From lean production to Industrie 4.0: More autonomy for employees?

The article examines the relationship between lean production and Industrie 4.0 focusing on the question of autonomy in the work process. In contrast to the claim made by official Industrie 4.0 concepts that the autonomy of the employees would increase, we see in the current implementation projects a tendency towards greater standardization and control of work. This is in continuity with concepts of lean production, but neglects the participation-oriented elements of lean production such as teamwork and shop-floor-based improvement activities. Our argument is developed by analyzing practical examples from three relevant fields (digital assistance systems, data-based process management, modular assembly). The conclusions of this article also discuss the extent to which the concept of individual autonomy is suitable for the assessment of Industrie 4.0 concepts, given the high levels of interdependence already achieved in production processes

Blockade of insulin-like growth factors increases efficacy of paclitaxel in metastatic breast cancer

Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in women owing to metastasis and the development of resistance to established therapies. Macrophages are the most abundant immune cells in the breast tumor microenvironment and can both inhibit and support cancer progression. Thus, gaining a better understanding of how macrophages support cancer could lead to the development of more effective therapies. In this study, we find that breast cancer-associated macrophages express high levels of insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGFs) and are the main source of IGFs within both primary and metastatic tumors. In total, 75% of breast cancer patients show activation of insulin/IGF-1 receptor signaling and this correlates with increased macrophage infiltration and advanced tumor stage. In patients with invasive breast cancer, activation of Insulin/IGF-1 receptors increased to 87%. Blocking IGF in combination with paclitaxel, a chemotherapeutic agent commonly used to treat breast cancer, showed a significant reduction in tumor cell proliferation and lung metastasis in pre-clinical breast cancer models compared to paclitaxel monotherapy. Our findings provide the rationale for further developing the combination of paclitaxel with IGF blockers for the treatment of invasive breast cancer, and Insulin/IGF1R activation and IGF+ stroma cells as potential biomarker candidates for further evaluation

Pion-nucleus reactions in a microscopic transport model

We analyse pion-nucleus reactions in a microscopic transport model of the BUU type, which propagates nucleons, pions, deltas and N(1440)-resonances explicitly in space and time. In particular we examine pion absorption and inelastic scattering cross sections for pion kinetic energies T(pi) =85-315MeV and various target masses. In general, the mass-dependence of the experimental data is well described for energies up to the delta-resonance (\approx 160 MeV) while the absorption cross sections are somewhat overestimated for the higher energies. In addition we study the possible dynamical effects of delta- and pion-potentials in the medium on various observables as well as alternative models for the in-medium delta-width.Comment: 31 pages, UGI-93-0

Strategic responses to global challenges: The case of European banking, 1973–2000

In applying a strategy, structure, ownership and performance (SSOP) framework to three major clearing banks (ABN AMRO, UBS, Barclays), this article debates whether the conclusions generated by Whittington and Mayer about European manufacturing industry can be applied to the financial services sector. While European integration plays a key role in determining strategy, it is clear that global factors were far more important in determining management actions, leading to significant differences in structural adaptation. The article also debates whether this has led to improved performance, given the problems experienced with both geographical dispersion and diversification, bringing into question the quality of decision-making over the long term

Casimir effect: running Newton constant or cosmological term

We argue that the instability of Euclidean Einstein gravity is an indication that the vacuum is non perturbative and contains a condensate of the metric tensor in a manner reminiscent of Yang-Mills theories. As a simple step toward the characterization of such a vacuum the value of the one-loop effective action is computed for Euclidean de Sitter spaces as a function of the curvature when the unstable conformal modes are held fixed. Two phases are found, one where the curvature is large and gravitons should be confined and another one which appears to be weakly coupled and tends to be flat. The induced cosmological constant is positive or negative in the strongly or weakly curved phase, respectively. The relevance of the Casimir effect in understanding the UV sensitivity of gravity is pointed out.Comment: Final, slightly extended version, to appear in Classical and Quantum Gravit

Genetic Predisposition for Type 2 Diabetes, but Not for Overweight/Obesity, Is Associated with a Restricted Adipogenesis

