The role of information and telecommunication technologies in the productivity of Central and Eastern European countries

La tesi està escrita com un manuscrit de cinc publicacions científiques i presenta una de les primeres evidències de la relació entre les tecnologies de la informació i la comunicació (TIC) i la productivitat en els països del centre i de l'est d'Europa (CEE). La part macroeconòmica de la tesi analitza el procés de transició cap a l'economia del coneixement en els països de l'àrea CEE. La part microeconòmica de la tesi es presenta en tres publicacions. El primer estudi aporta les evidències de les relacions directes i indirectes entre la productivitat i les TIC i confirma la importància de les fonts de productivitat de la coinnovació (complementarietat amb la inversió TIC) de les empreses fabricants de l'Europa de l'Est. El segon estudi analitza les diferències entre els principals impulsors de la productivitat (innovació, internacionalització i capital humà) entre empreses alemanyes i poloneses. La tercera publicació analitza la importància de les fonts de productivitat de la coinnovació utilitzant les dades recents de les empreses poloneses.La tesis está escrita como un manuscrito de cinco publicaciones científicas y presenta una de las primeras evidencias de la relación entre las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) y la productividad en los países del centro y del este de Europa (CEE). La parte macroeconómica de la tesis analiza el proceso de transición hacia la economía del conocimiento en los países del área CEE. La parte microeconómica de la tesis se presenta en tres publicaciones. El primer estudio aporta las evidencias de las relaciones directas e indirectas entre la productividad y las TIC y confirma la importancia de las fuentes de productividad de la coinnovación (complementariedad con la inversión TIC) de las empresas manufactureras de la Europa del Este. El segundo estudio analiza las diferencias entre los principales impulsores de la productividad (innovación, internacionalización y capital humano) entre empresas alemanas y polacas. La tercera publicación analiza la importancia de las fuentes de productividad de la coinnovación utilizando los datos recientes de las empresas polacas.This thesis is written in the form of a manuscript of five scientific journal papers and presents one of the first pieces of evidence of the relation between information and communication technologies (ICT) and productivity in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (hereinafter CEE). The macroeconomic part of the thesis analyses the process of transition towards the knowledge economy in CEE countries and reveals a considerable gap between CEE and Western European countries, especially in terms of human capital, infrastructure, innovation capacity and quality of institutions. The microeconomic part of the thesis is presented in three papers. The first paper presents the evidence of the direct and indirect relationships between productivity and ICT, and confirms the importance of the co-innovation productivity sources (complementarities with ICT investment) from Eastern European manufacturing companies. The second paper analyses the differences in main productivity drivers (innovation, internationalization and human capital) between German and Polish companies. The third paper analyses the importance of the co-innovation productivity sources using recent data from Polish companies

The Role of ICT in the Productivity of Central and Eastern European Countries: Cross-country Comparison

This paper analyses stage of transition to knowledge economy in CEE countries and reveals a considerable gap between CEE and EU countries in human capital level, infrastructure, innovation capacity and quality of institutions. Results of a panel data model for 21 countries over the period of 1993-2011 confirm the importance of complementarities to ICT use and investment in explaining productivity levels. Another conclusion is a change of productivity sources during the years of crisis and significance of trade openness. Analysis of this area bridges the gap of insufficient academic research about CEE countries and enriches the existing research on ICT usage and its impact

Community exercise is feasible for neuromuscular diseases and can improve aerobic capacity

Objective: The aim of this phase 2 trial was to ascertain the feasibility and effect of community based aerobic exercise training for people with two of the more common neuromuscular diseases: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT) and Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM). Methods: A randomised single blinded cross over trial design was used to compare a 12-week aerobic training programme using recombinant exercise bicycles compared to a control period. The training occurred three times per week in community gyms local to the participants. Support was available from trained gym staff and a research physiotherapist. The two disease groups were analysed separately. The primary outcome measure was peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) during a maximal exercise test, with secondary measures of muscle strength, function and patient reported measures. Results: Data from 23 people with CMT and 17 people with IBM was included in the analysis. Both disease groups had high levels of participation and demonstrated improvements in VO2 peak, with a moderate effect size in the CMT participants (Cohen’s d = 0.53) and a strong effect size in the IBM group (Cohen’s d = 1.72). No major changes were observed in the secondary outcome measures. Qualitative interviews revealed that participants valued the support of gym instructors and the research physiotherapists in overcoming challenges to participation. Conclusion: Twelve weeks of aerobic training in community gyms was feasible, safe and improved aerobic capacity in people with CMT and IBM. Classification of Evidence: This study provides Class II evidence that for patients with CMT type 1A and IBM, an aerobic training program increases aerobic capacity

