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Aligning and Reconciling: Building project capabilities for digital delivery
No full textAbstractDigital delivery of complex projects, using integrated software and processes, is an important emerging phenomenon as it transforms relationships across the associated ecology of project-based firms. Our study analyses how a project-based firm, ‘Global Engineering’, builds new project capabilities for digital delivery through work on three major road and railway infrastructure projects. We find that it seeks to: (1) align the project set-up with the firm’s existing capabilities; and (2) reconcile differing agendas and capabilities in collaborating firms across the project ecology. Here, aligning involves influencing the set-up of digital delivery and renegotiating that set-up during project implementation; and reconciling involves managing across multiple digital systems; accommodating and learning other firms’ software and processes; and using digital technologies to create shared identity across the firms involved in delivery. We argue that creating relative stability enables firms to use existing, and build new, project capabilities, and hence aligning and reconciling are important to project-based firms in environments where there is high interdependence across heterogeneous firms and rapid technological change. We find that building these capabilities involves both ‘economies of repetition’ and ‘economies of recombination’; the former enabling the firm to capture value by mobilizing existing resources and the latter, requiring additional work to re-combine existing and new resources. Our study thus provides insight into how project-based firms build project capabilities for the digital delivery of complex projects in order to remain competitive in their existing markets, and has broader implications for learning in the project ecologies associated with these projects
Effects of soybean oligosaccharides on intestinal microbial communities and immune modulation in mice
No full textAbstractBackgroundSoybean oligosaccharides (SBOSs) are potential prebiotics that may be used to improve immune function. Here, we investigated the effects of intragastric administration of SBOSs in mice to determine the effects on autochthonous intestinal microbial communities and immunological parameters. Results E: After 22-day administration, 4.0gkg body weight (BW)−1 SBOSs significantly enhanced the proliferation of bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as compared to the control. This dose of SBOSs also significantly increased numbers of enterococci and decreased numbers of Clostridium perfringens. Treatment with 4.0gkgBW−1 SBOSs also significantly increased the percentage of T-lymphocytes and lymphocyte proliferation as compared to the control, suggesting that SBOSs promoted cellular immunity in mice. Additionally, 4.0gkgBW−1 SBOSs induced significant differences in hemolysin production, natural killer (NK) cell activity, phagocytic activity, cytokine production, and immunoglobulin levels compared to the control. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that intragastric administration of SBOSs at a dose of 4.0gkgBW−1 improved the numbers of beneficial intestinal microbes and enhanced immunological function of mice. Therefore, these data supported that SBOSs may have applications as a prebiotic to improve immune responses in humans. Further studies are warranted
Pso p27, a SERPINB3/B4-derived protein, is most likely a common autoantigen in chronic inflammatory diseases
No full textAbstractAutoimmune diseases are characterized by chronic inflammatory reactions localized to an organ or organ-system. They are caused by loss of immunologic tolerance toward self-antigens, causing formation of autoantibodies that mistakenly attack their own body. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune skin disease in which the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this review, we present evidence accumulated through more than three decades that the serpin-derived protein Pso p27 is an autoantigen in psoriasis and probably also in other chronic inflammatory diseases.Pso p27 is derived from the serpin molecules SERPINB3 and SERPINB4 through non-canonical cleavage by mast cell chymase. In psoriasis, it is exclusively found in skin lesions and not in uninvolved skin. The serpins are cleaved into three fragments that remain associated as a Pso p27 complex with novel immunogenic properties and increased tendency to form large aggregates compared to native SERPINB3/B4. The amount of Pso p27 is directly correlated to disease activity, and through formation of complement activating immune-complexes, Pso p27 contribute to the inflammation in the skin lesions. SERPINB3/B4 are expressed in skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes, but normally absent in mast cells. Overexpression of the serpins may be induced by inflammation and hypoxia, resulting in mast cell uptake via yet unknown mechanisms. Here the generation and subsequent release of Pso p27 aggregates may promote an inflammatory loop that contributes to the chronicity of psoriasis and other autoimmune diseases
The initial morphological response of the Sand Engine: A process-based modelling study