BACKGROUND: Development of Type 2 diabetes, like obesity, is promoted by a genetic predisposition. Although several genetic variants have been identified they only account for a small proportion of risk. We have asked if genetic risk is associated with abnormalities in storing excess lipids in the abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We recruited 164 lean and 500 overweight/obese individuals with or without a genetic predisposition for Type 2 diabetes or obesity. Adipose cell size was measured in biopsies from the abdominal adipose tissue as well as insulin sensitivity (HOMA index), HDL-cholesterol and Apo AI and Apo B. 166 additional non-obese individuals with a genetic predisposition for Type 2 diabetes underwent a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp to measure insulin sensitivity. Genetic predisposition for Type 2 diabetes, but not for overweight/obesity, was associated with inappropriate expansion of the adipose cells, reduced insulin sensitivity and a more proatherogenic lipid profile in non-obese individuals. However, obesity per se induced a similar expansion of adipose cells and dysmetabolic state irrespective of genetic predisposition. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Genetic predisposition for Type 2 diabetes, but not obesity, is associated with an impaired ability to recruit new adipose cells to store excess lipids in the subcutaneous adipose tissue, thereby promoting ectopic lipid deposition. This becomes particularly evident in non-obese individuals since obesity per se promotes a dysmetabolic state irrespective of genetic predisposition. These results identify a novel susceptibility factor making individuals with a genetic predisposition for Type 2 diabetes particularly sensitive to the environment and caloric excess

Spin half fermions with mass dimension one: theory, phenomenology, and dark matter

We provide the first details on the unexpected theoretical discovery of a spin-one-half matter field with mass dimension one. It is based upon a complete set of dual-helicity eigenspinors of the charge conjugation operator. Due to its unusual properties with respect to charge conjugation and parity, it belongs to a non-standard Wigner class. Consequently, the theory exhibits non-locality with (CPT)^2 = - I. We briefly discuss its relevance to the cosmological `horizon problem'. Because the introduced fermionic field is endowed with mass dimension one, it can carry a quartic self-interaction. Its dominant interaction with known forms of matter is via Higgs, and with gravity. This aspect leads us to contemplate the new fermion as a prime dark matter candidate. Taking this suggestion seriously we study a supernova-like explosion of a galactic-mass dark matter cloud to set limits on the mass of the new particle and present a calculation on relic abundance to constrain the relevant cross-section. The analysis favours light mass (roughly 20 MeV) and relevant cross-section of about 2 pb. Similarities and differences with the WIMP and mirror matter proposals for dark matter are enumerated. In a critique of the theory we bare a hint on non-commutative aspects of spacetime, and energy-momentum space.Comment: 78 pages [Changes: referee-suggested improvements, additional important references, and better readability

mRNA concentrations of MIF in subcutaneous abdominal adipose cells are associated with adipocyte size and insulin action

Objective To determine whether the mRNA concentrations of inflammation response genes in isolated adipocytes and in cultured preadipocytes are related to adipocyte size and in vivo insulin action in obese individuals. Design Cross-sectional inpatient study. Subjects Obese Pima Indians with normal glucose tolerance. Measurements Adipocyte diameter (by microscope technique; n=29), expression of candidate genes (by quantitative real-time PCR) in freshly isolated adipocytes (monocyte chemoattractant protein [MCP] 1 and MCP2, macrophage inflammatory protein [MIP] 1α, MIP1β and MIP2, macrophage migration inhibitory factor [MIF], tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin [IL] 6 and IL8; n=22) and cultured preadipocytes (MCP1, MIP1α, MIF, IL6 and matrix metalloproteinase 2; n=33) from subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (by aspiration biopsy, n=34), body fat by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, glucose tolerance by 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test, and insulin action by euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (insulin infusion rate 40 mU/m2.min)(all n=34). Results MIF was the only gene whose expression in both freshly isolated adipocytes and cultured preadipocytes was positively associated with adipocytes diameter and negatively associated with peripheral and hepatic insulin action (all P<0.05). In multivariate analysis, the association between adipocyte MIF mRNA concentrations and adipocytes diameter was independent of percent body fat (P=0.03), whereas adipocyte MIF mRNA concentrations but not adipocytes diameter independently predicted peripheral insulin action. The mRNA expression concentrations of MIF gene in adipocytes were not associated with plasma concentrations of MIF, but were negatively associated with plasma adiponectin concentrations (P=0.004). In multivariate analysis, adipocyte MIF RNA concentrations (P=0.03) but not plasma adiponectin concentrations (P=0.4) remained a significant predictor of insulin action. Conclusions Increased expression of MIF gene in adipose cells may be an important link between obesity characterized by enlarged adipocytes and insulin resistance in normal glucose tolerant people