Collaborations with Scientific Partners: The Mediating Role of the Social Context in Fostering Innovation Performance

The success of collaboration between firms and scientific partners is still debated. Although a firm's social context seems to be crucial to explain the success or failure of such collaboration in terms of innovation performance, a deep analysis of the context role is still lacking. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyse whether a firm's internal climate as well as the quality of the relationships with scientific partners can mediate the relationship between collaboration and innovation performance. Results, based on survey research developed in Finland, Italy and Sweden, suggest that collaborations with scientific partners achieve good results in terms of innovation performance, through an explanation path which involves a firm's social context.     

Novel composite hollow fibre gas separation membranes with high selectivity and improved solvent resistance

Composite gas separation membranes with a 0.1–3 μm thick film of Hyflon AD 60X on a porous hollow fibre ultrafiltration membrane support of amorphous poly(ether ether ketone), were prepared. The influence of the coating conditions on the film thickness and on the pure gas transport properties was studied. The gas transport properties were related to the film thickness and to the morphology of the supporting UF membrane.     

A note on the approximation of mean-payoff games

We consider the problem of designing approximation schemes for the values of mean-payoff games. It was recently shown that (1) mean-payoff with rational weights scaled on [−1,1]$[-1,1]$ admit additive fully-polynomial approximation schemes, and (2) mean-payoff games with positive weights admit relative fully-polynomial approximation schemes. We show that the problem of designing additive/relative approximation schemes for general mean-payoff games (i.e. with no constraint on their edge-weights) is P-time equivalent to determining their exact solution.     

Optionality,Scope, and Licensing: An Application of Partially Ordered Categories

This paper uses a partially ordered set of syntactic categories to accommodate optionality and licensing in natural language syntax. A complex but well-studied data set pertaining to the syntax of quantifier scope and negative polarity licensing in Hungarian is used to illustrate the proposal. The presentation is geared towards both linguists and logicians. The paper highlights that the main ideas can be implemented in different grammar formalisms, and discusses in detail an implementation where the partial ordering on categories is given by the derivability relation of a calculus with residuated and Galois-connected unary operators.     

Analysis of the volatile fraction of “Pesto Genovese” by headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE)

This paper describes the development and application of a new analytical method for the analysis of the volatile fractions of pesto, a typical Italian basil-based pasta sauce, and its ingredients. The extraction of the volatile fraction was realized by headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE) and the extracted volatiles were then thermodesorbed, cryoconcentrated in a cooled injector and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.     

Proton NMR transverse relaxation measurements to study water dynamic states and age-related changes in Mozzarella di Bufala Campana cheese

Proton transverse magnetization decay curves of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana samples were measured and analysed for the presence in the sample of four components, namely “serum water”, “entrapped water”, “junction zone water” and “fat”, characterised by different transverse relaxation times, T₂. T₂ values were interpreted on the basis of the diffusive and chemical exchange model that allowed information to be obtained on the size of diffusive domains and dynamics of the water molecules. Furthermore, T₂ values were measured as a function of the aging time of Mozzarella samples, as produced by different cheese-makers. A decrease of “serum water” T₂ value with aging time was found and this may be used to monitor the evolution of Mozzarella samples up to seven days after manufacture.     

Use of sourdough fermented wheat germ for enhancing the nutritional, texture and sensory characteristics of the white bread

Lactobacillus plantarum LB1 and Lactobacillus rossiae LB5, isolated from wheat germ and selected based on the kinetics of acidification, were used as starters for the manufacture of sourdough fermented wheat germ. A bread containing sourdough fermented wheat germ as an ingredient (SFWGB) was compared to breads made with (raw wheat germ bread, RWGB) or without (wheat flour bread, WFB) raw wheat germ. The higher concentration of free amino acids mainly differentiated SFWGB from WFB and RWGB. The in vitro protein digestibility of WFB was the highest, even if sourdough fermentation of wheat germ attenuated the difference. Phytase and antioxidant activities of SFWGB were highest. The specific volume and cell-total areas were also the highest for SFWGB. As determined by texture profile analysis, the values of hardness, resilience and fracturability of breads containing wheat germ were lower than those found in WFB. The crust lightness showed a decrease from WFB to SFWGB. As determined by sensory analysis, SFWGB had mainly acid taste and flavour and resulted more salty. Sourdough fermented wheat germ is an ingredient able to enhance nutritional, texture and sensory properties of bread.     

