Effects of performance management systems–strategy alignment on lecturers' engagement with knowledge transfer: a perspective from Spain

Growing competition among higher education institutions (HEIs) explains their increasing interest in reinforcing strategies by incorporating knowledge transfer (KT) objectives into their strategic plans. However, this strategic formulation must be aligned with the implementation of performance management systems (PMSs) to properly achieve KT objectives. Thus, the aim of this paper is to examine whether aligning PMSs with KT strategic objectives improves KT performance while misalignment worsens it. To that end, PMSs are measured with respect to planning; cybernetic control; policies and procedures and reward and compensation elements. KT is specified as R&D contracts, extended patents, patents and licences. With a sample of 3812 Spanish university lecturers, we test the theoretical positive and negative effects of PMS–KT strategy alignment and misalignment on KT performance respectively. The results show not only that this alignment is effective for KT strategy implementation but also that misalignment has unintended effects on the achievement of long‐term KT objectives. Therefore, lecturers' behaviour is influenced by how closely KT strategy and PMSs are aligned. The findings are useful for managers and academics to develop PMSs that effectively contribute to the achievement of universities' strategic goals.La creciente competencia entre universidades explica su interés cada vez mayor por reforzar sus estrategias incorporando objetivos de transferencia del conocimiento (TC) en sus planes estratégicos. Sin embargo, esta formulación estratégica debe alinearse con la implantación de sistemas de gestión del rendimiento (SGR) para alcanzar los objetivos de transferencia del conocimiento. Así pues, el objetivo de este artículo es examinar si la alineación de los PMS con los objetivos estratégicos de TC mejora el rendimiento de TC mientras que la no alineación lo empeora. Para ello, se consideran los SGR relacionados con la planificación, el control cibernético, las políticas y los procedimientos, así como los elementos de reconocimiento y recompensa. Las actividades de TC consideradas son contratos de I+D, patentes extendidas, patentes y licencias. Con una muestra de 3.812 profesores universitarios españoles, se comprueban los efectos teóricamente positivos y negativos de la alineación y la no alineación de la estrategia de TC en el rendimiento de TC, respectivamente. Los resultados muestran no sólo que esta alineación es eficaz para la aplicación de la estrategia de TC, sino también que la no alineación tiene efectos no deseados en la consecución de los objetivos de TC a largo plazo. Por lo tanto, el comportamiento de los profesores se ve influido por el grado de alineación entre la estrategia de TC y los SGR. Los resultados son útiles para que los gestores y los académicos desarrollen SGR que contribuyan eficazmente a la consecución de los objetivos estratégicos de las universidades.Universidade de Vigo/CISU

A ringed pole-on outflow from DO Tauri revealed by ALMA

We present new ALMA Band 6 observations including the CO (2-1) line and 1.3 mmcontinuum emission from the surroundings of the young stellar object DO Tauri. TheALMA CO molecular data show three different series of rings at different radial ve-locities. These rings have radii around 220 au and 800 au. We make individual fits tothe rings and note that their centers are aligned with DO Tauri and its optical high-velocity jet. In addition, we notice that the velocity of these structures increases withthe separation from the young star. We discuss the data under the hypothesis that therings represent velocity cuts through three outflowing shells that are possibly drivenby a wide-angle wind, dragging the environment material along a direction close to theline of sight (i= 19◦). We estimate the dynamical ages, the mass, the momentum andthe energy of each individual outflow shell and those of the whole outflow. The resultsare in agreement with those found in outflows from Class II sources. We make a roughestimate for the size of the jet/wind launching region, which needs to be of.15 au.We report the physical characteristics of DO Tauri?s disk continuum emission (almostface-on and with a projected major axis in the north-south direction) and its velocitygradient orientation (north-south), indicative of disk rotation for a 1-2 Mcentral star.Finally we show an HST [SII] image of the optical jet and report a measurement of itsorientation in the plane of the sky.Fil: Fernandez Lopez, Manuel. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía; ArgentinaFil: Zapata Gonzalez, Luis Alberto. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Instituto de Astronomia; MéxicoFil: Rodríguez, Luis F.. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Instituto de Astronomia; MéxicoFil: Vazzano, María Mercedes. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía; ArgentinaFil: Guzman, Andrés E.. National Astronomical Observatory Of Japan; JapónFil: López, Rosario. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Facultad de Física. Departamento Astronomía y Meteorología; Españ

Effects of performance management systems–strategy alignment on lecturers' engagement with knowledge transfer: A perspective from Spain

