Background: Customer needs are ever changing and organizations are under constant pressure to fulfill these needs. This resulted in the organization moving in new areas and introducing new offerings/business models. In order to thrive in the competitive market, new companies were acquired with a new set of business units were introduced or existing business units are converged. This resulted in the emergence of multiple business model phenomena and ultimately strategies were developed to manage the business models simultaneously. Purpose: The motivation behind this study, is to find the strategy for operating multiple businesses models embraced by an organization to thrive in a developing field. Methodology: This study is a based on qualitative analysis with a single case study method. The information has been gathered from the two semi-structured interviews with top management of the company and by means of annual reports & financial documents. The findings have been analyzed within the case analysis. The case organization is HMS Industrial Networks, a Swedish Industrial communication equipment manufacturer. Empirical Findings: The findings contain a total review of the organization history and business models from 1988 to 2018, based on the gathered information. It is organized in identified time periods. Conclusions: It can be concluded that business models of HMS have evolved from its establishment to current day. Moreover, integrating strategy used to manage multiple business models through acquisition and realizing synergies that adversely alters the distribution of possible outcomes regardless of an increase or decrease of the expected outcome. Future Research: The future research is needed in order to find other types of strategies for managing multiple business models.

The purpose of this research study is to expand upon the body of knowledge and research regarding the conditions and processes for effective decision-making in virtual team environments. Specifically, this study sought to demonstrate that teams instructed in consensus produce higher quality decisions and attain the assembly effect (synergy) on complex decision tasks. In addition, teams in virtual communication environments will produce higher quality decisions and attain the assembly effect (synergistic decisions) less often than face-to-face teams on complex decision tasks. Mostly undergraduate students from business courses (N = 358) completed the NASA Survival Exercise complex decision task first individually, then as teams. Subjects were randomly assigned to teams; teams were randomly assigned to one of two decision mode conditions: i) instructed in the consensus decision technique; and ii) not-instructed in the consensus decision technique. Subjects were then randomly assigned to one of three communication mode environments: i) face-to-face; ii) instant messaging; and iii) videoconferencing. A 2 X 3 between-subjects factorial design was used to examine the research questions. The hypotheses compared several mean decision performance measures for three and four-person teams (n = 105) differing in decision mode (consensus instructed vs. not-instructed) and differing in communication mode (face-to-face) or one of two virtual communication environments (instant messaging or videoconferencing). Hypotheses for the decision mode main effect, the communication mode main effect and the interaction effect were not statistically significant. However, the decision performance measure means for communication mode and the interaction between communication mode and the decision mode were in the predicted direction. Future research is needed to clarify the influence of consensus instruction and technology-mediated communication environments on virtual teams.

