<p><em>Knowledge has become one of the most important assets for companies nowadays. Knowledge Management (KM) uses organizational knowledge as a resource to make companies more competitive. Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) are gaining popularity, however, the failure rate remains high, with many projects not achieving their goals or being shut down early. KMS are often underestimated and treated as normal systems. IS practices do not cover certain aspects specific to KMS, aspects that do not show in other IS (e.g. socio-cultural issues). There are many studies concerning the KMS failures but they just focus on the symptoms and do not provide a solution to the problem. The goal of this master’s dissertation is to generate a preventive tool that will help the KM field. With The experience gained by working in a real KMS project within a textile agency in Sweden and relevant literature, an Information Systems Design Theory (ISDT) for KMS was developed. As some authors suggest, KM needs an ISDT of it’s own. An ISDT will guide practitioners through the process by restricting practices and features of the system to a more effective set. It will also encourage the academia to work on this theory for its improvement, completion, and validation</em></p>

Knowledge Management (KM) helps extend the knowledge of individuals or groups across organisations in ways that directly affect performance. Further, it is a formalised and integrated approach to identify and manage an organisation's knowledge assets. The study is an exploratory investigation of the implementation of IT-based Knowledge Management Systems. It is also a comparative study of the Kuwait and UK public sectors with the specific aim of building a best practice model for KM implementation in conjunction with IT. This includes examination of the relevant literature, a comprehensive analysis of case studies of KM implementation in 91 organisations presented in the literature, in order to arrive at the most critical factors of KM implementation and their degree of criticality, and an exploratory survey of 68 organisations both in the UK and Kuwait relating to their experiences in implementing initiatives such as KM and the role of IT in that process. In view of the intensive and extensive data for interdependence relationships between variables, statistical techniques were used, and in-depth studies of 16 leading organisations, to understand how the KM implementation processes and the critical factors identified were addressed and implemented. This study identifies critical factors of success in KM domain that applicable to Kuwaiti organisations. These factors were categorised under four different headings: (1) Technology, (2) KM processes, (3) Change management, (4) Top management commitment. A generic holistic model for effective KM implementation is proposed.

KM is the process of creating value from the intangible assets of an enterprise. It deals with how best to leverage knowledge internally in the enterprise (in its individual employees, and the knowledge that gets built into its structures and systems) and externally to the customers and stakeholders. As KM initiatives, projects and systems are just beginning to appear in organisations, there is little research and empirical field data to guide the successful development and implementation of such systems or to guide the expectations of the potential benefits of such systems. In addition, about 84 per cent of KM programmes failed or exerted no significant impact on the adopting organisations worldwide due to inability to consider many critical factors that contribute to the success of KM project implementation. Hence, this study is an exploratory investigation into the KM implementation based on an integrated approach. This includes: (1) a comprehensive review of the relevant literature; (2) a comprehensive analysis of secondary case studies of KM implementations in 90 organisations presented in the literature, in order to arrive at the most critical factors of KM implementation and their degree of criticality; (3) exploratory global survey of 92 organisations in 23 countries that have already implemented or are in the process of implementing KM; (4) in-depth case studies of four leading organisations to understand how KM implementation processes and the critical factors identified are being addressed. Based on the empirical findings of the study, 28 critical factors were identified that must be carefully considered in the KM implementation to achieve a successful project. Moreover, the study proposes an integrated model for effective KM implementation which contains essential elements that contribute to project success.

Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / Lectins are proteins that bind specifically to carbohydrates and have important role in modulation of the immune response. KM+ and Jacalin (JAC) are lectins from the seeds from jackfruit (Artocarpus integrifolia) and ScLL is a lectin from the Synadenium carinatum latex. Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan parasite that causes neuromuscular disease in dogs and reproductive disorders in cattle, with serious economic impact on the livestock industry. The immunestimulatory role of plant lectins has been investigated in several parasitic infections, but not in neosporosis. This study aimed to evaluate the adjuvant effect and the immunestimulatory potential of KM+, JAC and ScLL in immunization of mice against neosporosis. C57BL 6 mouse groups were subcutaneously immunized three times at 15-day intervals with Neospora lysate antigen (NLA) associated with lectins (NLA+KM, NLA+JAC and NLA+ScLL groups), NLA alone, lectins alone (KM, JAC and ScLL groups), and PBS group (infection control). Animals were challenged with Nc-1 isolate (2x107 tachyzoites) and evaluated for morbidity, mortality, specific antibody response, cytokine production by spleen cells, cerebral parasite burden and histopathological lesions. Serological assays demonstrated higher levels of IgG to N. caninum for NLA+KM and NLA+ScLL than NLA+JAC and NLA groups. NLA+KM group induced higher levels of IgG2a isotype whereas NLA+ScLL induced higher levels of IgG1 isotype. In all groups, IgG1 response was higher than IgG2a response before and after challenge, but the IgG2a/IgG1 ratio increased after challenge in NLA+KM, NLA+ScLL and KM groups. Cytokine production after in vitro antigenic stimulation showed that NLA+KM induced high levels of IFN-g and IL-10, presenting the highest IFN-g/IL-10 ratio, followed by NLA+ScLL group, indicating a pattern of immune response toward Th1 type. NLA+JAC induced low levels of these cytokines and the lowest IFN-g/IL-10 ratio in relation to other groups, indicating a profile of Th2 type immune response. After parasite challenge, NLA+KM mice showed the highest survival with low brain parasite burden and moderate tissue inflammation, whereas NLA+ScLL mice presented intermediate survival with low brain parasite burden and low scores of morbidity and inflammation. NLA+JAC group exhibited intermediate survival, but with the highest brain parasite burden and mild inflammation. In conclusion, KM+ and ScLL lectins showed suitable adjuvant effect by increasing NLA immunogenicity and immunostimulatory role by conferring partial protection of mice immunized and challenged with lethal dose of N. caninum, while the JAC lectin showed no adequate adjuvant effect in the immunization against neosporosis. / Lectinas são proteínas que se ligam especificamente a carboidratos e possuem importantes papéis na modulação da resposta imune. KM+ e Jacalina (JAC) são lectinas da semente da jaca (Artocarpus integrifolia) e ScLL é uma lectina do látex da planta Synadenium carinatum. Neospora caninum é um parasito do filo Apicomplexa que causa doença neuromuscular em cães e desordens reprodutivas em bovinos, causando sério impacto econômico na indústria agropecuária. O papel imunoestimulador de lectinas de plantas tem sido investigado em diversas infecções parasitárias, mas não na neosporose. Esse estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito adjuvante e o potencial imunoestimulador de KM+, JAC e ScLL na imunização de camundongos contra a neosporose. Grupos de camundongos C57BL/6 foram imunizados subcutaneamente por três vezes, em intervalos de quinze dias, com o antígeno de lisado total de Neospora (NLA) associado com as lectinas (grupos NLA+KM, NLA+JAC, NLA+ScLL), NLA somente, lectinas somente (KM, JAC e ScLL), além do grupo PBS (controle da infecção). Os animais foram desafiados com isolado Nc-1 (2x107 taquizoítas) e avaliados quanto aos escores de morbidade, mortalidade, resposta imune humoral específica, produção de citocinas por células do baço, carga parasitária cerebral e lesões histopatológicas. Resultados sorológicos demonstraram maiores níveis de IgG anti N. caninum produzidos pelos animais dos grupos NLA+KM e NLA+ScLL que NLA+JAC e NLA somente. O grupo NLA+KM induziu maiores níveis do isotipo IgG2a, enquanto NLA+ScLL induziu maiores níveis do isotipo IgG1. Em todos os grupos, a resposta de IgG1 foi maior do que de IgG2a antes e após o desafio, porém a razão IgG2a/IgG1 aumentou após o desafio nos grupos NLA+KM, NLA+ScLL e KM. A produção de citocinas após o estímulo antigênico in vitro demonstrou que NLA+KM induziu altos níveis de IFN-g e IL-10, apresentando a maior razão IFN-g/IL-10, seguido pelo grupo NLA+ScLL, indicando um padrão de resposta imune direcionado ao perfil Th1. NLA+JAC induziu baixos níveis destas citocinas e menor razão IFN-g/IL-10 em relação aos demais grupos, indicando um padrão de resposta imune do tipo Th2. Após o desafio com o parasito, camundongos do grupo NLA+KM apresentaram a maior sobrevida com baixa carga parasitária cerebral e moderada inflamação tecidual, enquanto animais imunizados com NLA+ScLL apresentaram sobrevida intermediária com baixa carga parasitária cerebral e baixos escores de morbidade e inflamação. O grupo NLA+JAC exibiu sobrevida intermediária, mas com alta carga parasitária cerebral e suave inflamação. Em conclusão, as lectinas KM+ e ScLL mostraram ser adjuvantes satisfatórios por aumentar a imunogenicidade do NLA e apresentaram efeito imunoestimulador por conferir proteção parcial dos camundongos imunizados e desafiados com dose letal de N. caninum, enquanto a lectina Jacalina não produziu efeito adjuvante suficiente na imunização contra a neosporose. / Mestre em Imunologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas

