Europe and the Lisbon Goals: Are we halfway there? Keynote Address by Wim Kok

Entwicklung, EU-Staaten, Economic development, EU countries

Market-oriented product development as an organizational learning capability: findings from two cases

Conceptualizing market orientation at the level of the product development process is relevant, because market orientation is a highly critical factor for new product success and this conceptualization can be used as a starting-point to transform the whole organization into a more market oriented one. Market-oriented product development appears to be more than carrying out a number of marketing activities in a product development process. Using concepts from resourcebased theory and organizational learning theory, we draw up a conceptual framework of marketoriented product development as an organizational learning capability substantiated by findings from two case studies. This capability encapsulates the values and norms, knowledge and skills, technical and managerial knowledge systems, which enable learning about markets through information processing behavior in product development and improve this market learning behavior. This conceptualization stimulates research on operationalizing market orientation in the managerial context of a critical business process and research on enhancing the degree of market orientation.

Improving liquid chromatography efficiency: channels structured with micro-pillars

Band dispersion has been measured in micromachined separation channels structured with orderly disposed cylindrical micropillars. It was found that with an optimal channel design the band broadening could be lower by a factor of 3 than in packed columns with a comparable particle size. The positioning of the row of pillars closest to the side wall was a decisive factor in influencing band broadening

Возможности праксеологии в банковской сфере

Статья посвящена исследованию сущности и возможностей использования основных постулатов и концептов праксеологии в банковской сфере. Изучаются особенности взаимодействия праксеологии как философско-логической сферы, с одной стороны, и банковского бизнеса как практической сферы деятельности – с другой. Проанализированы возможности внедрения в банковский сектор таких понятий, как «элементарные действия», «инициатор», а также использования критериев праксеологических оценок. Определены условия применимости «техники борьбы» для успешного функционирования коммерческого банка на рынке финансовых услуг.Статтю присвячено дослідженню сутності та можливостей використання основних постулатів і концептів праксеології в банківській сфері. Вивчаються особливості взаємодії праксеології як філософськологічної сфери, з одного боку, і банківського бізнесу як практичної сфери діяльності – з другого. Проаналізовано можливості впровадження в банківський сектор таких понять,як «елементарні дії», «ініціатор», а також використання критеріїв праксеологічних оцінок. Визначено умови застосування «техніки боротьби» для успішного функціонування комерційного банку на ринку фінансових послуг.The article is investigates the nature and possibilities of using the basic tenets and concepts of praxeology in the banking sector. We study the peculiarities of interaction of praxeology as a philosophical-logical sphere, on the one hand, and the banking business – both the practical scope of the other.The possibilities of implementation in the banking sector such concepts as «basic action», «initiator» as well as the use of criteria prakseologicheskih ratings. Indicated by the conditions of applicability «fighting techniques» for the successful operation of a commercial bank in the financial services market

Experimental investigation of the band broadening originating from the top and bottom wall in micromachined non-porous pillar array columns

We report on the experimental investigation of the effect of the top and bottom wall plates in micromachined nonporous pillar array columns. It has been found that their presence yields an additional c-term type of band broadening that can make up a significant fraction of the total band broadening (at least if considering nonporous pillars and a nonretained tracer). Their presence also induces a clear (downward) shift of the optimal velocity. These observations are, however in excellent quantitative agreement with the theoretical expectations obtained from a computational fluid dynamics study. The presently obtained experimental results, hence, demonstrate that the employed high aspect ratio Bosch etching process can be used to fabricate micromachined pillar arrays that are sufficiently refined to achieve the theoretical performance limit

Characterization of aggregates of surface modified fullerenes by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation with multi-angle light scattering detection

Fullerenes are carbon nanoparticles with widespread biomedical, commercial and industrial applications. Attributes such as their tendency to aggregate and aggregate size and shape impact their ability to be transported into and through the environment and living tissues. Knowledge of these properties is therefore valuable for their human and environmental risk assessment as well as to control their synthesis and manufacture. In this work, asymmetrical flow-field flow fractionation (AF4) coupled to multi-angle light scattering (MALS) was used for the first time to study the size distribution of surface modified fullerenes with both polyhydroxyl and carboxyl functional groups in aqueous solutions having different pH (6.5-11) and ionic strength values (0-200 mM) of environmental relevance. Fractionation key parameters such as flow rates, flow programming, and membrane material were optimized for the selected fullerenes. The aggregation of the compounds studied appeared to be indifferent to changes in solution pH, but was affected by changes in the ionic strength. Polyhydroxy-fullerenes were found to be present mostly as 4 nm aggregates in water without added salt, but showed more aggregation at high ionic strength, with an up to 10-fold increase in their mean hydrodynamic radii (200 mM), due to a decrease in the electrostatic repulsion between the nanoparticles. Carboxy-fullerenes showed a much stronger aggregation degree in water (50 100 nm). Their average size and recoveries decreased with the increase in the salt concentration. This behavior can be due to enhanced adsorption of the large particles to the membrane at high ionic strength, because of their higher hydrophobicity and much larger particle sizes compared to polyhydroxy-fullerenes. The method performance was evaluated by calculating the run-to-run precision of the retention time (hydrodynamic radii), and the obtained RSD values were lower than 1 %. MALS measurements showed aggregate sizes that were in good agreement with the AF4 data. A comparison of the scattering radii from the MALS with the hydrodynamic radii obtained from the retention times in AF4 indicated that the aggregate shapes are far from spherical. TEM images of the fullerenes in the dry state also showed branched and irregular clusters

Metabool syndroom bij de behandeling met clozapine

Abstract Metabolic syndrome during clozapine treatment Objective: To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in inpatients with psychotic disorders treated with clozapine for at least one year. Design: Chronically admitted patients were screened on the use of clozapine and the presence of metabolic side effects. Methods: The Third Adult Treatment Panel was used tot assess metabolic syndrome. In addition, patient variables, dosage and plasma concentration of clozapine were recorded. Results: Included were 62 patients with a most prevalent diagnosis of schizophrenia. Mean duration of treatment with clozapine was 9.2 years. Metabolic syndrome was present in 60% of the patients and more frequent in cases with comedication of mood stabilizers. Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent among patients treated with clozapine for psychotic disorders. Additional factors in the emergence of metabolic syndrome are: unhealthy life style, inactivity and comedication

E-selectin targeted immunoliposomes for rapamycin delivery to activated endothelial cells

Activated endothelial cells play a pivotal role in the pathology of inflammatory disorders and thus present a target for therapeutic intervention by drugs that intervene in inflammatory signaling cascades, such as rapamycin (mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor). In this study we developed anti-E-selectin immunoliposomes for targeted delivery to E-selectin over-expressing tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) activated endothelial cells. Liposomes composed of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3.; hosphocholine (DPPC), Cholesterol, and 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethyleneglycol)-2000]-maleimide (DSPE-PEG- Mal) were loaded with rapamycin via lipid film hydration, after which they were further functionalized by coupling N-succinimidyl-S-acetylthioacetate (SATA)-modified mouse anti human E-selectin antibodies to the distal ends of the maleimidyl (Mal)-PEG groups. In cell binding assays, these immunoliposomes bound specifically to TNF-alpha activated endothelial cells. Upon internalization, rapamycin loaded immunoliposomes inhibited proliferation and migration of endothelial cells, as well as expression of inflammatory mediators. Our findings demonstrate that rapamycin-loaded immunoliposomes can specifically inhibit inflammatory responses in inflamed endothelial cells