What happened in Finland to increase home hemodialysis?

Finland is geographically a rather large country with a relatively sparse population (5.3 million). Home hemodialysis (HHD) was started in Helsinki 40 years ago and in the early years it was only used in selected patients. However, by the late 1980s HHD almost disappeared owing to the advent of CAPD and new HD centers. Towards the end of the 1990s, it became evident that PD had limitations and new ways had to be found to individualize HD, improve the outcome, increase capacity, and limit the growth of costs of HD. After careful planning, HHD was reinstituted at the Helsinki University Hospital in 1998 and since then the program has grown steadily. By December 31, 2007, altogether 163 patients had started at home. This has required changes in the predialysis program where the "home first" policy was adopted. Other important features include close cooperation with other nephrological centers as well as centralized HHD training that also supports more remote hospitals. Since then this therapy has been started in several other academic and in some smaller hospitals, and at the end of last year about 4% of all Finnish dialysis patients (n=1.600) were on HHD (prevalence 11.8/million). In the Helsinki metropolitan area this treatment is the most economical modality (estimated annual global costs euro37.000), comparable to self-care satellite HD and CAPD. A successful HHD program requires a well-organized predialysis program, a highly motivated multidisciplinary team, and well-developed training networks.     

Seasonal Dynamics of Amorphous Silica in Vantaa River Estuary

In order to understand the importance of amorphous silica (ASi) in transport of bio-reactive Si from catchment areas to the seas in northern anthropogenically influenced catchments, we investigated the seasonal evolution of ASi concentrations and load patterns together with environmental variables along the Vantaa River estuary in southern Finland during one year. A clear seasonal variation was observed in the ASi dynamics of the river with highest loads during spring, when 79% of the yearly ASi load was discharged. The main reason for this appeared to be the high discharge of the river and concomitant high load of ASi. About 38% of the annual bio-reactive Si load of the river consisted of ASi. The ASi concentration in the river varied from 11 to 192  $\upmu $ mol L. About 3% of the ASi load accumulated in the sediments of the estuary. The role of ASi in the riverine transport of bio-reactive can be very important in northern agricultural catchments and phytoliths probably play a significant role in the transport of ASi from catchment areas to the sea.     

The integrative role of the project management office in the front end of innovation

This research addresses management control in the front end of innovation projects. We conceptualize and analyze PMOs more broadly than just as a specialized project-focused organizational unit. Building on theories of management control, organization design, and innovation front end literature, we assess the role of PMO as an integrative arrangement. The empirical material is derived from four companies. The results show a variety of management control mechanisms that can be considered as integrative organizational arrangements. Such organizational arrangements can be considered as an alternative to a non-existent PMO, or to complement a (non-existent) PMO's tasks. The paper also contrasts prior literature by emphasizing the desirability of a highly organic or embedded matrix structure in the organization. Finally, we propose that the development path of the management approach proceeds by first emphasizing diagnostic and boundary systems (with mechanistic management approaches) followed by intensive use of interactive and belief systems (with value-based management approaches). The major contribution of this paper is in the organizational and managerial mechanisms of a firm that is managing multiple innovation projects. This research also expands upon the existing PMO research to include a broader management control approach for managing projects in companies.     

Improved adherence and spreading of Saos-2 cells on polypropylene surfaces achieved by surface texturing and carbon nitride coating

The adhesion and contact guidance of human primary osteogenic sarcoma cells (Saos-2) were characterized on smooth, microstructured (MST) and micro- and nano-structured (MNST) polypropylene (PP) and on the same samples with a silicon-doped carbon nitride (C₃N₄-Si) coating. Injection molding was used to pattern the PP surfaces and the coating was obtained by using ultra-short pulsed laser deposition (USPLD). Surfaces were characterized using atomic force microscopy and surface energy components were calculated according to the Owens-Wendt model. The results showed C₃N₄-Si coated surfaces to be significantly more hydrophilic than uncoated ones. In addition, there were 86% more cells in the smooth C₃N₄-Si coated PP compared to smooth uncoated PP and 551%/476% more cells with MST/MNST C₃N₄-Si coated PP than could be obtained with MST/MNST uncoated PP. Thus the adhesion, spreading and contact guidance of osteoblast-like cells was effectively improved by combining surface texturing and deposition of osteocompatible C₃N₄-Si coating.     