Organisations make use of a variety of knowledge management systems (KMS) in order to facilitate the creation, storage, transfer and reuse of organisational knowledge. Metadata is used to describe knowledge by its attributes and to provide the context, quality, condition or other characteristics of knowledge assets. This thesis explores the way in which metadata is being used in KMS. It provides an analysis of the types of metadata used for the descriptIon of knowledge documents at the semantic level and complements other research on the evaluation of KMS by focusing on the use of metadata, adopting a user perspective. The empirical work was carried out through case study research in two highly knowledge-intensive companies, a motorsport engineering company and a pharmaceutical company. Data collection tools included field visits, documentation, surveys and interviews. The findings demonstrate the level of users' satisfaction with the KMS and metadata and their readiness to create metadata when contributing a knowledge document to the KMS. Demographic factors, such as gender, age, qualifications, and years working with the company, are analysed in conjunction with attitudes towards the KMS and metadata The two metadata schemes used in each company are mapped semantically to the widely used Dublin Core Metadata Element Set (DCMI), in order to identify good practice in designing a metadata scheme for a KMS From the mapping, the basis of a metadata framework is created, intended to be used as a checklist for the development of comprehensive metadata schemes for the description of knowledge documents. The metadata management processes of the two companies are analysed to propose guidelines for the development of a metadata management strategy.

Purpose – The aim of this study is to determine if adopting cloud-based knowledge management is a viable way forward for small enterprises and to investigate what are the main factors that might facilitate or inhibit these companies to adopt such solutions.Design/Methodology/Approach - In order to understand the main factors that could influence the adoption of a cloud-based knowledge management solution in small enterprises, I used a qualitative research approach, based on four semi-structured interviews with four small companies from Romania.Findings – The results of the study suggest that implementing knowledge management in the cloud is particularly beneficial for small enterprises, as a lower investment in IT infra-structure can create a competitive advantage and help them implement knowledge man-agement activities as a strategic resource. Moreover, the study suggests that relative ad-vantage, compatibility and technology readiness will influence companies in moving their knowledge to the cloud. Also, the study reveals that companies which did not adopt such a solution had already established systems for managing knowledge and failed to realize its benefits, it was not perceived as needed, they had a low level of awareness or cited security and uncertainty reasons.

Les réseaux d’accès sont particulièrement concernés par les montées en débit dans un contexte exigeant et compétitif. En 2013, les verrous technologiques autour des cavités auto-alimentées limitaient leur expansion. Notre propos fut de les aborder selon une approche “composant”. A partir de caractérisations croisées entre des RSOA variés et de simulations, nous avons montré: - l’importance du seuil du RSOA sur les performances globales ; - les rôles de l’émission spontanée, de la densité de porteurs, des recombinaisons Auger et de la hauteur des barrières ; - la sensibilité des RSOA fort gain au ripple. Livrés à nos partenaires, les RSOA bande O menèrent à des résultats à l’état de l’art tandis que les RSOA aluminium ne tinrent les promesses espérées. Nous cherchâmes alors à trouver des solutions alternatives. Comparativement au RSOA, Fabry-Pérot comme EAM-RSOA limitent le chirp et sont de plus grande bande passante. Toutefois, intégrés en cavité, ils ne dépassèrent pas les 2,5 Gbit/s pour un BER restreint. Pourtant, pris séparément, RSOA et EAM autorisent des débits jusqu’à 20 Gbit/s. Nous pensons qu’en remplaçant le tronçon de fibre par de l’optique en espace libre confirmerait le potentiel de ce concept / Today, access networks have to face higher data bit rates with strong constraints and competitors. In 2013, self-seeded cavities were limited by some issues that we have tried to solve from a component point of view. Thanks to experimental observations on various RSOA and thanks to simulations, we have shown: - the impact of RSOA threshold on the global performances, - the influence of the spontaneous emission, of the carrier density, of Auger recombination as well as the barrier bandgap, - how high gain RSOA were sensitive to ripple. Delivered to our partners, O band RSOA led to state-of-the-art results whereas aluminum RSOA were disappointing. We looked for short/mid-terms solutions. Compared to RSOA, both of the Fabry-Perot and the RSOA-EAM reduce the chirp and display an enhanced bandwidth. Yet, integrated in the cavity, they were limited at 2.5 Gbit/s with a high BER. Nonetheless each of the EAM and the RSOA could support up to 20 Gbit/s. We believe we could prove such data bitrates by replacing the feeder fiber between the two components by a free space link

