Project: Knowledge. A two-sided perspective on knowledge transfer & knowledge creation

Purpose: Our purpose is to describe and understand how a project-based, knowledge-intensive firm in the high-technology industry creates and transfers knowledge, seen from two perspectives. Methodology: Our qualitative case study has an explorative approach since earlier studies within our positioning are absent, thus we look at KM abductively. To gain more depth to our study, we mirror our findings from our case company with data collected from three additional organisations. Theoretical perspectives: We see a clear distinction between researchers, either seeing knowledge as an object or a process. Thus, we review theories from both sides, either focusing on the creation or transferring of knowledge. In addition, theories on KM in project organisations are accounted for. Empirical foundation: The study is based on the empirical foundation which consists of the data received through six interviews with employees at our main case company and, additionally, two interviews at each of our three mirror companies. Conclusion: The study found KM being seen from both perspectives in all four firms. Through this, we found implications for how our case company could proceed in the future

Long-lived charge separation in dye-semiconductor assemblies: A pathway to multi-electron transfer reactions

Solar energy has the potential of providing the world with clean and storable energy. In principle, solar fuels can be generated by light absorption followed by primary charge separation and secondary charge separation to reaction centres. However this comes with several challenges, including the need for long-lived charge separation and accumulation of several charges. This Feature Article focuses on how to achieve long-lived charge separation in dye sensitized semiconductor assemblies and the way towards multi-electron transfer through conduction band mediation, aiming at solar fuel generation. Herein, we discuss various examples of how the charge separated lifetime can be extended and potential ways of achieving one or multiple electron transfer in these assemblies

Two-colour photoswitching in photoresponsive inorganic thin films

Herein we report the first example of an inorganic photochromic material that allows for spatial addressability. We designed a photoresponsive thin film based on a ruthenium sulfoxide complex, [Ru(deeb)2PySO-iPr]2+, which was immobilized onto a mesoporous ZrO2 surface. The resulting material allows for all-optical detection and shows reversible, selective, photochromic behavior that can be cycled back and forth. The photosiomerization quantum yield is lower on the film than in solution which is attributed to a combination of the immobilization and steric hindrance by molecules in close proximity as evident from a surface coverage dependence of the photoisomerization quantum yield. The results reported here provide an important step towards inorganic photoswitchable materials

Excited State Dynamics of Bistridentate and Trisbidentate RuII Complexes of Quinoline-Pyrazole Ligands

Three homoleptic ruthenium(II) complexes, [Ru(Q3PzH)3]2+, [Ru(Q1Pz)3]2+, and [Ru(DQPz)2]2+, based on the quinoline-pyrazole ligands, Q3PzH (8-(3-pyrazole)-quinoline), Q1Pz (8-(1-pyrazole)-quinoline), and DQPz (bis(quinolinyl)-1,3-pyrazole), have been spectroscopically and theoretically investigated. Spectral component analysis, transient absorption spectroscopy, density functional theory calculations, and ligand exchange reactions with different chlorination agents reveal that the excited state dynamics for Ru(II) complexes with these biheteroaromatic ligands differ significantly from that of traditional polypyridyl complexes. Despite the high energy and low reorganization energy of the excited state, nonradiative decay dominates even at liquid nitrogen temperatures, where triplet metal-to-ligand-charge-transfer emission quantum yields range from 0.7 to 3.8%, and microsecond excited state lifetimes are observed. In contrast to traditional polypyridyl complexes where ligand exchange is facilitated by expansion of the metal-ligand bonds to stabilize a metal-centered state, photoinduced ligand exchange occurs in the bidentate complexes despite no substantial MC state population, while the tridentate complex is extremely photostable despite an activated decay route, highlighting the versatile photochemistry of nonpolypyridine ligands.\ua0\ua9 2019 American Chemical Society

Fecal luminal factors from patients with irritable bowel syndrome induce distinct gene expression of colonoids

Background: Alteration of the host-microbiota cross talk at the intestinal barrier may participate in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Therefore, we aimed to determine effects of fecal luminal factors from IBS patients on the colonic epithelium using colonoids. Methods: Colon-derived organoid monolayers, colonoids, generated from a healthy subject, underwent stimulation with fecal supernatants from healthy subjects and IBS patients with predominant diarrhea, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cytokines in cell cultures and fecal LPS were measured by ELISA and mRNA gene expression of monolayers was analyzed using Qiagen RT2 Profiler PCR Arrays. The fecal microbiota profile was determined by the GA-map™ dysbiosis test and the fecal metabolite profile was analyzed by untargeted liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Key results: Colonoid monolayers stimulated with fecal supernatants from healthy subjects (n\ua0=\ua07), PBS (n\ua0=\ua04) or LPS (n\ua0=\ua03) presented distinct gene expression profiles, with some overlap (R2Y\ua0=\ua00.70, Q2=\ua00.43). Addition of fecal supernatants from healthy subjects and IBS patients (n\ua0=\ua09) gave rise to different gene expression profiles of the colonoid monolayers (R2Y\ua0=\ua00.79, Q2=\ua00.64). Genes (n\ua0=\ua022) related to immune response (CD1D, TLR5) and barrier integrity (CLDN15, DSC2) contributed to the separation. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines in colonoid monolayer cultures were comparable when stimulated with fecal supernatants from either donor types. Fecal microbiota and metabolite profiles, but not LPS content, differed between the study groups. Conclusions: Fecal luminal factors from IBS patients induce a distinct colonic epithelial gene expression, potentially reflecting the disease pathophysiology. The culture of colonoids from healthy subjects with fecal supernatants from IBS patients may facilitate the exploration of IBS related intestinal micro-environmental and barrier interactions

