Complex organizations, an exploration between design practices and management - new perspectives to Systemic Design application in Social Enterprise

Organizational change has become an increasingly influential process in enterprise evolution because it is a fundamental step in enabling the corporate to adapt and follow the changes occurring in its environment. This paper will focus on organizational change for social enterprises (SEs). In SEs, organizational issues are complex and entail satisfying economic and social mission needs while avoiding isomorphism with for-profit companies. On these considerations, this article aims to provide insight into the role that design can play in processes that facilitate organizational change. Moreover, the paper investigates three design processes that deal with organizational issues, identifies the main constraints on organizational action and strategy; and further delineates how Systemic Design (SD) could meet the organizational issues of SE. The article synthesizes and discusses literature from three areas of reference: design in the organizational field, organizational evolution of SEs, and organizations as complex systems. This literature review aims to understand how design can support the development path of SE in its organizational change. Specifically for the SE category, it emerges how Systemic Design could play a more significant role in designing and implementing organizational development that can guarantee resilience and social sustainability, valorizing the specific context where they are based

Cooperatives enterprise, incubators for the co-design of a new organizational and management model for sustainable development

In the global economic context, cooperative enterprises have a considerable impact, with approximately one billion people worldwide estimated to be members of cooperatives (ICA e International Cooperative Alliance, 2015). In the historical evolution of the cooperative enterprise, they were born progressively, different typologies according to the most emerging collective problems (Depedri & Turri, 2015). However, the profound changes in the socio-economic context have expanded the emerging social needs, resulting in greater complexity that has challenged the established resilience of cooperatives. This complexity has led to the creation of a study based on the approach of Systemic Design (SD). Thanks to the primary tool of SD, the Holistic Diagnosis (HD), is possible to determine the current scenario and its complexity. The first phase of analysis of the context of the reference is viewed from multiple points of view, such as economy, society, demography, and culture to identify strengths. With this background, the aim of this study is to define the first basis to design a new organizational model for social cooperatives, in the Italian context, to face the actual fluid situation. Specifically, the study highlights the cooperative's hidden potentialities to improve the structure of the organization and provide effective answers within the economic context. The HD is the first step to develop a new organizational model for cooperative enterprises to be replicated on similar business models. To reach this goal a literature review is settled to highlight the actual gaps and a case study is analyzed in-depth in order to obtain original data and validate the first hypothesis

Complex organizations, an exploration between design practices and management: New perspectives to Systemic Design application in Social Enterprise

Organisational change has become increasingly an influential process in enterprise evolution because as a fundamental step in enabling the corporate to adapt and follow the changes occurring in its environment. All types of enterprises are involved in these dynamics. However, this paper will focus on organisational change for social enterprises (SE). In SE, organisational issues are complex, and they entail satisfying both economic and social mission needs while avoiding isomorphism with for-profit companies. On these considerations, this article aims to provide an insight into the role that design can play in processes that facilitate organisational change. Moreover, the paper investigates three design processes that deal with organisational issues and evaluate which one is the most suitable for SE organisational issue. The article synthesises and discusses literature from three areas of reference: design in the organisational field, organisational evolution of SEs, and organisations as complex systems. The aim of this literature review is to understand how design can support the development path of SE in its organisational change. Specifically for the SE category, it emerges how Systemic Design could play a more significant role in designing and implementing organisational development that can guarantee resilience and social sustainability valorising the specific context where they are based

A Rapid, Scalable Method for the Isolation, Functional Study, and Analysis of Cell-Derived Extracellular Matrix

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is recognized as a diverse, dynamic, and complex environment that is involved in multiple cell-physiological and pathological processes. However, the isolation of ECM, from tissues or cell culture, is complicated by the insoluble and cross-linked nature of the assembled ECM and by the potential contamination of ECM extracts with cell surface and intracellular proteins. Here, we describe a method for use with cultured cells that is rapid and reliably removes cells to isolate a cell-derived ECM for downstream experimentation. Through use of this method, the isolated ECM and its components can be visualized by in situ immunofluorescence microscopy. The dynamics of specific ECM proteins can be tracked by tracing the deposition of a tagged protein using fluorescence microscopy, both before and after the removal of cells. Alternatively, the isolated ECM can be extracted for biochemical analysis, such as sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting. At larger scales, a full proteomics analysis of the isolated ECM by mass spectrometry can be conducted. By conducting ECM isolation under sterile conditions, sterile ECM layers can be obtained for functional or phenotypic studies with any cell of interest. The method can be applied to any adherent cell type, is relatively easy to perform, and can be linked to a wide repertoire of experimental designs

How can systemic design path the way to innovation in social cooperative?

