Gamification of Business Processes of HR Management

The article is aimed at studying modern HRM systems on availability of gamification function in the context of the HR business processes. Business technologies have changed the way companies do business. Companies have to adapt to changing technologies and market fluctuations, but they can’t succeed if they have an unmotivated team that doesn’t want to change. Gamification is an effective way to increase staff productivity. In addition, it has a positive effect on attracting and retaining employees, most of whom do not like routine processes, but they enjoy playing games. Gamification of the HR processes and procedures can turn a boring experience into an immersive game that takes employees to the next level. The article defines that gamification is based on many game attributes and strategies that it applies to a wide range of real business processes, transforming non-gaming experience to motivate staff actions and achieve company goals. Gamification is rapidly transforming businesses around the world, creating new ways to engage employees, expand relationships, and increase loyalty and encouragement, and leverage the motivations and desires that are natural in everyone. The existing HR processes of modern companies are analyzed and the most gamified ones are identified. Taking into account the large number of HRM systems for the needs of any company, the best ones that offer elements of the game for use in the implementation of HR processes are examined. The functioning of gamification in modern HRM systems can help increase the efficiency of the employee development process, reduce training costs and increase involvement in these training programs. The success of gamification implementation depends on the correct choice of methods and tools, as well as on the organizational culture and approach to HR management. Companies should study their own needs for new technologies, which, of course, causes close cooperation with developers of HRM systems. The analysis of scientific papers and practical activities of companies shows that the main gamified HR processes are selection, training, adaptation, motivation, performance management and staff evaluation, but there are others that require creative innovations and solutions, which actualizes further research in this direction

Endothelial Progenitor Cell-Based in vitro Pre-Endothelialization of Human Cell-Derived Biomimetic Regenerative Matrices for Next-Generation Transcatheter Heart Valves Applications

Hemocompatibility of cardiovascular implants represents a major clinical challenge and, to date, optimal antithrombotic properties are lacking. Next-generation tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHVs) made from human-cell-derived tissue-engineered extracellular matrices (hTEMs) demonstrated their recellularization capacity in vivo and may represent promising candidates to avoid antithrombotic therapy. To further enhance their hemocompatibility, we tested hTEMs pre-endothelialization potential using human-blood-derived endothelial-colony-forming cells (ECFCs) and umbilical vein cells (control), cultured under static and dynamic orbital conditions, with either FBS or hPL. ECFCs performance was assessed via scratch assay, thereby recapitulating the surface damages occurring in transcatheter valves during crimping procedures. Our study demonstrated: feasibility to form a confluent and functional endothelium on hTEMs with expression of endothelium-specific markers; ECFCs migration and confluency restoration after crimping tests; hPL-induced formation of neo-microvessel-like structures; feasibility to pre-endothelialize hTEMs-based TEHVs and ECFCs retention on their surface after crimping. Our findings may stimulate new avenues towards next-generation pre-endothelialized implants with enhanced hemocompatibility, being beneficial for selected high-risk patients

Combining Cell Technologies With Biomimetic Tissue Engineering Applications: A New Paradigm for Translational Cardiovascular Therapies

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and, to date, the clinically available prostheses still present several limitations. The design of next-generation regenerative replacements either based on cellular or extracellular matrix technologies can address these shortcomings. Therefore, tissue engineered constructs could potentially become a promising alterative to the current therapeutic options for patients with cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we selectively present an overview of the current tissue engineering tools such as induced pluripotent stem cells, biomimetic materials, computational modeling, and additive manufacturing technologies, with a focus on their application to translational cardiovascular therapies. We discuss how these advanced technologies can help the development of biomimetic tissue engineered constructs and we finally summarize the latest clinical evidence for their use, and their potential therapeutic outcome

NK cells with tissue-resident traits shape response to immunotherapy by inducing adaptive antitumor immunity

T cell-directed cancer immunotherapy often fails to generate lasting tumor control. Harnessing additional effectors of the immune response against tumors may strengthen the clinical benefit of immunotherapies. Here, we demonstrate that therapeutic targeting of the interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-interleukin-12 (IL-12) pathway relies on the ability of a population of natural killer (NK) cells with tissue-resident traits to orchestrate an antitumor microenvironment. In particular, we used an engineered adenoviral platform as a tool for intratumoral IL-12 immunotherapy (AdV5-IL-12) to generate adaptive antitumor immunity. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that AdV5-IL-12 is capable of inducing the expression of CC-chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) in CD49a+ NK cells both in tumor mouse models and tumor specimens from patients with cancer. AdV5-IL-12 imposed CCL5-induced type I conventional dendritic cell (cDC1) infiltration and thus increased DC-CD8 T cell interactions. A similar observation was made for other IFN-γ-inducing therapies such as Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) blockade. Conversely, failure to respond to IL-12 and PD-1 blockade in tumor models with low CD49a+ CXCR6+ NK cell infiltration could be overcome by intratumoral delivery of CCL5. Thus, therapeutic efficacy depends on the abundance of NK cells with tissue-resident traits and, specifically, their capacity to produce the DC chemoattractant CCL5. Our findings reveal a barrier for T cell-focused therapies and offer mechanistic insights into how T cell-NK cell-DC cross-talk can be enhanced to promote antitumor immunity and overcome resistance

