Do best and worst innovative companies differ in terms of intellectual capital, knowledge and radicalness?

This paper differentiates “best innovative companies” from “worst innovative companies” and it takes into account three separate bodies of literature— intellectual capital, knowledge-based view, and innovation literatures. Based on a sample of 181 firms which belong to manufacturing and services industries, our findings show that best innovative performers companies (considering both financial and non-financial dimensions of innovation success) present systematically higher scores for all dimensions of intellectual capital: human, organizational and social capital) than worst innovation performers. Knowledge exchange and combination seems to be characteristic of most successful innovators, but no differences in systemic, tacit, complex and not observable knowledge have been found for these companies. Finally, regarding radicalness, firms with more innovation success provide new products or services that incorporates a new technology and new customer benefits (uniqueness), while firms with less innovation success laughs new products or services which are unfamiliar or difficult to understand by customers.Mobile-shopping

Peritoneal water transport characteristics of diabetic patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis: a longitudinal study

[Abstract] Background: Volume overload is frequent in diabetics undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD), and may play a significant role in the excess mortality observed in these patients. The characteristics of peritoneal water transport in this population have not been studied sufficiently. Method: Following a prospective, single-center design we made cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons of peritoneal water transport in 2 relatively large samples of diabetic and nondiabetic PD patients. We used 3.86/4.25% glucose-based peritoneal equilibration tests (PET) with complete drainage at 60 min, for these purposes. Main Results: We scrutinized 59 diabetic and 120 nondiabetic PD patients. Both samples showed relatively similar characteristics, although diabetics were significantly more overhydrated than nondiabetics. The baseline PET disclosed lower ultrafiltration (mean 439 mL diabetics vs. 532 mL nondiabetics, p = 0.033) and sodium removal (41 vs. 53 mM, p = 0.014) rates in diabetics. One hundred and nine patients (36 diabetics) underwent a second PET after 12 months, and 45 (14 diabetics) underwent a third one after 24 months. Longitudinal analyses disclosed an essential stability of water transport in both groups, although nondiabetic patients showed a trend where an increase in free water transport (p = 0.033) was observed, which was not the case in diabetics. Conclusions: Diabetic patients undergoing PD present lower capacities of ultrafiltration and sodium removal than their nondiabetic counterparts. Longitudinal analyses disclose an essential stability of water transport capacities, both in diabetics and nondiabetics. The clinical significance of these differences deserves further analysis

High rates of protein intake are associated with an accelerated rate of decline of residual kidney function in incident peritoneal dialysis patients

[Abstract] Background Preservation of residual kidney function (RKF) is a relevant objective in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. The influence of dietary protein intake (PI) on this variable has not been adequately investigated. Methods Following an observational design, we studied 336 patients incident on PD, with a minimum follow-up of 6 months. The main study variable was the mean PI [normalized rate of protein nitrogen appearance (nPNA)] during the first 4 months on PD. The main outcome variables were the absolute rate of decline of RKF and the proportion of patients presenting a >50% decay of their RKF during the first year of follow-up. We applied univariate and multivariate strategies of analysis, taking into consideration the main control variables bearing a correlation with nPNA and/or RKF. Results Mean nPNA (first 4 months) was 1.23 ± 0.33 g/kg/day, while the overall rate of decline of RKF was −0.13 ± 0.29 mL/min/month; 69 patients (25.1%) had lost >50% of their initial RKF by the end of the first year. Univariate analysis disclosed consistent associations between the main study variable on one hand and baseline RKF (r = 0.32, P 50% of the baseline RKF during the first year of treatment (odds ratio 1.15 per 0.10 g/kg/day, 95% CI 1.04–1.27, P = 0.006). Conclusion Higher rates of PI during the first months of therapy are associated with a faster decline of RKF among patients incident on PD. Our results underline the convenience of keeping an adequate balance between sufficient protein ingestion, to prevent malnutrition and wasting, and sensible restriction in stable, adequately nourished individuals with rates of intake in the higher range or above-recommended allowances

Peritoneal total protein transport assessed from peritoneal equilibration tests using different dialysate glucose concentrations

Randomized controlled trial[Abstract] Background: The peritoneal equilibration test (PET) permits assessment of peritoneal protein transport, but this potential marker of outcome in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients lacks adequate standardization. ♢ Objectives: To assess various approaches for estimation of peritoneal protein transport in PD patients during 2.27% and 3.86% glucose-based PETs, and to uncover the demographic, clinical, and biochemical correlates of this phenomenon. ♢ Patients and methods: We studied 90 PD patients who underwent 2.27% and 3.86% PETs in random order, and we used multivariate analysis to compare assessments of peritoneal protein transport in both tests, searching for correlations between D₂₄₀' - D₀' protein concentration (PETΔPConc), total peritoneal protein excretion (PET-PPE), or total protein clearance (PET-PC) on the one hand (the main study variables), and PET-derived markers of peritoneal function and selected demographic, clinical, and biochemical variables on the other. ♢ Results: The PETΔPConc was higher during the 2.27% PET (mean: 45.2 mg/dL vs 37.0 mg/dL for the 3.86% test; p = 0.003); the PET-PPE and PET-PC were comparable (1121.8 mg vs 1168.9 mg, p = 0.52, and 17.1 mL vs 17.8 mL, p = 0.66, respectively). All three variables sustained a significant, yet moderate correlation (all r² values < 0.30) with the 24-hour PPE rate. Multivariate analysis identified dialysate-to-plasma ratio (D/P₂₄₀') of creatinine, end-to-initial dialysate ratio (D₂₄₀'/D₀') of glucose, current daily peritoneal glucose load, ultrafiltration during PET, systolic blood pressure, and previous cardiovascular events (3.86% test only) as independent predictors of protein transport during PET. ♢ Conclusions: Either PET-PPE or PET-PC seems preferable to PETΔPConc for characterization of peritoneal protein transport. Small-solute transport characteristics, ultrafiltration, and current peritoneal glucose load sustain independent correlations with peritoneal protein transport. The latter variable shows also a moderate association with markers of cardiovascular disease in PD patients