People act normal until they start organizing Using design-based research and discourse analysis to examine a workshop on humane organizations

People and their relations are the hart of success of every organization. Although there are no studies that directly relate company success to the happiness of the workforce, it is common sense that organizations which are over longer periods work under tension are most likely to be less productive. Humane ways of organizing – ways of organizing that fit to us people and our current state of evolution - are essential for the well being our society. As academics and practitioners in this field however, we encounter several issues that seem to contrast these recent views on putting the well-being of people upfront in order to create successful organizations. In this paper the qualitative research methods of discourse analysis and design-based research are used to discover patterns for humane organizations. It describes the preliminary findings of a research project in which a workshop was designed and tested based on design principles for humane organizations.Design-based research, discourse analysis, humane organizations, healthy organizations, systems

Clinical Trials Targeting the Stroma in Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The tumor microenvironment plays an important role in the initiation and progression of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In this systematic review, we provide an overview of clinical trials with stroma-targeting agents. We systematically searched MEDLINE/PubMed and the EMBASE database, using the PRISMA guidelines, for eligible clinical trials. In total, 2330 records were screened, from which we have included 106 articles. A meta-analysis could be performed on 51 articles which describe the targeting of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway, and three articles which describe the targeting of hyaluronic acid. Anti-VEGF therapies did not show an increase in median overall survival (OS) with combined hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.01 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.90−1.13). Treatment with hyaluronidase PEGPH20 showed promising results, but, thus far, only in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in selected patients with hyaluronic acid (HA)high tumors: An increase in median progression free survival (PFS) of 2.9 months, as well as a HR of 0.51 (95% CI 0.26−1.00). In conclusion, we found that anti-angiogenic therapies did not show an increased benefit in median OS or PFS in contrast to promising results with anti-hyaluronic acid treatment in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. The PEGPH20 clinical trials used patient selection to determine eligibility based on tumor biology, which underlines the importance to personalize treatment for pancreatic cancer patients

Oxidized Phospholipids on Lipoprotein(a) Elicit Arterial Wall Inflammation and an Inflammatory Monocyte Response in Humans

Contains fulltext : 165726.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)BACKGROUND: Elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a prevalent, independent cardiovascular risk factor, but the underlying mechanisms responsible for its pathogenicity are poorly defined. Because Lp(a) is the prominent carrier of proinflammatory oxidized phospholipids (OxPLs), part of its atherothrombosis might be mediated through this pathway. METHODS: In vivo imaging techniques including magnetic resonance imaging, (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake positron emission tomography/computed tomography and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography were used to measure subsequently atherosclerotic burden, arterial wall inflammation, and monocyte trafficking to the arterial wall. Ex vivo analysis of monocytes was performed with fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis, inflammatory stimulation assays, and transendothelial migration assays. In vitro studies of the pathophysiology of Lp(a) on monocytes were performed with an in vitro model for trained immunity. RESULTS: We show that subjects with elevated Lp(a) (108 mg/dL [50-195 mg/dL]; n=30) have increased arterial inflammation and enhanced peripheral blood mononuclear cells trafficking to the arterial wall compared with subjects with normal Lp(a) (7 mg/dL [2-28 mg/dL]; n=30). In addition, monocytes isolated from subjects with elevated Lp(a) remain in a long-lasting primed state, as evidenced by an increased capacity to transmigrate and produce proinflammatory cytokines on stimulation (n=15). In vitro studies show that Lp(a) contains OxPL and augments the proinflammatory response in monocytes derived from healthy control subjects (n=6). This effect was markedly attenuated by inactivating OxPL on Lp(a) or removing OxPL on apolipoprotein(a). CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that Lp(a) induces monocyte trafficking to the arterial wall and mediates proinflammatory responses through its OxPL content. These findings provide a novel mechanism by which Lp(a) mediates cardiovascular disease. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.trialregister.nl. Unique identifier: NTR5006 (VIPER Study)