Critical analysis of organizational change process: evidences from a steel company

© 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the main factors that influence the organizational change in a steel company. Design/methodology/approach: The methodological procedures used were literature review and survey. The literature review allowed the listing of 24 factors and these factors were grouped into three constructs (Behavioral Aspects, Cultural Aspects and Management Aspects). The survey allowed the quantification of each factor based on information provided by employees who work in the mentioned company. The data collected were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling technique. Findings: For the Behavioral Aspects, the following factors were validated: fear of the unknown; insecurity and anxiety; stress and feeling of suffering. For the Cultural Aspects the following factors were validated: multiculturalism in the company; low degree of risk acceptance and low performance acceptance; excessive concerns about consensus. Finally, for the Management Aspects, the following factors were validated: lack of clarity in communications; lack of alignment of goals; lack of leadership engagement. Originality/value: The results are valuable for the company studied and for other managers interested in subject. The findings presented here can broaden the debate about this topic and contribute with professionals that wish to evaluate the mentioned factors

Annexin A1 attenuates cardiac diastolic dysfunction in mice with inflammatory arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) carries a twofold increased incidence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, accompanied by diastolic dysfunction, which can lead to death. The causes of diastolic dysfunction are unknown, and there are currently no well-characterized animal models for studying these mechanisms. Current medications for RA do not have marked beneficial cardio-protective effects. K/BxN F1 progeny and KRN control mice were analyzed over time for arthritis development, monitoring left ventricular diastolic and systolic function using echocardiography. Excised hearts were analyzed by flow cytometry, qPCR, and histology. In pharmacological experiments, K/BxN F1 mice were treated with human recombinant AnxA1 (hrAnxA1, 1 μg/mouse) or vehicle daily. K/BxN F1 mice exhibited fully developed arthritis with normal cardiac function at 4 wk; however, by week 8, all mice displayed left ventricular diastolic dysfunction with preserved ejection fraction. This dysfunction was associated with cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial inflammation and fibrosis, and inflammatory markers. Daily treatment of K/BxN F1 mice with hrAnxA1 from weeks 4 to 8 halted progression of the diastolic dysfunction. The treatment reduced cardiac transcripts of proinflammatory cytokines and profibrotic markers. At the cellular level, hrAnxA1 decreased activated T cells and increased MHC IIlow macrophage infiltration in K/BxN F1 hearts. Similar effects were obtained when hrAnxA1 was administered from week 8 to week 15. We describe an animal model of inflammatory arthritis that recapitulates the cardiomyopathy of RA. Treatment with hrAnxA1 after disease onset corrected the diastolic dysfunction through modulation of both fibroblast and inflammatory cell phenotype within the heart

Geo-environmental mapping using physiographic analysis: constraints on the evaluation of land instability and groundwater pollution hazards in the Metropolitan District of Campinas, Brazil

Geo-environmental terrain assessments and territorial zoning are useful tools for the formulation and implementation of environmental management instruments (including policy-making, planning, and enforcement of statutory regulations). They usually involve a set of procedures and techniques for delimitation, characterisation and classification of terrain units. However, terrain assessments and zoning exercises are often costly and time-consuming, particularly when encompassing large areas, which in many cases prevent local agencies in developing countries from properly benefiting from such assessments. In the present paper, a low-cost technique based on the analysis of texture of satellite imagery was used for delimitation of terrain units. The delimited units were further analysed in two test areas situated in Southeast Brazil to provide estimates of land instability and the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution hazards. The implementation incorporated procedures for inferring the influences and potential implications of tectonic fractures and other discontinuities on ground behaviour and local groundwater flow. Terrain attributes such as degree of fracturing, bedrock lithology and weathered materials were explored as indicators of ground properties. The paper also discusses constraints on- and limitations of- the approaches taken

Efeitos antiangiogênicos in vivo convalidam a atividade antineoplásica potencial do metiljasmonato

