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Background: In the field of xenotransplantation, digital image analysis (DIA) is an asset to quantify heterogeneous cell infiltrates around transplanted encapsulated islets. Materials and Methods: RGD‐alginate was used to produce empty capsules or to encapsulate neonatal porcine islets (NPI) with different combinations of human pancreatic extracellular matrix (hpECM), porcine mesenchymal stem cells (pMSC) and a chitosan anti‐fouling coating. Capsules were transplanted subcutaneously in rats for one month and then processed for immunohistochemistry. Immunostainings for macrophages (CD68) and lymphocytes (CD3) were quantified by DIA in two concentric regions of interest (ROI) around the capsules. DIA replicability and reproducibility were assessed by two blind operators. Repeatability was evaluated by processing the same biopsies at different time points. DIA was also compared with quantification by point counting (PC). Results: Methodology validation: different sizes of ROIs were highly correlated. Intraclass correlation coefficients confirmed replicability and reproducibility. Repeatability showed a very strong correlation with CD3 stains and moderate/strong for CD68 stains. Group comparisons for CD68 IHC at each time point proved internal consistency. Point counting and DIA were strongly correlated with both CD3 and CD68. Capsule biocompatibility: Macrophage infiltration was higher around capsules containing biomaterials than around empty and RGD‐alginate‐NPI capsules. Lymphocytic infiltration was comparable among groups containing cells and higher than in empty capsules. Conclusion: We validated a semi‐automated quantification methodology to assess cellular infiltrates and successfully applied it to investigate graft biocompatibility, showing that neonatal porcine islets encapsulated in alginate alone triggered less infiltration than capsules containing islets and bioactive materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business model innovation ( BMI) often involves the acquisition of external resources, their integration with and adaptation to internal capabilities and the exploitation of these novel combinations to create and capture value in new ways. However, studies focusing on the relationships among capabilities, BMI and firm performance are rare. In this paper, we adopt broader measures of internal and external knowledge, which include codified intangibles such as patents and copyrights, and examine the effects the combinations and interactions have on sales growth based on a dataset of 310 firms from four European countries. Using the broader measure of knowledge, we find support for the curvilinear relationship reported in studies using research and development-intensity as a proxy. However, we also find that firms with low levels of internal knowledge benefit most from an 'optimal' investment in externally generated knowledge, but the influence on sales growth is very sensitive to the degree of external knowledge acquired. By contrast, knowledge-intensive firms are relatively freer in defining their knowledge sourcing strategy. We discuss the implications for exploiting knowledge and complementary assets in BMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights a new emerging division of labour among Chinese Research and Development (R&D) workers in Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park, which emphasises learning through external networks. Such learning relies on the ability to develop common practices and ‘translate’ external knowledge to the firm. The discussion highlights the significant costs that can be associated with developing and establishing such skills and the underlying practices that can support this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pattern of adoption of high-performance work practices has been explained in terms of strategic contingency and in terms of union presence. We compare the post-deregulation/privatization changes in work practice at AT&T, Bell Atlantic and British Telecom. On the basis of these cases, we argue that the choice of new work practices should be understood as a consequence not only of the company's resources or changes in its environment, nor of a simple union presence, but also as a consequence of the practices' effects on union power, the nature of the union's engagement, and the union's strategic choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current transformations in technologies and industrial structure of UK telecommunications have important implications for skills and work organisation. This is examined in different divisions of a large UK telecommunications firm: call centres, customer service centres, engineering sectors and the R&D department. The effect of these transformations on the development of firm competences is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]