IT and telecom companies in Kista Science City, Northern Stockholm

The Kista area north of Stockholm is a symbol of Sweden’s IT and telecom sector, which has great importance for the economy and working life. The report gives a current, empirically founded description of the IT sector in Kista (including the districts Akalla and Husby), which to a high extent previously has not been available. What do the establishments in Kista look like and what are the relations between them? The management of one hundred IT and telecom establishments in Kista with up to 200 employees have answered a substantial number of survey questions about their activities, their staff and about Kista. The report is descriptive and includes a short description of Kista’s history from the ideas of a city with an integration of work, housing and services until today’s Kista Science City, the year of establishment, number and size of the IT establishments in Kista and their activities. Some results in brief are: • Most of the companies have developed during the last five to ten years. • They are to a very high degree focused on IT and telecom. The most common activity is consulting followed by production of software, R&D and commerce. • More than half of the establishments have an exchange of experiences with other companies in Kista, and almost half of them are involved in strategic cooperation within e.g. development, production and marketing. • Quite a few outsource IT activities to other companies and work as subcontractors to them, but only a limited part of the contracts are with companies in Kista. The networks are regional and international rather than local. • About a quarter cooperate with interactive media companies in Stockholm. • The managements are throughout satisfied with Kista. On all the five factors they see as most important for their operations, Kista comes out well: communications, telecom, premises, competent staff and customers. Kista also comes out well on the criterion proximity to university; although few regard this as important, which is discussed in the report. • One fifth of the employees are women and the top manager is a woman in less then ten per cent of the establishments. • The average age of employees is 38 years. • The staff is well educated, almost 70 percent have three years university education or more. Still, managements view learning on the establishment as the most important source of skills. Perhaps university education is taken for granted.

Leaf-Targeted Ferredoxin-NADP+-Oxidoreductase (FNR): Electron Transfer Properties and Thylakoid Association in Arabidopsis thaliana

Photosynthetic reactions are divided in two parts: light-driven electron transfer reactions and carbon fixation reactions. Electron transfer reactions capture solar energy and split water molecules to form reducing energy (NADPH) and energy-carrying molecules (ATP). These end-products are used for fixation of inorganic carbon dioxide into organic sugar molecules. Ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase (FNR) is an enzyme that acts at the branch point between the electron transfer reactions and reductive metabolism by catalyzing reduction of NADP+ at the last step of the electron transfer chain. In this thesis, two isoforms of FNR from A rabidopsis thaliana, FNR1 and FNR2, were characterized using the reverse genetics approach. The fnr1 and fnr2 mutant plants resembled each other in many respects. Downregulation of photosynthesis protected the single fnr mutant plants from excess formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), even without significant upregulation of antioxidative mechanisms. Adverse growth conditions, however, resulted in phenotypic differences between fnr1 and fnr2. While fnr2 plants showed downregulation of photosynthetic complexes and upregulation of antioxidative mechanisms under low-temperature growth conditions, fnr1 plants had the wild-type phenotype, indicating that FNR2 may have a specific role in redistribution of electrons under unfavorable conditions. The heterozygotic double mutant (fnr1xfnr2) was severely devoid of chloroplastic FNR, which clearly restricted photosynthesis. The fnr1xfnr2 plants used several photoprotective mechanisms to avoid oxidative stress. In wild-type chloroplasts, both FNR isoforms were found from the stroma, the thylakoid membrane, and the inner envelope membrane. In the absence of the FNR1 isoform, FNR2 was found only in the stroma, suggesting that FNR1 and FNR2 form a dimer, by which FNR1 anchors FNR2 to the thylakoid membrane. Structural modeling predicted formation of an FNR dimer in complex with ferredoxin. In this thesis work, Tic62 was found to be the main protein that binds FNR to the thylakoid membrane, where Tic62 and FNR formed high molecular weight complexes. The formation of such complexes was shown to be regulated by the redox state of the chloroplast. The accumulation of Tic62-FNR complexes in darkness and dissociation of complexes from the membranes in light provide evidence that the complexes may have roles unrelated to photosynthesis. This and the high viability of fnr1 mutant plants lacking thylakoid-bound FNR indicate that the stromal pool of FNR is photosynthetically active.Siirretty Doriast

