Stroke risk estimation across nine European countries in the MORGAM project.

Previous tools for stroke risk assessment have either been developed for specific populations or lack data on non-fatal events or uniform data collection. The purpose of this study was to develop a stepwise model for the estimation of 10 year risk of stroke in nine different countries across Europe.Using data from the MOnica Risk, Genetics, Archiving and Monograph (MORGAM) Project, sex-specific models estimating 10 year risk of stroke were developed using a Cox regression model stratified by country and including modelling of competing risks. Models were developed in a stepwise manner first using only data from questionnaires, and then adding data from physical examinations and finally data from blood samples.During 1,176,296 years of observation, 2928 incident fatal and non-fatal events of stroke were registered. The developed model showed good calibration and accuracy of prediction. The discrimination of the model varied between sex and country but increased with increasing number of variables used (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve between 0.77 and 0.79 in men and between 0.75 and 0.80 in women).The present study shows that using a large multicountry cohort from nine European countries it is possible to develop a stepwise risk estimation model for 10 year risk of stroke tailored to different availability of risk factors and still obtain valid measures of risk even in the simplest form of the model, with increasing performance of the model following increasing complexity. The methods chosen which separate this model from previous models (competing risk and stepwise approach) should be considered for future risk estimation models

Imidazole propionate is increased in diabetes and associated with dietary patterns and altered microbial ecology

Microbiota-host-diet interactions contribute to the development of metabolic diseases. Imidazole propionate is a novel microbially produced metabolite from histidine, which impairs glucose metabolism. Here, we show that subjects with prediabetes and diabetes in the MetaCardis cohort from three European countries have elevated serum imidazole propionate levels. Furthermore, imidazole propionate levels were increased in subjects with low bacterial gene richness and Bacteroides 2 enterotype, which have previously been associated with obesity. The Bacteroides 2 enterotype was also associated with increased abundance of the genes involved in imidazole propionate biosynthesis from dietary histidine. Since patients and controls did not differ in their histidine dietary intake, the elevated levels of imidazole propionate in type 2 diabetes likely reflects altered microbial metabolism of histidine, rather than histidine intake per se. Thus the microbiota may contribute to type 2 diabetes by generating imidazole propionate that can modulate host inflammation and metabolism

Evidence of a causal and modifiable relationship between kidney function and circulating trimethylamine N-oxide

The host-microbiota co-metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is linked to increased cardiovascular risk but how its circulating levels are regulated remains unclear. We applied "explainable" machine learning, univariate, multivariate and mediation analyses of fasting plasma TMAO concentration and a multitude of phenotypes in 1,741 adult Europeans of the MetaCardis study. Here we show that next to age, kidney function is the primary variable predicting circulating TMAO, with microbiota composition and diet playing minor, albeit significant, roles. Mediation analysis suggests a causal relationship between TMAO and kidney function that we corroborate in preclinical models where TMAO exposure increases kidney scarring. Consistent with our findings, patients receiving glucose-lowering drugs with reno-protective properties have significantly lower circulating TMAO when compared to propensity-score matched control individuals. Our analyses uncover a bidirectional relationship between kidney function and TMAO that can potentially be modified by reno-protective anti-diabetic drugs and suggest a clinically actionable intervention for decreasing TMAO-associated excess cardiovascular risk

Supporting Communities of Practice by Enterprise Social Platforms: The Case of an Engineering Company