No full textAbstractSand nourishments are presently widely applied to maintain or enhance coastal safety and beach width. Over the last decades, global sand nourishment volumes have increased greatly, and the demand for nourishments is anticipated to increase further in coming decades due to sea level rise. With the increase in nourishment size and the request for more complex nourishment shapes, an adequate prediction of the morphodynamic evolution is of major importance. Yet, neither the skill of current state-of-the-art models for such predictions nor the primary drivers that control the evolution are known. This article presents the results of a detailed numerical modelling study undertaken to examine the model skill and the processes governing the initial morphological response of the Sand Engine and the adjacent coastline. The process-based model Delft3D is used to hindcast the first year after completion of the mega-nourishment. The model reproduces measured water levels, velocities and nearshore waves well. The prediction of the morphological evolution is consistent with the measured evolution during the study period, with Brier Skill Scores in the ‘Excellent’ range. The model results clearly indicate that the sand eroded from the main peninsular section of the Sand Engine is deposited along adjacent north and south coastlines, accreting up to 6km of coastline within just one year. Analysis of model results further show that the erosional behaviour of the Sand Engine is linearly dependent on the cumulative wave energy of individual high energy wave events, with the duration of a storm event being more dominant than the maximum wave height occurring during the storm. The integrated erosion volume due to the 12 events with the highest cumulative wave energy density accounts for about 60% of the total eroded volume of the peninsula, indicating that the less energetic wave events, with a higher probability of occurrence, are also important for the initial response of the Sand Engine. A structured model experiment using the verified Delft3D model indicates that wave forcing dominates the initial morphological response of the Sand Engine, accounting for approximately 75% of the total erosion volume in the first year. The vertical tide is the second most important factor accounting for nearly 17% of the total erosion volume, with surge, wind and horizontal tide playing only a minor role
In-situ hybrid study of thermal behaviour of ZnNi and ZnNiAl2O3 nanocrystallite thin films induced TEA/MEA by electrocodeposition
No full textAbstractOur present investigation focuses on the thermal stability of already developed electroforms of ZnNi and ZnNiAl2O3 thin films induced with triethylamine (TEA) and monoethylamine (MEA) as surfactant by electrocodeposition on mild steel substrate with the aim to re-examine its micro-hardness and degradation behaviour in static sodium chloride solution. In the event, the samples were thermally treated at 200°C and air cooled. The results obtained showed that the developed composites are thermally stable with hardness value of the ZnNiAl2O3 coated; 185Hv increased to 190.5Hv indicating a 2.89% improvement. Noticeably, in the ZnNi coatings, a decrease in the hardness with 26.67% was observed. The oxidation resistance was however favored for both composites
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No full textClinical characteristics and psychosocial impact of different reflux time in gastroesophageal reflux disease patients
No full textBackground/purposeGastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is an emerging disease, and can impair quality of life and sleep. This study aimed to investigate whether GERD patients with different timings of reflux symptoms have different clinical characteristics.MethodsThis study prospectively enrolled individuals who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy during a health checkup. Each participant completed all questionnaires including Reflux Disease Questionnaire, Nighttime GERD questionnaire, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Combined reflux was defined as the timing of reflux symptoms occurring at both daytime and nighttime.ResultsA total of 2604 participants were enrolled. Of them, 651 symptomatic GERD patients, according to the Reflux Disease Questionnaire score, were recruited for final analysis. Of them, 224 (34.4%) had erosive esophagitis on endoscopy. According to the timing of reflux symptoms, 184 (28.3%) were assigned to the daytime reflux group, 71 (10.9%) to the nighttime reflux group, and 396 (60.8%) to the combined reflux group. In post hoc analysis, the combined reflux group had a significantly higher Reflux Disease Questionnaire score than the daytime reflux group (p < 0.0001). Combined and nighttime reflux groups had higher body mass index and longer duration (> 12 years) of education than the daytime reflux group (p < 0.05). There was no difference in Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores among three groups.ConclusionGERD patients with combined daytime and nighttime reflux of have more troublesome symptoms than those with daytime reflux. GERD patients with different timings of reflux symptoms have different clinical characteristics in terms of body mass index and duration of education, but not in terms of esophageal inflammation, quality of sleep, and psychosocial status
Particulate matter exposure is associated with inflammatory gene methylation in obese subjects
