R&D ALLIANCE PARTNER ATTRIBUTES AND INNOVATION PERFORMANCE: A FUZZY SET QUALITATIVE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Because R&D alliances are important means for fostering firm innovation performance, research has investigated their key drivers. However, multiple configurations of R&D alliance drivers may lead to firm innovation performance. Drawing upon the knowledge-based view of alliances, we investigate configurations of R&D alliance factors leading to high innovation performance in allied firms by focusing on partner attributes (i.e., technological relatedness, competitive overlap, experience, relative size). Then, using a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis, we dissect the configurations of these factors in 27 R&D alliances formed by 54 telecom firms worldwide. We find that good R&D alliance partners are technologically related competitors with no experience in forming R&D alliances. Alternatively, competitors can achieve high innovation performance when they have experience in doing R&D alliances and are not technologically related. Drawing on these findings, we submit a set of propositions with relevant implications for the knowledge-based view of alliances and coopetition research

A biofeedback cycling training to improve locomotion: a case series study based on gait pattern classification of 153 chronic stroke patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The restoration of walking ability is the main goal of post-stroke lower limb rehabilitation and different studies suggest that pedaling may have a positive effect on locomotion. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of a biofeedback pedaling treatment and its effects on cycling and walking ability in chronic stroke patients. A case series study was designed and participants were recruited based on a gait pattern classification of a population of 153 chronic stroke patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In order to optimize participants selection, a k-means cluster analysis was performed to subgroup homogenous gait patterns in terms of gait speed and symmetry.</p> <p>The training consisted of a 2-week treatment of 6 sessions. A visual biofeedback helped the subjects in maintaining a symmetrical contribution of the two legs during pedaling. Participants were assessed before, after training and at follow-up visits (one week after treatment). Outcome measures were the unbalance during a pedaling test, and the temporal, spatial, and symmetry parameters during gait analysis.</p> <p>Results and discussion</p> <p>Three clusters, mainly differing in terms of gait speed, were identified and participants, representative of each cluster, were selected.</p> <p>An intra-subject statistical analysis (ANOVA) showed that all patients significantly decreased the pedaling unbalance after treatment and maintained significant improvements with respect to baseline at follow-up. The 2-week treatment induced some modifications in the gait pattern of two patients: one, the most impaired, significantly improved mean velocity and increased gait symmetry; the other one reduced significantly the over-compensation of the healthy limb. No benefits were produced in the gait of the last subject who maintained her slow but almost symmetrical pattern. Thus, this study might suggest that the treatment can be beneficial for patients having a very asymmetrical and inefficient gait and for those that overuse the healthy leg.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results demonstrated that the treatment is feasible and it might be effective in translating progresses from pedaling to locomotion. If these results are confirmed on a larger and controlled scale, the intervention, thanks to its safety and low price, could have a significant impact as a home- rehabilitation treatment for chronic stroke patients.</p

Relationship between retinal microvascular impairment and subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE

objectives: patients with SLE have higher cardiovascular (CV) risk compared with healthy controls (HC) and are characterised by accelerated atherosclerosis; intima media thickness (IMT), marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, is higher in patients with SLE than in HCs. Retinal microvascular impairment detected through optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was investigated as a marker of systemic vascular involvement in SLE.the aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between retinal vascular impairment and IMT in SLE. methods: cross-sectional study recruiting patients with SLE and HCs. Data of the study population were collected. CV risk was evaluated through the american college of cardiology/american heart association (ACC/AHA) guidelines, framingham and QRESEARCH risk estimator V.3 (QRISK3) scores. Both groups underwent OCTA and carotid ultrasound with IMT assessment.Statistical analysis was accomplished using Pearson/Spearman, t-test/Mann-Whitney or χ2 test. Variables statistically significant at univariate regression analysis were tested in an age-corrected and sex-corrected multivariate regression model. results: 43 patients with SLE and 34 HCs were recruited.patients with SLE showed higher triglycerides (p=0.019), triglycerides-glucose (TyG) Index (p=0.035), ACC/AHA guidelines (p=0.001), Framingham Risk Scores (p=0.008) and a reduced superficial (p&lt;0.001) and deep (p=0.005) whole retinal vessel density (VD) compared with HCs.In SLE univariate analysis, deep whole VD showed a negative correlation with IMT (p=0.027), age (p=0.001), systolic blood pressure (p=0.011), QRISK3 Score (p&lt;0.001), systemic lupus international collaborating clinics damage index (p=0.006) and apolipoprotein B (p=0.021), while a positive correlation was found with female sex (p=0.029). Age-adjusted and sex-adjusted multivariate analysis confirmed QRISK3 score (p=0.049) and IMT (p=0.039) to be independent risk factors for reduced retinal VD. conclusions: patients with SLE showed lower retinal VD and higher CV risk indicators compared with HCs. Among patients with SLE, QRISK3 Score and IMT were found to be independent risk factors for retinal vascular impairment, suggesting a role of OCTA in evaluating preclinical CV involvement in SLE. moreover, TyG index could represent a biomarker of CV risk in patients with SLE compared with HCs