Information and communication technology (ICT) is a key pillar of supporting CoPs. Virtual CoPs (i.e.: CoPs applying technology enabling asynchronous and distant communications), are growing in numbers. The increase is supported by the availability of new ICT, like for example Enterprise Social Platforms (ESP). ESPs support CoP however empirical based studies investigating ESP application in the context of intentionally developed CoPs are still scarce. This study contributes to filling this gap by exploring CoP participants\u2019 behaviour which includes use of an ESP. In particular, we investigate the case of a global engineering company specialized in pharmacy, that has an explicit strategy of developing global CoPs to improve internal knowledge exchange and collaboration processes. At present, 20 active communities involve about 1400 employees. The ESP \u2018Connect\u2019 supports the CoPs. The case company is explored through an online survey comprising 22 questions that was distributed via \u2018Connect\u2019 between September and October 2018. 262 responses were collected (Response rate app. 19%) from employees located in 8 different countries. According to the CoP participants can be divided into two groups that have distinctly different behaviour; active and passive. The \u2018Active\u2019 group rely significantly more on external sources and especially on Connect than passive users. Also, the \u2018active\u2019 group is more satisfied with 'Connect\u2019 and participate in collaborations. The \u2018passive\u2019 group relies on information from nearest colleagues and rarely contribute to conversations on \u2018Connect\u2019. The paper contributes with knowledge about how participants in CoPs supported by ESPs behave differently and thus might be motivated differently

Enterprise Social Media Users\u2019 Typology: a Bi-dimensional Classification

The use of Enterprise Social Media (ESM) platforms is rapidly diffusing in the business context, as they are increasingly considered crucial for the future competition. In particular, as commonly underlined by scholars, ESM can bring substantial benefits to companies and especially to their knowledge management (KM) processes. However, such benefits can materialize only if the active use and contribution by individual employees to ESM are ensured. Therefore, it is crucial to better understand how and how much an ESM platform is used by a company\u2019s employees. This explains why the literature is devoting particular attention to the analysis of the level of participation and the type of activity performed by the users of such platforms. While \u201cfrequency of use\u201d is the most considered dimension to classify different users\u2019 groups, scholars also resort to other dimensions, as the distinction between passive and active users, sometimes called as \u201cposters\u201d and \u201clurkers\u201d. The paper proposes a new typology of ESM users based on the results of a survey, which involved 262 employees of an international engineering project-based service company that has adopted an ESM platform. What emerged from the analysis of the survey data confirmed the existence of different types of ESM users and provided the empirical basis to develop a users\u2019 typology based on two dimensions: frequency (high vs. low) of use and kind (active vs. passive) of use. This allowed identifying four different users\u2019 groups (of different size but all populated), that were denoted as: \u201cfrequent contributors\u201d, \u201csporadic contributors\u201d, \u201cfrequent lurkers\u201d and \u201csporadic lurkers\u201d. Furthermore, applying descriptive statistics and variance analysis on the survey data allowed to verify the reasonableness of the proposed new typology and identify the main aspects that characterise the different users\u2019 groups such as: position in the company, role inside the community, specific types of relevant knowledge sources, perceived usefulness, information novelty and satisfaction with the platform and the Community of Practice. The findings of the study have both academic and managerial implications. As regards the latter, managers should consider that different employees might behave differently with respect to new media, so that an undifferentiated approach to different behaviours may be ineffective. The main limitation of the study is that only one company was analysed belonging to a particular sector with specific knowledge needs and capabilities

Comparison of standard and damped response formulations of magnetic circular dichroism

We apply damped response theory to the phenomenon of magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), and we investigate how the numerical instability associated with the simulation of the MCD spectrum from individually calculated A and B terms for close lying states can be remedied by the use of damped response theory. We also present a method for calculating the Faraday A term, formulated as a double residue of the quadratic response function

An atomic-orbital based Lagrangian approach for calculating geometric gradients of linear response properties

