Using role-play based simulation to acquire tacit knowledge in organizations: the case of KreditSim

Theme: Shaping and Futurizing our Global KnowledgeKnowledge creation and application is crucial for organisations to cope with ever increasing competition. The business-relevant knowledge is reflected in the processes of a company. A process largely consists of tacit knowledge which is embedded in practice or experiences. Acquiring this type of knowledge is crucial for improving business processes. While formal learning or training programs deliver explicit knowledge and skills, it is much more challenging to generate implicit or tacit knowledge out of everyday work activities. In order to help employees and senior managers to acquire and apply tacit knowledge, a role-play based simulation program has been developed. This kind of simulation allows for a learning environment close to the workplace. The case of KreditSim shows how this coaching method actively involves employees and improves awareness of and participation in business process improvement. After identifying the deficiencies in their early process, the learners improve their process in a new simulation run. In this way, the tacit knowledge about processes is externalised, delivered, refined and reused. Social learning is also supported for process knowledge creation and sharing.postprintThe 5th International Conference on Knowledge Management in Asia Pacific (KMAP 2010), Xi'an, China, 16-18 September 2010. In Proceedings of the 5th KMAP, 2010, p. 1-

Ultrafast all-optical wavelength conversion in silicon waveguides using femtosecond pump-probe pulses

Experimental results on ultrafast all-optical wavelength conversion in silicon-on-insulator waveguides are presented. Red and blue shifts of 10nm have been observed in femtosecond pump-probe experiments. Alloptical switching and the importance of waveguide dispersion are discussed

How should we teach the logic of BPM? Comparing e-learning and face-to-face setting in situated learning

Knowing the fundamental logic of Business Process Management (BPM) is essential for students to understand and connect concepts of BPM and to develop appropriate information systems (IS). The logic of BPM refers to how organizations and processes should be designed to be efficient in general. Yet the question arises how to enable students to learn the logic of BPM. We conducted an empirical study with 150 graduate students separated into e-learning and face-to-face groups. The results show that both learning settings are effective, but the effect of the face-to-face setting is almost double. We propose to use situated e-learning as a short introduction for beginner courses in IS. Thus, students can quickly accumulate a sufficient level of knowledge. A situated face-to-face setting is then helpful to deepen the knowledge in a course on specific concepts of BPM.postprin

In vitro and in vivo expression of foreign genes by transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus-derived minigenomes

A helper-dependent expression system based on transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV) has been developed using a minigenome of 3·9 kb (M39). Expression of the reporter gene {beta}-glucuronidase (GUS) (2–8 µg per 106 cells) and the porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) ORF5 (1–2 µg per 106 cells) has been shown using a TGEV-derived minigenome. GUS expression levels increased about eightfold with the m.o.i. and were maintained for more than eight passages in cell culture. Nevertheless, instability of the GUS and ORF5 subgenomic mRNAs was observed from passages five and four, respectively. About a quarter of the cells in culture expressing the helper virus also produced the reporter gene as determined by studying GUS mRNA production by in situ hybridization or immunodetection to visualize the protein synthesized. Expression of GUS was detected in the lungs, but not in the gut, of swine immunized with the virus vector. Around a quarter of lung cells showing replication of the helper virus were also positive for the reporter gene. Interestingly, strong humoral immune responses to both GUS and PRRSV ORF5 were induced in swine with this virus vector. The large cloning capacity and the tissue specificity of the TGEV-derived minigenomes suggest that these virus vectors are very promising for vaccine development

International Network for Capacity Building for the Control of Emerging Viral Vector-Borne Zoonotic Diseases: Arbo-Zoonet

Arboviruses are arthropod-borne viruses, which include West Nile fever virus (WNFV), a mosquito-borne virus, Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a mosquito-borne virus, and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), a tick-borne virus. These arthropod-borne viruses can cause disease in different domestic and wild animals and in humans, posing a threat to public health because of their epidemic and zoonotic potential. In recent decades, the geographical distribution of these diseases has expanded. Outbreaks of WNF have already occurred in Europe, especially in the Mediterranean basin. Moreover, CCHF is endemic in many European countries and serious outbreaks have occurred, particularly in the Balkans, Turkey and Southern Federal Districts of Russia. In 2000, RVF was reported for the first time outside the African continent, with cases being confirmed in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. This spread was probably caused by ruminant trade and highlights that there is a threat of expansion of the virus into other parts of Asia and Europe. In the light of global warming and globalisation of trade and travel, public interest in emerging zoonotic diseases has increased. This is especially evident regarding the geographical spread of vector-borne diseases. A multi-disciplinary approach is now imperative, and groups need to collaborate in an integrated manner that includes vector control, vaccination programmes, improved therapy strategies, diagnostic tools and surveillance, public awareness, capacity building and improvement of infrastructure in endemic regions

Sensitive detection of EBV microRNAs across cancer spectrum reveals association with decreased survival in adult acute myelocytic leukemia

Epstein Barr virus (EBV) is the etiologic agent involved in numerous human cancers. After infecting the host, EBV establishes a latent infection, with low levels of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression, evolved to evade immune recognition. Conversely, EBV microRNAs (miRNA) are expressed ubiquitously and abundantly within infected cells. Their role in tumor biology and clinical outcomes across the spectrum of cancer is not fully explained. Here, we applied our bioinformatics pipeline for quantitative EBV miRNA detection to examine sequencing data of 8,955 individual tumor samples across 27 tumor types representing the breadth of cancer. We uncover an association of intermediate levels of viral miRNA with decreased survival in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients (P = 0.00013). Prognostic modeling of this association suggests that increased EBV miRNA levels represent an independent risk factor for poor patient outcomes. Furthermore, we explore differences in expression between elevated and absent viral miRNA loads in adult AML tumors finding that EBV positivity was associated with proinflammatory signals. Together, given no associations were found for pediatric AML, our analyses suggests EBV positivity has the potential for being a prognostic biomarker and might represent a surrogate measure related to immune impairment in adult patients