NK cells with tissue-resident traits shape response to immunotherapy by inducing adaptive antitumor immunity

T cell-directed cancer immunotherapy often fails to generate lasting tumor control. Harnessing additional effectors of the immune response against tumors may strengthen the clinical benefit of immunotherapies. Here, we demonstrate that therapeutic targeting of the interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-interleukin-12 (IL-12) pathway relies on the ability of a population of natural killer (NK) cells with tissue-resident traits to orchestrate an antitumor microenvironment. In particular, we used an engineered adenoviral platform as a tool for intratumoral IL-12 immunotherapy (AdV5-IL-12) to generate adaptive antitumor immunity. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that AdV5-IL-12 is capable of inducing the expression of CC-chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) in CD49a; +; NK cells both in tumor mouse models and tumor specimens from patients with cancer. AdV5-IL-12 imposed CCL5-induced type I conventional dendritic cell (cDC1) infiltration and thus increased DC-CD8 T cell interactions. A similar observation was made for other IFN-γ-inducing therapies such as Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) blockade. Conversely, failure to respond to IL-12 and PD-1 blockade in tumor models with low CD49a; +; CXCR6; +; NK cell infiltration could be overcome by intratumoral delivery of CCL5. Thus, therapeutic efficacy depends on the abundance of NK cells with tissue-resident traits and, specifically, their capacity to produce the DC chemoattractant CCL5. Our findings reveal a barrier for T cell-focused therapies and offer mechanistic insights into how T cell-NK cell-DC cross-talk can be enhanced to promote antitumor immunity and overcome resistance

Analysis of marketing mix of Starbucks company

This thesis focuses on marketing mix of Starbucks. The main goal is to suggest marketing mix improvement based on done analyses and assessments of constituent marketing mix components. The thesis is divided into two parts – theoretical and practical. The theoretical part is comprised of two chapters and deals with marketing and marketing mix components – product, price, promotion and place. The practical part consists of three chapters, which cover the coffeehouse market in Czech Republic and present the company of Starbucks and its history. The practical part is continued by evaluation of Starbucks marketing mix along with all analysis listed in the theoretical part. This section is concluded by research among the customers of the brand, which is based on questionnaire investigation concerning the customers´ attitude to Starbucks products and the company in general. The investigation is followed by suggestions and recommendations for the companyBakalářská práce se zaměřuje na marketingový mix společnosti Starbucks. Hlavním cílem této práce je na základě analýzy marketingového mixu a hodnocení jeho jednotlivých složek navrhnout možná opatření a případná zlepšení. Práce je rozdělena do dvou částí. Teoretická část se skládá ze dvou kapitol a je zaměřena na definování marketingu a popis jednotlivých částí marketingového mixu — produktu, ceny, marketingové komunikaci a dostupnosti. Praktickou část tvoří tři kapitoly, které popisují trh kaváren v České republice, představují společnost Starbucks a její krátkou historii. Práce pokračuje zhodnocením jednotlivých prvků marketingového mixu společnosti Starbucks v návaznosti na část teoretickou. Dále následuje výzkumné šetření mezi zákazníky kavárenského řetězce. K výzkumu je využito dotazníkové šetření zaměřené na hodnocení postojů zákazníků k produkci a společnosti. Z dotazníkového šetření jsou odvozeny návrhy a doporučení pro společnos

Xenogeneic Serum-Free Human Cell-Derived Tissue Engineered Matrices for the Development of Clinical-Grade Biomimetic Cardiovascular Devices

The development of next-generation biomimetic cardiovascular implants using tissue engineering concepts can address the existing shortcomings of the clinically available prostheses, offering the possibility to generate life-long, native-analogous constructs with self-remodeling and regenerative capacities. Scaffolds for tissue-engineered cardiovascular prostheses can be obtained from allogenic cell sources, that can then produce human tissue-engineered matrices (hTEMs) in vitro. Traditionally, fetal bovine serum (FBS) is used as a universal cell growth supplement. However, concerns regarding its biosafety remain a challenge for clinical translation. The aim of this study is to develop a novel xenogeneic serum-free approach for the manufacturing of clinical grade hTEMs. To achieve this, decellularized hTEMs are generated under xenogeneic serum-free conditions and have subsequently demonstrated hTEMs perform similarly to the FBS-supplemented control group in terms of extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, hemocompatibility, thrombogenicity, and calcification potential. Finally, the xenogeneic serum-free protocol is successfully adapted to the development of hTEM-based tissue-engineered heart valves for the systemic circulation, showing proof-of-concept functionality in vitro. Overall, the data suggest the effectiveness of xenogeneic serum-free culture method as a valid alternative to FBS for the production of hTEM for cardiovascular applications.ISSN:2366-398