[EN] Growing competition among higher education institutions (HEIs) explains their increasing interest in reinforcing strategies by incorporating knowledge transfer (KT) objectives into their strategic plans. However, this strategic formulation must be aligned with the implementation of performance management systems (PMSs) to properly achieve KT objectives. Thus, the aim of this paper is to examine whether aligning PMSs with KT strategic objectives improves KT performance while misalignment worsens it. To that end, PMSs are measured with respect to planning; cybernetic control; policies and procedures and reward and compensation elements. KT is specified as R&D contracts, extended patents, patents and licences. With a sample of 3812 Spanish university lecturers, we test the theoretical positive and negative effects of PMS–KT strategy alignment and misalignment on KT performance respectively. The results show not only that this alignment is effective for KT strategy implementation but also that misalignment has unintended effects on the achievement of long-term KT objectives. Therefore, lecturers' behaviour is influenced by how closely KT strategy and PMSs are aligned. The findings are useful for managers and academics to develop PMSs that effectively contribute to the achievement of universities' strategic goals.S

HLA-C locus alleles may modulate the clinical expression of psoriatic arthritis

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relative contribution of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C locus alleles in determining the risk and the clinical expression of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). One hundred PsA patients were randomly selected and grouped into three disease subsets: oligoarthritis (n = 40), polyarthritis (n = 25) and spondylitis (n = 35). The HLA-C locus profile of this cohort was studied by methods based on molecular biology and was compared with that of 45 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 177 healthy blood donors from the same ethnic origin. HLA-Cw*0602 was found associated with both psoriasis (odds ratio (OR) 6.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.1 to 12.5; p < 0.0001) and PsA (OR 6.2; 95% CI 3.6 to 10.8; p < 0.0001); however, this allele was equally found among the PsA subsets. HLA-Cw6-positive patients showed a longer psoriasis-arthritis latency period (p = 0.012). HLA-Cw*0701 was found under-represented in PsA in comparison with controls (OR 0.5; 95% CI 0.3 to 0.9; p = 0.04), as was HLA-Cw*0802 (OR 0.3; 95% CI 0.08 to 1; p = 0.05). A positive association was found between psoriatic spondylitis and HLA-Cw*0702 (OR 5.0; 95% CI 1.4 to 25; p = 0.01). HLA-Cw*0602 seems to confer a general risk for psoriasis, but the presence of other HLA-C locus alleles may explain an additional arthritogenic risk. HLA-C alleles may modulate some aspects of the clinical expression of PsA, but these findings need confirmation

Multidimensional inflammatory and immunological endotypes of idiopathic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and their association with treatment outcomes

Endotips; Glomerulosclerosi segmentària focal; Resposta inflamatòriaEndotipos; Glomeruloesclerosis segmentaria focal; Respuesta inflamatoriaEndotypes; Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis; Inflammatory responseObjectives Idiopathic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) has been linked to immunological and inflammatory response dysregulations. The aim of this study was to find endotypes of FSGS patients using a cluster (CL) analysis based on inflammatory and immunological variables, and to analyse whether a certain endotype is associated with response to treatment with corticosteroids. Methods This prospective observational study included patients with idiopathic FSGS diagnosed by kidney biopsy. Serum levels of soluble interleukin (IL)-1 receptor, tumoural necrosis factor alpha, Interferon gamma (IFNγ), IL-6, IL-17, IL-12, IL-23, IL-13, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, haemopexin (Hx), haptoglobin (Hgl), soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and urinary CD80 (uCD80) were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or nephelometry. T-helper lymphocyte populations and T-regulatory lymphocytes were analysed by flow cytometry. A factorial analysis followed by a k-means CL analysis was performed. Results A total of 79 FSGS patients were included. Three CLs were identified. CL1 (27.8%) included IL-12, IL-17, IL-23 and a T helper 17 (Th17) pattern. CL2 (20.2%) included IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, immunoglobulin E and Th2 pattern. CL3 (51.8%) included IL-6, Hx, Hgl, suPAR and uCD80. There were no differences in age, gender, kidney function, albumin or proteinuria among CLs. About 42/79 patients (53.1%) showed cortico-resistance. The prevalence of cortico-resistance was significantly lower in CL2 (4/16, 25%) than in CL1 (16/26, 72.7%) and CL3 (22/41, 53.7%) (P = 0.018), with no significant differences between CLs 1 and 3 (P = 0.14). Conclusions Patients with FSGS and indistinguishable clinical presentation at diagnosis were classified in three distinct CLs according to predominant Th17, Th2 and acute inflammatory responses that display differences in clinical response to treatment with corticosteroids

Physicochemical Insights of the Organic Matter Particles Dispersed in Wastewaters Induced by Bio-Polyelectrolytes

The turbidity and color of the water are mainly caused by colloidal particles. These particles remain in suspension for a long time and can even pass through a very fine filter medium, since they do not have a tendency to agglomerate. Due to this, polyelectrolytes such as chitosan have been used in coagulation-flocculation processes because they dissociate into charged species in solution and these contribute to charges or dissociable groups which are covalently bound to its structure. With the zeta potential measurements (ζ) vs. pH and particle size, the ideal dose of bio-polyelectrolyte was determined with which, the isoelectric point (IEP) was reached, generating electroneutrality in the system, removing 92% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD). The results discussed here represent a sustainable alternative to the water reuse and sanitation problem of the fish processing industry. The use of bio-polyelectrolytes offers that the by-products obtained from the coagulation-flocculation process can be reused and recovered for other uses

