Facilitating creative networks

This research reflects on the potential of innovation networks made up of ‘creative hubs’ as facilitators of design in a local context, by using the SPRNG! project from Leeuwarden as a case study, analyzing the initiative based on a systemic multilevel design perspective. In this approach, an iterative four phase cyclic design process is being combined with a hierarchical systems perspective (Joore 2012). Briefly described, creative hubs are physical spaces that host artists, designers, small companies, collaborations or events related to these. While providing networking opportunities, these hubs also help creative individuals to achieve their aims. Creative hubs receive many different names, varying from ‘collectives’ to ‘incubators’, yet it is possible to identify a common goal of improving creative businesses holistically

Association between administered oxygen, arterial partial oxygen pressure and mortality in mechanically ventilated intensive care unit patients

Introduction The aim of this study was to investigate whether in-hospital mortality was associated with the administered fraction of oxygen in inspired air (FiO(2)) and achieved arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO(2)). Methods This was a retrospective, observational study on data from the first 24 h after admission from 36,307 consecutive patients admitted to 50 Dutch intensive care units (ICUs) and treated with mechanical ventilation. Oxygenation data from all admission days were analysed in a subset of 3,322 patients in 5 ICUs. Results Mean PaO(2) and FiO(2) in the first 24 h after ICU admission were 13.2 kPa (standard deviation (SD) 6.5) and 50% (SD 20%) respectively. Mean PaO(2) and FiO(2) from all admission days were 12.4 kPa (SD 5.5) and 53% (SD 18). Focusing on oxygenation in the first 24 h of admission, in-hospital mortality was shown to be linearly related to FiO(2) value and had a U-shaped relationship with PaO(2) (both lower and higher PaO(2) values were associated with a higher mortality), independent of each other and of Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II, age, admission type, reduced Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and individual ICU. Focusing on the entire ICU stay, in-hospital mortality was independently associated with mean FiO(2) during ICU stay and with the lower two quintiles of mean PaO(2) value during ICU stay. Conclusions Actually achieved PaO(2) values in ICU patients in The Netherlands are higher than generally recommended in the literature. High FiO(2), and both low PaO(2) and high PaO(2) in the first 24 h after admission are independently associated with in-hospital mortality in ICU patients. Future research should study whether this association is causal or merely a reflection of differences in severity of illness insufficiently corrected for in the multivariate analysis

Association between administered oxygen, arterial partial oxygen pressure and mortality in mechanically ventilated intensive care unit patients

Introduction The aim of this study was to investigate whether in-hospital mortality was associated with the administered fraction of oxygen in inspired air (FiO(2)) and achieved arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO(2)). Methods This was a retrospective, observational study on data from the first 24 h after admission from 36,307 consecutive patients admitted to 50 Dutch intensive care units (ICUs) and treated with mechanical ventilation. Oxygenation data from all admission days were analysed in a subset of 3,322 patients in 5 ICUs. Results Mean PaO(2) and FiO(2) in the first 24 h after ICU admission were 13.2 kPa (standard deviation (SD) 6.5) and 50% (SD 20%) respectively. Mean PaO(2) and FiO(2) from all admission days were 12.4 kPa (SD 5.5) and 53% (SD 18). Focusing on oxygenation in the first 24 h of admission, in-hospital mortality was shown to be linearly related to FiO(2) value and had a U-shaped relationship with PaO(2) (both lower and higher PaO(2) values were associated with a higher mortality), independent of each other and of Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II, age, admission type, reduced Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and individual ICU. Focusing on the entire ICU stay, in-hospital mortality was independently associated with mean FiO(2) during ICU stay and with the lower two quintiles of mean PaO(2) value during ICU stay. Conclusions Actually achieved PaO(2) values in ICU patients in The Netherlands are higher than generally recommended in the literature. High FiO(2), and both low PaO(2) and high PaO(2) in the first 24 h after admission are independently associated with in-hospital mortality in ICU patients. Future research should study whether this association is causal or merely a reflection of differences in severity of illness insufficiently corrected for in the multivariate analysis

1st Design Factory Global Network Research Conference ‘Designing the Future’ 5-6 October 2022

DFGN.R 2022 -Designing the Future - is the first research conference organised by the Design Factory Global Network. The open event offers the opportunity for all like-minded educators, designers and researchers to share their insights and inspire others on education, methods, practices and ecosystems of co-creation and innovation. The DFGN.R conference is a two-day event hosted on-site in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. The conference is organized alongside International Design Factory Week 2022, the annual gathering of DFGN members. This year's conference is organized in collaboration with Aalto University from Helsinki Finland and hosted by the NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences

