Management innovation – the study of views and the concept of methodology of independent research

Purpose: The article is aimed at ordering the views about management innovativeness and the ways of measuring it, as well as presenting the general idea of the original methodology of assessing the enterprise managing system (MS). Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents the results of stage analyses concerning management innovativeness confronted with the results of studies in diagnostics and managing system designing. Findings: The main effect of the achievement is the idea of the multi-dimensional MS innovativeness model, constituting the key component of the original methodology. That model was created through overlapping seven components of managing innovativeness on six MS subsystems, thus identifying 42 areas of formulating assessment criteria. Research limitations/implications: The proposed assessment criteria for MS innovativeness in isolated areas, however, the practical application of methodology will require giving measurable indicator form to these criteria. Practical implications: The presented methodology will provide for multi-criteria assessment of innovativeness level in enterprise MS and seeking its connections with the characteristics of organizational context and enterprise effectiveness. Originality/value: The article presents the original idea of methodology applied diagnosing the innovativeness of management system

Biodiversity of multiple Pregnancy-Associated Glycoprotein (PAG) family: gene cloning and chorionic protein purification in domestic and wild eutherians (Placentalia) – a review

This review presents a broad overview of chorionic glycoproteins encoded by the Pregnancy-Associated Glycoprotein (PAG) gene family and also serves to illustrate how the recent discovery of the PAG family has contributed to our general knowledge of genome evolution, placental transcription and placental protein expression. The complex and large PAG family is restricted to the Artiodactyla order, although single PAG-like genes have also been identified in species outside the Artiodactyla. The PAGs are members of the aspartic proteinase (AP) superfamily. Unexpectedly, however, some members of the PAG family possess amino acid substitutions within and around the active site that likely render them unable to act as proteinases. This paper summarises the available information regarding biodiversity of PAG gene expression based on cDNA cloning, mRNA localisation studies and the structural organisation of the PAG genes with a particular emphasis on PAG promoters. It also compares available data regarding PAG protein purifications, sequencing and their N-glycodiversity. Finally, it discusses the scientific relevance, possible functional roles of the PAGs and describes possible profitable applications related to the detection of PAG proteins in the blood of pregnant domestic and wild species

SUMMARY

Porcine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein family (pPAGs)- as in vitro-produced chorionic ligands for luteal and uterine gonadotropin receptor

Multiple forms of Pregnancy-Associated Glycoproteins released in vitro by porcine chorion or placentomal and interplacentomal explants of wild and domestic ruminants.

peer reviewedCharacterization of the Pregnancy-Associated Glycoproteins (PAG) is important for studies of reproduction of various eutherian domestic, wild and endangered mammals. Distinct chorionic PAG genes are expressed in embryo-origin cells: pre-placental trophoblast (TR) and in placental trophectoderm (TRD) of various entherians. This study demonstrates in vitro production of the PAG proteins during long-term cultures of various chorionic explants: porcine TR or TRD, cotyledonary (CT) of European bison (Eb), and CT or intercotyledonary (intCT)-TRD of the cattle. Chorionic proteins isolated from media were analyzed by homologous or heterologous Western immunoblotting with anti-PAG sera, raised against cellular bovine or secretory porcine antigens. Used anti-PAG sera identified diverse molecular forms of released PAG proteins: 43-69 kDa for EbPAG proteins, 40-85 kDa for bovine PAG (bPAG), and 43-73 kDa for porcine PAG (pPAG). Immunoblotting revealed also that both CT and intCT-TRD explants secreted equivalent amounts of bPAG proteins. This useful system of in vitro protein production can provide native chorionic PAG proteins with placental unique carbohydrate chains. The PAG proteins are required as standard markers for diagnostic tests of pregnancy in domestic and wild mammals, in which seasonal reproductive processes are relatively difficult to control

The Nitrogen Fixation and Yielding of Pea in Different Soil Tillage Systems

The field experiment was carried out in 2013 and 2014 as part of a long-term experiment to test the influence of different soil tillage systems (conventional, reduced, direct sowing) on (a) the yield of summer pea (Pisum sativum L.) and (b) the amount of biologically reduced atmospheric nitrogen (N), which was determined using the 15N dilution method (ID15N). Spring barley was used as a reference plant. Climatic conditions did not have a significant influence on the yield of pea seeds (mean value 4.56 t ha−1), post-harvest residues (3.76 t ha−1) and total biomass (8.33 t ha−1). Soil tillage system was found to have a significant impact on all components of the pea yield in years of experiment, with the highest average seed yield values observed with the conventional system (5.19 t ha−1) and significantly lower values observed with reduced tillage (4.34 t ha−1) and direct sowing (4.17 t ha−1). The content of total N was greatest in the pea biomass that was harvested in the conventional system (202 kg ha−1) and lowest with direct sowing (155 kg ha−1). Nitrogen accumulated in the pea seeds from three sources: atmosphere (mean value 35.2%), fertilizers (6.8%) and soil (57.9%), equating to 48.6, 9.9, and 85.4 kg ha−1, respectively. Soil tillage system was found to have a significant impact on the amount of N that was fixed from the atmosphere by the peas: 17.7% in conventional tillage, 37.9 in reduced system and 50.2% in direct sowing, which equates to a harvested seed yield of 28.9, 52.0 and 64.4 kg ha−1, respectively. In the post-harvest residues, the amount of N fixed from the atmosphere by the pea crop was also modified by the soil tillage system in range: 20.2% in conventional tillage and 32.6% in direct sowing (which equates to 7.4 and 8.5 kg N ha−1, respectively), but the difference was not significant

Identification of Placental Aspartic Proteinase in the Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber L.)

