SMEs Inventive Performance and Profitability in the Markets for Technology

This paper studies the inventive performance and profitability of small and medium sized firms (SMEs) that are “technology specialists” compared to the inventive performance and profitability of SMEs that are instead vertically-integrated. In this paper perspective, “technology specialists” are firms that specialize upstream in generating inventions and trade those inventions in disembodied form with other firms, usually through licensing agreements. Instead, vertically-integrated firms are those firms that both generate inventions and commercialize products incorporating those inventions. We argue that technology specialists achieve a higher inventive performance than vertically-integrated firms, since they can accumulate deeper and broader inventive experience, whilst keeping a more flexible organizational structure. These firms display a lower profitability though, due to the imperfections inherent in invention market transactions and the lower bargaining power caused by the lack of commercialization assets. The theoretical framework is tested through a cross-industry investigation on a sample of European SMEs. Implications for the viability of being a technology specialist as a strategy and for the development of markets for technology are discussed

Specializing in generality: Firm strategies when intermediate markets work

This paper studies the relationship between two decisions shaping the organizational configuration of a firm: whether to make the upstream resources more general and deployable to more markets (vs. keeping them tailored to a few markets), and whether to trade with downstream firms as an upstream supplier of intermediate products and services (vs. directly entering downstream markets). While the literature has looked at these two decisions separately, we argue that they depend on each other. This has the important implication that they can generate organizational complementarities, inducing firms to implement them jointly. We are motivated in particular by the observation that an increasing number of firms invest in general upstream resources and exploit them as upstream suppliers of intermediate services or products— a strategy that we refer to as specialization in generality. Interestingly, the literature following the seminal work by Penrose (1959) and Nelson (1959) has highlighted the use of general upstream resources to enter new downstream markets. We identify the supply and demand conditions under which specialization in generality is instead more likely to emerge: lack of prior downstream assets, on the supply side, and a roughly equal distribution of buyers across intermediate markets (a “broad” demand), on the demand side. We test our predictions using a sample of firms in the U.S. laser industry between 1993 and 2001. A regulatory shock that increases the value of trading relative to downstream entry provides the setting for a quasi-natural experiment, which corroborates our theoretical predictions

Time-domain THz spectroscopy reveals coupled protein-hydration dielectric response in solutions of native and fibrils of human lyso-zyme

Here we reveal details of the interaction between human lysozyme proteins, both native and fibrils, and their water environment by intense terahertz time domain spectroscopy. With the aid of a rigorous dielectric model, we determine the amplitude and phase of the oscillating dipole induced by the THz field in the volume containing the protein and its hydration water. At low concentrations, the amplitude of this induced dipolar response decreases with increasing concentration. Beyond a certain threshold, marking the onset of the interactions between the extended hydration shells, the amplitude remains fixed but the phase of the induced dipolar response, which is initially in phase with the applied THz field, begins to change. The changes observed in the THz response reveal protein-protein interactions me-diated by extended hydration layers, which may control fibril formation and may have an important role in chemical recognition phenomena

Novel insights into cochlear information processing

Already Helmholtz profoundly addressed the question how the nonlinearity of the human hearing sensor, the cochlea, might shape human sound perception. At his time, research was, however, obstructed by the lack of experimental data regarding the amplification properties of the inner ear. In the meantime, accurate measuring methods have permitted the comparison of models of the hearing sensor with empirical data, leading to a strong revival of the interest into Helmholtz’s original research questions. In our paper, we describe some recent theoretical and modeling advances in the understanding of the nature of human pitch perception. We reveal a number of to date unexplained human auditory percept effects to be direct consequences of the nonlinear properties of the mammalian hearing sensor. Our insights also demonstrate, as a by-note, the limitations of the present reverse engineering approach towards cochlear implants

Impact of soybean cropping frequency on soil carbon storage in Mollisols and Vertisols

The high cropping frequency of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.), mainly as a single annual crop, in the extensive agricultural systems of South America may adversely affect the soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, which may be different between soils depending on aggregation agents. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of the soybean cropping frequency on the SOC storage in different soil aggregate size classes in a Mollisol and in a Vertisol in the Northeastern Pampas of Argentina under no-tillage management. In each soil, the samples were collected at 0-5, 5-15 and 15-30 cm depths in eleven cropped and one uncropped fields. The number of months occupied with soybean in relation to the total number of months occupied with crops within crop sequences, over a 6-year period, was used to calculate the soybean cropping frequency. The SOC stocks in equivalent soil mass, the SOC concentration both in the whole sample and in different aggregate size classes, and the stratification ratio of the SOC stock and of the SOC concentration were determined. The increase in soybean cropping frequency reduced the SOC stock in both soils at 0-5 cm, and in the Vertisol at 5-15 and 0-30 cm but the change was evident only between the cropped and the uncropped situation. A decrease in soybean cropping frequency resulted in a higher amount of macroaggregates (> 250 um), a higher SOC concentration and a higher stratification ratio in the Mollisol at 0-5 cm, whereas in the Vertisol the soybean cropping frequency did not affect the stratification ratio or the aggregate distribution in any size class. The increase in soybean cropping frequency reduced SOC storage only in macroaggregates (> 250 µm) in both soils at 0-5 cm, particularly in the largest macroaggregates (> 2000 µm), and more in the Mollisol than in the Vertisol. Our results show that a high soybean cropping frequency may severely affect the SOC storage in the Mollisol, and suggest that in the Vertisol this effect may lead to a reduction in the SOC storage in the long term.Fil: Novelli, Leonardo Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Entre Ríos. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Paraná; ArgentinaFil: Caviglia, Octavio Pedro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Entre Ríos. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Paraná; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos; ArgentinaFil: Melchiori, R. J. M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Entre Ríos. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Paraná; Argentin