Effects of Subtoxic Concentrations of Atrazine,Cypermethrin, and Vinclozolin on microRNA-Mediated PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling in SH-SY5Y Cells

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are different natural and synthetic chemicals that may interfere with several mechanisms of the endocrine system producing adverse developmental, metabolic, reproductive, and neurological effects in both human beings and wildlife. Among pesticides, numerous chemicals have been identified as EDCs. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate gene expression, making fine adjustments in mRNA abundance and regulating proteostasis. We hypothesized that exposure to low doses of atrazine, cypermethrin, and vinclozolin may lead to effects on miRNA expression in SH-SY5Y cells. In particular, the exposure of SH-SY5Y cells to subtoxic concentrations of vinclozolin is able to downregulate miR-29b-3p expression leading to the increase in the related gene expression of ADAM12 and CDK6, which may promote a pro-oncogenic response through the activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and counteracting p53 activity. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of EDCs could provide important insight into their role in human disease.     

In Vivo Bio-Activation of JWH-175 to JWH-018: Pharmacodynamic and Pharmacokinetic Studies in Mice

3-(1-Naphthalenylmethyl)-1-pentyl-1H-indole (JWH-175) is a synthetic cannabinoid illegally marketed for its psychoactive cannabis-like effects. This study aimed to investigate and compare in vitro and in vivo pharmacodynamic activity of JWH-175 with that of 1-naphthalenyl (1-pentyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-methanone (JWH-018), as well as evaluate the in vitro (human liver microsomes) and in vivo (urine and plasma of CD-1 male mice) metabolic profile of JWH-175. In vitro binding studies showed that JWH-175 is a cannabinoid receptor agonist less potent than JWH-018 on mouse and human CB1 and CB2 receptors. In agreement with in vitro data, JWH-175 reduced the fESPS in brain hippocampal slices of mice less effectively than JWH-018. Similarly, in vivo behavioral studies showed that JWH-175 impaired sensorimotor responses, reduced breath rate and motor activity, and increased pain threshold to mechanical stimuli less potently than JWH-018. Metabolic studies demonstrated that JWH-175 is rapidly bioactivated to JWH-018 in mice blood, suggesting that in vivo effects of JWH-175 are also due to JWH-018 formation. The pharmaco-toxicological profile of JWH-175 was characterized for the first time, proving its in vivo bio-activation to the more potent agonist JWH-018. Thus, it highlighted the great importance of investigating the in vivo metabolism of synthetic cannabinoids for both clinical toxicology and forensic purposes.     

LAM Cells as Potential Drivers of Senescence in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Microenvironment

Senescence is a stress-response process characterized by the irreversible inhibition of cell proliferation, associated to the acquisition of a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), that may drive pathological conditions. Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease in which LAM cells, featuring the hyperactivation of the mammalian Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1) for the absence of tuberin expression, cause the disruption of the lung parenchyma. Considering that LAM cells secrete SASP factors and that mTOR is also a driver of senescence, we deepened the contribution of senescence in LAM cell phenotype. We firstly demonstrated that human primary tuberin-deficient LAM cells (LAM/TSC cells) have senescent features depending on mTOR hyperactivation, since their high positivity to SA-β galactosidase and to phospho-histone H2A.X are reduced by inducing tuberin expression and by inhibiting mTOR with rapamycin. Then, we demonstrated the capability of LAM/TSC cells to induce senescence. Indeed, primary lung fibroblasts (PLFs) grown in LAM/TSC conditioned medium increased the positivity to SA-β galactosidase and to phospho-histone H2A.X, as well as p21^WAF1/CIP1 expression, and enhanced the mRNA expression and the secretion of the SASP component IL-8. Taken together, these data make senescence a novel field of study to understand LAM development and progression.