Towards a holistic framework of design competence

This article focuses on the development of a holistic competence framework that highlights the relationship between knowledge, attitude, skill and capability within the field of design management and design led innovation. Whilst individual expertise in the aforementioned attributes are important to individual performance, it is argued that becoming an expert in design ultimately originates from a combination of these attributes and the ability to apply them in any given context. The article derives a framework through a systematic review of the design competence literature, before applying this framework to a case study based on a postgraduate design project. The case study provides an insight into the competence held and developed by individuals at a postgraduate level multidisciplinary design-led innovation practice course, providing a foundation for future study in the area. The framework is capable of mapping the transition of competence from the novice designer to an expert who has mastered the ability to apply competence to any given context and as such offers a unique insight into design competence, given that current models primarily focus on education alone with little discussion of transition into design management, design-led innovation and its practice

Understanding the dynamics of attitudes within a design and business focused collaboration

This paper aims to advance understanding about design’s unique contributions within collaborations between the disciplines of design and business. Collaboration between design and business functions is increasingly utilised as organisations seek to capitalise on a variety of knowledge and perspectives during the innovation process. Despite this increasing prevalence, the discipline of design can often be misunderstood by other disciplines within this particular interdisciplinary scenario due to the implicit knowledge that is central to the nature of design, which is often intangible and tacit in nature, yet provides designers with the capability to propose novel solutions to complex problem situations. This paper takes a deeper look at design attitude, which has previously been suggested to be one of the differentiators between design and other disciplines. The paper reflects on the results of a case study focusing on a collaboration between a multinational consumer goods company and a team of postgraduate students working out of a UK University. Data was obtained through observation, a reflective workshop and repertory grid based interviews. The originality of the paper lies in the way in which it categorises attitudes of different disciplines, in order to capture aspects of the design attitude that appear to be both unique and difficult for business focused people to adopt.Keywords: design attitude, multidisciplinary innovation, design knowledge

Double-loop reflective practice as an approach to understanding knowledge and experience.

The main aim of this paper is to consider the way in which reflective practice can assist practitioners in better understanding their individual knowledge and experience. Transitioning from a design novice to a design expert is described as a vague process, in which reflective practice can offer a level of understanding that provides an important insight into professional development within design. Through a comparison of two methods of reflection and analysis of reflective practice data, it is argued that repertory grid interviews have the potential to be a catalyst for double loop learning within individuals; providing people with a platform to reflect on their beliefs and values in addition to their approach towards problem solving. This argument is based on the ability of repertory grids to uncover some of the implicit knowledge developed by designers, which is a distinct advantage to alternative methods of reflection and which is necessary to improve professional practice understanding and learning

The Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) in 2-to 4-year-old Children: Effects of Acute Nighttime Sleep Restriction, Wake Time, and Daytime Napping

The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is presumed critically important for healthy adaptation. The current literature, however, is hampered by systematic measurement difficulties relative to awakening, especially with young children. While reports suggest the CAR is smaller in children than adults, well-controlled research in early childhood is scarce. We examined whether robust CARs exist in 2- to 4-year-old children and if sleep restriction, wake timing, and napping influence the CAR (n?=?7). During a 25-day in-home protocol, researchers collected four salivary cortisol samples (0, 15, 30, 45?min post-wake) following five polysomnographic sleep recordings on nonconsecutive days after 4?hr (morning nap), 7?hr (afternoon nap), 10?hr (evening nap), 13?hr (baseline night), and 16?hr (sleep restriction night) of wakefulness (20 samples/child). The CAR was robust after nighttime sleep, diminished after sleep restriction, and smaller but distinct after morning and afternoon (not evening) naps. Cortisol remained elevated 45?min after morning and afternoon naps. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 54:412422, 2012

Antihypertensive treatment in people with dementia

Introduction The range and magnitude of potential benefits and harms of antihypertensive treatment in people with dementia has not been previously established. Method A scoping review to identify potential domains of benefits and harms of antihypertensive therapy in people with dementia was undertaken. Systematic reviews of these domains were undertaken to examine the magnitude of the benefits or harms. Results Potential outcome domains identified in the 155 papers in the scoping review were cardio-vascular events, falls, fractures and syncope, depression, orthostatic hypotension, behavioural disturbances, polypharmacy risks, kidney problems, sleep problems, interactions with cholinesterase inhibitors and pain. The systematic reviews across these domains identified relatively few studies done in people with dementia, and no convincing evidence of safety, benefit or harm across any of them. Discussion There is no justification for materially different guidance for the treatment of hypertension in people with dementia, but sufficient evidence to warrant particular caution and further research into treatment in this group of patients

Pleiotropic effect of the proton pump inhibitor esomeprazole leading to suppression of lung inflammation and fibrosis

Background: The beneficial outcome associated with the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has been reported in retrospective studies. To date, no prospective study has been conducted to confirm these outcomes. In addition, the potential mechanism by which PPIs improve measures of lung function and/or transplant-free survival in IPF has not been elucidated. Methods: Here, we used biochemical, cell biological and preclinical studies to evaluate regulation of markers associated with inflammation and fibrosis. In our in vitro studies, we exposed primary lung fibroblasts, epithelial and endothelial cells to ionizing radiation or bleomycin; stimuli typically used to induce inflammation and fibrosis. In addition, we cultured lung fibroblasts from IPF patients and studied the effect of esomeprazole on collagen release. Our preclinical study tested efficacy of esomeprazole in a rat model of bleomycin-induced lung injury. Furthermore, we performed retrospective analysis of interstitial lung disease (ILD) databases to examine the effect of PPIs on transplant-free survival. Results: The cell culture studies revealed that esomeprazole controls inflammation by suppressing the expression of pro-inflammatory molecules including vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukins (IL-1 beta and IL-6). The antioxidant effect is associated with strong induction of the stress-inducible cytoprotective protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO1) and the antifibrotic effect is associated with potent inhibition of fibroblast proliferation as well as downregulation of profibrotic proteins including receptors for transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta), fibronectin and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Furthermore, esomeprazole showed robust effect in mitigating the inflammatory and fibrotic responses in a murine model of acute lung injury. Finally, retrospective analysis of two ILD databases was performed to assess the effect of PPIs on transplant-free survival in IPF patients. Intriguingly, this data demonstrated that IPF patients on PPIs had prolonged survival over controls (median survival of 3.4 vs 2 years). Conclusions: Overall, these data indicate the possibility that PPIs may have protective function in IPF by directly modulating the disease process and suggest that they may have other clinical utility in the treatment of extra-intestinal diseases characterized by inflammatory and/or fibrotic phases.Stanford School of Medicine [1049528-149- KAVFB]; Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program of the University of California [20FT-0090]; National Institutes of Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [5K01HL118683, P01HL114470]; Houston Methodist Research Institute [25150001]; Stanford SPARK Translational Research ProgramSCI(E)[email protected]