Ewing Sarcoma (ES) is an aggressive pediatric solid tumor. Even though overall-survival for localized patients is approximately 70%, the overall-survival for high risk ES patients has not improved in the last 20 years. Therefore, there is a need for exploration of new therapeutic agents in ES. Recent evidence has demonstrated that ES cells behave like BRCA-deficient tumor types which renders them sensitive to PARP inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. However, a phase II study of the efficacy of single-agent PARP inhibition in patients with relapsed ES did not significantly improve outcome. As single-agent therapy is rarely expected to result in significant clinical responses, in this study, we plan to validate potential targeted combination therapies with PARP inhibitors in ES. Since ES appears to demonstrated BRCA-deficient biology with impaired homologous recombination, cells are expected to be sensitive to both PARP inhibitors and ATR inhibitors, drugs which have a role in regulating DNA damage and impairing homologous recombination. In breast cancer and ovarian cell lines with genetic BRCA-deficiency, PARP and ATR inhibitors have synergistic activity. We hypothesize that these inhibitors will also have synergistic anti-Ewing activity. Furthermore, we recognize that ES cells demonstrate remarkably quiet genomes suggesting that there is minimal ongoing DNA-damage when cells are growing unperturbed. Therefore, we also plan to test the effect of adding low-dose genotoxic chemotherapy to induce additional sensitivity to the combination of PARP and ATR inhibitors in ES. The specific aims of this study were to explore the possible anti-tumor effect of PARP inhibitors combined with ATR inhibitors in ES cell lines, and to explore whether low dose genotoxic chemotherapy with SN38 can potentiate the anti-tumor effect of combined PARP and ATR inhibition in ES cell lines. We studied the anti-Ewing Sarcoma effect of the combination of a PARP inhibitor, AZD2281, and an ATR inhibitor, AZD6738, across a range of doses with and without low doses of a DNA damaging agent, SN38 (irinotecan metabolite), in two ES cell lines. We analyzed synergy by determining the Combination Index (CI) and Fractional Inhibition (FA) of each combination. We found that the ATR inhibitor, AZD6738, was synergistic across large range of concentrations when combined with the PARP inhibitor, AZD2281, in ES cell lines. We also found that treatment of cells with low doses of SN38 increases ES cell sensitivity to treatment with the PARP inhibitor and ATR inhibitor combination. This study provides preclinical support for additional studies exploring these combinations in ES. Given the low number of pediatric patients with ES compared to adult cancer patients, there will be limited attempts in combining these agents in clinical trials. Therefore, the development of an in vivo trial testing the safety and efficacy of this combination in ES mouse models is proposed. / 2020-07-03T00:00:00Z

abstract: Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) have been playing a very significant role in the capital market. Many companies regard mergers and acquisitions as an important way for their business expansion and transformation. This paper begins with a review of literature on firm’s motivations of and outcomes in M&A, and followed by a critical examination of three case studies of actual M&A transactions based on the insights provided from the literature review. For each case study, a firm’s motivations and related managerial initiatives for M&A activities were examined, followed by an assessment of the firm’s post M&A performance results. This allows the study to discerns the insights of why and how a firm proceed in its M&A transactions from its strategic intent to its post M&A managerial actions. Collectively, the results show that the key drivers for a firm’s M&A successes rest on a firm’s abilities to manage the M&A activities consistent with its strategic intent (e.g., creating synergies or transformation through diversification) and followed by its post M&A integration efforts in achieving its strategic intent. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Business Administration 2018

Foi estudado o processo de fotopolimerização iniciado através de misturas dos fotoiniciadores, acilfosfínicos (MAPO e BAPO), com canforquinona (CQ). Também foi investigada a existência de um possível efeito sinérgico durante a fotoiniciação. A eficiência de polimerização das duas misturas, MAPO/CQ e BAPO/CQ, foi determinada por actinometria. A fotodilatometria foi a técnica utilizada para o acompanhamento das cinéticas de polimerização. A adição do co-iniciador EDB não apresentou efeito nas velocidades de polimerização iniciadas pelos fotoiniciadores acilfosfínicos. Do ponto de vista do rendimento quântico de polimerização, um efeito antagonístico foi observado devido a transferência de energia a partir dos fotoiniciadores mais eficientes (MAPO ou BAPO) para o menos eficiente, canforquinona (CQ). / The photopolymerization processes involving two different photoinitiators: acylphosphine oxides (MAPO and BAPO) and camphorquinone (CQ) were studied in order to determine possible synergistic effects. The polymerization efficiency of the two mixtures, MAPO/CQ and BAPO/CQ, was studied using actinometry. The polymerization kinetics was followed by photodilatometry. The presence of the coinitiator EDB had no effect in the polymerization rate initiated by the acylphosphine oxides. From the point of view of photopolymerization quantum yields, an antagonistic effect is observed due to the energy transfer from the more efficient initiator (MAPO or BAPO) to the less efficient (CQ).

Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2016-08-08T15:12:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 alinelucianofilgueiras.pdf: 4167402 bytes, checksum: f316087a3a3b5f90d07746e60252af72 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-08-09T11:48:44Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 alinelucianofilgueiras.pdf: 4167402 bytes, checksum: f316087a3a3b5f90d07746e60252af72 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-09T11:48:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 alinelucianofilgueiras.pdf: 4167402 bytes, checksum: f316087a3a3b5f90d07746e60252af72 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-01-18 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Neste trabalho investigou-se diferentes sínteses de nanopartículas de prata (AgNPs), misturadas ou não com antibióticos e misturadas ou não com quitosana com o objetivo de verificar as propriedades antibacterianas das misturas, e as interações químicas dos adsorbatos na superfície das AgNPs através da técnica de Espectroscopia por espalhamento Raman Intensificada por Superfície (SERS). A proposta considera uma alternativa para o uso de antibióticos, devido a um número crescente de linhagens bacterianas resistentes. Os testes biológicos contra as bactérias Escherichia coli, Pseudonomas aeruginosa, Klebisiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis e Staphylococcus epidermides foram realizados em colaboração com Laboratório de Fisiologia e Genética Molecular Bacteriana do Instituto de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF). Nos testes biológicos verificou-se que algumas associações de AgNPs, quitosana e os antibióticos levofloxacina (LV), tetraciclina (TC), rifampicina (RP), benzilpenicilina (BP), meropenem (MP), ampicilina (AP), amicacina (AC), gentamicina (GT), vancomicina (VC) e oxacilina (OC) promoveram a intensificação do efeito antibacteriano de forma sinérgica. Também foram obtidos os espectros SERS dos antibióticos LV, TC, BP e RP e realizados os cálculos teóricos dos modos normais de vibração dos complexos destas espécies com prata, em colaboração com o Núcleo de Estudos em Química Computacional do departamento de química da UFJF. Com isso, foi possível realizar as atribuições vibracionais dos espectros Raman dos compostos sólidos e SERS das espécies adsorvidas, inferindo-se assim as geometrias de adsorção. / In this work were investigated several synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), mixed or not with antibiotics and mixed or not with chitosan, in order to verify the antibacterial properties of the mixtures and the chemical interaction of the adsorbates with silver surface by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The proposal consists in an alternative for antibiotic use, due to a large number of resistant bacteria strains. The biological tests against Escherichia coli, Pseudonomas aeruginosa, Klebisiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus epidermides were made in collaboration with the Laboratório de Fisiologia e Genética Bacteriana in the Instituto de Ciências Biológicas of the Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF). In biological tests, some associations of the AgNPs and chitosan and the antibiotics levofloxacin (LV), benzylpenicillin (BP), tetracycline (TC), rifampicina (RP), meropenem (MP), amikacin (AC), gentamicin (GT), ampicillin (AP), oxacillin (OC) promotes the antibacterial effect in a synergic mechanism. Also were obtained the SERS spectra of LV, TC, BP and RP and the vibrational assignment were obtained by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Such work was made in collaboration with the Núcleo de Estudos em Química Computacional from the Departamento de Química of the UFJF. In this way, it was possible to perform the vibrational assignment of the Raman spectra of the solid compounds and the SERS spectra of the adsorbed species, inferring the adsorption geometries.

The acquisition of representative subsea fluid sampling from offshore field development asset is crucial for the correct evaluation of oil reserves and for the design of subsea production facilities. Due to rising operational expenditures, operators and manufacturers have been working hard to provide systems to enable cost effective subsea fluid sampling solutions. To achieve this, any system has to collect sufficient sample volumes to ensure statistically valid characterisation of the sampled fluids. In executing the research project, various subsea sampling methods used in the offshore industry were examined and ranked using multi criteria decision making; a solution using a remote operated vehicle was selected as the preferred method, to compliment the subsea multiphase flowmeter capability, used to provide well diagnostics to measure individual phases – oil, gas, and water. A mechanistic (compositional fluid tracking) model is employed, using the fluid properties that are equivalent to the production flow stream being measured, to predict reliable reservoir fluid characteristics on the subsea production system. This is applicable even under conditions where significant variations in the reservoir fluid composition occur in transient production operations. The model also adds value in the decision to employ subsea processing in managing water breakthrough as the field matures. This can be achieved through efficient processing of the fluid with separation and boosting delivered to the topside facilities or for water re-injection to the reservoir. The combination of multiphase flowmeter, remote operated vehicle deployed fluid sampling and the mechanistic model provides a balanced approach to reservoir performance monitoring. Therefore, regular and systematic field tailored application of subsea fluid sampling should provide detailed understanding on formation fluid, a basis for accurate prediction of reservoir fluid characteristic, to maximize well production in offshore field development.