A Distinct Faecal Microbiota and Metabolite Profile Linked to Bowel Habits in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are suggested to have an altered intestinal microenvironment. We therefore aimed to determine the intestinal microenvironment profile, based on faecal microbiota and metabolites, and the potential link to symptoms in IBS patients. The faecal microbiota was evaluated by the GA-map(TM) dysbiosis test, and tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used for faecal metabolomic profiling in patients with IBS and healthy subjects. Symptom severity was assessed using the IBS Severity Scoring System and anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A principal component analysis based on faecal microbiota (n = 54) and metabolites (n = 155) showed a clear separation between IBS patients (n = 40) and healthy subjects (n = 18). Metabolites were the main driver of this separation. Additionally, the intestinal microenvironment profile differed between IBS patients with constipation (n = 15) and diarrhoea (n = 11), while no clustering was detected in subgroups of patients according to symptom severity or anxiety. Furthermore, ingenuity pathway analysis predicted amino acid metabolism and several cellular and molecular functions to be altered in IBS patients. Patients with IBS have a distinct faecal microbiota and metabolite profile linked to bowel habits. Intestinal microenvironment profiling, based on faecal microbiota and metabolites, may be considered as a future non-invasive diagnostic tool, alongside providing valuable insights into the pathophysiology of IBS

Therapeutic targeting of replicative immortality

One of the hallmarks of malignant cell populations is the ability to undergo continuous proliferation. This property allows clonal lineages to acquire sequential aberrations that can fuel increasingly autonomous growth, invasiveness, and therapeutic resistance. Innate cellular mechanisms have evolved to regulate replicative potential as a hedge against malignant progression. When activated in the absence of normal terminal differentiation cues, these mechanisms can result in a state of persistent cytostasis. This state, termed “senescence,” can be triggered by intrinsic cellular processes such as telomere dysfunction and oncogene expression, and by exogenous factors such as DNA damaging agents or oxidative environments. Despite differences in upstream signaling, senescence often involves convergent interdependent activation of tumor suppressors p53 and p16/pRB, but can be induced, albeit with reduced sensitivity, when these suppressors are compromised. Doses of conventional genotoxic drugs required to achieve cancer cell senescence are often much lower than doses required to achieve outright cell death. Additional therapies, such as those targeting cyclin dependent kinases or components of the PI3K signaling pathway, may induce senescence specifically in cancer cells by circumventing defects in tumor suppressor pathways or exploiting cancer cells’ heightened requirements for telomerase. Such treatments sufficient to induce cancer cell senescence could provide increased patient survival with fewer and less severe side effects than conventional cytotoxic regimens. This positive aspect is countered by important caveats regarding senescence reversibility, genomic instability, and paracrine effects that may increase heterogeneity and adaptive resistance of surviving cancer cells. Nevertheless, agents that effectively disrupt replicative immortality will likely be valuable components of new combinatorial approaches to cancer therapy

A multi-targeted approach to suppress tumor-promoting inflammation

Cancers harbor significant genetic heterogeneity and patterns of relapse following many therapies are due to evolved resistance to treatment. While efforts have been made to combine targeted therapies, significant levels of toxicity have stymied efforts to effectively treat cancer with multi-drug combinations using currently approved therapeutics. We discuss the relationship between tumor-promoting inflammation and cancer as part of a larger effort to develop a broad-spectrum therapeutic approach aimed at a wide range of targets to address this heterogeneity. Specifically, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, cyclooxygenase-2, transcription factor nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor alpha, inducible nitric oxide synthase, protein kinase B, and CXC chemokines are reviewed as important antiinflammatory targets while curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, lycopene, and anthocyanins are reviewed as low-cost, low toxicity means by which these targets might all be reached simultaneously. Future translational work will need to assess the resulting synergies of rationally designed antiinflammatory mixtures (employing low-toxicity constituents), and then combine this with similar approaches targeting the most important pathways across the range of cancer hallmark phenotypes

Situació actual d'organitzacions de lectrura fà cil en països petits : exemples a Suècia, Noruega, Dinamarca, Finlà ndia i Letònia

En este trabajo se compara la situación del movimiento para la lectura fácil en cinco países del norte de Europa: Suecia, Noruega, Dinamarca, Finlandia y Letonia. Se analiza la existencia y las características de las editoriales, las publicaciones periódicas y las organizaciones especializadas. Se describe el concepto de lectura fácil en cada país, los colectivos de personas a las cuales se dirige y el papel de los gobiernos y de las instituciones oficiales en su financiación. Se proponen estrategias para su desarrollo relacionadas con los colectivos objeto de atención, así como las características de redacción y presentación que requieren las publicaciones en este formato. Se recomienda más investigación en este área de lectura fácil y se propone como modelo el desarrollo del trabajo previo hecho por el movimiento a favor del lenguaje planer, movimiento internacional también relacionado con la lectura, que ha sido capaz de crear unas directrices internacionalmente aceptadas. | The easy-to-read (ETR) movement in five northern European countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Latvia) is compared. The existence and characteristics of ETR publishing companies, periodicals and specialised organisations are analysed. Furthermore, the following are described for each country: the concept of ETR; the groups it is aimed at; and the role of governments and official institutions in providing funding. Strategies for developing ETR are proposed, according to the target group. In addition, the styles of writing and presentation required by this type of publication are explained. More research is needed in this area. One model for ETR could be the projects that have been carried out by another reading-related international movement: the plain language movement, which has drawn up internationally accepted guidelines