Microgrid Demonstration Platform: Modbus TCP/IP Connection for Real-Time Monitoring of a Wind Turbine

Several countries promote wind energy despite their high installation cost, since over time these investments can become profitable. It is important that energy entrepreneurs have up-to-date information of operation parameters, to identify places where excessive energy consumption occurs. For energy management, it is necessary to have an overview of the whole system, such that reporting and further result analysis can be made. With monitoring and control systems, it is possible to enable an improved management of resources, especially in terms of balance between generation and consumption. In this work, it is proposed a graphical interface to monitor and control a wind turbine, in a simulation environment running four operation scenarios.The present work was done and funded in the scope of the following projects: H2020 DREAM-GO Project (Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 641794); EUREKA - ITEA2 Project SEAS with project number 12004; NETEFFICITY Project (P2020 - 18015); and UID/EEA/00760/2013 funded by FEDER Funds through COMPETE program and by National Funds through FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Prioritising CAP intervention needs: An improved cumulative voting approach

The process to define the 2023–2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is underway. The implementation model governing the process requires each EU Member State to design a National Strategic Plan to deliver operational actions exploiting the synergies under the two pillars of the policy. Each Plan must be built from an evidence-based needs assessment that undergoes rigorous prioritisation and planning to create comprehensive, integrated, and achievable interventions. In Italy, the success of this planning process requires all interested stakeholders to generate options for the regional authorities who plan, manage, and legislate agricultural activities. This research proposes a decision-making technique, based on the cumulative voting approach, that can be used effectively when multiple persons from different backgrounds and perspectives are engaged in problem-solving and needs prioritisation. The results indicate that the model can be applied both theoretically and practically to prioritise Strategic Plan needs that involve national and regional authorities. Validation of the model allows it to be used in the next consultative processes and for expansion to socioeconomic stakeholders

Loss of expression of ATM is associated with worse prognosis in colorectal cancer and loss of Ku70 expression is associated with CIN

Repair of double strand DNA breaks (DSBs) is pivotal in maintaining normal cell division and disruption of this system has been shown to be a key factor in carcinogenesis. Loss of expression of the DSB repair proteins have previously been shown to be associated with poorer survival in colorectal cancer. We wished to ascertain the relationship of altered expression of the DSB repair proteins γ-H2AX (gamma-H2AX), ATM and Ku70 with biological and clinico-pathological features of colorectal cancer. 908 tumours from the VICTOR clinical trial of stage II/III colorectal cancer were analysed for expression of γ-H2AX, ATM and Ku70 using immunohistochemistry. Expression levels were correlated with CIN and with diseasefree survival, correcting for microsatellite instability, BRAF/KRAS mutation status, Dukes stage, chemo/radiotherapy, age, gender and tumour location. Down-regulated Ku70 expression was associated with chromosomal instability (p=0.029) in colorectal cancer. Reduced ATM expression was an independent marker of poor disease-free survival (HR=1.67, 95% CI 1.11-2.50, p=0.015). For Ku70, further studies are required to investigate the potential relationship of non-homologous end joining with chromosomal instability. Loss of ATM expression might serve as a biomarker of poor prognosis in colorectal cancer

Long-term ustekinumab therapy of psoriasis in patients with coexisting rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren syndrome. Report of two cases and review of literature

Background: Inteleukin (IL)12 and IL23 are two main cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated disease. IL12 is produced by macrophages and B lymphocytes and mediates differentiation of Th1 lymphocytes, while IL23 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine essential for the differentiation of Th17 cells. Ustekinumab is a human monoclonal antibody directed against the p40 protein subunit shared by IL12 and IL23, therefore it blocks the signal transmission of both cytokines. Main observations: We present two cases and discuss the long-term efficacy of ustekinumab as a treatment of psoriasis in patients affected by autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome, who presented with severe psoriasis after anti-TNF treatment. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, these are the first cases reported in the literature describing the long-term good efficacy of ustekinumab not only on paradoxical forms of psoriasis induced by anti-TNF-α drugs, but also on the articular involvement in a patient affected by RA and in a patient affected by Sjögren syndrome

Elevated pulse pressure is associated with hemolysis, proteinuria and chronic kidney disease in sickle cell disease

A seeming paradox of sickle cell disease is that patients do not suffer from a high prevalence of systemic hypertension in spite of endothelial dysfunction, chronic inflammation and vasculopathy. However, some patients do develop systolic hypertension and increased pulse pressure, an increasingly recognized major cardiovascular risk factor in other populations. Hence, we hypothesized that pulse pressure, unlike other blood pressure parameters, is independently associated with markers of hemolytic anemia and cardiovascular risk in sickle cell disease. We analyzed the correlates of pulse pressure in patients (n 5 661) enrolled in a multicenter international sickle cell trial. Markers of hemolysis were analyzed as independent variables and as a previously validated hemolytic index that includes multiple variables. We found that pulse pressure, not systolic, diastolic or mean arterial pressure, independently correlated with high reticulocyte count (beta 5 2.37, p 5 0.02) and high hemolytic index (beta 5 1.53, p50.002) in patients with homozygous sickle cell disease in two multiple linear regression models which include the markers of hemolysis as independent variables or the hemolytic index, respectively. Pulse pressure was also independently associated with elevated serum creatinine (beta 5 3.21, p 5 0.02), and with proteinuria (beta 5 2.52, p 5 0.04). These results from the largest sickle cell disease cohort to date since the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease show that pulse pressure is independently associated with hemolysis, proteinuria and chronic kidney disease. We propose that high pulse pressure may be a risk factor for clinical complications of vascular dysfunction in sickle cell disease. Longitudinal and mechanistic studies should be conducted to confirm these hypotheses