No full textAbstractBackgroundOverweight and obesity are becoming more widespread with alarming projections for the coming years. Obesity may increase susceptibility to the adverse effects of PM exposure, exacerbating the effects on cardiovascular diseases and altering the biomarkers of vascular inflammation. The associated biological mechanisms have not been fully understood yet; the common denominator in the pathogenesis of the co-morbidities of obesity is the presence of an active, low-grade inflammatory process. DNA methylation has been shown to regulate inflammatory pathways that are responsible for the development of cardiovascular diseases.ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to investigate, in a population of overweight/obese subjects, the effects of PM on blood DNA methylation in genes associated to inflammatory response.MethodsUsing bisulfite pyrosequencing, we measured DNA methylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 186 overweighted/obese subjects. In particular, we quantified DNA methylation in a set of 3 candidate genes, including CD14, TLR4 and TNF-α, because of the important roles that these genes play in the inflammatory pathway. Personal exposure to PM10 was estimated for each subject based on the local PM10 concentrations, measured by monitoring stations at residential address. Repeated measure models were used to evaluate the association of PM10 with each genes, accounting for possible correlations among the genes that regulate the same inflammatory pathway.ResultsWe found an inverse association between the daily PM10 exposure and the DNA methylation of inflammatory genes, measured in peripheral blood of healthy overweight/obese subjects. Considering different exposure time-windows, the effect on CD14 and TLR4 methylation was observed, respectively, in days 4–5-6, and days 6–7-8. TNF-α methylation was not associated to PM10.ConclusionsOur findings support a picture in which PM10 exposure and transcriptional regulation of inflammatory gene pathway in obese subjects are associated
Shared Socio-Economic Pathways of the Energy Sector – Quantifying the Narratives
No full textAbstractEnergy is crucial for supporting basic human needs, development and well-being. The future evolution of the scale and character of the energy system will be fundamentally shaped by socioeconomic conditions and drivers, available energy resources, technologies of energy supply and transformation, and end-use energy demand. However, because energy-related activities are significant sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other environmental and social externalities, energy system development will also be influenced by social acceptance and strategic policy choices. All of these uncertainties have important implications for many aspects of economic and environmental sustainability, and climate change in particular. In the Shared-Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) framework these uncertainties are structured into five narratives, arranged according to the challenges to climate change mitigation and adaptation. In this study we explore future energy sector developments across the five SSPs using Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs), and we also provide summary output and analysis for selected scenarios of global emissions mitigation policies. The mitigation challenge strongly corresponds with global baseline energy sector growth over the 21st century, which varies between 40% and 230% depending on final energy consumer behavior, technological improvements, resource availability and policies. The future baseline CO2-emission range is even larger, as the most energy-intensive SSP also incorporates a comparatively high share of carbon-intensive fossil fuels, and vice versa. Inter-regional disparities in the SSPs are consistent with the underlying socioeconomic assumptions; these differences are particularly strong in the SSPs with large adaptation challenges, which have little inter-regional convergence in long-term income and final energy demand levels. The scenarios presented do not include feedbacks of climate change on energy sector development. The energy sector SSPs with and without emissions mitigation policies are introduced and analyzed here in order to contribute to future research in climate sciences, mitigation analysis, and studies on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability
Retrograde pericatheter urethrography (RPU) technique and its clinical use after urethroplasty: A single center experience
No full textAbstractObjectiveTo describe our technique of retrograde pericatheter urethrography (RPU) and its clinical use after urethroplasty.Subjects and methodsBetween January 2008 and December 2013, 387 patients with urethral stricture underwent urethroplasty at our center. A total of 343 of these patients underwent RPU 3 weeks post-operatively. For this retrospective study their files were evaluated with regard to: demographics, duration of symptoms, site, mean length of stricture, type of surgery, RPU findings, contrast-medium related complications and need of re-intervention. The eventual surgical success was defined as asymptomatic voiding with no clinical evidence of residual stricture (good flow rate and no residual urine) until the last follow up.ResultsFollow up ranged from 8 to 41 (mean 28) months. The mean duration of symptoms was 4.8 months. The mean stricture length, as seen on radiography, was 2.1cm. 183 patients (53.3%) underwent anastomotic urethroplasty, while 160 (46.6%) underwent substitution urethroplasty. RPU showed urethral healing in 292 (85.2%) and contrast extravasation in 51 (14.8%) patients. No contrast-medium related complications were reported. Re-intervention was needed in 7.2% (21/292) of the patients who showed normal urethral healing and in 74.5% (38/51) of the patients who showed contrast extravasation on RPU. By the time of the last follow up the overall success rate was 82.7% (284/343 patients).ConclusionRPU is the most useful radiological diagnostic method for evaluating the appropriate time for catheter removal after urethroplasty. It helps to assess urethral healing and patency after urethroplasty. Prolonged catheterization in patients showing contrast extravasation may be helpful