complexity of its lithic assemblage, representing one of the most significant indicators of human occupation in the Pleistocene of Central West Africa. Geomorphological reconstruction of the area suggests the development of a meandering fluvial system during the Upper Pleistocene. This system was characterized by sandbars and shallow channel beds overlaying a Cretaceous basement. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) and radiocarbon (14C) dating place the occupation phases within these sedimentary units between over 44,000 and 20,000 years ago, with a lower sand unit dating back 76,000 years, marking the beginning of the Quaternary sequence. The lithic assemblages from Río Campo, particularly those from Campo 11 and Campo 4, provide compelling evidence of human presence approximately 24,000 years ago. These assemblages are characterized by tools associated with the Lupemban technocomplex, including large cutting tools, bifacial points, heavy-duty implements, Levallois cores, and occasional blade production. Their techno-typological attributes align with Middle Stone Age traditions and point to a cultural continuity rooted in the Acheulean–Sangoan–Lupemban succession, which dates back some 250,000 to 300,000 years. Nevertheless, the absence of earlier stratigraphic records limits our findings to a minimum age for human occupation in this region. The timing and extent of the earliest settlements along the Atlantic fringe remain elusive. While Lupemban industries hint at profound cultural continuity in Central African rainforests, the paucity of high-quality archaeological data prevents definitive conclusions. Further research is essential to address these gaps and fully integrate the Central West African rainforests into the broader narrative of human evolutionary historySIMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN/FEDER): CGL2016-75109-P; CGL2017-90984-EXP and PID2021-122356NB-I00. PIAR-CSIC (201938014, PIAR-2023-11), i-COOP (COOPB20518) and Fundación Palar
Integración de la función de p73 en las redes transcripcionales de adhesión y migración celular: perspectivas funcionales en células sanas y tumorales
No full text196 p.[EN] p73 is a transcription factor that regulate a broad spectrum of physiological processes.
Different studies, including those from our group, have demonstrated that p73 is crucial during
embryonic development, as its absence results in profound defects in tissue organization,
particularly within complex tissue microenvironments such as the neurogenic niche or the
reproductive epithelium (Tomasini et al., 2008; Holembowski et al., 2014; Gonzalez-Cano
et al., 2016; Fuertes-Alvarez et al., 2018; Marques et al., 2019; Maeso-Alonso et al., 2022). A
possible common denominator to the observed defects in the absence of p73 could be
the alterations in cell adhesion and cytoskeleton dynamics, since these are fundamental
processes during cell and tissue architecture in normal and tumour cells. Altogether, these
findings have led to the conceptualization of a new function of p73 as a potential tissue
architect through the regulation of cell adhesion and cytoskeleton dynamics. However, the
molecular mechanisms by which p73 regulates these processes are not fully understood.
Tissue architecture is primarily governed by cellular adhesions, including cell-cell
adhesions and interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM). These are mediated by a
complex structural and signalling network termed the adhesome (Whittaker et al., 2006).
Different studies have shown that p73 regulates transcriptional programs involved in cell
adhesion, which has led us to hypothesise that p73 modulates the cellular adhesome directly
and/or indirectly.
In a tumoral context, the regulation of cell-cell and cell-ECM adhesion plays a pivotal
role in governing tumour progression, invasion and metastasis. The loss of cell-cell adhesion
and alterations of cell-ECM interactions, facilitate the detachment of tumour cells from the
primary tumour, enabling them to acquire migratory capabilities and invade the surrounding
tissues, both critical steps in the metastatic cascade (Compton, 2020). The reactivation of
embryonic developmental programs within tumour cells has been identified as a potential
driver of tumour progression in advanced stages (Logotheti et al., 2020). In this sense, p73-
mediated regulation of cell adhesion may not only play a crucial role during embryonic
development under physiological conditions but also contribute to tumour progression in
malignancies where p73 overexpression has been observed.[ES] La familia de p53, constituida por los factores de transcripción p53, p63 y p73 con
alta homología estructural (Figura 1), representa un grupo fundamental de genes en la
biología de los vertebrados involucrados en procesos celulares tales como la proliferación,
la apoptosis, la diferenciación, el metabolismo y la dinámica del citoesqueleto, entre otros
(Amelio et al., 2014; Yoon et al., 2015; Nemajerova y Moll, 2019; Maeso-Alonso et al., 2021).
Este trabajo se centra en el factor de transcripción p73, codificado por el gen TP73 en
humanos y su ortólogo Trp73 en ratón. Este gen se caracteriza por tener dos promotores
distintos que dan lugar a dos tipos principales de isoformas: las isoformas TAp73, que
contienen el dominio de transactivación (del inglés, Transactivation Domain, TAD), y las
isoformas DNp73, que carecen de este dominio (Murray-Zmijewski et al., 2006; Bourdon,
2007; Vikhreva et al., 2018) (Figura 2). Mientras que las isoformas TAp73 pueden ejercer
funciones similares a p53 en respuesta al estrés celular, las isoformas DNp73 actúan
predominantemente como reguladores dominantes negativos tanto de TAp73 como
de p53 (Di et al., 2013; Yoon et al., 2015). Esta interacción antagónica confiere a p73 una
función bimodal, cuyo resultado final depende del delicado equilibrio de expresión entre las
isoformas TAp73 y DNp73 (Zaika et al., 2002).