La producción de conocimiento interdisciplinario en la Universidad de la República (Uruguay): oportunidades y desafíos para el estudio de los encuentros entre disciplinas

La Universidad de la República (UdelaR) ha desarrollado y consolidado programas y proyectos que buscan impulsar transformaciones sustantivas en las modalidades de producción de conocimiento. Entre estos cambios se registra el fomento hacia la investigación interdisciplinaria a través de la creación del Espacio Interdisciplinario (EI) y de diversos centros interdisciplinarios que cuentan con un apoyo financiero significativo. Este trabajo presenta los avances del proyecto de investigación titulado La producción de conocimiento interdisciplinario en la Universidad de la República: modalidades, integración y procesos de evaluación, financiado por la UdelaR y en fase de ejecución desde abril del presente año. Tiene como objetivo central aportar una mayor comprensión de los problemas en la producción de conocimiento interdisciplinario a nivel universitario y de los aprendizajes alcanzados. Se busca, además, analizar las formas y características que adquiere la integración disciplinaria, las modalidades de trabajo y la evaluación interdisciplinarias en la UdelaR. A partir del examen de los aspectos estratégicos e institucionales se pretende contribuir al diseño fundamentado de instrumentos de promoción y de evaluación. Para ello, se adopta una metodología de investigación a través de casos de estudio con una estrategia cualitativa y cuantitativa, con énfasis en la triangulación. Esta investigación reviste relevancia dado que hasta el momento son pocos los estudios disponibles en Uruguay, y en la región, que contengan recomendaciones para el diseño de políticas de apoyo y gestión de la investigación interdisciplinaria. Se exponen las discusiones teórico-conceptuales que orientan las dimensiones de análisis que se utilizan en la investigación.Mesa 3: Métricas de información científica y tecnológicaDepartamento de Bibliotecologí

La producción de conocimiento interdisciplinario en la Universidad de la República (Uruguay): oportunidades y desafíos para el estudio de los encuentros entre disciplinas

La Universidad de la República (UdelaR) ha desarrollado y consolidado programas y proyectos que buscan impulsar transformaciones sustantivas en las modalidades de producción de conocimiento. Entre estos cambios se registra el fomento hacia la investigación interdisciplinaria a través de la creación del Espacio Interdisciplinario (EI) y de diversos centros interdisciplinarios que cuentan con un apoyo financiero significativo. Este trabajo presenta los avances del proyecto de investigación titulado La producción de conocimiento interdisciplinario en la Universidad de la República: modalidades, integración y procesos de evaluación, financiado por la UdelaR y en fase de ejecución desde abril del presente año. Tiene como objetivo central aportar una mayor comprensión de los problemas en la producción de conocimiento interdisciplinario a nivel universitario y de los aprendizajes alcanzados. Se busca, además, analizar las formas y características que adquiere la integración disciplinaria, las modalidades de trabajo y la evaluación interdisciplinarias en la UdelaR. A partir del examen de los aspectos estratégicos e institucionales se pretende contribuir al diseño fundamentado de instrumentos de promoción y de evaluación. Para ello, se adopta una metodología de investigación a través de casos de estudio con una estrategia cualitativa y cuantitativa, con énfasis en la triangulación. Esta investigación reviste relevancia dado que hasta el momento son pocos los estudios disponibles en Uruguay, y en la región, que contengan recomendaciones para el diseño de políticas de apoyo y gestión de la investigación interdisciplinaria. Se exponen las discusiones teórico-conceptuales que orientan las dimensiones de análisis que se utilizan en la investigación.Mesa 3: Métricas de información científica y tecnológicaDepartamento de Bibliotecologí