Koulutus muutosjohtamisen tukena

Opinnäytetyössä selvitettiin muutosjohtamisen ja järjestelmänkoulutuksien kehittämistarvetta, muutoksen viemistä eteenpäin järjestelmänkoulutuksen yhteydessä ja viestinnän toimimista muutoksen aikana. Tutkimuksen tuloksia on tarkoitus hyödyntää jatkossa organisaation jatkuvassa muutoksessa ja järjestelmien vaihtuessa. Tutkimuksen avulla yritys voi kehittää avointa viestintää niin muutostilanteissa kuin muissakin tilanteissa johdon, keskijohdon ja työntekijöiden välillä. Tutkimuksen avulla yritys voi kehittää koulutuksiaan niin, että jokaisella työntekijällä on mahdollisuus oppia itselleen sopivalla tavalla. Tutkimus oli kvalitatiivinen ja tutkimuksessa käytettiin toiminnallista tutkimusta, koska tutkija osallistui muutoksen viemiseen eteenpäin ja järjestelmänkouluttamiseen yrityksen työntekijänä. Tutkimus toteutettiin tekemällä lomakekysely koulutettaville ennen koulutusta ja havainnoimalla koko tutkimuksen ajan. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin yrityksen muutosprojektin aikana kertyneistä materiaaleista, muutoshallinnan projektiryhmässä, koulutuksen suunnittelupalavereissa ja kirjallisuudesta. Tutkimus tuotti yritykselle tärkeää tietoa siitä miten muutosjohtamista tulisi kehittää ja jär-jestelmiä kouluttaa. Tutkimustulos osoittaa, että tutkimus oli erittäin ajankohtainen ja yrityksellä on vielä paljon kehitettävää muutosjohtamisen osalta, erityisesti avoin viestintä ja järjestelmien koulutus vaatii syvällisempää paneutumista ennen kuin muutosjohtamista voidaan viedä eteenpäin järjestelmäkoulutuksen avulla.Training in change management support The thesis studied change management and the need to develop a system of education, taking the change forward into system through training and the effectiveness of communications during the change. The results of the study will be utilized in the future changes of the organization and the systems. The study enables the company to develop open communication both in change situation and in other situations between the management, middle management and employees. With the study, companies can also develop training so that every employee has the opportunity to learn in a suitable manner for themselves. The study was qualitative and operational research was also used in the study, because the researcher participated in advancing and changing the system training as a company employee. The survey was conducted by surveying the trainees before the training and observing during the study. The research material was collected from material retained during the change process, change management, project team meetings, planning meetings and literature. The research will provide important information about the company on how change management should be developed and how systems training should be organized. The research results show that the study was very timely and the company still has a lot of room for improvement with regard to management of change. Especially open communication and education systems require a deeper dedication before the change can be taken forward through education and training systems

