Dissemination Capabilities Research Articles

Organizational Absorptive Capacity and Responsiveness: An Empirical Investigation of Growth–Oriented SMEs

This study examines the relationship between firm absorptive capacity and organizational responsiveness in the context of growth–oriented small and medium–sized enterprises (SMEs). By testing the different dimensions of absorptive capacity, external knowledge acquisition and intrafirm knowledge dissemination were found to be positively related to organizational responsiveness. In addition, the relationships between absorptive capacity and organizational responsiveness were moderated by environmental dynamism and the SMEs’ strategic orientation. Results demonstrate that the responsiveness of growth–oriented SMEs is expected to increase if (1) they have well–developed capabilities in external knowledge acquisition and intrafirm knowledge dissemination; (2) they have a well–developed external knowledge acquisition capability and adopt a more proactive strategy, such as being a prospector; (3) they face a turbulent environment and have a well developed internal knowledge dissemination capability. Implications and future research directions are provided.

Asynchronous learning networks: an information-technology-based infrastructure for engineering education

This paper describes the state of the art in the field of asynchronous learning networks (ALNs). Widespread adoption of ALN methods is expected to transform the way engineering education is conducted. Information-technology-enabled communication and dissemination capabilities are likely to impact the economics of engineering education, access to engineering education,the roles of faculty and students, timing and methods of education, the development of students' technical and communication skills, and the ways that traditional engineering students and lifelong learners interact with industry and alumni.

Immunocytochemical detection of isolated epithelial tumor cells in bone marrow of patients with pancreatic carcinoma

Epithelial cells in the bone marrow of 42 patients with pancreatic carcinoma were identified immunocytochemically with monoclonal antibodies directed to epithelial cytokeratins. The occurrence of tumor relapse in patients who underwent complete surgical resection was significantly associated with cytokeratin-positivity in bone marrow. The presence of these cells in indicative of an increased disseminative capability of the primary tumor and defines a new category of patients for neoadjuvant therapy.

Prognostic significance of micrometastatic tumour cells in bone marrow of colorectal cancer patients

Much of the information recorded at the time of surgery for malignant disease has been used, alone or in combination, to indicate the outlook for that patient, including probability of metastasis. However, direct evidence of tumour seeding in distant organs at that time is not available. An immunocytochemical assay for the epithelial cytokeratin protein (CK18) may fill this gap since it is a feature of epithelial cells but would not normally be in bone marrow. We looked for disseminated tumour cells preoperatively in bone marrow from 88 patients with radically resected colorectal carcinomas. Smears for 28 (32%) patients were positive for cells of epithelial origin, which were absent from aspirates taken from 102 controls with non-malignant disease. The prognostic value was assessed in a follow-up study with a median observation time of 35 (12-58) months. Patients who had bone marrow tumour cells in the aspirate showed a significantly shorter disease-free survival than those without tumour cells (p=0·0084). In a Cox regression model multivariate analysis demonstrated that the finding of tumour cells in bone marrow is an independent, significant (p=0·0035) determinant of relapse. Although the skeleton is not a preferred site of overt metastasis in colorectal cancer the demonstration of tumour cells in bone marrow has to be taken as evidence of the general disseminative capability of an individual tumour.

B16 melanoma variants selected by one or more cycles of spontaneous metastasis to the same organ fail to exhibit organ specificity

Metastatic clones of the mouse B16 melanoma spontaneously disseminate from subcutaneous tumors throughout the body in two stages, initially to the lungs and secondarily from established lung metastases to systemic sites. From the heterogeneous 'parent' B16 melanoma cell line and from two representative clones, G3.5 and G3.12, cell populations were selected after one or more cycles of tumor growth or metastasis to a particular site, to determine whether metastatic variants with greater organ preference or specificity could be generated. Variants with enhanced secondary metastatic activity were obtained only from G3.12 tumor-disseminated metastases growing in the lungs or in systemic organs. Regardless of the organ of selection or the number of selection cycles, all variants exhibited an overall increase in secondary metastasis incidence and burden in the brain, adrenals, kidneys and ovaries, but no organ preference or specificity was obtained. Populations that grew especially well in the brain, ovaries or liver following intravascular injection were either non-metastatic or exhibited no organ preference during spontaneous metastasis. The increased secondary metastatic activity of G3.12 variants was apparently not due to either longer host survival or to tumor-disseminated cells bypassing the lungs, but may result from enhanced growth potential or greater secondary dissemination capability imparted during growth as lung metastases.

On the Question of Statistical Confidentiality

Abstract In Section 1 the nature of statistical confidentiality is explored, i.e., its essential role in the collection of data by statistical offices, its relationship to privacy and the need for increased attention to potential statistical disclosures because of the increased tabulation and dissemination capabilities of statistical offices. In Section 2 a definition of inadvertent direct disclosure is provided as well as a theorem concerning a test for residual disclosure of tabulations. In Section 3 different media and methods of data dissemination are considered from the point of view of potential for statistical disclosure.

On the Question of Statistical Confidentiality

Abstract In Section 1 the nature of statistical confidentiality is explored, i.e., its essential role in the collection of data by statistical offices, its relationship to privacy and the need for increased attention to potential statistical disclosures because of the increased tabulation and dissemination capabilities of statistical offices. In Section 2 a definition of inadvertent direct disclosure is provided as well as a theorem concerning a test for residual disclosure of tabulations. In Section 3 different media and methods of data dissemination are considered from the point of view of potential for statistical disclosure.

VLF timing: Conventional and modern techniques including omega

VLF signals from 10 to 30 kHz play an important role in long-range time dissemination, communications, and navigation. A brief history of VLF transmissions is given with particular emphasis on the time dissemination capabilities of the Omega navigational system. Traditional methods are compared with modern capabilities. Traditional lead-edge time dissemination by VLF normally can provide an accuracy of a few milliseconds, although stabilized transmitters can permit an accuracy of better than 100 µs. Frequency comparisons to an accuracy of a few parts in 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">11</sup> per day typically are made with commercially available equipment. The present four-station Omega system will be expanded to an eight-station worldwide network in the near future. With implementation of this global network, carrier ambiguities can be resolved at a receiving station with a cesium frequency standard over intercontinental ranges; phase can be maintained to better than 3 µs and frequency to about 1 part in 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">12</sup> . Continuous maintenance of phase to better than 1 µs is indicated when using specialized techniques. Propagation aspects of VLF transmissions limit received accuracy; however, this is tempered by low attenuation of stable signals to long ranges.

The Role of the Federal Government in Information Systems in Education

AbstractThe Office of Education provides important and wide‐ranging support for library and information science activities. These activities include research development, buildings and other facilities, operational expenses, and training. In addition, the Office of Education is providing leadership and funds in support of information and dissemination systems designed to help advance education at all levels. These efforts are oriented toward the achievement of four objectives: (1) development of effective and efficient information transmission systems, (2) development of information analysis products, (3) support of dissemination and utilization capabilities in the state and local educational agencies, and (4) development of a research and development program to improve information transmission and utilization capabilities at all levels in American education.