Mycobacterium tuberculosis multi-drug-resistant strain M induces IL-17+ IFNγ- CD4+ T cell expansion through an IL-23 and TGF-β-dependent mechanism in patients with MDR-TB tuberculosis

We have previously reported that T cells from patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) express high levels of IL-17 in response to the MDR strain M(Haarlem family) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tuberculosis). Herein, we explore the pathways involved in the induction of h17 cells in MDR-TB patients and healthy tuberculin reactors (PPD+HD) by the M strain and the laboratory strain H37Rv. Our results show that IL-1β and IL-6 are crucial for the H37Rv and M-induced expansion of IL-17+IFNγ¯ and IL-17+IFNγ+ in CD4+ T cells from MDR-TB and PPD+HD. IL-23 plays an ambiguous role in Th1 and Th17 profiles: alone, IL-23 is responsible for M.tuberculosis induced IL-17 and IFNγ expression in CD4+ T cells from PPD+HD whereas, together with TGF-β, it promotes IL-17+IFNγ¯ expansion in MDR-TB. In fact, spontaneous and M.tuberculosis-induced TGF-β secretion is increased in cells from MDR-TB being theM strain the highest inducer. Interestingly, TLR-2 signaling mediates the expansion of IL-17+IFNγ¯ cells and the enhancement of latency-associated protein (LAP) expression in CD14+ and CD4+ T cells from MDR-TB, which suggests that M strain promotes IL-17+IFNγ¯ T cells through a strong TLR-2-dependent TGF-β production by antigenpresenting cells and CD4+ T cells. Finally, CD4+ T cells from MDR-TB patients infected with MDR Haarlem strains show higher IL-17+IFNγ¯ and lower IL-17+IFNγ+ levels than LAM-infected patients. The present findings deepen our understanding on the role of IL-17 in MDR-TB and highlight the influence of the genetic background of the infecting M.tuberculosis strain on the ex vivo Th17 response.Fil: Basile, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Kviatcovsky, Denise. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Romero, María Mercedes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Balboa, Luciana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Monteserin, Johana. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud “Dr. C. G. Malbrán”; ArgentinaFil: Ritacco, Gloria Viviana. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud “Dr. C. G. Malbrán”; ArgentinaFil: López, Beatriz. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud “Dr. C. G. Malbrán”; ArgentinaFil: Sabio y García, Carmen Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: García, A.. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Infecciosas “Dr. Francisco Javier Muñiz”; ArgentinaFil: Vescovo, M.. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Infecciosas “Dr. Francisco Javier Muñiz”; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez Montaner, Pablo. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Infecciosas “Dr. Francisco Javier Muñiz”; ArgentinaFil: Palmero, Domingo. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Infecciosas “Dr. Francisco Javier Muñiz”; ArgentinaFil: Sasiain, María del Carmen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: de la Barrera, Silvia Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; Argentin

Cancer-associated fibroblast-derived gene signatures determine prognosis in colon cancer patients

© The Author(s)Paracrine communication between tumor and surrounding stroma arbitrates the malignant behavior of cancer progression [1]. Fibroblasts, which are the main cell type within the stroma and are called cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), orchestrate the crosstalk with cancer cells [2, 3] and express several markers associated with prognosis [4]. There is increasing evidence that a stroma-specific signature could be used for risk assessment in colon cancer (CC). According to the Consensus Molecular Subtype classification (CMS) in CC, the mesenchymal or CMS4 group is characterized by stromal invasion, extracellular matrix remodeling and TGF-β signaling activation. It is associated with the worst prognosis rates [5, 6]. Genes correlating with the mesenchymal subtype are mostly expressed by CAFs and other stromal cells, rather than by tumor cells [7]. Accordingly, our group defined a gene expression profile associated with CAFs with high pro-migratory effects on colon tumor cells, which was associated with patients’ poor prognosis. These were mostly advanced-stage patients [8].This research is supported by PI17/01847, PI18/01020 and PI20/00602 from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-financed by the European Development Regional Fund (FEDER) “A way to achieve Europe” (ERDF); by “CIBER de Cáncer”, CB16/12/00273, CB16/12/00301 and CB16/12/00446, from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FEDER; and by the Fundación Científica AECC (a multifaceted approach to targeting pancreatic cancer). The JDLR group also acknowledges the funding provided by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCiii, AES) in grants PI18/00591 and PT17/0009/0008, co-financed by the European Development Regional Fund (FEDER)

N7-methylguanosine methylation of tRNAs regulates survival to stress in cancer

Tumour progression and therapy tolerance are highly regulated and complex processes largely dependent on the plasticity of cancer cells and their capacity to respond to stress. The higher plasticity of cancer cells highlights the need for identifying targetable molecular pathways that challenge cancer cell survival. Here, we show that