Developing a new business model for enabling research - the case of the ACPFG in Australia

Publisher's postprint archived as permitted by publisher.The way in which companies, research centres and educational institutions are organised and structured may provide a competitive advantage for commercialisation, in particular if companies are dependent on the deployment of complementary assets and capabilities by third parties. This paper presents the case of the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG), a private agricultural biotechnology (agbiotech) company specialising in early stage Research and Development (R&D) to produce superior adapted cereal varieties, tolerant to abiotic stress conditions such as drought, frost, salt, or mineral toxicity, all of which have a direct and negative impact on plant growth and crop productivity. The organisational structure of the company has been influenced and shaped by Government policy, shareholders expectations and trends in the agbiotech industrial organisation. It has proved attractive to potential alliance partners for collaborative R&D and commercialisation. We present the ACPFG as a new business model to fund basic research and facilitate technology transfer.Stephanie C. Agius, David Corkindale, Antonio G. Dottore, Michael Gilber

Antenna sunshield membrane

An RF-transparent sunshield membrane covers an antenna reflector such as a parabolic dish. The blanket includes a single dielectric sheet of polyimide film 1/2-mil thick. The surface of the film facing away from the reflector is coated with a transparent electrically conductive coating such as vapor-deposited indium-tin oxide. The surface of the film facing the reflector is reinforced by an adhesively attached polyester or glass mesh, which in turn is coated with a white paint. In a particular embodiment of the invention, polyurethane paint is used. In another embodiment of the invention, a layer of paint primer is applied to the mesh under a silicone paint, and the silicone paint is cured after application for several days at room temperature to enhance adhesion to the primer

A Bioinspired Plasmonic Nanocomposite Actuator Sunlight-Driven by a Photothermal-Hygroscopic Effect for Sustainable Soft Robotics

Combined photothermal-hygroscopic effects enable novel materials actuation strategies based on renewable and sustainable energy sources such as sunlight. Plasmonic nanoparticles have gained considerable interest as photothermal agents, however, the employment in sunlight-driven photothermal-hygroscopic actuators is still bounded, mainly due to the limited absorbance once integrated into nanocomposite actuators and the restricted plasmonic peaks amplitude (compared to the solar spectrum). Herein, the design and fabrication of an AgNPs-based plasmonic photothermal-hygroscopic actuator integrated with printed cellulose tracks are reported (bioinspired to Geraniaceae seeds structures). The nanocomposite is actuated by sunlight power density (i.e., 1 Sun = 100 mW cm−2). The plasmonic AgNPs are in situ synthesized on the PDMS surface through a one-step and efficient fluoride-assisted synthesis (surface coverage ≈40%). The nanocomposite has a broadband absorbance in the VIS range (>1) and a Photothermal Conversion Efficiency ≈40%. The actuator is designed exploiting a mechanical model that predicted the curvature and forces, featuring a ≈6.8 ± 0.3 s response time, associated with a ≈43% change in curvature and a 0.76 ± 0.02 mN force under 1 Sun irradiation. The plasmonic nanocomposite actuator can be used for multiple tasks, as hinted through illustrative soft robotics demonstrators, thus fostering a bioinspired approach to developing embodied energy systems driven by sunlight

High yield production of a soluble human interleukin-3 variant from E. coli with wild-type bioactivity and improved radiolabeling properties

Human interleukin-3 (hIL-3) is a polypeptide growth factor that regulates the proliferation, differentiation, survival and function of hematopoietic progenitors and many mature blood cell lineages. Although recombinant hIL-3 is a widely used laboratory reagent in hematology, standard methods for its preparation, including those employed by commercial suppliers, remain arduous owing to a reliance on refolding insoluble protein expressed in E. coli. In addition, wild-type hIL-3 is a poor substrate for radio-iodination, which has been a long-standing hindrance to its use in receptor binding assays. To overcome these problems, we developed a method for expression of hIL-3 in E. coli as a soluble protein, with typical yields of >3mg of purified hIL-3 per litre of shaking microbial culture. Additionally, we introduced a non-native tyrosine residue into our hIL-3 analog, which allowed radio-iodination to high specific activities for receptor binding studies whilst not compromising bioactivity. The method presented herein provides a cost-effective and convenient route to milligram quantities of a hIL-3 analog with wild-type bioactivity that, unlike wild-type hIL‑3, can be efficiently radio-iodinated for receptor binding studies.Timothy R. Hercus, Emma F. Barry, Mara Dottore, Barbara J. McClure, Andrew I. Webb, Angel F. Lopez, Ian G. Young, James M. Murph

A plant-inspired robot with soft differential bending capabilities

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Applying knowledge management concepts to engage students in an undergraduate online learning community

This article presents a case study of blended learning and teaching in an undergraduate course in business economics. The online component was used as a live experiment in knowledge management, with volunteer students forming a Knowledge Management Committee (KMC) to work with the Lecturer, who took on the role of Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO). This experience is analysed in the context of the literature on organisational learning and communities of practice, with particular focus on common identity and common bonding in online communities. Evaluation of the Case within the theoretical context developed, argues for the adoption of a knowledge management approach, with program level online communication, as well as course-specific websites. There is scant evidence of this approach in the Engineering education literature. Peculiarities of each setting also argue for ongoing monitoring of the education experience, through qualitative and quantitative methods.Antonio Dottor

External orientation and business model adaptation in young and nascent firms: preliminary analysis from the CAUSEE project

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Applying knowledge management concepts to engage students in an undergraduate online learning community

This article presents a case study of blended learning and teaching in an undergraduate course in business economics. The online component was used as a live experiment in knowledge management, with volunteer students forming a Knowledge Management Committee (KMC) to work with the Lecturer, who took on the role of Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO). This experience is analysed in the context of the literature on organisational learning and communities of practice, with particular focus on common identity and common bonding in online communities. Evaluation of the Case within the theoretical context developed, argues for the adoption of a knowledge management approach, with program level online communication, as well as course-specific websites. There is scant evidence of this approach in the Engineering education literature. Peculiarities of each setting also argue for ongoing monitoring of the education experience, through qualitative and quantitative methods.Antonio Dottor