Knowledge-Salvage Practices for Dormant R&D Projects

Most successful firms have an abundance of new and old knowledge in their research and development laboratories, and only a fraction is being put into use in new product development. This knowledge is left over from projects that have been killed at different development stages and may actually carry considerable value. In this article, we propose a knowledge bank as a possible solution to preserve and possibly grow this knowledge. It is a self-sustaining institute with minimal or no ongoing effort from the donor company, yet manages the knowledge in a way that protects proprietary interests and actively fosters communication and interchange among sponsoring companies wherever possible. The framework of this structure, as well as how it works, is described here. Specifically, a system dynamics modeling of the knowledge bank is developed, and a simulation study is conducted using VENSIM®. The results confirm the viability of creating such a system in a consortium of organizations

Immobilization and kinetics of catalase onto magnesium silicate

Bovine liver catalase was immobilized covalently with glutaraldehyde, or glutaraldehyde+3-aminopropionic acid as a spacer, onto magnesium silicate. The coupling time was determined as 2h for immobilization. The pH and temperature optima as well as the changes in the kinetics (Km, Vmax, Ea) of the immobilized catalase was observed and discussed. Immobilized catalase preparations showed higher storage stabilities than free catalase. The half-life of free catalase, catalase immobilized via glutaraldehyde and catalase immobilized via glutaraldehyde+spacer were calculated as 2, 55 and 10 days at room temperature and 4, 85 and 107 days at 5°C, respectively. The operational stability of the catalase immobilized via glutaraldehyde was higher than the catalase immobilized via glutaraldehyde+spacer. The remaining activity of the catalase immobilized via glutaraldehyde was about 90% and that of the catalase immobilized via glutaraldeyde+spacer was about 30% after 20 cycles of batch operation. © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This work was supported by Research Grants FBE YL 113 from Cukurova University

Activity and storage stability of immobilized glucose oxidase onto magnesium silicate

Glucose oxidase (GOD) was covalently immobilized onto florisil (magnesium silicate) carrier via glutaraldehyde. Immobilization conditions were optimized: the amount of initial GOD per grams of carrier as 5 mg, pH as 5.5, immobilization time as 120 min and temperature as 10°C. Under the optimized reaction conditions activities of free and immobilized GOD were measured. Free and immobilized GOD samples were characterized with their kinetic parameters, and thermal and storage stabilities. KM and Vmax values were 68.2mM and 435 U mg GOD-1 for free and 259 mM and 217 U mg GOD-1 for immobilized enzymes, respectively. Operational stability of the immobilized enzyme was also determined by using a stirred batch type column reactor. Immobilized GOD was retained 40% of its initial activity after 50 reuses. Storage stabilities of the immobilized GOD samples stored in the mediums with different relative humidity in the range of 0-100% were investigated during 2 months. The highest storage stability was determined for the samples stored in the medium of 60% relative humidity. Increased relative humidity from 0% to 60% caused increased storage stability of immobilized GODs, however, further increase in relative humidity from 80% to 100% caused a significant decrease in storage stability of samples. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Devlet Planlama Örgütü: 2003 K 320 120-G, FBE.2002This work was supported by Turkish State Planning Organization (DPT) project 2003 K 320 120-G and Research Grants FBE.2002.D 219 from Cukurova University

Kinetic properties and storage stability of catalase immobilized on to florisil

PubMedID: 17385339The covalent immobilization of bovine liver catalase (CAT) on to florisil via glutaraldehyde was investigated. Optimum immobilization pH and temperature were determined as pH 6.0, 10°C respectively, while the amount of initial CAT per g of carrier and immobilization time was determined as 5 mg g -1 and 120 min, respectively. The Vmax values for free and immobilized CAT were found to be 1.7 × 105 and 2.0 × 104 µmol H2O2, min-1 mg protein-1, respectively, whereas KM values were 33.3 mM and 1722.0 mM respectively. Operational stability was determined by using a stirred batch-type column reactor. Immobilized CAT retained about 40% of its initial activity after 50 uses. It showed higher storage stability than free CAT at 4°C and 25°C. Its storage stability increased with increasing relative humidity (RH) from 0 to 20% of the medium. The highest storage stability was obtained in 20% RH, however, further increase in RH from 40 to 100% significantly decreased the storage stability

Clinical characteristics in obsessive-compulsive disorder with schizophrenia

The objective of this study was to compare two groups of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with and without comorbid schizophrenia in terms of demographic and clinical features. A total of 65 patients diagnosed with OCD were divided into two groups: one comprising 20 patients with schizophrenia and the other comprising 45 patients without schizophrenia. The groups were then compared with respect to demographic variables and scores obtained on various scales. The two groups were similar for the frequency and severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Insight into obsessive-compulsive symptoms was significantly better in the group with schizophrenia. Our findings suggest that the characteristics of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenic OCD patients are similar to those in nonschizophrenic OCD patients. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Yield and nutritive value of Anti-Taurus Mountain rangeland shrubs in Turkey

Shrubs provide the bulk of feed for goats in the Mediterranean agropastoral farming systems, yet quantitative data on productivity and nutritive value of highland shrubs species that is needed to develop rangeland management strategies are limited. Edible Fodder (EF) yield and concentrations of CP, ADF, NDF and IVOMD in the EF of shrubs were evaluated at Saksak and Candir in Yayladagi County of Antakya on the Anti-Taurus Mountains in Turkey. Significant variations in EF yield (8-4003 kg DM ha-1), CP (5.9-23.1%), ADF (19.9-38.4%), NDF (30.9-54.2%) and IVOMD (22.7-56.7%) were recorded among the shrubs at Saksak. Similarly, variations in EF yield (202-1523 kg DMha-1), CP (5.9-13.2%), ADF (22.8-37.7%), NDF (38.3-53.6%) and IVOMD (29.3-51.4%) were significant among the shrubs at Candir. Based on digestible organic matter yield, the shrubs could be ranked as: Daphne sericea>Cafycotome infesta>Styrax officinalis>Cistus salviaefolius> Rhamnus alaternus>Laurus nobilis>Juniperus oxycedrus>Quercus cocciferd>Pistacia terebentis in Saksak and Daphne sericea>Styrax officinalis>Cistus salviaefolius>Juniperus oxycedrus>Quercus coccifera> Pistacia terebentis in Candir. D. sericea, S. qfficinalis, C. salviaefolius and C. infesta showed greater potential for development of agroforestry technologies to increase rangeland productivity in the Anti-Taurus Mountains region and similar highland environments in other parts of the world. Further research on cheaper methods of establishment, defoliation options to optimize and sustain edible fodder and wood production, fodder quality in terms of outputs of livestock products may be needed. © Medwell Journals, 2010

Comparison of clinical characteristics in good and poor insight obsessive-compulsive disorder

Beginning with DSM-III-R, the condition of an intact insight towards obsessive-compulsive symptoms, which was essential for the classical definition of obsessive-compulsive neurosis, has been removed, permitting inclusion of cases with poor insight. A total of 94 cases who met DSM-III-R criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder were included in this study. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID-P), Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HRSA), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were administered to each patient. Two subgroups determined by DSM-IV item 11 "poor insight" were compared for demographic variables and the scores obtained on the scales. Scores on the Y-BOCS, HRSA, HRSD and STAI-state were significantly higher in the poor insight group. Current and past major depression were also more frequent. Among personality disorders (PDs), avoidant PD was more common in the good insight group and borderline and narcissistic PDs were more common in the poor insight group. HRSA, HRSD, and STAI-state scores had weak to moderate but significant correlations with insight as defined by the item I I of Y-BOCS. Findings are discussed in view of previous reports. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved