Complementarities in Platform Ecosystems: A Study of Coevolution of Made-in-Korea Digital Entertainment Phenomenon

Business ecosystems are pushed by competition to develop complementarities that increase their chances of survival. However, scholars continue to cite the lack of understanding in coevolution as a complementarity mechanisms of businesses, especially in the digital platform ecosystems. In this research-in-progress paper, we explore the development of complementarities, found in the coevolution of entities in digital platform ecosystems. Through initial case studies of globally developed Korean entertainment and culture industry, we discover a possible categorization of different types of coevolution in the digital platform ecosystem; namely ‘digital transformation’ – business coevolving with its environment, ‘platformization’ – core platform coevolving with its complementors, and ‘reconfiguration’- core ecosystem coevolving with its sub-ecosystems. Based on the findings, we suggest that there is a need to extend the definition of platform ecosystems to also incorporate the sub-ecosystems’ coevolutionary interaction. A new conceptual framework is presented with future plans to develop both the work and the model

The Red Queen Hypothesis and Improvisational Capabilities for Resilience: A Study of Korean Online Gaming Industry

Developing organizational resilience (OR) is now one of the core competencies for organizations’ survival. Yet, OR development, as a response to disruptions, is context specific. With previous studies highlighting the type of disruption addressed, we find that the technology-incurred disruptions have received less spotlight due to the prevailing ‘pro-ICT bias’. However, technology may also heavily disrupt organizations. Should an organization not be resilient towards it, its survival can be at risk. Among various methods and means of developing OR, digital resilience, which is to utilize information systems to develop resilience, is known to be critical. Therefore, we ask the following research question “How do organizations develop digital resilience addressing technology-driven disruptions? . Using the improvisational capabilities and the red queen hypothesis as our guide, we conduct an exploratory case study on the Korean online gaming industry. Preliminary analysis and results are shared and concluded with plans for future research developmen

Control of a bidirectional single-phase grid interface for electric vehicles

The number of electric vehicles is expected to increase exponentially in the next decade. This represents a huge potential for grid support, such as energy storage in their batteries, with advantages for grid operators and for customers. For this purpose, flexible power interfaces are required. This paper presents a simulation of a bidirectional singlephase power interface between an electric vehicle battery and the grid. The proposed system is fully simulated and counts with features such as vehicle-to-grid, vehicle-to-home and grid-to-vehicle. All power flow and the controllers for these modes of operation are described in detail. The simulation was developed in a Software-in-the-Loop scheme to facilitate a future physical implementation with a Hardware-in-the-Loop platform. The proposed system was extensively tested via simulation, the results proving the system is stable, able to change operation modes smoothly and definition of the exchanged active and reactive powers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

La diffusione del doping nello sport amatoriale: domanda, offerta, prevenzione.

Obiettivo di questo elaborato è studiare le caratteristiche principali del fenomeno doping nello sport amatoriale e le ragioni che sottostanno alla sua sempre più capillare diffusione; cercare di ricostruire il mercato illecito delle sostanze dopanti individuando, quanto più precisamente possibile, gli attori della domanda e dell'offerta; presentare infine le moderne strategie di contrasto e prevenzione, individuandone le criticità e valutando possibili linee di intervento future. Nel capitolo intitolato "Doping e salute" viene brevemente introdotto il problema generale dell'abuso consumistico di farmaci, pratica che risulta ormai estremamente diffusa in ambito sportivo, e vengono elencate e descritte in sintesi le sostanze più frequentemente utilizzate per migliorare le prestazioni. Il capitolo successivo, intitolato "Le varie facce del doping", propone un'analisi completa del mercato delle sostanze proibite: la domanda di doping viene indagata nelle sue principali sfaccettature, dalla moderna società iper-medicalizzata alla domanda di sostanze proibite in Italia, estremamente significativa presso gli sportivi amatoriali; l'offerta di doping viene analizzata considerando tutta la filiera commerciale, dai suppliers ai traffici che alimentano il mercato illecito; la parte finale del capitolo presenta i trend che hanno caratterizzato il fenomeno doping in Italia nel periodo 2003-2014 ed espone le principali criticità dei dati statistici ufficiali. Il capitolo intitolato "Prevenzione: limiti e possibili linee di intervento", evidenzia le problematiche delle attività di contrasto alla diffusione del doping, esponendo la necessità di investire in oculate campagne di comunicazione, di collaborare con medici ed operatori sanitari e di valorizzare l'attività formativa di scuola e famiglia, così da trasmettere ai giovani la cultura di uno sport pulito ed i valori di uno stile di vita sano; descrive inoltre il triplice approccio con cui la Commissione europea affronta il problema doping e propone un resoconto dei principali studi in materia condotti nel nostro paese attorno agli anni 2000: si tratta di iniziative finalizzate alla prevenzione che offrono anche molti spunti per valutare caratteristiche ed entità del fenomeno doping in Italia. Il capitolo finale della tesi, intitolato "Conclusioni", consiste in un sintetico riepilogo delle questioni precedentemente affrontate ed espone le principali migliorie che, in base ai più recenti dibattiti sull'argomento, possono essere approntate alla lotta contro il doping