Aspartic proteinases (AP) form a multigenic group widely distributed in various organisms and includes pepsins (pep), cathepsins D and E, pregnancy associated glycoproteins (PAGs) as well as plant, fungal, and retroviral proteinases. This study describes the transcript identification and expression localization of the AP within the discoid placenta of the Castor fiber. We identified 1257 bp of the AP cDNA sequence, encoding 391 amino acids (aa) of the polypeptide precursor composed of 16 aa signal peptide, 46 aa pro-piece, and 329 aa of the mature protein. Within the AP precursor, one site of potential N-glycosylation (NPS119–121) and two Asp residues (D) specific for the catalytic cleft of AP were identified (VLFDTGSSNLWV91–102 and GIVDTGTSLLTV277–288). The highest homology of the identified placental AP nucleotide and aa sequence was to mouse pepsinogen C (75.8% and 70.1%, respectively). Identified AP also shared high homology with other superfamily members: PAGs, cathepsins, and napsins. The AP identified in this study was named as pepsinogen/PAG-Like (pep/PAG-L). Diversified pep/PAG-L protein profiles with a dominant 58 kDa isoform were identified. Immune reactive signals of the pep/PAG-L were localized within the trophectodermal cells of the beaver placenta. This is the first report describing the placental AP (pep/PAG-L) in the C. fiber

Changes in the quality characteristics of raspberry fruit due to mechanical vibrations and storage conditions

The paper presents the results of a study investigating a mechanical impact, in the form of vibrations, on the overall quality of raspberry fruits after harvest, in view of the conditions of their transport to the consumer and the processing plant. The degree of compaction of the raspberry fruit layer was determined during a test carried out under laboratory conditions, and the amount of juice leakage, resulting from the vibrations to which the raspberries were subjected, was measured. It was demonstrated that the quantity (mass) of juice leakage was considerably affected by the mechanical impact, in the form of vibrations, exerted on a layer of raspberry fruits. The leakage was smaller in cooled fruits, and significantly greater in fruits that were not subjected to cooling immediately after harvest, and were stored under ambient conditions

The Nitrogen Fixation and Yielding of Pea in Different Soil Tillage Systems

The field experiment was carried out in 2013 and 2014 as part of a long-term experiment to test the influence of different soil tillage systems (conventional, reduced, direct sowing) on (a) the yield of summer pea (Pisum sativum L.) and (b) the amount of biologically reduced atmospheric nitrogen (N), which was determined using the 15N dilution method (ID15N). Spring barley was used as a reference plant. Climatic conditions did not have a significant influence on the yield of pea seeds (mean value 4.56 t ha−1), post-harvest residues (3.76 t ha−1) and total biomass (8.33 t ha−1). Soil tillage system was found to have a significant impact on all components of the pea yield in years of experiment, with the highest average seed yield values observed with the conventional system (5.19 t ha−1) and significantly lower values observed with reduced tillage (4.34 t ha−1) and direct sowing (4.17 t ha−1). The content of total N was greatest in the pea biomass that was harvested in the conventional system (202 kg ha−1) and lowest with direct sowing (155 kg ha−1). Nitrogen accumulated in the pea seeds from three sources: atmosphere (mean value 35.2%), fertilizers (6.8%) and soil (57.9%), equating to 48.6, 9.9, and 85.4 kg ha−1, respectively. Soil tillage system was found to have a significant impact on the amount of N that was fixed from the atmosphere by the peas: 17.7% in conventional tillage, 37.9 in reduced system and 50.2% in direct sowing, which equates to a harvested seed yield of 28.9, 52.0 and 64.4 kg ha−1, respectively. In the post-harvest residues, the amount of N fixed from the atmosphere by the pea crop was also modified by the soil tillage system in range: 20.2% in conventional tillage and 32.6% in direct sowing (which equates to 7.4 and 8.5 kg N ha−1, respectively), but the difference was not significant

Immunolocalisation of oestrogen receptors alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ) in porcine embryos and fetuses at different stages of gestation

The sites of oestrogen action can be shown by the localisation of their receptors in the target tissues. The aim of the present study was to show the localisation of oestrogen receptors in porcine embryos and fetuses obtained on days 18, 22, 32, 40, 50, 60, 71 and 90 post coitum (p.c.). The visualisation of proteins was conducted in embryos and various fetal organs such as gonads, uterus, lung, kidney, intestine and adrenal gland. Both ERs were observed in the blastocysts on day 18 p.c. In the male, ERβ was detected in the testis and epididymis, whereas ERα was present in the efferent ductules. In the female, ERβ was detected in the ovarian stromal cells investing the oocyte nests, while ERα protein was detected in the surface epithelium. In the uterus, ERs were present in the stromal cells, while ERβ was present in the luminal epithelium. In the non-reproductive fetal porcine tissues ERβ was localised in the lungs, kidneys, adrenal glands and in the umbilical cords. Both ERs were observed in the intestine. It is possible that ERβ may play important roles in the development of the adrenal gland, testis, kidney and lungs, while both ERs are involved in the development of the ovary, uterus, epididymis and intestine of the porcine fetus