Mobilizing Company Members' Full Innovative Potential

Most of the literature on innovation management highlights the fundamental role played by people in the innovation process and the need to fully develop the creative and innovative potential of organizations' members. This article offers the result of extensive research carried out among some of the most innovative companies in the Basque Country, a highly innovative region located in the north of Spain. It draws interesting conclusions about how these innovative companies combine strong leadership, human resource practices, and an organizational culture that enhances innovation capabilities among the company's employees. More specifically, it answers questions such as the following: Are human resources policies, leadership, and innovation culture implemented equally in Basque innovative companies? Do companies make the same effort in deploying these elements or routines and practices related to them? Can we see a pattern in the use of these elements among innovative firms? © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Utility of Nasal Challenges to Phenotype Asthma Patients

Asthma is a heterogeneous disease in terms of both phenotype and response to therapy. Therefore, there is a great need for clinically applicable tools allowing for improved patient classification, and selection for specific management approaches. Some interventions are highly helpful in selected patients (e.g., allergen immunotherapy or aspirin desensitization), but they are costly and/or difficult to implement. Currently available biomarkers measurable in peripheral blood or exhaled air display many limitations for asthma phenotyping and cannot identify properly the specific triggers of the disease (e.g., aeroallergens or NSAID). The united airway concept illustrates the relevant epidemiological and pathophysiological links between the upper and lower airways. This concept has been largely applied to patient management and treatment, but its diagnostic implications have been less often explored. Of note, a recent document by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology proposes the use of nasal allergen challenge to confirm the diagnosis of allergic asthma. Similarly, the nasal challenge with lysine acetylsalicylate (L-ASA) can be used to identify aspirin-sensitive asthma patients. In this review, we will summarize the main features of allergic asthma and aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease and will discuss the methodology of nasal allergen and L-ASA challenges with a focus on their capacity to phenotype the inflammatory disease affecting both the upper and lower airways.     

Characterization of CVD Bonded Tyranno® Fibers Oxidized at High Temperatures

The oxidation of highly porous ceramic matrix composites (PCMCs) based on different Tyranno^® fibers has been analyzed by means of thermogravimetry and electron microscopy. Both uncoated fibers and PCMC materials exhibit parabolic kinetics between 900°C and 1250°C, these being faster for Ti‐doped than for Zr‐doped Tyranno fibers. Oxide layers in Ti‐doped fibers are porous and partially crystalline, whereas in Zr‐doped materials a significant fraction of relatively coarse β‐SiC grains is still found embedded in the amorphous silica matrix. On the other hand, the CVD‐SiC coatings exhibit higher oxidation rates from the outer surface than from the inner one, a phenomenon that has been associated not only with the more difficult access of oxygen to the inner face but also with the highly <111>  textured structure of these coatings, for which very different oxidation rates have been published for the inward and outward directions. Cracking phenomena observed above 1100°C for long dwelling times do not lead to an acceleration of the oxidation process, which could be due to the simultaneous crystallization of the amorphous silica layers.     

Peroxisome proliferation as a biomarker in environmental pollution assessment

Peroxisome proliferators comprise a heterogeneous group of compounds known for their ability to cause massive proliferation of peroxisomes and liver carcinogenesis in rodents. In recent years it has become evident that other animals may be threatened by peroxisome proliferators, in particular aquatic organisms living in coastal and estuarine areas. These animals are exposed to a variety of pollutants of industrial, agricultural and urban origin which are potential peroxisome proliferators. Both laboratory and field studies have shown that phthalate ester plasticizers, PAHs and oil derivatives, PCBs, certain pesticides, bleached kraft pulp and paper mill effluents, alkylphenols and estrogens provoke peroxisome proliferation in different fish or bivalve mollusc species. The response appears to be mediated by peroxisome-proliferator activated receptors, members of the nuclear receptor family, recently cloned in fish. Based on these results it is proposed that peroxisome proliferation could be used as a biomarker of exposure to a variety of pollutants in environmental pollution assessment. This is illustrated by a case study in which mussels, used worldwide as sentinels of environmental pollution, were transplanted from reference to contaminated areas and vice versa. In mussels native to an area polluted with PAHs and PCBs, peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase (AOX) activity and peroxisomal volume density were 2-3 fold and 5-fold higher, respectively, compared to the reference site. When animals were transplanted to the polluted station, with increased concentration of organic xenobiotics, a concomitant significant increase of AOX was recorded. Conversely, in animals transplanted to the cleaner station, AOX activity and peroxisomal volume density decreased significantly. These results indicate that peroxisome proliferation is a rapid (i.e., two days) and reversible response to pollution in mussels. Before peroxisome proliferation can be implemented as a biomarker in biomonitoring programs, a well-defined protocol should be established and validated in intercalibration and quality assurance programmes. Furthermore, the influence of biotic and abiotic factors, some of which are known to affect peroxisome proliferation (season, tide level, interpopulation and interindividual variability), should be taken into consideration. The possible hepatocarcinogenic effects as well as the potential adverse effects on reproduction, development, and growth of peroxisome proliferators are unknown in aquatic organisms, thus providing a challenge for future investigations.     