The long exercise test as a functional marker of periodic paralysis

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of the long exercise test (LET) in the diagnosis of periodic paralysis (PP) and assess correlations with clinical phenotypes and genotypes. // Methods: From an unselected cohort of 335 patients who had an LET we analyzed 67 patients with genetic confirmation of PP and/or a positive LET. // Results: 32/45 patients with genetically confirmed PP had a significant decrement after exercise (sensitivity of 71%). Performing the short exercise test before the LET in the same hand confounded results in four patients. Sensitivity was highest in patients with frequent (daily or weekly) attacks (8/8, 100%), intermediate with up to monthly attacks (15/21, 71%) and lowest in those with rare attacks (9/16, 56%) (p = .035, Mann–Whitney U-test). Patients with a positive LET without confirmed PP mutation comprised those with typical PP phenotype and a group with atypical features. // Discussion: In our cohort, the LET is strongly correlated with the frequency of paralytic attacks suggesting a role as a functional marker. A negative test in the context of frequent attacks makes a diagnosis of PP unlikely but it does not rule out the condition in less severely affected patients

Substrate Tolerance of Bacterial Glycosyltransferase MurG: Novel Fluorescence-based Assays

MurG (uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine/N-acetylmuramyl-(pentapeptide) pyrophosphoryl-undecaprenol N-acetylglucosamine transferase) is an essential bacterial glycosyltransferase that catalyzes the N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) transformation of lipid I to lipid II during peptidoglycan biosynthesis. Park’s nucleotide has been a convenient biochemical tool to study the function of MraY (phospho-MurNAc-(pentapeptide) translocase) and MurG; however, no fluorescent probe has been developed to differentiate individual processes in the biotransformation of Park’s nucleotide to lipid II via lipid I. Herein, we report a robust assay of MurG using either the membrane fraction of a M. smegmatis strain or a thermostable MraY and MurG of Hydrogenivirga sp. as enzyme sources, along with Park’s nucleotide or Park’s nucleotide-Nε-C6-dansylthiourea and uridine diphosphate (UDP)-GlcN-C6-FITC as acceptor and donor substrates. Identification of both the MraY and MurG products can be performed simultaneously by HPLC in dual UV mode. Conveniently, the generated lipid II fluorescent analogue can also be quantitated via UV–Vis spectrometry without the separation of the unreacted lipid I derivative. The microplate-based assay reported here is amenable to high-throughput MurG screening. A preliminary screening of a collection of small molecules has demonstrated the robustness of the assays and resulted in rediscovery of ristocetin A as a strong antimycobacterial MurG and MraY inhibitor

Atmospheric pressure photoionization mass spectrometry as a valuable method for the identification of polyisoprenoid alcohols

RATIONALE: The aim of this study was to determine whether Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization (APPI) was better suited for the mass spectrometric (MS) analysis of polyisoprenoid alcohols than the commonly used Electrospray Ionization (ESI) method. The APPI method should make possible the use of non-polar solvents without any of the additives required by ESI, together with improved detection limits. METHODS: The liquid chromatography (LC)/APPI-MS and LC/ESI-MS spectra of polyisoprenoid alcohol standards were acquired in both positive and negative ion mode, in methanol and hexane, using a triple quadrupole/linear ion trap tandem mass spectrometer equipped with both an ESI and an APPI ion source. RESULTS: In the positive ion mode peaks corresponding to [M +H � H2O]+ and [M +H]+ ions were observed in the APPI-MS spectra of polyprenols and dolichols, respectively. In the negative ion mode peaks corresponding to [M +O2]� • and [M+ Cl]� ions were observed for both classes of polyisoprenoid alcohols. The detection limit of polyisoprenoid alcohols was established at the level of 10 pg. CONCLUSIONS: APPI turned out to be a method of choice for the identification and quantitation of polyisoprenoid alcohols by MS using both polar and non-polar solvents. APPI also enabled greater differentiation of polyprenols and dolichols occurring together in natural samples and gave much better TIC chromatograms without the need for the post-column salt addition required by ESI