Persistent Reptarenavirus and Hartmanivirus Infection in Cultured Boid Cells

Mammarenaviruses cause a persistent infection in their natural rodent and bat hosts. Reptarenaviruses cause boid inclusion body disease (BIBD) in constrictor snakes, but it is unclear whether snakes are the natural host of these viruses. Mammarenaviruses establish a persistent infection in their rodent and bat hosts, and the evidence suggests that reptarenaviruses and hartmaniviruses found in captive snakes act similarly. In snakes, reptarenaviruses cause boid inclusion body disease (BIBD), which is often associated with secondary infections. Snakes with BIBD usually carry more than a single pair of reptarenavirus S and L segments and occasionally demonstrate hartmanivirus coinfection. Here, we reported the generation of cell lines persistently infected with a single or two reptarenavirus(es) and a cell line with persistent reptarenavirus-hartmanivirus coinfection. By RT-PCR we demonstrated that the amount of viral RNA within the persistently infected cells remains at levels similar to those observed following initial infection. Using antibodies against the glycoproteins (GPs) and nucleoprotein (NP) of reptarenaviruses, we studied the levels of viral protein in cells passaged 10 times after the original inoculation and observed that the expression of GPs declines dramatically during persistent infection, unlike the expression of NP. Immunofluorescence (IF) staining served to demonstrate differences in the distribution of NP within the persistently infected compared to freshly infected cells. IF staining of cells inoculated with the viruses secreted from the persistently infected cell lines produced similar NP staining compared to cells infected with a traditionally passaged virus, suggesting that the altered NP expression pattern of persistently infected cells does not relate to changes in the virus. The cell cultures described herein can serve as tools for studying the coinfection and superinfection interplay between reptarenaviruses and studying the BIBD pathogenesis mechanisms. IMPORTANCE Mammarenaviruses cause a persistent infection in their natural rodent and bat hosts. Reptarenaviruses cause boid inclusion body disease (BIBD) in constrictor snakes, but it is unclear whether snakes are the natural host of these viruses. In this study, we showed that reptarenaviruses established a persistent infection in cultured Boa constrictor cells and that the persistently infected cells continued to produce infectious virus. Our results showed that persistent infection results from subsequent passaging of cells inoculated with a single reptarenavirus, two reptarenaviruses, or even when inoculating the cells with reptarenavirus and hartmanivirus (another arenavirus genus). The results further suggested that coinfection would not result in overt competition between the different reptarenaviruses, thus helping to explain the frequent reptarenavirus coinfections in snakes with BIBD. The established cell culture models of persistent infection could help to elucidate the role of coinfection and superinfection and potential immunosuppression as the pathogenic mechanisms behind BIBD.Peer reviewe

Persistent Reptarenavirus and Hartmanivirus Infection in Cultured Boid Cells

Mammarenaviruses establish a persistent infection in their rodent and bat hosts, and the evidence suggests that reptarenaviruses and hartmaniviruses found in captive snakes act similarly. In snakes, reptarenaviruses cause boid inclusion body disease (BIBD), which is often associated with secondary infections. Snakes with BIBD usually carry more than a single pair of reptarenavirus S and L segments and occasionally demonstrate hartmanivirus coinfection. Here, we reported the generation of cell lines persistently infected with a single or two reptarenavirus(es) and a cell line with persistent reptarenavirus-hartmanivirus coinfection. By RT-PCR we demonstrated that the amount of viral RNA within the persistently infected cells remains at levels similar to those observed following initial infection. Using antibodies against the glycoproteins (GPs) and nucleoprotein (NP) of reptarenaviruses, we studied the levels of viral protein in cells passaged 10 times after the original inoculation and observed that the expression of GPs declines dramatically during persistent infection, unlike the expression of NP. Immunofluorescence (IF) staining served to demonstrate differences in the distribution of NP within the persistently infected compared to freshly infected cells. IF staining of cells inoculated with the viruses secreted from the persistently infected cell lines produced similar NP staining compared to cells infected with a traditionally passaged virus, suggesting that the altered NP expression pattern of persistently infected cells does not relate to changes in the virus. The cell cultures described herein can serve as tools for studying the coinfection and superinfection interplay between reptarenaviruses and studying the BIBD pathogenesis mechanisms. IMPORTANCE Mammarenaviruses cause a persistent infection in their natural rodent and bat hosts. Reptarenaviruses cause boid inclusion body disease (BIBD) in constrictor snakes, but it is unclear whether snakes are the natural host of these viruses. In this study, we showed that reptarenaviruses established a persistent infection in cultured Boa constrictor cells and that the persistently infected cells continued to produce infectious virus. Our results showed that persistent infection results from subsequent passaging of cells inoculated with a single reptarenavirus, two reptarenaviruses, or even when inoculating the cells with reptarenavirus and hartmanivirus (another arenavirus genus). The results further suggested that coinfection would not result in overt competition between the different reptarenaviruses, thus helping to explain the frequent reptarenavirus coinfections in snakes with BIBD. The established cell culture models of persistent infection could help to elucidate the role of coinfection and superinfection and potential immunosuppression as the pathogenic mechanisms behind BIBD

