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The widely observed memory-boom in western industrial nations since the 1970s has often been explained as a way of compensating the experiences of acceleration and loss in modern society. The economic and social transformations brought about by deindustrialization are seen as a threat to a future that is no longer certain, which is why societies would rather turn to their past for self-assurance. In order to critically question and historicize these narratives the following paper suggests analyzing the emergence of the memory landscape in the German Ruhr Area. The aim is to show that the regional memory boom is not merely a means of cultural compensation but a way of using history as a resource for image politics, economy and the creation of a regional identity, when the future of the former industrial area was deeply troubled.

The nature of human relationships (HR) within supply chains has received superficial attention in the drive for continuous improvement (CI). Persistent pressures affecting global engineering companies have limited the potential to address the HR element. Simply transferring mature Western concepts and analytical tools does not capture the dynamics of the global production workforce. This paper proposes a new theoretical perspective, encompassing an evaluative tool, thus moving beyond formulaic implementations of initiatives that erroneously assume maturity of production practices and outcomes. The study helps advance organizations by adding contextualization to the human-centric perspectives of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and discretionary effort (DE). Case-based data from engineering production workers in Thailand was factor-analyzed to test the research hypotheses. This research reports on an alternative operationalization of these core ideas whilst significantly extending the empirical base through validating the propositions. Further, it contributes and responds to extant literature identifying HR as the missing link in enacting CI programs in practice. The paper addresses this gap, and the data collected support the theory that the proposed HR concepts positively impact organizational CI interventions. Findings have important implications for such interventions encompassing practical and theoretical relevance for global engineering managers with a local engineering production workforce.

Introduction: Pearson syndrome (PS) was originally reported as a sideroblastic anemia in infancy with vacuolization of marrow precursors and exocrine pancreas dysfunction. It is now recognized as a fatal multisystem mitochondrial disorder caused by single mitochondrial DNA deletions (SLSMDs) presenting with anemia. PS, Kearns-Sayre Syndrome (KSS) and progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO) form a continuous spectrum of disease associated with SLSMDs. There have been only a few systematic studies on PS. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed hematological features and clinical course of 25 children with PS diagnosed between 1987 and 2019. Results: Patients presented with normo/macrocytic transfusion-dependent anemia (n=25), failure to thrive (n=3), diarrhea (n=1), acidosis (n=1) and/or omphalocele/esophageal atresia (n=1) at a median age of 5 (0-31) months. A median hemoglobin, platelet count and neutrophil count were 6.5 (1.9-9.8) g/dl, 104 (31-300) G/L, and 0.9 (0.1-2.4) G/L, respectively. Bone marrow (n=24) was normo- (n=15) or hypocellular (n=9). Vacuoles in erythroid and myeloid precursors were observed in all patients, but ring sideroblasts were present in only 16 of 23 patients examined. Morphology can resemble Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) because of erythroid hypoplasia (15/21). Dysplastic features are often observed including micromegakaryocytes. Lactic acid was elevated in most patients examined (14/18). Exocrine pancreas insufficiency at diagnosis was documented in 5 patients only. The detection of SLSMDs confirmed the diagnosis of PS in all patients. The median age at the time of the last follow-up was 47 (7 - 183) months. Among 11 patients with hematological follow-up for more than 3 years after diagnosis, 8 had spontaneous resolution of anemia at a median age of 28 (12-67) months, and 3 died at the age of 3, 6 or 8 years without hematological recovery. Clinical course was highly heterogeneous and various organ dysfunctions appeared. Renal tubulopathy/Fanconi syndrome (n=7) and cardiomyopathy/arrhythmia (n=5) were often fatal complications which developed at the median age of 32 and 45 months, respectively. Failure to thrive/short stature (n=13) and muscle hypotonia (n=9) were commonly observed. Other complications included pancreas insufficiency (n=7), liver dysfunction (n=4), endocrine dysfunctions (n=7), hearing loss (n=1), ophthalmoplegia (n=1), retinitis pigmentosa (n=1), cataract (n=1), ataxia (n=2) and encephalopathy (n=1). Thirteen patients died of acute metabolic acidosis with/without other complications (n=7), arrhythmia (n=2), respiratory failure (n=3) and liver/renal failure (n=1) at the median age of 50 (14-183) months. Two patients developed KSS and PEO-like phenotypes at the age 92 months and 19 months, respectively. Summary: Anemia is generally the only presenting syndrome of PS. While the bone marrow morphology can resemble DBA or myelodysplastic syndrome, recognition of vacuolated myeloid/erythroid precursors lead to the correct diagnosis of PS in all cases. Other classical signs of PS, ring-sideroblasts and pancreas insufficiency, are often missing. Anemia spontaneously resolves in most patients surviving early childhood. However, PS is unexceptionally fatal (Figure), most patients succumb to metabolic acidosis and various forms of multi-organ failure. Since there is no effective therapy, the diagnosis of PS is one of the saddest news that pediatric hematologists have to break to parents of an anemic infant. Figure Disclosures Niemeyer: Celgene: Consultancy.