Knowledge Management (KM) helps extend the knowledge of individuals or groups across organisations in ways that directly affect performance. Further, it is a formalised and integrated approach to identify and manage an organisation's knowledge assets. The study is an exploratory investigation of the implementation of IT-based Knowledge Management Systems. It is also a comparative study of the Kuwait and UK public sectors with the specific aim of building a best practice model for KM implementation in conjunction with IT. This includes examination of the relevant literature, a comprehensive analysis of case studies of KM implementation in 91 organisations presented in the literature, in order to arrive at the most critical factors of KM implementation and their degree of criticality, and an exploratory survey of 68 organisations both in the UK and Kuwait relating to their experiences in implementing initiatives such as KM and the role of IT in that process. In view of the intensive and extensive data for interdependence relationships between variables, statistical techniques were used, and in-depth studies of 16 leading organisations, to understand how the KM implementation processes and the critical factors identified were addressed and implemented. This study identifies critical factors of success in KM domain that applicable to Kuwaiti organisations. These factors were categorised under four different headings: (1) Technology, (2) KM processes, (3) Change management, (4) Top management commitment. A generic holistic model for effective KM implementation is proposed. / Kuwait Ministry of Interior.

KM is the process of creating value from the intangible assets of an enterprise. It deals with how best to leverage knowledge internally in the enterprise (in its individual employees, and the knowledge that gets built into its structures and systems) and externally to the customers and stakeholders. As KM initiatives, projects and systems are just beginning to appear in organisations, there is little research and empirical field data to guide the successful development and implementation of such systems or to guide the expectations of the potential benefits of such systems. In addition, about 84 per cent of KM programmes failed or exerted no significant impact on the adopting organisations worldwide due to inability to consider many critical factors that contribute to the success of KM project implementation. Hence, this study is an exploratory investigation into the KM implementation based on an integrated approach. This includes: (1) a comprehensive review of the relevant literature; (2) a comprehensive analysis of secondary case studies of KM implementations in 90 organisations presented in the literature, in order to arrive at the most critical factors of KM implementation and their degree of criticality; (3) exploratory global survey of 92 organisations in 23 countries that have already implemented or are in the process of implementing KM; (4) in-depth case studies of four leading organisations to understand how KM implementation processes and the critical factors identified are being addressed. Based on the empirical findings of the study, 28 critical factors were identified that must be carefully considered in the KM implementation to achieve a successful project. Moreover, the study proposes an integrated model for effective KM implementation which contains essential elements that contribute to project success. / Government of Saudi Arabia represented by King Saud University.

yes / Type II congenitalLong QT syndrome (LQT2) is due to genetic mutations in hERG channel. Genetic or pharmacological factors could potentially affect hERG channel biogenesis and contributes to LQTS, for example, disease mutations G601S and T473P result in hERG trafficking deficiency [1,2]. Various rescue strategies for hERG dysfuction are being developed. Some correctors for CFTR channel have been reported to act indirectly on proteostasis pathways to promote folding and correction on hERG trafficking deficiency [3]. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the CFTR corrector KM-11060 and the potentiator PG-01 may correct hERG mutation trafficking diseases. We use HEK293 cell line expressing a well-studied trafficking disease mutation G601S-hERG channel [4]. We treated cells with CFTR potentiator PG-01and corrector KM-11060, which function through different cellular mechanisms, and assessed whether correction occurred via immunoblotting. Whole cell proteins from HEK 293 cells expressing hERG channels were used for analysis [5]. Proteins were separated on 8% SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis gels for 1 hour, transferred onto PVDF membrane, and blocked for 1 h with 5% nonfat milk. The blots were incubated with the primary antibody (Santa Cruz Biotechnology) for 12-16 h at 4C temperature and then incubated with a donkey antigoat horseradish peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibody( Santa Cruz Biotechnology). Actin expression was used for loading controls. The blots were visualized using the ECL detection kit (Genshare).Results were deemed significantly different from controls by a one-way ANOVA (p < 0.05). Our results show that both KM-11060 (5, 10, 20uM) and PG-01(5, 15 uM) can correct G601S mutant alleles of hERG protein trafficking (Fig 1, 2). KM-11060 (20uM) but not PG-01(15 uM) enhance protein expression of wild type hERG channel (Fig 2). Further treatment on cells at low temperature with different drug concentration will be tested. Functional studies are also needed to test whether the drugs can correct the function of hERG mutation channel. These results could potentially provide novel insight into the correction mechanism of CFTR potentiator and also help to develop new treatment for LQT2.