Dietary polyphenols turn fat "brown": a narrative review of the possible mechanisms

Background: Inducible brown adipocytes called beige adipocytes are found in white adipose tissue (WAT) depots. They express functional UCP1 and have thermogenic fat-burning capacities as also found in classical brown adipocytes in response to various stimuli. Beige adipocytes may also secrete certain factors that affect WAT function and systemic metabolism. Therefore, a white-to-brown fat conversion could be a novel therapeutic avenue for tackling obesity and metabolic disorders. Scope and approach: In this review, we examine the evidence supporting the concept that the anti-obesity action attributed to polyphenols might be contributed by their stimulation of WAT browning, and discuss the possible underlying mechanisms involved in this action. Key findings and conclusions: Current evidence, mostly derived from animal models, strongly supports that dietary polyphenols may play roles in the browning of WAT. Studies also show multiple signaling pathways, receptors, and transcription factors have been associated with the browning effects of dietary polyphenols. In conclusion, polyphenol compounds and their principal metabolites may contribute to counteracting human obesity via promoting WAT browning

Antigen spreading-induced CD8+T cells confer protection against the lethal challenge of wild-type malignant mesothelioma by eliminating myeloid-derived suppressor cells

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Longitudinal bioimpedance vector plots add little value to fluid management of peritoneal dialysis patients

Bioimpedance (BI) has the potential to enable better management of fluid balance, which can worsen over time on peritoneal dialysis (PD) due to loss of residual kidney function and progressive muscle wasting. We undertook a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded end-point controlled trial to determine whether availability of longitudinal BI measures as vector plots helped clinicians maintain stable fluid status over 12 months in 308 peritoneal dialysis patients from the United Kingdom and Shanghai, China. Patients were recruited into 4 groups nested within a single trial design according to country and residual kidney function. Nonanuric subjects from both countries demonstrated stable fluid volumes irrespective of randomization. Hydration worsened in control anuric patients in Shanghai with increased extracellular/total body water (ECW/TBW) ratio (0.04; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.06) and reduced TBW (-1.76 L 95% CI: -2.70, -0.82), but was stable in the BI intervention group whose dialysate glucose prescription was increased. However, multilevel analysis incorporating data from both countries showed worsening ECW/TBW in active and control anuric patients. Clinicians in the United Kingdom reduced target weight in the nonanuric BI intervention group causing a reduction in TBW without beneficial effects on ECW or blood pressure. Thus, routine use of longitudinal BI vector plots to improve clinical management of fluid status is not supported.Kidney International advance online publication, 14 October 2015; doi:10.1038/ki.2015.294

Gold nanoparticles improve metabolic profile of mice fed a high-fat diet

© 2018 The Author(s). Background: Obesity is a high risk for multiple metabolic disorders due to excessive influx of energy, glucose and lipid, often from a western based diet. Low-grade inflammation plays a key role in the progression of such metabolic disorders. The anti-inflammatory property of gold compounds has been used in treating rheumatoid arthritis in the clinic. Previously we found that pure gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, 21 nm) also possess anti-inflammatory effects on the retroperitoneal fat tissue following intraperitoneal injection, by downregulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α. However, whether such an effect can change the risk of metabolic disorders in the obese has not been well studied. The study employed C57BL/6 mice fed a pellet high fat diet (HFD, 43% as fat) that were treated daily with AuNPs [low (HFD-LAu) or high (HFD-HAu) dose] via intraperitoneal injection for 9 weeks. In the in vitro study, RAW264.7 macrophages and 3T3-L1 adipocytes were cultured with low and high concentrations of AuNPs alone or together. Results: The HFD-fed mice showed a significant increase in fat mass, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, and liver steatosis. The HFD-LAu group showed an 8% reduction in body weight, ameliorated hyperlipidemia, and normal glucose tolerance; while the HFD-HAu group had a 5% reduction in body weight with significant improvement in their glucose intolerance and hyperlipidemia. The underlying mechanism may be attributed to a reduction in adipose and hepatic local proinflammatory cytokine production, e.g. TNFα. In vitro studies of co-cultured murine RAW264.7 macrophage and 3T3-L1 adipocytes supported this proposed mechanism. Conclusion: AuNPs demonstrate a promising profile for potential management of obesity related glucose and lipid disorders and are useful as a research tool for the study of biological mechanisms