La producción de conocimiento interdisciplinario en la Universidad de la República (Uruguay): oportunidades y desafíos para el estudio de los encuentros entre disciplinas

La Universidad de la República (UdelaR) ha desarrollado y consolidado programas y proyectos que buscan impulsar transformaciones sustantivas en las modalidades de producción de conocimiento. Entre estos cambios se registra el fomento hacia la investigación interdisciplinaria a través de la creación del Espacio Interdisciplinario (EI) y de diversos centros interdisciplinarios que cuentan con un apoyo financiero significativo. Este trabajo presenta los avances del proyecto de investigación titulado La producción de conocimiento interdisciplinario en la Universidad de la República: modalidades, integración y procesos de evaluación, financiado por la UdelaR y en fase de ejecución desde abril del presente año. Tiene como objetivo central aportar una mayor comprensión de los problemas en la producción de conocimiento interdisciplinario a nivel universitario y de los aprendizajes alcanzados. Se busca, además, analizar las formas y características que adquiere la integración disciplinaria, las modalidades de trabajo y la evaluación interdisciplinarias en la UdelaR. A partir del examen de los aspectos estratégicos e institucionales se pretende contribuir al diseño fundamentado de instrumentos de promoción y de evaluación. Para ello, se adopta una metodología de investigación a través de casos de estudio con una estrategia cualitativa y cuantitativa, con énfasis en la triangulación. Esta investigación reviste relevancia dado que hasta el momento son pocos los estudios disponibles en Uruguay, y en la región, que contengan recomendaciones para el diseño de políticas de apoyo y gestión de la investigación interdisciplinaria. Se exponen las discusiones teórico-conceptuales que orientan las dimensiones de análisis que se utilizan en la investigación.Mesa 3: Métricas de información científica y tecnológicaDepartamento de Bibliotecologí

Functional reconstitution of HBV-specific CD8 T cells by in vitro polyphenol treatment in chronic hepatitis B.

Background & aims In chronic HBV infection, mitochondrial functions and proteostasis are dysregulated in exhausted HBV-specific CD8 T cells. To better characterise the potential involvement of deregulated protein degradation mechanisms in T cell exhaustion, we analysed lysosome-mediated autophagy in HBV-specific CD8 T cells. Bioactive compounds able to simultaneously target both mitochondrial functions and proteostasis were tested to identify optimal combination strategies to reconstitute efficient antiviral CD8 T cell responses in patients with chronic HBV infection. Methods Lysosome-mediated degradation pathways were analysed by flow cytometry in virus-specific CD8 T cells from patients with chronic HBV infection. Mitochondrial function, intracellular proteostasis, and cytokine production were evaluated in HBV-peptide-stimulated T cell cultures, in the presence or absence of the polyphenols resveratrol (RSV) and oleuropein (OLE) and their metabolites, either alone or in combination with other bioactive compounds. Results HBV-specific CD8 T cells from patients with CHB showed impaired autophagic flux. RSV and OLE elicited a significant improvement in mitochondrial, proteostasis and antiviral functions in CD8 T cells. Cytokine production was also enhanced by synthetic metabolites, which correspond to those generated by RSV and OLE metabolism in vivo, suggesting that these polyphenols may also display an effect after transformation in vivo. Moreover, polyphenolic compounds improved the T cell revitalising effect of mitochondria-targeted antioxidants and of programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 blockade. Conclusions Simultaneously targeting multiple altered intracellular pathways with the combination of mitochondria-targeted antioxidants and natural polyphenols may represent a promising immune reconstitution strategy for the treatment of chronic HBV infection. Lay summary In chronic hepatitis B, antiviral T lymphocytes are deeply impaired, with many altered intracellular functions. In vitro exposure to polyphenols, such as resveratrol and oleuropein, can correct some of the deregulated intracellular pathways and improve antiviral T cell function. This effect can be further strengthened by the association of polyphenols with antioxidant compounds in a significant proportion of patients. Thus, the combination of antioxidants and natural polyphenols represents a promising strategy for chronic hepatitis B therapy

