Genetic divergence among African and American cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. race latifolium H.) cultivars and inbred lines through random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers.

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is an important cash crop and the second largest source of textile fiber and edible oil throughout the world. This study was conducted to investigate the genetic divergence through random amplified polymorphism (RAPD) molecular markers among the introduced African and American cultivars and inbred lines of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. raça latifolium H.) in Mozambique. We used 24 RAPD primers that amplified a total of 166 bands, identifying 90.96% ofpolymorphism. The intra and inter group genetic variability quantification evidenced significant variability of 16.30% between the African and American groups. The highest genetic similarity was observed among the African commercial cotton cultivars, whereas American cultivars and inbred lines were considered the most dissimilar ones. The arithmetic complement of Jaccard, obtained with 151 RAPD molecular markers showed that African cultivars Albar BC853 and STAM 42 were the most similar, while the most dissimilar combinations were TAMCOT Sphinx and ISA 205 followed by TAMCOT Sphinx vs ALBAR BC853 and TAMCOT Sphinx vs REMU 40 combinations.Keywords: Molecular variance analysis, decamer primers, dissimilarity, Gossypium hirsutum, molecular markers

Methanethiosulfonate derivatives as ligands of STAT3-SH2 domain

It is well known that inflammatory conditions in selected organs increase the risk of cancer. Compounds of the inflammatory tumor microenvironment include leukocytes, cytokines, complement components, are orchestrated by transcription factors, such as STAT-3 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3) and NF-kB. Therefore drugs able to inhibit one or both transcription factors could be useful tools to treat cancer disease. Two main approaches have been explored to inhibit STAT-3 signalling: \u2022 indirect, inhibiting the upstream tyrosine kinases that are responsible for STAT-3 activation or blocking factors such as JAK, Src, Bcr-Abl, FLT3 and EGFR that are involved in the activation of STAT-3 signalling. This kind of inhibition induces tumour-cell apoptosis but is poor selective. \u2022 direct, by interaction of small molecules with the protein. In this selective approach the starting point is the crystallographic structure of STAT-3 SH2 domain. S-methyl methanethiosulfonate, isolated from cauliflower has been shown to inhibit colon tumor incidence when administered to rats during the post-initiation phase of carcinogenesis [1]. Recently, a new methanethiosulfonate derivative of valproic acid (ACS33) was reported by some of us to show good in vitro antiproliferative activity and to inhibit in vivo the growth of PC3 in subcutaneous xenograft mice models [2]. Fig.1: Structures of the studied thiosulfonate hybrids. Since the influence of methanethiosulfonates on STAT-3 activity has not been yet studied, we decided to synthesize a set of thiosulfonate-drug hybrids (Fig.1) and to submit them and their parent compounds to the AlphaScreen-based assay, to investigate their ability to bind STAT-3 SH2 domain. Moreover, in order to check the selectivity of our molecules on STAT-3, other SH2-containing proteins, such as STAT-1, exhibiting a high degree of sequence homology to STAT-3, have also been tested. Results showed that most of the synthesized thiosulfonate-hybrids are able to strongly and selectively bind STAT-3 SH2 domain, whereas the parent drugs were completely devoid of this ability. Studies are ongoing to better define the profile of our new methanethiosulfonate derivatives as potential dual STAT-3/NFkB inhibitors. References 1. Reddy, B. S.; Kawamori, T.; Lubet, R.; Steele, V.; Kelloff, G.; Rao, C. V. Chemopreventive effect of S-methylmethane thiosulfonate and sulindac administered together during the promotion/progression stages of colon carcinogenesis Carcinogenesis 1999, 20, 1645-8. 2. Wedel S. A.; Sparatore A.; Del Soldato P.; Al-Batran S. E.; Atmaca A.; Juengel E.; Hudak L.; Jonas D.; Blaheta R. A. New histone deacetylase inhibitors as potential therapeutics tools for advanced prostate carcinoma. J. Cell. Mol Med 2008, 12, 2457-66

Emerging Technologies: A Catalyst for Sustainable Business Model Innovation

Grand Challenges are global problems requiring coordinated effort from stakeholders at different levels. For-profit businesses, as loci of innovation, can play a pivotal role in advancing Grand Challenges by fostering social impact collaboration. Business Model Innovation is a useful mean to combine the possibilities offered by emerging technologies with the needs of sustainable challenges. Blockchain is widely recognized as an emerging technology, rapidly growing, highly novel and with a prominent impact on different sectors. We adopt a Comparative Case Study in the field of the Voluntary Carbon Market, unregulated markets where organizations can offset their impact by compensating their negative externalities on the environment by buying carbon credits generated through certified mitigation projects following international standards. As climate change is a main Grand Challenges and a threat to humanity, as recognized by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, this research aims to explore the role of blockchain as a catalyst for Sustainable Business Model Innovation. This study makes two significant contributions to the field of business model innovation, emerging technologies and Grand Challenges. First, it highlights the importance of Business Model Innovation to address Grand Challenges and overcome their managerial problems, including valuating, coordination, trust, access and reach. Our study presents a novel conceptual model anchored in the Business Model as an activity system view, revealing three actionable characteristics of blockchain that can help to design novel activities configurations able to advance managerial problems encountered by for-profit organizations while advancing effort towards Grand Challenges: asset enabler, trust machine and coordinated and collaborative action enhancer. Second, from a technology-oriented perspective, it offers insights into how an emerging technology can be leveraged to foster complementarity by converging with existing assets and technologies, thereby generating new value. For practice, our findings provide a framework for both startups and established companies to leverage blockchain technologies to create meaningful and lasting impact

Technological Change and the Interplay of Strategic Innovation and Business Model Innovation

Technology-enabled innovation has increasingly puzzled and attracted strategists, since it offers opportunities to create new sources of value by challenging traditional approaches. To address this topic, research efforts have focused on the emerging construct of Business Model (BM), that describes how an enterprise creates and delivers value to customers, enticing them to pay and converting payments into profits. However, the relationship between Business Model Innovation (BMI) and Strategic Innovation (SI) is still unclear. This study investigates this relationship by examining the role of technological change in it. To this end, we propose a conceptual framework that classifies technological change according to three dimensions: trajectory, intent, and effect. Second, based on this framework, we conduct a multiple-case study with 16 companies to identify different innovation paths that arise from the interplay between SI, BMI, and technological change. Our findings reveal eight types of innovation paths that depend on the mediating or triggering role of the technological change faced. This result suggests a transitivity in the BM-Strategy and BMI-SI relationships. Change is the essence of BMI and SI, both their origin and outcome, and acts as the fil rouge that connects SI with its execution through BMI. Additionally, we shed light on the role of different actors (top, middle and low management and key employees) in SI and BMI, depending on their level of technological change empowerment. The study shows that BMI can survive without supervision and strategic commitment from top management, being primarily led by line managers and employees invested in experimentation at an operational level. This claim reveals the need to focus on the “technological change empowerment” given to line management and employees, balancing it with an ability to supervise and consolidate BMI. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between SI and BMI and the role of technological change in it. Our findings provide insights for firms to strategically operate and govern technological change and leverage it to innovate their business models