Knowledge Integration – Balancing Between Anarchy and Despotism

A central issue in knowledge integration is how to achieve and maintain an optimal trade-off between differentiation and commonalization of knowledge. Too much emphasis on either side aggravates the efficiency of integration. The purpose of this paper is to make an inquiry into the trade-off problem from a particular theoretical perspective called the Activity Domain Theory. Two constructs from this theory are employed: the activity domain and the activity modalities. The activity domain frames the social fabric around actors working towards a common target, and the activity modalities are suggested as main dimensions through which humans coordinate their actions. We will utilize these constructs in analyzing a case study from ABB, a leading supplier of high-voltage equipment all over the world. Our conclusions are two-fold. First, complete commonality enforcement clashes inevitably with activity domain internal ideology. Second, management means such as images, need to be aligned with the activity modalities in order to achieve an optimal balance between anarchy, i.e., no commonality at all, and despotism, i.e., complete commonality. Based on these results, we suggest that the Activity Domain Theory may open up previously untrodden paths for theorizing about knowledge integratio

AMP-activated protein kinase response to contractions and treatment with the AMPK activator AICAR in young adult and old skeletal muscle

One characteristic of ageing skeletal muscle is a decline in mitochondrial function. Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) occurs in response to an increased AMP/ATP ratio, which is one potential result of mitochondrial dysfunction. We have previously observed higher AMPK activity in old (O; 30 months) vs young adult (YA; 8 months) fast-twitch muscle in response to chronic overload. Here we tested the hypothesis that AMPK would also be hyperactivated in O vs YA fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus muscles from Fischer344× Brown Norway (FBN) rats (n= 8 per group) in response to high-frequency electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve (HFES) or injection of AICAR, an activator of AMPK. Muscles were harvested immediately after HFES (10 sets of six 3-s contractions, 10 s rest between contractions, 1 min rest between sets) or 1 h after AICAR injection (1 mg (g body weight)−1 subcutaneously). The phosphorylations of AMPKα and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC2; a downstream AMPK target) were both greatly increased (P≤ 0.05) in response to HFES in O muscles, but were either unresponsive (AMPK α) or much less responsive (ACC) in YA muscles. AMPK α2 activity was also greatly elevated in response to HFES in O muscles (but not YA muscles) despite a lower total AMPK α2 protein content in O vs YA muscles. In contrast, AMPK α2 activity was equally responsive to AICAR treatment in both age groups. Since mitochondrial content and/or efficiency could potentially underlie AMPK hyperactivation, we measured levels of mitochondrial proteins as well as citrate synthase (CS) activity. While CS activity was increased by 25% in O vs YA muscles, uncoupling protein-3 (UCP-3) protein level was upregulated with age by 353%. Thus, AMPK hyperactivation in response to contractile activity in aged fast-twitch muscle may be the result of compromised cellular energetics and not necessarily due to an inherent defect in responsiveness of the AMPK molecule per se

The science program of the TCV tokamak: Exploring fusion reactor and power plant concepts

TCV is acquiring a new 1 MW neutral beam and 2 MW additional third-harmonic electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) to expand its operational range. Its existing shaping and ECRH launching versatility was amply exploited in an eclectic 2013 campaign. A new sub-ms real-time equilibrium reconstruction code was used in ECRH control of NTMs and in a prototype shape controller. The detection of visible light from the plasma boundary was also successfully used in a position-control algorithm. A new bang-bang controller improved stability against vertical displacements. The RAPTOR real-time transport simulator was employed to control the current density profile using electron cyclotron current drive. Shot-by-shot internal inductance optimization was demonstrated by iterative learning control of the current reference trace. Systematic studies of suprathermal electrons and ions in the presence of ECRH were performed. The L-H threshold power was measured to be ∼50-75% higher in both H and He than D, to increase with the length of the outer separatrix, and to be independent of the current ramp rate. Core turbulence was found to decrease from positive to negative edge triangularity deep into the core. The geodesic acoustic mode was studied with multiple diagnostics, and its axisymmetry was confirmed by a full toroidal mapping of its magnetic component. A new theory predicting a toroidal rotation component at the plasma edge, driven by inhomogeneous transport and geodesic curvature, was tested successfully. A new high-confinement mode (IN-mode) was found with an edge barrier in density but not in temperature. The edge gradients were found to govern the scaling of confinement with current, power, density and triangularity. The dynamical interplay of confinement and magnetohydrodynamic modes leading to the density limit in TCV was documented. The heat flux profile decay lengths and heat load profile on the wall were documented in limited plasmas. In the snowflake (SF) divertor configuration the heat flux profiles were documented on all four strike points. SF simulations with the EMC3-EIRENE code, including the physics of the secondary separatrix, underestimate the flux to the secondary strike points, possibly resulting from steady-state E × B drifts. With neon injection, radiation in a SF was 15% higher than in a conventional divertor. The novel triple-null and X-divertor configurations were also achieved in TCV