IT and telecom companies in Kista Science City, Northern Stockholm

The Kista area north of Stockholm is a symbol of Sweden’s IT and telecom sector, which has great importance for the economy and working life. The report gives a current, empirically founded description of the IT sector in Kista (including the districts Akalla and Husby), which to a high extent previously has not been available. What do the establishments in Kista look like and what are the relations between them? The management of one hundred IT and telecom establishments in Kista with up to 200 employees have answered a substantial number of survey questions about their activities, their staff and about Kista. The report is descriptive and includes a short description of Kista’s history from the ideas of a city with an integration of work, housing and services until today’s Kista Science City, the year of establishment, number and size of the IT establishments in Kista and their activities. Some results in brief are: • Most of the companies have developed during the last five to ten years. • They are to a very high degree focused on IT and telecom. The most common activity is consulting followed by production of software, R&D and commerce. • More than half of the establishments have an exchange of experiences with other companies in Kista, and almost half of them are involved in strategic cooperation within e.g. development, production and marketing. • Quite a few outsource IT activities to other companies and work as subcontractors to them, but only a limited part of the contracts are with companies in Kista. The networks are regional and international rather than local. • About a quarter cooperate with interactive media companies in Stockholm. • The managements are throughout satisfied with Kista. On all the five factors they see as most important for their operations, Kista comes out well: communications, telecom, premises, competent staff and customers. Kista also comes out well on the criterion proximity to university; although few regard this as important, which is discussed in the report. • One fifth of the employees are women and the top manager is a woman in less then ten per cent of the establishments. • The average age of employees is 38 years. • The staff is well educated, almost 70 percent have three years university education or more. Still, managements view learning on the establishment as the most important source of skills. Perhaps university education is taken for granted

IT and telecom companies in Kista Science City, Northern Stockholm

The Kista area north of Stockholm is a symbol of Sweden’s IT and telecom sector, which has great importance for the economy and working life. The report gives a current, empirically founded description of the IT sector in Kista (including the districts Akalla and Husby), which to a high extent previously has not been available. What do the establishments in Kista look like and what are the relations between them? The management of one hundred IT and telecom establishments in Kista with up to 200 employees have answered a substantial number of survey questions about their activities, their staff and about Kista. The report is descriptive and includes a short description of Kista’s history from the ideas of a city with an integration of work, housing and services until today’s Kista Science City, the year of establishment, number and size of the IT establishments in Kista and their activities. Some results in brief are: • Most of the companies have developed during the last five to ten years. • They are to a very high degree focused on IT and telecom. The most common activity is consulting followed by production of software, R&D and commerce. • More than half of the establishments have an exchange of experiences with other companies in Kista, and almost half of them are involved in strategic cooperation within e.g. development, production and marketing. • Quite a few outsource IT activities to other companies and work as subcontractors to them, but only a limited part of the contracts are with companies in Kista. The networks are regional and international rather than local. • About a quarter cooperate with interactive media companies in Stockholm. • The managements are throughout satisfied with Kista. On all the five factors they see as most important for their operations, Kista comes out well: communications, telecom, premises, competent staff and customers. Kista also comes out well on the criterion proximity to university; although few regard this as important, which is discussed in the report. • One fifth of the employees are women and the top manager is a woman in less then ten per cent of the establishments. • The average age of employees is 38 years. • The staff is well educated, almost 70 percent have three years university education or more. Still, managements view learning on the establishment as the most important source of skills. Perhaps university education is taken for granted

The physiological importance of photosynthetic ferredoxin NADP+ oxidoreductase (FNR) isoforms in wheat