Lower cerebrospinal fluid/plasma fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) ratios and placental FGF21 production in gestational diabetes

Objectives: Circulating Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) levels are increased in insulin resistant states such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In addition, GDM is associated with serious maternal and fetal complications. We sought to study human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and corresponding circulating FGF21 levels in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and in age and BMI matched control subjects. We also assessed FGF21 secretion from GDM and control human placental explants. Design: CSF and corresponding plasma FGF21 levels of 24 women were measured by ELISA [12 GDM (age: 26–47 years, BMI: 24.3–36.3 kg/m2) and 12 controls (age: 22–40 years, BMI: 30.1–37.0 kg/m2)]. FGF21 levels in conditioned media were secretion from GDM and control human placental explants were also measured by ELISA. Results: Glucose, HOMA-IR and circulating NEFA levels were significantly higher in women with GDM compared to control subjects. Plasma FGF21 levels were significantly higher in women with GDM compared to control subjects [234.3 (150.2–352.7) vs. 115.5 (60.5–188.7) pg/ml; P<0.05]. However, there was no significant difference in CSF FGF21 levels in women with GDM compared to control subjects. Interestingly, CSF/Plasma FGF21 ratio was significantly lower in women with GDM compared to control subjects [0.4 (0.3–0.6) vs. 0.8 (0.5–1.6); P<0.05]. FGF21 secretion into conditioned media was significantly lower in human placental explants from women with GDM compared to control subjects (P<0.05). Conclusions: The central actions of FGF21 in GDM subjects maybe pivotal in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in GDM subjects. The significance of FGF21 produced by the placenta remains uncharted and maybe crucial in our understanding of the patho-physiology of GDM and its associated maternal and fetal complications. Future research should seek to elucidate these points

A multicentre, randomised controlled trial comparing the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of early nutritional support via the parenteral versus the enteral route in critically ill patients (CALORIES)

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is a common problem in critically ill patients in UK NHS critical care units. Early nutritional support is therefore recommended to address deficiencies in nutritional state and related disorders in metabolism. However, evidence is conflicting regarding the optimum route (parenteral or enteral) of delivery. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the effect of early nutritional support via the parenteral route compared with the enteral route on mortality at 30 days and on incremental cost-effectiveness at 1 year. Secondary objectives were to compare the route of early nutritional support on duration of organ support; infectious and non-infectious complications; critical care unit and acute hospital length of stay; all-cause mortality at critical care unit and acute hospital discharge, at 90 days and 1 year; survival to 90 days and 1 year; nutritional and health-related quality of life, resource use and costs at 90 days and 1 year; and estimated lifetime incremental cost-effectiveness. DESIGN: A pragmatic, open, multicentre, parallel-group randomised controlled trial with an integrated economic evaluation. SETTING: Adult general critical care units in 33 NHS hospitals in England. PARTICIPANTS: 2400 eligible patients. INTERVENTIONS: Five days of early nutritional support delivered via the parenteral (n = 1200) and enteral (n = 1200) route. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All-cause mortality at 30 days after randomisation and incremental net benefit (INB) (at £20,000 per quality-adjusted life-year) at 1 year. RESULTS: By 30 days, 393 of 1188 (33.1%) patients assigned to receive early nutritional support via the parenteral route and 409 of 1195 (34.2%) assigned to the enteral route had died [p = 0.57; absolute risk reduction 1.15%, 95% confidence interval (CI) -2.65 to 4.94; relative risk 0.97 (0.86 to 1.08)]. At 1 year, INB for the parenteral route compared with the enteral route was negative at -£1320 (95% CI -£3709 to £1069). The probability that early nutritional support via the parenteral route is more cost-effective - given the data - is < 20%. The proportion of patients in the parenteral group who experienced episodes of hypoglycaemia (p = 0.006) and of vomiting (p < 0.001) was significantly lower than in the enteral group. There were no significant differences in the 15 other secondary outcomes and no significant interactions with pre-specified subgroups. LIMITATIONS: Blinding of nutritional support was deemed to be impractical and, although the primary outcome was objective, some secondary outcomes, although defined and objectively assessed, may have been more vulnerable to observer bias. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality at 30 days for early nutritional support via the parenteral route compared with the enteral route among adults admitted to critical care units in England. On average, costs were higher for the parenteral route, which, combined with similar survival and quality of life, resulted in negative INBs at 1 year. FUTURE WORK: Nutritional support is a complex combination of timing, dose, duration, delivery and type, all of which may affect outcomes and costs. Conflicting evidence remains regarding optimum provision to critically ill patients. There is a need to utilise rigorous consensus methods to establish future priorities for basic and clinical research in this area. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN17386141. FUNDING: This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 20, No. 28. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information