Circular Design Project – Open knowledge co-creation for circular economy education

Design has a key role to play in developing innovative solutions to current local and global challenges – approaches that must consider the needs of end users and integrate sustainability criteria in processes and strategies for creating products and services. The Circular Design – Learning for Innovative Design for Sustainability (L4IDS) project is a three years Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliance financed project, within the social business and the educational innovation field. The project’s goal is to support the development of skills necessary to promote sustainable production and consumption of products and services in Europe. This is achieved through a knowledge co-creation process and a collaborative action research framework, which led to the development of training materials in order to teach and train students, academics and enterprise staff in Innovative Design for Sustainability (IDfS) strategies. The project is aligned with European Circular Economy policies and contributes to the realization of a more sustainable society. The project has four objectives: (1) to increase and improve the learning strategies of Design for Sustainability; (2) to gather and cluster open educational resources and training courses for industry staff and academics in Innovative Design for Sustainability; (3) to train up innovative and entrepreneurial students designers who are capable of dealing with a transition towards Design for Sustainability as a mainstream design approach, and (4) to establish a basis for a permanent and active European Network of Design for Sustainability. The project was formed by 12 partners who are organised around four country hubs in Ireland, The Netherlands, Catalonia and Sweden. Each country hub consists of one university with education and research in Sustainable Design, one design company with expertise in sustainable design and one national design association. The researchers and professionals involved with the project demonstrate how an interdisciplinary co-design approach tackling wicked design problems can develop viable sustainable and product service systems in partnership with SMEs and students. Following this line of thought, this paper will introduce an internship programme that builds a collaboration among institutions and businesses, while enabling novice designers to experience real-life challenges and developing sustainable design solutions that can transform business practices to address issues of sustainability. Therefore, a total of 11 projects were performed by 48 interns and 16 industry partners. Addressing environmental problems 7 of them were focused on sustainable product solutions and 4 of them offered solutions to enhance the implementation of circular processes in the urban environment. As a reinforcement for the project’s mission, it was recognized as a best practice under the umbrella of the World Environment Day, promoted by the Barcelona City Council.Postprint (published version

Prime editing for functional repair in patient-derived disease models

Prime editing is a recent genome editing technology using fusion proteins of Cas9-nickase and reverse transcriptase, that holds promise to correct the vast majority of genetic defects. Here, we develop prime editing for primary adult stem cells grown in organoid culture models. First, we generate precise in-frame deletions in the gene encoding beta -catenin (CTNNB1) that result in proliferation independent of Wnt-stimuli, mimicking a mechanism of the development of liver cancer. Moreover, prime editing functionally recovers disease-causing mutations in intestinal organoids from patients with DGAT1-deficiency and liver organoids from a patient with Wilson disease (ATP7B). Prime editing is as efficient in 3D grown organoids as in 2D grown cell lines and offers greater precision than Cas9-mediated homology directed repair (HDR). Base editing remains more reliable than prime editing but is restricted to a subgroup of pathogenic mutations. Whole-genome sequencing of four prime-edited clonal organoid lines reveals absence of genome-wide off-target effects underscoring therapeutic potential of this versatile and precise gene editing strategy. Prime editing uses Cas9 nickase fused to a reverse transcriptase to edit genetic information. Here, the authors prime edit primary adult stem cells in 3D organoid cultures to show functional correction of pathogenic mutations without genome-wide off-target effects

A Multilevel Design Model: The Mutual Relationship Between Product-Service System Development and Societal Change Processes

Change actors like designers play a strategic role in innovation and transition processes towards a sustainable society. They act at all levels of society and need help to find their way through increasingly interrelated innovation systems. To support their efforts, there is a need for a design supportive model that (1) can provide insight into the development of new products and product-service systems, as well as in developments that occur in society as a whole; (2) can provide insight into the relationship between functional problems on the one hand, and more abstract societal problems on the other; (3) describe design processes, change processes and transition processes in a consistent, mutually comparable manner that can potentially be used to structure future design-based initiatives. In this paper a Multilevel Design Model (MDM) is discussed, combining two specific functionalities: First a cyclic iterative design approach that may be generic enough to describe both the design of physical artefacts and the design of product-service systems, as well as the way that complex societal change processes may occur. Second a hierarchical systems approach, where on each aggregation level a similar description of the design, change or transition process is applied. The MDM is discussed by means of a simulated case example in the area sustainable transportation and electric transport, explaining the model may indeed be useful to describe and potentially explain some of the dilemmas that occur during the course of complex design processes