CHARACTERISTICS OF SELF-ORGANIZING TEAMS IN AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT: A CASE STUDY

Self-organizing teams, especially in the context of Agile Project Management are subject of interest in business and academia. Agile approach has roots in the IT industry and expending to other fields. One of the most dominant attributes of Agile approach is self-organizing teams. In the literature, self-organizing teams have been studied sine 50s of XX century and can be described by six dimensions: autonomy, communication, learning, team orientation, shared leadership and redundancy. Also, self-organizing agile teams can be characterized by existing informal roles like a mentor, coordinator, translator, promoter, champion, terminator. In the article, the author used a case study method for examining the above characteristics of self-organizing teams. As a result, the existing theoretical models can be useful in diagnosing the state of a self-organizing team. Further studies with more strict research methods are recommended to extend knowledge about the self-organizing team in Agile Project Management.Self-organizing teams, especially in the context of Agile Project Management are subject of interest in business and academia. Agile approach has roots in the IT industry and expending to other fields. One of the most dominant attributes of Agile approach is self-organizing teams. In the literature, self-organizing teams have been studied sine 50s of XX century and can be described by six dimensions: autonomy, communication, learning, team orientation, shared leadership and redundancy. Also, self-organizing agile teams can be characterized by existing informal roles like a mentor, coordinator, translator, promoter, champion, terminator. In the article, the author used a case study method for examining the above characteristics of self-organizing teams. As a result, the existing theoretical models can be useful in diagnosing the state of a self-organizing team. Further studies with more strict research methods are recommended to extend knowledge about the self-organizing team in Agile Project Management

Architecture fonctionnelle du lexique mental : l'effet de la structure morphologique chez les sujets non-cérébrolésés et les patients aphasiques polonophones

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal

Oral immunization with pBsVP6-transgenic alfalfa protects mice against rotavirus infection

AbstractA critical factor in edible plant-derived vaccine development is adequate expression of the exogenous antigens in transgenic plants. We synthesized a codon-optimized gene (sVP6) encoding the VP6 protein of human group A rotavirus and inserted it into the alfalfa genome using agrobacterium-mediated transformation. As much as 0.28% of the total soluble protein of the pBsVP6-transgenic alfalfa was sVP6. Female BALB/c mice were gavaged weekly with 10 mg of transgenic alfalfa extract containing 24 μg of sVP6 protein and 10 μg of CpG-rich oligodeoxynucleotides as mucosal adjuvant. Immunized mice developed high titers of anti-VP6 serum IgG and mucosal IgA. Offspring of immunized dams developed less severe diarrhea after challenge with simian rotavirus SA-11, indicating that antibodies generated in the dams provided passive heterotypic protection to the pups. These results suggest that oral immunization with pBsVP6-transgenic alfalfa provides a potential means of protecting children and young animals from severe acute rotavirus-induced diarrhea

Phages Preying on Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis: Past, Present and Future

Many bacteriophages (phages) have been widely studied due to their major role in virulence evolution of bacterial pathogens. However, less attention has been paid to phages preying on bacteria from the Bacillus cereus group and their contribution to the bacterial genetic pool has been disregarded. Therefore, this review brings together the main information for the B. cereus group phages, from their discovery to their modern biotechnological applications. A special focus is given to phages infecting Bacillus anthracis, B. cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis. These phages belong to the Myoviridae, Siphoviridae, Podoviridae and Tectiviridae families. For the sake of clarity, several phage categories have been made according to significant characteristics such as lifestyles and lysogenic states. The main categories comprise the transducing phages, phages with a chromosomal or plasmidial prophage state, γ-like phages and jumbo-phages. The current genomic characterization of some of these phages is also addressed throughout this work and some promising applications are discussed here

Transient Expression of Hemagglutinin Antigen from Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H7N7) in Nicotiana benthamiana

The influenza A virus is of global concern for the poultry industry, especially the H5 and H7 subtypes as they have the potential to become highly pathogenic for poultry. In this study, the hemagglutinin (HA) of a low pathogenic avian influenza virus of the H7N7 subtype isolated from a Swedish mallard Anas platyrhynchos was sequenced, characterized and transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. Recently, plant expression systems have gained interest as an alternative for the production of vaccine antigens. To examine the possibility of expressing the HA protein in N. benthamiana, a cDNA fragment encoding the HA gene was synthesized de novo, modified with a Kozak sequence, a PR1a signal peptide, a C-terminal hexahistidine (6×His) tag, and an endoplasmic retention signal (SEKDEL). The construct was cloned into a Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV)-based vector (pEAQ-HT) and the resulting pEAQ-HT-HA plasmid, along with a vector (pJL3:p19) containing the viral gene-silencing suppressor p19 from Tomato bushy stunt virus, was agro-infiltrated into N. benthamiana. The highest gene expression of recombinant plant-produced, uncleaved HA (rHA0), as measured by quantitative real-time PCR was detected at 6 days post infiltration (dpi). Guided by the gene expression profile, rHA0 protein was extracted at 6 dpi and subsequently purified utilizing the 6×His tag and immobilized metal ion adsorption chromatography. The yield was 0.2 g purified protein per kg fresh weight of leaves. Further molecular characterizations showed that the purified rHA0 protein was N-glycosylated and its identity confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In addition, the purified rHA0 exhibited hemagglutination and hemagglutination inhibition activity indicating that the rHA0 shares structural and functional properties with native HA protein of H7 influenza virus. Our results indicate that rHA0 maintained its native antigenicity and specificity, providing a good source of vaccine antigen to induce immune response in poultry species

Global Impact of Insect-Resistant (Bt) Cotton

Insect-resistant (Bt) cotton has been rapidly adopted since its introduction in 1996. Farmers around the world both large and smallholders benefit from this technology through increased productivity, convenience, and time savings. The vast majority of farmers using Bt cotton globally are smallholder farmers. The economic, environmental, and social benefits derived from adoption of this important tool have very positive implications for the farmers, their surrounding communities, and the future of agriculture.Includes bibliographical reference