Modern societies must face increasing social needs which characterize the world nowadays. Traditional business models propose a hierarchical organization based on a capitalist pattern, which is restrictive for enterprises aiming to put the social dimension at the core of their organization. In opposition to the capitalist model, we are witnessing the development of social organizations. We suggest investigating how functions a special type of social organization, a social cooperative in a real-life context conducting a case study. In the socio-technical structure of a social cooperative there are multiple relationships between different actors. Specifically, the work organisation must interface with many different actors and different ways of carrying out the work. In this complexity, the aim is to reach a detailed understanding of the dynamics that characterize the social cooperative. For doing so, we apply an innovative context framework the Holistic Diagnosis (HD). HD is applying to the management organisation of the cooperative including both aspects of work organisation with related material resources and the social aspects inherent in the cooperative’s mission. The results emerging from HD highlight the main critical issues and potentialities within personnel organisation and resource management. HD allows us to have a holistic view of the reference context. In the specific case it allows us to clearly identify the management and organizational aspects that are less functional and not strategic

Revolutionizing orthopedic healthcare: a systematic review unveiling recombinant antimicrobial peptides

The increasing demand for orthopedic surgeries, including joint replacements, is driven by an aging population and improved diagnosis of joint conditions. Orthopedic surgeries carry a risk of infection, especially in patients with comorbidities. The rise of antibiotic resistance exacerbates this issue, necessitating alternatives like in vitro bioengineered antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), offering broad-spectrum activity and multiple action mechanisms. This review aimed to assess the prevalence of antimicrobial potential and the yield after purification among recombinant AMP families. The antimicrobial potential was evaluated using the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values against the most common bacteria involved in clinical infections. This systematic review adhered to PRISMA guidelines, focusing on in vitro studies of recombinant AMPs. The search strategy was run on PubMed, Scopus and Embase up to 30th March 2023. The Population, Exposure and Outcome model was used to extract the data from studies and ToxRTool for the risk of bias analysis. This review included studies providing peptide production yield data and MIC values against pathogenic bacteria. Non-English texts, reviews, conference abstracts, books, studies focusing solely on chemical synthesis, those reporting incomplete data sets, using non-standard MIC assessment methods, or presenting MIC values as ranges rather than precise concentrations, were excluded. From 370 publications, 34 studies on AMPs were analyzed. These covered 46 AMPs across 18 families, with Defensins and Hepcidins being most common. Yields varied from 0.5 to 2,700 mg/L. AMPs were tested against 23 bacterial genera, with MIC values ranging from 0.125 to >1,152 μg/mL. Arenicins showed the highest antimicrobial activity, particularly against common orthopedic infection pathogens. However, AMP production yields varied and some AMPs demonstrated limited effectiveness against certain bacterial strains. This systematic review emphasizes the critical role of bioengineered AMPs to cope infections and antibiotic resistance. It meticulously evaluates recombinant AMPs, focusing on their antimicrobial efficacy and production yields. The review highlights that, despite the variability in AMP yields and effectiveness, Arenicins and Defensins are promising candidates for future research and clinical applications in treating antibiotic-resistant orthopedic infections. This study contributes significantly to the understanding of AMPs in healthcare, underscoring their potential in addressing the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance. Systematic review registration:https://osf.io/2uq4c/

IL-13 deficiency exacerbates lung damage and impairs epithelial-derived type 2 molecules during nematode infection

Acknowledgements This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust (203128/Z/16/Z, 110126/Z/ 15/Z, and 106898/A/15/Z) and the Medical Research Council UK (MR/ K01207X/2). TE Sutherland was supported by Medical Research Founda- tion UK joint funding with Asthma UK (MRFAUK-2015-302). We thank Andrew McKenzie (Cambridge) for providing the Il13 tm3.1Anjm mice. We further thank the Flow Cytometry, Bioimaging, Genomic Technologies, BioMS, and Bio- logical Services core facilities at the University of Manchester.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A relação entre o nível de Empreendedorismo (TEG) e os aspectos sociodemográficos dos Taxistas cooperados da cidade de Santo André/São Paulo, Brasil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar o nível de empreendedorismo em 147 taxistas de Santo André/SP, bem como averiguá-lo em associação aos aspectos sociodemográficos. Utilizou-se a metodologia quantitativa e para avaliar o grau de empreendedorismo elegeu-se o instrumento TEG (Tendência Empreendedora Geral) de Caird (1991). Os resultados indicaram uma população majoritariamente masculina (89%), casada (58,5%) e com o ensino médio (colegial) concluído (57,8%). Quanto ao grau de empreendedorismo, em nenhum dos constructos analisados os taxistas obtiveram a média para serem classificados empreendedores. Revelou-se que a escolaridade possui efeito significativo à TEG (F (3,147) = 3,747, p .05): quanto mais anos de estudo, tanto maior é o nível da TEG. Em outra direção, o tempo de empresa (F (30, 147) = 30,274, p.05).

