The Role and Meaning of the Digital Transformation As a Disruptive Innovation on Small and Medium Manufacturing Enterprises

The research reported in this paper explores the impact of digital transformation as a disruptive innovation on manufacturing SMEs. The research is based on a qualitative Delphi study encompassing 49 experts from eleven EU countries. The paper aims to demonstrate how disruptive innovations affect organizational changes and determine critical factors in organizations that impact the initiating and promoting R&D of disruptive innovation. We discovered that disruptive innovations impact product/process development methods, new production concepts, new materials for products, and new organization plans. Additionally, we identified organizational changes related to the development and use of disruptive innovations in the future. We also indicate how disruptive innovations influence social and technological changes in the organizational environment. The analysis also disclosed three main groups of disruptive innovations and their impact on future smart factory development, namely the following: technological changes, the emergence of innovative products, business models and solutions and organizational culture as one of the crucial key success factors. The analysis also examined the enablers of the successful development/introduction of disruptive innovations, wherein internal and external factors were determined. Additionally, we presented obstacles and the approaches necessary to mitigate them. We can conclude from the findings that in the timeframe of 5-10 years, only the SME that uses/develops disruptive innovations will survive in the market. However, the companies do not always have a clear idea of the meaning of disruptive innovations. Therefore, it is important to set clear goals regarding the achievement of disruptive innovations in companies. It is also necessary to creatively apply presented instruments enabling improvement of organizational changes and apply some additional concepts, which we have suggested.

Engineering and Rewiring of a Calcium-Dependent Signaling Pathway

An important feature of synthetic biological circuits is their response to physicochemical signals, which enables the external control of cellular processes. Calcium-dependent regulation is an attractive approach for achieving such control, as diverse stimuli induce calcium influx by activating membrane channel receptors. Most calcium-dependent gene circuits use the endogenous nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) signaling pathway. Here, we employed engineered NFAT transcription factors to induce the potent and robust activation of exogenous gene expression in HEK293T cells. Furthermore, we designed a calcium-dependent transcription factor that does not interfere with NFAT-regulated promoters and potently activates transcription in several mammalian cell types. Additionally, we demonstrate that coupling the circuit to a calcium-selective ion channel resulted in capsaicin- and temperature-controlled gene expression. This engineered calcium-dependent signaling pathway enables tightly controlled regulation of gene expression through different stimuli in mammalian cells and is versatile, adaptable, and useful for a wide range of therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

A Comprehensive Approach in Medical Nutrition Therapy for Adults’ Weight Loss Management in Lebanon

The objective of the research is to identify the different factors of Lebanese culture that interfere with weight loss therapy and assist the field of nutrition in homogenising in a standardised manner the protocol of Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT). The first part of the study is based on a literature review, and, in the second part, quantitative analysis was used. The research was conducted on 514 Lebanese adults via questionnaire. The analysis was performed with the AMOS (Version 22, IBM®, Amonk, NY, USA) statistical tool. For the analysis of correlations, chi-square and non-parametric tests were used. Variables affecting weight loss management were identified with the aid of seven hypotheses using structural equation modelling (SEM). Body shape and Body Mass Index (BMI) were found to be inter-related to cognitive behaviours toward food, lifestyle practices, medical conditions, food and beverages. In parallel, and based on the research results, younger adults, in particular women, have better BMI and look better in terms of body shape. Ageing has a direct impact on weight gain. Older people have a lower activity level, which is more prevalent among women, and they also prefer to eat typical Lebanese food. Habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, are directly related to obesity and some medical conditions. Low physical activity influences the problems related to body shape. For further studies, one should also include types of physical activities in terms of intensity and number of hours. This would assist the study in being more specified and credible toward the effect of exercise on weight loss management.

Ultrasound-mediated spatial and temporal control of engineered cells in vivo

Remote regulation of cells in deep tissue remains a significant challenge. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound offers promise for in vivo therapies due to its non-invasive nature and precise control. This study uses pulsed ultrasound to control calcium influx in mammalian cells and engineers a therapeutic cellular device responsive to acoustic stimulation in deep tissue without overexpressing calcium channels or gas vesicles. Pulsed ultrasound parameters are established to induce calcium influx in HEK293 cells. Additionally, cells are engineered to express a designed calcium-responsive transcription factor controlling the expression of a selected therapeutic gene, constituting a therapeutic cellular device. The engineered sonogenetic system's functionality is demonstrated in vivo in mice, where an implanted anti-inflammatory cytokine-producing cellular device effectively alleviates acute colitis, as shown by improved colonic morphology and histopathology. This approach provides a powerful tool for precise, localized control of engineered cells in deep tissue, showcasing its potential for targeted therapeutic delivery.

Relationship between Changes in the Business Environment, Innovation Strategy Selection and Firm’s Performance: Empirical Evidence from Slovenia

This article studies the relationship between changes in the external business environment, a firm’s innovation strategies towards customers, and performance. A model of relations was developed, as well as a hypothesis: “The use of the differentiation strategy has a positive effect on firm’s performance. SMEs that use the differentiation strategy achieve better performance than those who use one of the other strategies (low-cost strategy, focus strategy, or an overtaking strategy)”. The empirical study includes a population of 3007 SMEs and a sample of 163 SMEs. The firm’s performance was measured using financial measures such as return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA), operational measures such as economic value added (EVA) and comprehensive measures such as credit rating (CR). The structural equation modelling (SEM) approach was used for data analysis. Based on the results, we can confirm that changes in a firm’s external environment affect the firm’s strategy towards customers, which influences the performance of a firm. The empirical study confirmed that firms using the differentiation strategy indicate higher performances (ROA, EVA, and CR) than those using any other strategy. Results also show that high-performance SMEs incorporate customer perspectives into strategy selection. The most significant influence on the firm’s selection of the differentiation strategy was found in cases when the firm cooperates with new customers with whom it has not collaborated thus far. SMEs that use a low-cost strategy, focus strategy, or overtaking strategy are less successful than companies that use a differentiation strategy. The developed model of relations in this research has special meaning for researchers and managers in the field of strategic management, strategy selection and implementation, as well as performance of SMEs.

Protein Gas Vesicles of Bacillus megaterium as Enhancers of Ultrasound-Induced Transcriptional Regulation

Gas vesicles (GVs) are large cylindrical gas-filled protein assemblies found in diverse aquatic bacteria that enable their adaptation of buoyancy. GVs have already been used as ultrasound contrasting agents. Here, we investigate GVs derived from Bacillus megaterium, aiming to minimize the number of accessory Gvps within the GV gene cluster and demonstrate the use of GVs as enhancers of acoustic radiation force administered by ultrasound. Three (GvpR, GvpT, and GvpU) out of 11 genes in the cluster were found to be dispensable for functional GV formation, and their omission resulted in narrower GVs. Two essential proteins GvpJ and GvpN were absent from recently determined GV structures, but GvpJ was nevertheless found to be tightly bound to the cylindrical part of GVs in this study. Additionally, the N-terminus of GvpN was observed to play an important role in the formation of mature GVs. The binding of engineered GvpC fromAnabaena flos-aquae to HEK293 cells via integrins enhanced the acoustic force delivered by ultrasound and resulted in an increased Ca2+ influx into cells. Coupling with a synthetic Ca2+-dependent signaling pathway GVs efficiently enhanced cell stimulation by ultrasound, which expands the potentials of noninvasive sonogenetics cell stimulation.