Más allá de sus funciones canónicas (Pflaum et al., 2014), los estudios realizados en
modelos de ratón deficientes en Trp73 han revelado funciones no canónicas únicas para p73
en el desarrollo. Los fenotipos observados en estos modelos, así como en ratones deficientes
de isoformas específicas (TAp73KO, DNp73KO y p73D13), muestran defectos severos en el
desarrollo y la organización de entornos tisulares complejos (Tabla 1) (Yang et al., 2000;
Tomasini et al., 2008; Tissir et al., 2009; Whilhelm et al., 2010; Marshall et al., 2016; Amelio
et al., 2020). Mientras que los ratones p73KO presentan infecciones crónicas, infertilidad,
hidrocefalia, hipoplasia cortical y disgenesia del hipocampo (Yang et al., 2000), los ratones
TAp73KO presentan fenotipos similares, pero menos graves, como infecciones de las vías
respiratorias, infertilidad y defectos del hipocampo (Tomasini et al., 2008). Los ratones
DNp73KO presentan fenotipos más leves, siendo la densidad neuronal cortical reducida la
anomalía más pronunciada (Tissir et al., 2009; Wilhelm et al., 2010). Asimismo, los ratones
p73D13 presentan déficits hipocampales similares a los TAp73KO (Amelio et al., 2020). Ciertos
defectos exclusivos de los ratones p73KO sugieren cierto grado de redundancia funcional
entre las isoformas TAp73 y DNp73.La ejecución de las actividades se ha realizado con cargo de un proyecto nacional financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (“Función de p73 en el adhesoma celular: implicaciones en morfogénesis vascular, angiogénesis y cáncer”; PID2019-105169RB-I00)
The fundamental frequency of stressed vowels in adverbs in -mente from a corpus of speeches in Canary Islands’ Parliament
Get PDF[ES] En este estudio se analiza la frecuencia fundamental (F0) de las vocales tónicas en
un corpus de adverbios en -mente procedente de las intervenciones parlamentarias de
tres diputadas grancanarias. A partir de la medición de este parámetro, se establecen
las características acústicas de las vocales tónicas, se determina qué condicionantes
inciden significativamente en él y se concretan qué factores de cada variable independiente contribuyen a la variabilidad de las variables dependientes. Esta investigación
supone un aporte al estudio de la caracterización acústica del español de Las Palmas de
Gran Canaria y, a su vez, a los trabajos sobre el lenguaje parlamentario y sus implicaturas en el campo de la lingüística.[EN] This study analyzes the fundamental frequency (F0) of stressed vowels in a corpus of
adverbs in -mente from the parliamentary speeches of three female deputies from Gran
Canaria. From the measurement of this parameter, the acoustic characteristics of the
tonic vowels are established, it is determined which conditioning factors have a significant
influence on it and it is specified which factors of each independent variable contribute to
the variability of the dependent variables. This research is a contribution to the study of the acoustic characterization of the Spanish of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and, in turn, to the
work on parliamentary language and its implications in the field of linguistics
Creating Brand Commitment and Brand Equity in International Food Companies Through Sustainability in European Countries
Get PDFOpen access funding provided by FEDER European Funds and the Junta de Castilla y León under the Research and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization (RIS3) of Castilla y León 2021-2027.[EN] This study investigates the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and customer brand equity (CBE) on brand commitment
(BCO) towards a leading international food company, employing a cross-cultural
comparison between Spain and France.
By addressing a key gap in the literature concerning the interactions between these constructs in the European context, particularly
among high-visibility
international brands in the food sector, this research offers new insights. For this purpose, data
were collected from brand consumers in 175 French supermarkets and 179 Spanish supermarkets using a random sampling
approach. The findings confirmed the significant direct influence of CSR and CBE on BCO, clarifying previously inconsistent
results related to these relationships in the European market. Additionally, the study highlights the moderating effect of country
of residence (COR) on both the CSR–BCO and CBE–BCO relationships, emphasising the need for context-sensitive
strategies.
Our results suggest that international food brands should adopt a dual approach: aligning CSR communication with core brand
competencies and tailoring integrated brand communication strategies to the cultural context of the target market.SIGuillermo Bermúdez-González gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Chair of Innovation and Smart Management for Green Transition 8.07/5.14.6273 (University of Malaga and Airzone) and from the Research Group SEJ-314 'SME Marketing Strategies' (PAIDI)