Sequence divergence analysis for the prediction of seven-helix membrane protein structures: II. A 3-D model of human rhodopsin

A three-dimensional (3-D) model of the transmembrane domainof human rhodopsin was predicted from the sequence divergenceanalysis of 42 sequences of rhodopsins and visual pigments withouta template. The prediction steps include multiple sequence alignment,calculation of a variability profile of the aligned sequences,use of the variability profile to identify the boundaries oftransmembrane regions, their secondary structure and packingshape in a helix bundle, prediction of side-chain conformationsand structure refinement. The identification of the retinalbinding site was assisted by its known covalent linkage withK296. The structural features of the predicted 3-D model arein good agreement with a low resolution electron density mapof bovine rhodopsin and with residues in contact with retinalas determined experimentally.     

A 3D model of the {delta} opioid receptor and ligand-receptor complexes

A model for the 3D structure of the transmembrane domain ofthe opioid receptor was predicted from the sequence divergenceanalysis of 42 sequences of G-protein coupled peptide hormonereceptors belonging to the opioid, somatostatin and angiotensinreceptor families. No template was used in the prediction steps,which include multiple sequence alignment, calculation of avariability profile of the aligned sequences, use of the variabilityprofile to identify the boundaries of transmembrane regions,prediction of their secondary structure, optimization of thepacking shape in a helix bundle, prediction of side chain conformationsand structural refinement The general shape of the model issimilar to that of the low resolution rhodopsin structure inthat the TM3 and TM7 helices are most buried in the bundle andthe TM1 and TM4 helices are most exposed to the lipid phase.An initial assessment of this model was made by determiningto what extent a binding site identified using four structurallydisparate high affinity opioid ligands was consistent withknown mutational studies. With the assumption that the pro-tonatedamine nitrogen, a feature common to all opioid ligands, interactswith the highly conserved Aspl27 in TM3, a pocket was foundthat satisfied the criteria of complementarity to the requirementsfor receptor recognition for these four diverse ligands, two selective antagonists (the fused ring naltrindole and the peptideTyr-Tic-Phe-Phe-NH₂) and the two agonists lofentanil and BW373U86deduced from previous studies of the ligands alone. These ligandscould be accommodated in a similar region of the receptor. Thereceptor binding site identified in the optimized complexescontained many residues in positions known to affect ligandbinding in G-protein coupled receptors. These results also allowedidentification of key residues as candidates for point mutationsfor further assessment and refinement of this model as wellas preliminary indications of the requirements for recognitionof this receptor.     

Evaluation of value stream mapping in manufacturing system redesign

The value stream mapping (VSM) technique, developed within the lean production paradigm, was presented as an innovative graphic technique to help practitioners redesign production systems. This paper presents the results of a project whose main purpose is to evaluate the real applicability of VSM to redesign disconnected flow lines based on manufacturing environments with a diversity of logistical problems. The research was developed using multiple case study methodology in six industrial companies. The experiences have served to highlight the following results: (1) the validity of VSM as a redesign tool is confirmed; (2) resources required for the application process are established; and (3) the differences between theoretical concepts proposed by VSM and their real-world practical applications are indicated and analyzed. These results have led to conclusions relating to: (1) communication solutions for practitioners to obtain maximum efficiency when using VSM; and (2) definitions of theoretical development points for VSM to become a reference among redesign techniques.     

Carbon nanotubes/chitin nanowhiskers aerogel achieved by quaternization‐induced gelation

Organic aerogels from polysaccharides such as cellulose and chitin are of particular importance because they utilize renewable feedstocks. In this article, the aerogels were prepared through the self‐assembly of chitin nanowhiskers previously modified. The surface of chitin nanowhiskers was rendered cationic through two reactions. A first reaction between hydroxyl groups of chitin and 2‐chloroethyl isocyanate and a second reaction between the chloride groups of isocyanate anchored to the surface and 1‐methylimidazole. This modification led to stable aqueous suspensions of the chitin nanowhiskers with gelation and rheological properties. Additionally, chitin nanowhiskers aerogels containing modified carbon nanotubes were obtained. The addition of modified carbon nanotubes provoked a change in the morphology of the hydrogels and as a consequence, the rheological properties of the hydrogel are modified as well. In contrast from previous procedures, this method has not required any kind of solvent exchange or high pressure in order to obtain the final materials. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42547.