Laser capture microdissection coupled mass spectrometry (LCM-MS) for spatially resolved analysis of formalin-fixed and stained human lung tissues

From Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2019-11-06, accepted 2020-06-11, registration 2020-06-11, pub-electronic 2020-06-17, online 2020-06-17, pub-print 2020-12Publication status: PublishedFunder: Wellcome Trust; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100004440; Grant(s): 203128/Z/16/ZFunder: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000268; Grant(s): BB/L024551/1Abstract: Background: Haematoxylin and eosin (H&E)—which respectively stain nuclei blue and other cellular and stromal material pink—are routinely used for clinical diagnosis based on the identification of morphological features. A richer characterization can be achieved by laser capture microdissection coupled to mass spectrometry (LCM-MS), giving an unbiased assay of the proteins that make up the tissue. However, the process of fixing and H&E staining of tissues provides challenges with standard sample preparation methods for mass spectrometry, resulting in low protein yield. Here we describe a microproteomics technique to analyse H&E-stained, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues. Methods: Herein, we utilize heat extraction, physical disruption, and in column digestion for the analysis of H&E stained FFPE tissues. Micro-dissected morphologically normal human lung alveoli (0.082 mm3) and human lung blood vessels (0.094 mm3) from FFPE-fixed H&E-stained sections from Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) specimens (n = 3 IPF specimens) were then subject to a qualitative and then quantitative proteomics approach using BayesENproteomics. In addition, we tested the sensitivity of this method by processing and analysing a range of micro-dissected human lung blood vessel tissue volumes. Results: This approach yields 1252 uniquely expressed proteins (at a protein identification threshold of 3 unique peptides) with 892 differentially expressed proteins between these regions. In accord with prior knowledge, our methodology approach confirms that human lung blood vessels are enriched with smoothelin, CNN1, ITGA7, MYH11, TAGLN, and PTGIS; whereas morphologically normal human lung alveoli are enriched with cytokeratin-7, -8, -18, -19, 14, and -17. In addition, we identify a total of 137 extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and immunohistologically validate that laminin subunit beta-1 localizes to morphologically normal human lung alveoli and tenascin localizes to human lung blood vessels. Lastly, we show that this micro-proteomics technique can be applied to tissue volumes as low as 0.0125 mm3. Conclusion: Herein we show that our multistep sample preparation methodology of LCM-MS can identify distinct, characteristic proteomic compositions of anatomical features within complex fixed and stained tissues

Genomic analysis reveals the molecular basis for capsule loss in the group B Streptococcus population

The human and bovine bacterial pathogen Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS) expresses a thick polysaccharide capsule that constitutes a major virulence factor and vaccine target. GBS can be classified into ten distinct serotypes differing in the chemical composition of their capsular polysaccharide. However, non-typeable strains that do not react with anti-capsular sera are frequently isolated from colonized and infected humans and cattle. To gain a comprehensive insight into the molecular basis for the loss of capsule expression in GBS, a collection of well-characterized non-typeable strains was investigated by genome sequencing. Genome based phylogenetic analysis extended to a wide population of sequenced strains confirmed the recently observed high clonality among GBS lineages mainly containing human strains, and revealed a much higher degree of diversity in the bovine population. Remarkably, non-typeable strains were equally distributed in all lineages. A number of distinct mutations in the cps operon were identified that were apparently responsible for inactivation of capsule synthesis. The most frequent genetic alterations were point mutations leading to stop codons in the cps genes, and the main target was found to be cpsE encoding the portal glycosyl trasferase of capsule biosynthesis. Complementation of strains carrying missense mutations in cpsE with a wild-type gene restored capsule expression allowing the identification of amino acid residues essential for enzyme activity