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Hauser C., Tappeiner G. and Walde J. (2007) The learning region: the impact of social capital and weak ties on innovation, Regional Studies 41, 75-88. Theories that emphasize the role of proximity and tacit knowledge in innovation processes highlight the importance of social interaction and networking for the diffusion of knowledge. A concept that captures the impact of human relations on economic activity is social capital. Using factorial analysis with data from the European Values Study (EVS), the multidimensionality of social capital is demonstrated empirically. The obtained independent dimensions serve as inputs in a knowledge production function estimated for a sample of European regions. One of the major results is that the impact of social capital on regional innovation processes is significant and comparable with the importance of human capital. However, not all dimensions of social capital exhibit the same explanatory power. The dimension 'Associational Activity' represents the strongest driving force for patenting activity. Hence, empirical evidence for the significance of weak ties in innovative processes is given. Hauser C., Tappeiner G. et Walde J. (2007) La region d'apprentissage: l'impact du capital social et des liens faibles sur l'innovation, Regional Studies 41, 75-88. Les theories qui pronent le role de la proximite et des connaissances techniques non-transferables dans les processus d'innovation soulignent l'importance de l'interaction sociale et de la constitution de reseaux pour la diffusion de la connaissance. Le capital social est une notion qui capte l'impact des relations humaines sur l'activite economique. A partir d'une analyse factorielle qui emploie des donnees provenant de la European Values Study (EVS) (une etude des valeurs europeennes) on demontre empiriquement le caractere multidimensionnel du capital social. Les dimensions independantes, ainsi obtenues, se servent d'inputs pour une fonction de production de la connaissance estimee pour un echantillon de regions europeennes. L'un des principaux resultats en est le suivant: l'impact du capital social sur le processus d'innovation regionale s'avere non-negligeable et comparable a l'importance du capital humain. Cependant, toutes les dimensions du capital social n'ont pas le meme pouvoir d'explication. La dimension appelee 'activite associative' represente la force motrice de l'obtention de brevets. Par la suite, on fournit des preuves empiriques quant a l'importance des liens faibles dans les processus d'innovation. Geographie economique Innovation Retombees de connaissance Capital social Hauser C., Tappeiner G. und Walde J. (2007) Die lernende Region: Auswirkung von Sozialkapital und schwachen Beziehungen auf die Innovation, Regional Studies 41, 75-88. In den Theorien, die die Rolle der Nahe und des impliziten Wissens fur Innovationsprozesse betonen, wird auf die Bedeutung von sozialer Interaktion und Netzwerken fur die Verbreitung von Wissen hingewiesen. Ein Konzept, das die Auswirkung der menschlichen Beziehungen auf die Wirts...

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ObjectiveTo investigate whether κ-free light chain (κ-FLC) index predicts multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity independent of demographics, clinical characteristics, and MRI findings.MethodsPatients with early MS who had CSF and serum sampling at disease onset were followed for 4 years. At baseline, age, sex, type of symptoms, corticosteroid treatment, and number of T2 hyperintense (T2L) and contrast-enhancing T1 lesions (CELs) on MRI were determined. During follow-up, the occurrence of a second clinical attack and start of disease-modifying therapy (DMT) were registered. κ-FLCs were measured by nephelometry, and κ-FLC index calculated as [CSF κ-FLC/serum κ-FLC]/albumin quotient.ResultsA total of 88 patients at a mean age of 33 ± 10 years and female predominance of 68% were included; 38 (43%) patients experienced a second clinical attack during follow-up. In multivariate Cox regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, T2L, CEL, disease and follow-up duration, administration of corticosteroids at baseline and DMT during follow-up revealed that κ-FLC index predicts time to second clinical attack. Patients with κ-FLC index >100 (median value 147) at baseline had a twice as high probability for a second clinical attack within 12 months than patients with low κ-FLC index (median 28); within 24 months, the chance in patients with high κ-FLC index was 4 times as high as in patients with low κ-FLC index. The median time to second attack was 11 months in patients with high κ-FLC index whereas 36 months in those with low κ-FLC index.ConclusionHigh κ-FLC index predicts early MS disease activity.Classification of EvidenceThis study provides Class II evidence that in patients with early MS, high κ-FLC index is an independent risk factor for early second clinical attack.

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