Residual peripheral blood CD26+leukemic stem cells in chronic myeloid leukemia patients during TKI therapy and during treatment-free remission

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients in sustained “deep molecular response” may stop TKI treatment without disease recurrence; however, half of them lose molecular response shortly after TKI withdrawing. Well-defined eligibility criteria to predict a safe discontinuation up-front are still missing. Relapse is probably due to residual quiescent TKI-resistant leukemic stem cells (LSCs) supposedly transcriptionally low/silent and not easily detectable by BCR-ABL1 qRT-PCR. Bone marrow Ph+ CML CD34+/CD38− LSCs were found to specifically co-express CD26 (dipeptidylpeptidase-IV). We explored feasibility of detecting and quantifying CD26+ LSCs by flow cytometry in peripheral blood (PB). Over 400 CML patients (at diagnosis and during/after therapy) entered this cross-sectional study in which CD26 expression was evaluated by a standardized multiparametric flow cytometry analysis on PB CD45+/CD34+/CD38− stem cell population. All 120 CP-CML patients at diagnosis showed measurable PB CD26+ LSCs (median 19.20/μL, range 0.27–698.6). PB CD26+ LSCs were also detectable in 169/236 (71.6%) CP-CML patients in first-line TKI treatment (median 0.014 cells/μL; range 0.0012–0.66) and in 74/112 (66%), additional patients studied on treatment-free remission (TFR) (median 0.015/μL; range 0.006–0.76). Notably, no correlation between BCR-ABL/ABLIS ratio and number of residual LSCs was found both in patients on or off TKIs. This is the first evidence that “circulating” CML LSCs persist in the majority of CML patients in molecular response while on TKI treatment and even after TKI discontinuation. Prospective studies evaluating the dynamics of PB CD26+ LSCs during TKI treatment and the role of a “stem cell response” threshold to achieve and maintain TFR are ongoing

Acute Delta Hepatitis in Italy spanning three decades (1991–2019): Evidence for the effectiveness of the hepatitis B vaccination campaign

Updated incidence data of acute Delta virus hepatitis (HDV) are lacking worldwide. Our aim was to evaluate incidence of and risk factors for acute HDV in Italy after the introduction of the compulsory vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 1991. Data were obtained from the National Surveillance System of acute viral hepatitis (SEIEVA). Independent predictors of HDV were assessed by logistic-regression analysis. The incidence of acute HDV per 1-million population declined from 3.2 cases in 1987 to 0.04 in 2019, parallel to that of acute HBV per 100,000 from 10.0 to 0.39 cases during the same period. The median age of cases increased from 27 years in the decade 1991-1999 to 44 years in the decade 2010-2019 (p &lt; .001). Over the same period, the male/female ratio decreased from 3.8 to 2.1, the proportion of coinfections increased from 55% to 75% (p = .003) and that of HBsAg positive acute hepatitis tested for by IgM anti-HDV linearly decreased from 50.1% to 34.1% (p &lt; .001). People born abroad accounted for 24.6% of cases in 2004-2010 and 32.1% in 2011-2019. In the period 2010-2019, risky sexual behaviour (O.R. 4.2; 95%CI: 1.4-12.8) was the sole independent predictor of acute HDV; conversely intravenous drug use was no longer associated (O.R. 1.25; 95%CI: 0.15-10.22) with this. In conclusion, HBV vaccination was an effective measure to control acute HDV. Intravenous drug use is no longer an efficient mode of HDV spread. Testing for IgM-anti HDV is a grey area requiring alert. Acute HDV in foreigners should be monitored in the years to come

Variants within the immunoregulatory CBLB gene are associated with multiple sclerosis

A genome wide association scan of ~6.6 million genotyped or imputed variants in 882 Sardinian Multiple Sclerosis (MS) cases and 872 controls suggested association of CBLB gene variants with disease, which was confirmed in 1,775 cases and 2,005 controls (overall P =1.60 × 10-10). CBLB encodes a negative regulator of adaptive immune responses and mice lacking the orthologue are prone to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the animal model of MS