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This study aims to identify and analyze strategic assets for universities and explain the role of leadership in maximizing the use of these assets as a competitive advantage through knowledge management practices. As a non-profit organization, universities live in a competitive world of higher education services. Theoretical and practical studies prove that intense competition will be won by organizations that have a sustainable level of competitive advantage, not temporary competitive advantages. In order to identify strategic assets for higher education institutions, this study assumes that all knowledge-based assets are strategic assets that add value to the organization and improve organizational performance. The role of higher education as a knowledge-based organization that nurtures diverse knowledge and as a producer of reliable human resources in the scientific field establishes knowledge-based assets or intellectual capital as the strategic capital of universities. The research population are the leaders of universities in East Java, both state universities and private universities. The sample was determined based on the purposive random sampling technique, namely by selecting the leaders of universities with a rating (AIPT) of at least B or Good, totalling 113 people. The criteria are set with the assumption that the university leadership has implemented knowledge management. Data were collected by distributing questionnaires and analyzed using SEM-PLS. Research is useful both theoretically and practically. At the theoretical level, a strategy for managing intellectual capital is formulated as a strategic asset, while at the practical level it can be carried out by university leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The accumulation mechanisms of amiodarone (AMD) involving transporters in lung alveolar epithelial type II cells were studied. The uptake of AMD was examined using human alveolar epithelial-derived cell line A549 as a model. AMD was transported by the carrier-mediated system, and the apparent K m and V max values were 66.8±30.3 μM and 49.7±9.7 nmol/mg protein/5 min, respectively. The uptake of AMD by A549 cells was Na+-independent and was inhibited by substrates of human organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP). The inhibition profiles were similar to the inhibitory effects of several compounds on OATP2B1-mediated E-3-S transport, and RT-PCR analysis showed mRNA expression of OATP2B1 and 1B3 in A549 cells. SiRNAs targeted to the OATP2B1 gene decreased the OATP2B1 mRNA expression level in A549 cells up to about 50% and reduced the uptake of AMD up to about 40%. These results indicate that AMD uptake mediated by carriers, including OATP2B1, might lead to accumulation of AMD in the lung and AMD-induced pulmonary toxicity (AIPT). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Amiodarone is one of the more frequently used drugs in the treatment of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. Many adverse effects, more or less serious, are associated with its administration. Amiodaron-induced pulmonary toxicity (AIPT) is quite rare but represents one of the most severe adverse effects with high mortality. We present an 80 years old patient, who used amidorane due to paroxysmal atrial fibrillation for several years. Within 3 months, he was repeatedly hospitalized for a bilateral pneumonia. Eventually, AIPT was diagnosed. Early diagnosis, proper therapy of AIPT and changed antiarrhythmic therapy has significantly improved the clinical status of our patient. In this case we demonstrate typical clinical presentations of AIPT as well as the most common diagnostic procedures and recommended treatment methods. Finally, some other commonly used therapeutical options for supraventricular arrhythmias are mentioned. Future options are outlined.

The potent and efficacious anti-dysrhythmic agent amiodarone (AM) can cause potentially life-threatening lung damage (amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity; AIPT), which is characterized by cell death in the lungs, followed by inflammation and fibrosis. AM's major metabolite, desethylamiodarone (DEA), has a greater toxic potency than AM and it has been suggested that DEA may act synergistically with AM to cause lung toxicity. The objective of this study was to determine the type of cytotoxic interaction between AM and DEA in HPL1A human peripheral lung epithelial cells. Cytotoxicity was measured by lactate dehydrogenase release. AM and DEA caused concentration-dependent cytotoxicity in HPL1A cells. The concentration of drug causing 50% cell death (LC50) and the Hill slope factor, which represents steepness of the concentration-cell death curve, were significantly different between AM and DEA (12.4μM and 1.98; 5.07μM and 5.43, for AM and DEA, respectively) indicating that they may induce cytotoxicity through different mechanisms. A combined concentration of 7.13μM AM plus DEA, equivalent to 41% of each compound's individual LC50 value, resulted in 50% cell death. Isobolographic analysis revealed this effect to be additive, although the combined concentrations were only slightly higher than the concentrations that defined the threshold of synergy (threshold of synergy=4.21±1.98μM AM plus 1.73±1.05μM DEA; experimental data point=5.06±0.47μM AM plus 2.07±0.47μM DEA). The cytotoxic interaction between AM and DEA may be clinically relevant in the development of AIPT., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)