Barriers and enablers of the idea generation process within a technically minded team: a case study of MCL Industries.

This dissertation is a consultancy project for MCL Industries which is a British SME operating in a B2B market. They are manufacturing and supplying industrial composites for the utility, technology and infrastructure markets. The aim of the dissertation is to identify barriers and enablers to the innovation process within the R&D team. The aim is achieved via a case study research investigating employees’ experiences of day-to-day work environment. First step of the research is a revision of academic knowledge about the idea generation, creativity and the relationship between organisational management and creativity. Next, the practical research is conducted using participant observation and semi-structured interviews. According to the findings R&D team’s innovatory behaviour is hindered by a lack of structure within the company and the team itself, poor communication, stress on resources and lack of organisational support. Also, the study shows that MCL Industries isn’t using any ideation techniques that could significantly improve the quality of the generated ideas. The study concludes with recommendations that address MCL’s problem with innovation

Barriers and enablers of the idea generation process within a technically minded team: a case study of MCL Industries.

This dissertation is a consultancy project for MCL Industries which is a British SME operating in a B2B market. They are manufacturing and supplying industrial composites for the utility, technology and infrastructure markets. The aim of the dissertation is to identify barriers and enablers to the innovation process within the R&D team. The aim is achieved via a case study research investigating employees’ experiences of day-to-day work environment. First step of the research is a revision of academic knowledge about the idea generation, creativity and the relationship between organisational management and creativity. Next, the practical research is conducted using participant observation and semi-structured interviews. According to the findings R&D team’s innovatory behaviour is hindered by a lack of structure within the company and the team itself, poor communication, stress on resources and lack of organisational support. Also, the study shows that MCL Industries isn’t using any ideation techniques that could significantly improve the quality of the generated ideas. The study concludes with recommendations that address MCL’s problem with innovation

Red-light-sensitive BODIPY photoprotecting groups for amines and their biological application in controlling heart rhythm

Control of biological function by the use of photoremovable protecting groups (PPGs) is a gateway towards many new medical developments. Herein, we report the synthesis and application of efficient and biocompatible BODIPY-based photoprotecting groups for amines, which are cleavable with red light in the phototherapeutic window region (λ > 650 nm). We use the most promising PPG for the protection of dopamine and apply it to control the beating frequency of human cardiomyocytes

Age influence on mice lung tissue response to [i]Aspergillus fumigatus[/i] chronic exposure

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Exposure to conidia of Aspergillus fumigatus was described as a causative factor of a number of the respiratory system diseases, including asthma, chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. The study investigates the effects of the repeated exposure to A. fumigatus in mice pulmonary compartment. Our work tackles two, so far insufficiently addressed, important aspects of interaction between affected organism and A. fumigatus: 1) recurrent character of exposure (characteristic for pathomechanism of the abovementioned disease states) and 2) impact of aging, potentially important for the differentiation response to an antigen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to dissect alterations of the immune system involved with both aging and chronic exposure to A. fumigatus, we used 3- and 18-month-old C57BL/6J mice exposed to repeated A. fumigatus inhalations for 7 and 28 days. Changes in lung tissue were monitored by histological and biochemical evaluation. Concentration of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in lung homogenates was assessed by ELISA tests. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that chronic inflammation in pulmonary compartment, characterized by the significant increase of proinflammatory cytokines (IL1, IL6, IL10) levels, was the dominant feature of mice response to repeated A. fumigatus inhalations. The pattern of cytokines' profile in the course of exposure was similar in both age groups, however in old mice the growth of the cytokines' levels was more pronounced (especially in case of IL1)

Age influence on hypersensitivity pneumonitis induced in mice by exposure to Pantoea agglomerans

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) represents the immunologically mediated lung disease induced by repeated inhalations of a wide variety of certain finely dispersed organic antigens. In susceptible subjects, these inhalations provoke a hypersensitivity reaction characterized by intense inflammation of the terminal bronchioles, the interstitium and the alveolar tree. The inflammation often organizes into granulomas and may progress to pulmonary fibrosis. Our previous work indicated that cell extract of gram-negative bacteria Pantoea agglomerans (SE-PA) causes, in young C57BL/6J mice, pulmonary changes that are very similar to the clinical manifestations of HP in men. The purpose of presented studies was to describe the response of mice immune system while exposed to SE-PA. Particular attention was paid to examine the age influence on SE-PA induced inflammation and fibrosis in lung tissue. We used 3- and 18-month-old C57BL/6J mice. Lung samples were collected from untreated mice and animals exposed to harmful agent for 7 and 28 days. HP development was monitored by histological and biochemical evaluation. Using ELISA tests, we examined concentration of pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines in lung homogenates. Our study demonstrated again that SE-PA provokes in mice changes typical for the clinical picture of HP, and that successive stages of disease (acute, subacute and chronic) might be obtained by modulation of time exposure. Furthermore, we found that animals' age at the time of sensitization influences the nature of observed changes (cytokine expression pattern) and the final outcome (reaction intensity and scale of fibrosis)