Innovation has been categorised into levels, ranging from incremental to radical, each of which has the potential to impact on the workforce and the organisation of a company, influenced by contextual factors. This paper investigates the barriers to innovation diffusion in companies working at these two ends of the innovation scale, in order to identify similarities and differences in how levels of innovation affect an organisation and how culture affects success. It also considers these factors in light of the path dependency concept. Investigations were conducted on a case study basis, using semi-structured interviews. This led to the creation of force field analysis diagrams to portray the findings, which show the radical innovation implementation has experienced greater resistance than the incremental programme. Conclusions show that there were many similarities between the radical and incremental innovation projects. Differences were primarily based on project specific forces and those that occur as ...

Rapid manufacturing (RM) is an emerging technology that is set to revolutionize how products are manufactured. Past research has centred on processes, materials and costing, neglecting the vital issue of how the implementation of this new technology will affect the skills of workers. This work aims to evaluate how the skills of professionals working in the field of prosthetics are likely to be affected by the introduction of RM. Currently a highly skilled, manual process, this paper explores the hypothesis that the manufacture of prosthetic sockets would change fundamentally with the introduction of RM technology. This was evaluated through the use of the job characteristics model, which assesses the skills change and job satisfaction implications of applying new technology to traditional manufacturing processes. Conclusions showed that RM would have a significant impact on job roles in the prosthetics industry. Analysis found a positive outlook for the prosthetist, with the new technology increasing comp...

In Streptomyces davawensis roseoflavin is synthesized from GTP and ribulose-5-phosphate through riboflavin. As a first step towards the molecular analysis of flavin metabolism in S. davawensis the genes involved in riboflavin biosynthesis were cloned by hybridization of heterologous probes to a genomic library on a high-density colony-array. The genes ribB (riboflavin synthase, alpha-chain; EC 2.5.1.9), ribM (putative membrane protein), ribA (bifunctional GTP cyclohydrolase II/3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone-4-phosphate synthase; EC 3.5.4.25) and ribH (lumazine synthase; EC 2.5.1.9) are organized in an operon-like cluster. Northern blot analysis of this cluster revealed two transcripts of 1.7 and 3.1 kb, respectively. The gene ribB was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The specific riboflavin synthase activity in a cell-free extract of a recombinant strain was 0.246 nmol mg(-1 )min(-1). Overexpression of ribM enhanced the transport of riboflavin in the corresponding recombinant E. coli strain. Furthermore, overexpression of ribM increased roseoflavin sensitivity of E. coli. On another subgenomic fragment a putative S. davawensis ribG gene coding for the missing pyrimidine deaminase/reductase (EC 3.5.4.26 and EC 1.1.1.193) of the riboflavin biosynthetic pathway and ribY coding for a second (monofunctional) GTP cyclohydrolase II were identified.

This paper looks at the ideas associated with team roles within a continuous improvement (CI) program. It uses a case study approach, with Belbin's team role theory and the Self-Perception Inventory (SPI) questionnaire to assess the naturally adopted roles within two teams at a Slovenian manufacturing organization. Results show that, team members have a wide range of preferred team roles, but few are drawn to the Plant role that provides the creativity needed for effective CI. Conclusions state that the preferred team roles in established teams need to be acknowledged in order for members to feel a valued part of the process. In the future it is suggested that CI programs are more wide ranging to include tasks more suited to all of the team role preferences.

This paper looks at the ideas associated with discretionary effort (DE). It uses a case study approach, with the theory of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) and the LMX-7 questionnaire to assess the relationships in two teams at a Slovenian manufacturing organization. Results show that, contrary to the LMX theory, more DE is created by the relationships between team members, than by developing the high level relationships with the supervisor. Implications for the future will be to cultivate the within team relationships while strengthening the relationships with the supervisor, to allow for a synergistic effect, where DE, such as continuous improvement (CI) programs, becomes part of the in-role tasks.

This paper discusses the results of an investigation into the customisation of motorcycle seats. Results showed that the majority of motorcyclists felt discomfort during long distance travelling and that a customised motorcycle seat that exactly fits to the body geometry appeals to the majority of motorcyclists surveyed. Motorcyclists are willing to pay a premium for the customised seat and even wait a longer time for the customised product. The important factors motorcyclists considered when acquiring customised seats include effectiveness, quality/reliability, wellbeing and injury prevention. Although there are some motorcyclists who prefer aesthetic customisation, most motorcyclists value functionality and wellbeing above all these. Additionally, not only do the motorcyclists want customised seats for their bike, they are interested in having other parts of the motorcycle customised too.