Molecular plant components have long been aimed at the angiogenesis and anti-angiogenesis pathways, and have been tested as sources for antineoplasic drugs with promising success. The present work deals with the anti-angiogenic effects of Methyl Jasmonate. Jasmonate derivatives were demonstrated to selectively damage the mitochondria of cancer cells. In vitro, 1-10 mM Methyl Jasmonate induced the cell death of the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and the Murine melanoma cells (B16F10), while micromolar concentrations were ineffective. In vivo, comparable concentrations were toxic and reduced the vessel density of the Chorioallantoic Membrane of the Chicken Embryo (CAM). However, 1-10 µM concentrations produced a complex effect. There was increased capillary budding, but the new vessels were leakier and less organised than corresponding controls. It is suggested that not only direct toxicity, but also the drug effects upon angiogenesis are relevant to the antineoplasic effects of Methyl Jasmonate.Moléculas de origem vegetal são, há muito, conhecidas como substâncias ativas sobre as vias de angiogênese e antiangiogênese e foram testadas como fonte de drogas antineoplásicas com sucesso promissor. Este trabalho trata dos efeitos antiangiogênicos do Metiljasmonato, um protótipo da família dos derivados do ácido jasmônico, que danificam seletivamente a mitocôndria de células neoplásicas. In vitro, metiljasmonato 1-10 mM promoveu a morte celular de células endoteliais humanas de cordão umbilical (HUVEC) e de melanoma murino (B16F10); concentrações micromolares foram inócuas. In vivo, concentrações equivalentes foram tóxicas e reduziram a densidade de vasos em membranas corioalantoicas de embrião de galinha (CAM). Entretanto, concentrações entre 1-10 µM produziram um efeito complexo. Ocorreu aumento no brotamento capilar, mas os novos vasos apresentaram-se frágeis e menos organizados que os controles correspondentes. Sugere-se que, além da toxicidade direta contra as células tumorais, a ação do metiljasmonato sobre a angiogênese seja relevante para seu efeito antineoplásico

Developing and Validating High-Value Patient Digital Follow-Up Services: a Pilot Study in Cardiac Surgery

Background: The existing digital healthcare solutions demand a service development approach that assesses needs, experience, and outcomes, to develop high-value digital healthcare services. The objective of this study was to develop a digital transformation of the patients' follow-up service after cardiac surgery, based on a remote patient monitoring service that would respond to the real context challenges. Methods: The study followed the Design Science Research methodology framework and incorporated concepts from the Lean startup method to start designing a minimal viable product (MVP) from the available resources. The service was implemented in a pilot study with 29 patients in 4 iterative develop-test-learn cycles, with the engagement of developers, researchers, clinical teams, and patients. Results: Patients reported outcomes daily for 30 days after surgery through Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices and a mobile app. The service's evaluation considered experience, feasibility, and effectiveness. It generated high satisfaction and high adherence among users, fewer readmissions, with an average of 7 ± 4.5 clinical actions per patient, primarily due to abnormal systolic blood pressure or wound-related issues. Conclusions: We propose a 6-step methodology to design and validate a high-value digital health care service based on collaborative learning, real-time development, iterative testing, and value assessment.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Unprecedented inequivalent metal coordination environments in a mixed-ligand dicobalt complex

Bimetallic complexes of the transition metals containing mixed diimine and dithiolate ligands are of fundamental interest on account of their intriguing electronic properties. Almost always, such complexes are isolated as species in which both the metal centers are in identical coordination environments - this means that the two metals often have identical redox properties. In contrast, mixed-diimine/dithiolate bimetallic complexes of the first row transition metals where the two metals are in dissimilar coordination environments are exceedingly rare, and are only known for nickel. Herein, we report the first ever example of a mixed-diimine/dithiolate dicobalt complex where the two cobalt centers are in different coordination environments. The synthesis of this compound is straightforward, and produces a complex in which the two cobalt centers display very different redox properties

Association between Periodontal Disease and Inflammatory Arthritis Reveals Modulatory Functions by Melanocortin Receptor Type 3

Supported by Medical Research Council grant MR/K013068/1 (M.P. and T.M.M.), William Harvey Research Foundation (M.P. and L.V.N.), and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq M.F.M.M., T.A.dS.; Brazil)

Restoration and conservation of priority areas of caatinga’s semi‐arid forest remnants can support connectivity within an agricultural landscape

Land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes are major drivers of biodiversity loss in semi-arid regions, such as the Caatinga biome located in the Northeast of Brazil. We investigated landscape dynamics and fragmentation in an area of the São Francisco Valley in the Brazilian Caatinga biome and measured the effect of these dynamics on ecological, functional and structural connectivity over a 33-year period (1985–2018). We calculated landscape connectivity indices based on graph theory to quantify the effect of further agricultural expansion on ecological connectivity at the landscape scale. We used a multicriteria decision analysis that integrates graph-based connectivity indices at the habitat patch scale, combined with an index of human disturbance to identify patches that, if conserved and restored, preserve the connectivity of the landscape most effectively. In the period studied, agriculture increased at a rate of 2104 ha/year, while native Caatinga vegetation decreased at a rate of 5203 ha/year. Both dense and open Caatinga became more fragmented, with the number of fragments increasing by 85.2% and 28.6%, respectively, whilst the average fragment size decreased by 84.8% and 6.1% for dense and open Caatinga, respectively. If agriculture patches were to expand by a 300 m buffer around each patch, the overall ecological connectivity could be reduced by 6–15%, depending on the species’ (small- to mid-size terrestrial vertebrates) mobility characteristics for which the connectivity indices were calculated. We provided explicit spatial connectivity and fragmentation information for the conservation and restoration of the Caatinga vegetation in the studied area. This information helps with conservation planning in this rapidly changing ecosystem.</jats:p