Actuellement, la plupart des textiles utilisés pour limiter les contacts avec les moustiques vecteurs de maladies sont imprégnés d’insecticides pyréthrinoïdes possédant une action insecticide et répulsive. Cependant, l’apparition de résistances au sein des populations de moustiques remet en cause cette efficacité.La nouvelle stratégie de lutte contre les moustiques s’appuie sur l’effet synergique obtenu lors d’une association de deux molécules de familles chimiques différentes à effet insecticide et répulsif. Les effets de deux répulsifs, le DEET et l’IR3535 ont été étudiés sur des cellules neurosecrétrices isolées du système nerveux central de la blatte Periplaneta americana. A l’aide de la technique d’imagerie calcique, il a été possible de montrer que ces composés induisent une augmentation dose-dépendante complexe de la concentration en calcium intracellulaire. L’utilisation d’outils pharmacologiques spécifiques a permis de caractériser les cibles et les évènements moléculaires impliqués dans ces effets. A partir de ces résultats, l’IR3535 s’est avéré être le meilleur répulsif pour une association avec un insecticide néonicotinoïde, le thiaclopride. Grâce à la technique électrophysiologique du patch-clamp adaptée sur neurones d’insecte, l’effet synergique produit par l’association IR3535/thiaclopride a été observé et le rapport de concentrations répulsif/insecticide qui donne le meilleure effet synergique sur le courant entrant induit par le thiaclopride déterminé. Des tests en cône réalisés sur moustiques in vivo ont confirmé cet effet synergique,démontrant l’intérêt de proposer l’associationIR3535/thiaclopride comme nouvelle stratégie de lutte anti-vectorielle. / Today, most of the textiles used to limit contact with mosquitoes are impregnated with pyrethroid insecticides having both insecticidal and repellent activities. However, the development of resistance in mosquito populations reduces their efficacy. The new strategy proposed against mosquito-transmitted diseases is based on the potential synergy observed with the combination of two different compounds with insecticidal and repellent effects. In this context, the effects of two repellents DEET and IR3535 have been studied on neurosecretory cells isolated from the central nervous system of the cockroach Periplaneta Americana. Using calcium imaging, both DEET and IR3535 induce a dose-dependent complex elevation of intracellular calcium concentration. Specific pharmacological tools have allowed to characterize the different targets together with the molecular events involved in the repellent-induced calcium rise. From these results, it has been possible to identify IR3535 as the most suitable compound to be used in association with the insecticide neonicotinoid, thiacloprid. Using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique adapted on isolated insect neurons, the synergistic effect of the IR3535/thiacloprid mixture has been observed on the thiacloprid-induced current and the most efficient ratio between repellent and insecticide has also been determined. In addition, cone tests performed on in vivo mosquitoes confirm this synergistic effect, demonstrating that IR3535/thiacloprid mixture could bean alternative strategy in the management of chemical use against resistant mosquitoes.