We present a Lagrangian approach for the calculation of molecular (quadratic) response properties that can be expressed as geometric gradients of a generic linear response function, its poles, and its residues. The approach is implemented within an atomic-orbital-based formalism suitable for linear scaling at the level of self-consistent time-dependent Hartree 12Fock and density functional theory. Among the properties that can be obtained using this formalism are the gradient of the frequency-dependent polarizability (e.g., Raman intensities) and that of the one-photon transition dipole moment (entering the Herzberg 12Teller factors), in addition to the excited-state molecular forces required for excited-state geometry optimizations. Geometric derivatives of ground-state first-order properties (e.g., IR intensities) and excited-state first-order property expressions are also reported as byproducts of our implementation. The one-photon transition moment gradient is the first analytic implementation of the one-photon transition moment derivative at the DFT level of theory. Besides offering a simple solution to overcome phase (hence, sign) uncertainties connected to the determination of the Herzberg 12Teller corrections by numerical derivatives techniques based on independent calculations, our approach also opens the possibility to determine, for example by a mixed analytic 12numerical approach, the one-photon transition dipole Hessian, and thus to investigate vibronic effects beyond the linear Herzberg 12Teller approximation. As an illustrative application, we report a DFT study of the vibronic fine structure of the one-photon (1A1g) 12 (1B2u) transition in the absorption spectrum of benzene, which is Franck 12Condon-forbidden in the electric dipole approximation and hence determined by the Herzberg 12Teller integrals and electronic transition dipole-moment derivatives

Social Media use in Communities of Practice: insights from an Engineering Service Company

The use of Communities of Practice (CoPs) to support knowledge sharing and collaboration within organisations has been increasing over the years. Today, many different companies from various sectors are deliberately resorting to CoPs to better managing cognitive assets and improving business performance. In particular, the availability of the new web-based technologies, like for example Enterprise Social Media platforms, are promoting the widespread utilisation of virtual CoPs, i.e. CoPs that make use of ICTs to enable distant and asynchronous communications among members. Even though the \u201cmarriage\u201d of Social Media with CoPs seems to be perfect, studies that investigate the use of the new social applications in the context of CoPs are still scarce. To contribute to fill this gap, the present paper analyses the factors that influence the frequency of CoP access by means of a Social Media platform. Specifically, the paper illustrates and discusses the results of a survey which involved 262 employees of an international engineering project-based service company that eight years ago established several global CoPs in order to improve internal knowledge exchange and collaboration processes. At present, inside the company there are 20 active communities, involving about 1,400 project execution employees, whose functioning is supported by a Social Media platform dubbed Connect. The survey, that included 22 questions, was administered online between September and October 2018. The findings of the survey have allowed to identify some factors that result to be strictly correlated with the frequency of use of the Social Media platform to interact with the others community members. Among others these are: position in the company, role inside the community, individual motivation, kind of use, perceived technical and organizational obstacles. The paper contributes to advance the research about the adoption of Social Media technologies as knowledge management tools by identifying some factors that influence their use inside a CoP. It also provides useful suggestions to managers who intend to promote the development of Social Media enabled virtual Communities of Practices. The main limitation of the study is that it bases on the experience of only one company working in a specific industry with specific knowledge needs and capabilities. In spite of this, the findings provide interesting insights that can be a basis for future investigations as well as suggestions to managers willing to create and sustain virtual CoPs

Real-time nonlinear MPC and MHE for a large-scale mechatronic application

Progress in optimization algorithms and in computational hardware made deployment of Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) and Moving Horizon Estimation (MHE) possible to mechatronic applications. This paper aims to assess the computational performance of NMPC and MHE for rotational start-up of Airborne Wind Energy systems. The capabilities offered by an automatic code generation tool are experimentally verified on a real physical system, using a model comprising 27 states and 4 inputs at a sampling frequency of 25 Hz. The results show the feedback times less than 5 ms for the NMPC with more than 1500 variables

Real-time nonlinear MPC and MHE for a large-scale mechatronic application

Progress in optimization algorithms and in computational hardware made deployment of Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) and Moving Horizon Estimation (MHE) possible to mechatronic applications. This paper aims to assess the computational performance of NMPC and MHE for rotational start-up of Airborne Wind Energy systems. The capabilities offered by an automatic code generation tool are experimentally verified on a real physical system, using a model comprising 27 states and 4 inputs at a sampling frequency of 25 Hz. The results show the feedback times less than 5 ms for the NMPC with more than 1500 variables