Ferredoxin NADP+ oxidoreductase (FNR) enzymes catalyse electron transfer between ferredoxin and NADPH. In plants, a photosynthetic FNR (pFNR) transfers electrons from reduced ferredoxin to NADPH for the final step of linear electron flow, providing reductant for carbon fixation. pFNR is also thought to play important roles in two different mechanisms of cyclic electron flow around photosystem I; and photosynthetic reductant is itself partitioned between competing linear, cyclic, and alternative electron flow pathways. Four pFNR protein isoforms in wheat that display distinct reaction kinetics with leaf-type ferredoxin have previously been identified. It has been suggested that these isoforms may be crucial to the regulation of reductant partition between carbon fixation and other metabolic pathways. Here the 12 cm primary wheat leaf has been used to show that the alternative N-terminal pFNRI and pFNRII protein isoforms have statistically significant differences in response to the physiological parameters of chloroplast maturity, nitrogen regime, and oxidative stress. More specifically, the results obtained suggest that the alternative N-terminal forms of pFNRI have distinct roles in the partitioning of photosynthetic reductant. The role of alternative N-terminal processing of pFNRI is also discussed in terms of its importance for thylakoid targeting. The results suggest that the four pFNR protein isoforms are each present in the chloroplast in phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated states. pFNR isoforms vary in putative phosphorylation responses to physiological parameters, but the physiological significance requires further investigation

Drought stress-induced upregulation of components involved in ferredoxin-dependent cyclic electron transfer

Linear photosynthetic electron transfer, consisting of both Photosystem (PS) II and PSI, converts light energy into the chemical forms ATP and NADPH, whereas PSI cyclic electron transfer (CET) is exclusively involved in ATP synthesis. In the chloroplasts of higher plants, there are two partially redundant CET routes. The ferredoxin (FD) or ferredoxin-plastoquinone reductase (FQR)-dependent route cycles electrons from PSI to plastoquinone via ferredoxin (FD), while in the NDH-dependent route, NADPH donates electrons to the NDH-complex for reduction of the plastoquinone pool. In the present study, we show that drought stress induces transcriptional and translational upregulation of the PCR5 and PGRL1 genes, which are the only characterized components of the FQR-dependent CET thus far. In contrast, the expression of the NDH-H gene, a representative of the NDH-complex, did not differ between the drought-stressed and the control plants. The overall expression level of the ferredoxin-NADP(+)-oxidoreductase (FNR) genes increased upon drought stress, with a concomitant release of FNR from the thylakoid membrane. Moreover, drought stress accelerated the rate of P700(+) re-reduction, which may indicate induction of CET. Responses of the PSAE, FD and PSAD gene families upon drought stress are also described. (C) 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved

Proteomic Analysis of Grape Berry Cell Cultures Reveals that Developmentally Regulated Ripening Related Processes Can Be Studied Using Cultured Cells

The original publication is available at http:/www.plosone.orgBackground: This work describes a proteomics profiling method, optimized and applied to berry cell suspensions to evaluate organ-specific cultures as a platform to study grape berry ripening. Variations in berry ripening within a cluster(s) on a vine and in a vineyard are a major impediment towards complete understanding of the functional processes that control ripening, specifically when a characterized and homogenous sample is required. Berry cell suspensions could overcome some of these problems, but their suitability as a model system for berry development and ripening needs to be established first. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this study we report on the proteomic evaluation of the cytosolic proteins obtained from synchronized cell suspension cultures that were established from callus lines originating from green, véraison and ripe Vitis vinifera berry explants. The proteins were separated using liquid phase IEF in a Microrotofor cell and SDS PAGE. This method proved superior to gel-based 2DE. Principal component analysis confirmed that biological and technical repeats grouped tightly and importantly, showed that the proteomes of berry cultures originating from the different growth/ripening stages were distinct. A total of twenty six common bands were selected after band matching between different growth stages and twenty two of these bands were positively identified. Thirty two % of the identified proteins are currently annotated as hypothetical. The differential expression profile of the identified proteins, when compared with published literature on grape berry ripening, suggested common trends in terms of relative abundance in the different developmental stages between real berries and cell suspensions. Conclusions: The advantages of having suspension cultures that accurately mimic specific developmental stages are profound and could significantly contribute to the study of the intricate regulatory and signaling networks responsible for berry development and ripening. © 2011 Sharathchandra et al.Publishers' Versio