Au cours de la tumorigénèse, les cellules tumorales accumulent plusieurs mutations. Chez les modèles animaux comme la drosophile ou la souris, il a été montré que la coopération d’au moins deux altérations génétiques permet de reproduire une croissance néoplasique dans des cellules épithéliales : la sur-activation d’une voie de signalisation comme Ras or Notch, et des mutations altérant l’adhésion cellulaires ou la polarité. Bien que cette coopération soit très décrite, ses mécanismes sous-jacents ne sont que peu étudiés. Deux principaux modèles peuvent être proposés : soit les altérations génétiques fonctionnent indépendamment (modèle additif), ou ils s’influencent l’un l’autre pour faire émerger de nouveaux comportements (modèle synergique). En utilisant un paradigme généré par Notch de croissance hyperplasique et néoplasique dans des disques larvaires d’aile de Drosophila melanogaster, nous cherchons à confirmer l’un de ces deux modèles.En combinant des analyses de RNAseq et de ChIP, nous avons pu identifier des ensembles de gènes directement activés par Notch dans des disques hyperplasiques (Notch activé) et néoplasiques (Notch activé et perte de polarité). Bien que des cibles directes de la voie Notch soient partagées par les deux types de croissances, nos analyses ont montré qu’une grande partie de ces cibles sont spécifiques de chacune des conditions ce qui suggère que l’état polarisé ou non d’une cellule influence le contrôle transcriptionnel de la voie Notch. Enfin en réalisant un screen centré sur les gènes les plus affectés en néoplasie, nous avons identifié un ensemble de gènes qui contrôlent la transition entre l’hyperplasie et la néoplasie. / During tumourigenesis, tumour cells accumulate many mutations. In animal models such as Drosophila or mouse, the cooperation of at least two genetic insults has been shown to recapitulate neoplastic transformation of epithelial cells: an overactive signalling pathway such as Ras or Notch, and mutations affecting cell adhesion or polarity. While this cooperation is well documented, the mechanisms underlying it are still poorly understood. Two main models could be proposed: either the genetic alterations act independently (additive model), or they influence each other to allow the emergence of new behaviours (synergistic model). Using Notch driven paradigms of hyperplastic and neoplastic growth in Drosophila wing discs, we sought to distinguish between these two models.Combining RNAseq and ChIP analysis, we were able to identify the repertoires of genes directly activated by Notch in hyperplastic discs (Notch activation) and in neoplastic discs (Notch activation and polarity loss). While some Notch direct targets are shared between the two types of growth, our analysis revealed that the majority of Notch targets are actually specific to each condition, suggesting that a correct polarity has a major influence on the transcriptional output of the Notch signalling pathway, and strongly supports the synergistic model. Our studies further revealed that histone composition changes and polycomb mark changes are amongst the mechanisms that redirect the Notch pathway. Finally, using a small scale functional screen centred on the most affected genes in neoplasia, we identified a core set of genes controlling the transition from hyperplastic to neoplastic growth.

Preservation of information is not a new issue but preservation of digital information has a relatively short history. Since the 60’s when computers began to be used within administration, digital information that has had to be preserved over time.The problem addressed in this research is how to preserve understandable information over time. Information is context dependent, which means that without context it is not possible to use the information. Process is one part of the context. And an important issue when preserving information is then to be able to trace an information object to the process where in it has been created and managed. Associating information to a particular process creates the possibility of relating information objects to each other and also to the context in which the information has been created and used. The aim of this thesis is to identify and structure factors that can improve the traceability between information and processes over time. A set of factors based on case studies and a set of analytical methods are presented that can improve the traceability over time. These factors have been identified and structured by the use of the Synergy-4 model. They have been identified within four different spheres namely: competence, management, organization/procedure and technology. The factors have further been structured in three different time states namely: creation time, short and middle term and long-term. The research concludes that there are a lot of factors influencing ability to preserve information. Preservation issues include selection of metadata standards, organizational culture, lack of understanding from management and formalization of documents. The conclusion is that if an organization wants to succeed in preserving traceable information they have to build strategies that cover the issues from a range of different angles. This thesis suggests that crucial angles are competence, management, organization/procedure and technology. Furthermore, the strategies must be in place at the stage of creationof the information objects.