Adverse consequences of access to individuals’ information: an analysis of perceptions and the scope of organisational influence

Organisations are highly interested in collecting and analysing customer data to enhance their service offerings and customer interaction. However, individuals increasingly fear how such practices may negatively affect them. Although previous studies have investigated individuals’ concerns about information privacy practices, the adverse consequences people associate with external actors accessing their personal information remain unclear. To mitigate customers’ fears, organisations need to know which adverse consequences individuals are afraid of and how to address those negative perceptions. To investigate this topic, we conducted 22 focus groups with 119 participants. We developed a comprehensive conceptualisation and categorisation of individuals’ perceived adverse consequences of access to their information that includes seven types of consequences: psychological, social, career-related, physical, resource-related, prosecution-related, and freedom-related. Although individuals may limit their interactions with an organisation owing to consequences they associate with both the organisation and other actors, organisations can apply preventive and corrective mechanisms to mitigate some of these negative perceptions. However, organisations’ scope of influence is limited and some fears may be mitigated only by individuals themselves or government regulation, if at all.     

Direct electro-optic sampling of a GaAs integrated circuit using a gain-switched InGaAsP injection laser

We demonstrate an electro-optic sampling system based on a gain-switched InGaAsP injection laser. The system has a temporal resolution of 18ps and is used for noninvasive probing of waveform internal to a GaAs monolithic integrated circuit operating at 2.4GHz.     

Integrated Water Resources Management along the Senegal River: Introducing an Analytical Framework

Integrated water resources management has become a trendy paradigm, although the issue is anything but new. In West Africa the past few decades have been rich with such attempts. Along the Senegal River their success has been very limited. The situation has instead polarized strongly across the dilemma of whether to prioritize a few macro-scale development goals or to develop the livelihood of the poor along the river. One of the crucial steps to move on is to develop a clear and transparent formulation of the problem. An approach that uses Bayesian networks is presented and applied in this study.     

Defining the relationships between IT service management and IT service governance

IT service provider organizations need both IT service management (ITSM) and IT service governance (ITSG) to ensure successful service provision for their customers. However, current service science literature has not adequately addressed how these activities differ from each other. Focusing solely on IT service management and ignoring service governance aspects may cause difficulties in measuring the performance of service management, defining and deploying the roles and responsibilities of service management, allocating the resources for right service improvements and adopting the service-oriented process culture. The research problem of this study is: How does IT service management differ from IT service governance? The main contribution of the study is a framework for IT service governance and a roadmap of IT service management frameworks and standards that can be utilized in establishing IT service governance activities. The theory-based framework is validated in an IT service change management case study with five Finnish IT service provider organizations. The results of this study may be used by top management, service directors and the IT service managers of IT service companies to better identify different aspects of IT service management and IT service governance.     

Dual‐Drug Delivery Using Dextran‐Functionalized Nanoparticles Targeting Cardiac Fibroblasts for Cellular Reprogramming

The inability of the heart to recover from an ischemic insult leads to the formation of fibrotic scar tissue and heart failure. From the therapeutic strategies under investigation, cardiac regeneration holds the promise of restoring the full functionality of a damaged heart. Taking into consideration the presence of vast numbers of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts in the injured heart, direct fibroblast reprogramming into cardiomyocytes using small drug molecules is an attractive therapeutic option to replenish the lost cardiomyocytes. Here, a spermine‐acetalated dextran‐based functional nanoparticle is developed for pH‐triggered drug delivery of two poorly water soluble small molecules, CHIR99021 and SB431542, both capable of increasing the efficiency of direct reprogramming of fibroblast into cardiomyocytes. Upon functionalization with polyethylene glycol and atrial natriuretic peptide, the biocompatibility of the nanosystem is improved, and the cellular interactions with the cardiac nonmyocytes are specifically augmented. The dual delivery of the compounds is verified in vitro, and the compounds exerted concomitantly anticipate biological effects by stabilizing β‐catenin (CHIR99021) and by preventing translocation of Smad3 to the nucleus of (myo)fibroblasts (SB431542). These observations highlight the potential of this nanoparticle‐based system toward improved drug delivery and efficient direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into cardiomyocyte‐like cells, and thus, potential cardiac regeneration therapy.