This paper advances the understanding of absorptive capacity for assimilating new knowledge as a mediating variable of organization adaptation. Many scholars suggest a firm's absorptive capacity plays a key role in the process of coevolution (Lewin et al., this issue). So far, most publications, in following Cohen and Levinthal (1990), have considered the level of prior related knowledge as the determinant of absorptive capacity. We suggest, however, that two specific organizational determinants of absorptive capacity should also be considered: organization forms and combinative capabilities. We will show how these organizational determinants influence the level of absorptive capacity, ceteris paribus the level of prior related knowledge. Subsequently, we will develop a framework in which absorptive capacity is related to both micro- and macrocoevolutionary effects. This framework offers an explanation of how knowledge environments coevolve with the emergence of organization forms and combinative capabilities that are suitable for absorbing knowledge. We will illustrate the framework by discussing two longitudinal case studies of traditional publishing firms moving into the turbulent knowledge environment of an emerging multimedia industrial complex.

Due to technological convergence, complexes of interrelated industries are emerging. This paper presents a conceptual framework of the role dierent organizational forms and combinative capabilities play in the management of organizational knowledge integration in this context. The focus is on ®rms previously operating in one of the relatively stable constituting industries. We argue that a ®rm's organizational form has to be matched with appropriate combinative capabilities in order to integrate component knowledge into architectural knowledge that consequently serves as a platform for generating new product±market combinations. The framework is empirically illustrated using the example of two Dutch publishing ®rms moving into the multimedia complex, which is currently emerging around information and communication technologies. The empirical analysis shows that the framework oers strong potential for improving the understanding of the complex process of organizational knowledge integration, as the prerequisite for developing new business in an emerging industrial complex.

The selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO with NH 3 was systematically investigated over a series of supported vanadia catalysts to obtain additional insight into this important industrial reaction. The influence of surface vanadia coverage, promoters (surface tungsten oxide, niobium oxide, and sulfate species), and the specific oxide support (TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and SiO 2 ) was examined. The molecular structures of the surface metal oxide species were determined by in situ Raman spectroscopy, and the corresponding surface acidity properties were monitored with infrared spectroscopy employing pyridine adsorption. The redox properties of the surface metal oxide species were probed with the sensitive methanol oxidation reaction and temperature-programmed reduction. The SCR reactivity of the various catalysts was determined over a wide temperature range. The current findings suggest that a dual-site (a surface vanadia redox site and an adjacent nonreducible metal oxide site) mechanism is required for the efficient selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH 3 over supported vanadia catalysts. The SCR reaction is sensitive to the immediate environment of the surface vanadia species: overall surface coverage of the metal oxide overlayer (factor of 5 in turnover frequency), nature of adjacent surface metal oxide species (factor of 10 in turnover frequency) and oxide support ligands (factor of 3 in turnover frequency). The SCR reaction, however, does not appear to depend on the specific structure of the surface vanadia species. The SCR selectivity toward N 2 formation also varies with the immediate environment of the surface vanadia species. The selectivity depends on the specific oxide support (TiO 2 > Al 2 O 3 > SiO 2 ), temperature (decreases at higher temperature due to oxidation of NH 3 and NO to N 2 O), and surface concentration of redox sites (decreases with the concentration of pairs of redox sites). The SCR reaction is not related to the properties of the terminal V= =O bond since in situ Raman studies during SCR, employing V= = 18 O, demonstrate that this bond is relatively stable under reaction conditions (possessing a lifetime that is ∼10 times the characteristic reaction time). Thus, the bridging V-O-support bond appears to be involved in the rate-determining step.

Background Many therapies exist for the treatment of low-back pain including spinal manipulative therapy (SMT), which is a worldwide, extensively practiced intervention. Objectives To assess the effects of SMT for chronic low-back pain. Search methods An updated search was conducted by an experienced librarian to June 2009 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2009, issue 2), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PEDro, and the Index to Chiropractic Literature. Selection criteria RCTs which examined the effectiveness of spinal manipulation or mobilisation in adults with chronic low-back pain were included. No restrictions were placed on the setting or type of pain; studies which exclusively examined sciatica were excluded. The primary outcomes were pain, functional status and perceived recovery. Secondary outcomes were return-to-work and quality of life. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently conducted the study selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction. GRADE was used to assess the quality of the evidence. Sensitivity analyses and investigation of heterogeneity were performed, where possible, for the metaanalyses. 1 Spinal manipulative therapy for chronic low-back pain (Review)

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Background: In recent years, prevalence rates of behavioral disorders in children have increased. One factor possibly implied in the etiology of behavioral disorders is exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). The use of PFASs is highly integrated into everyday life, and exposure is ubiquitous. Exposure to PFASs during early life may be particularly harmful, as it represents a critical time window for brain development. However, research in the area is limited, especially among preschool children. The objective of the current study was to explore the relationship between prenatal exposure to several PFASs and behavioral development at the age of 18 months. Methods: Data from the Dutch cohort LINC (Linking Maternal Nutrition to Child Health) were used. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were measured in cord plasma. The total exposure of PFASs was also calculated (ΣPFASs). Behavioral development was assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5–5 (CBCL 1.5–5). The CBCL scales “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” (ADHD) and “Externalizing problems” were used for further analysis. Separate regression models were composed for each combination, in which exposure levels were classified in tertiles. Both whole population and sex-stratified analyses were performed. A family history of ADHD, the educational level, smoking or using alcohol or illicit drugs during pregnancy were considered as confounders. In total, data from 76 mother-child pairs was included. Results: No significant associations were found between prenatal PFAS exposure and ADHD scores in the whole population and in the sex-stratified analyses. With regard to externalizing behavior, a significant negative association was found between the highest levels of ΣPFAS exposure and externalizing problem behavior in the whole population, but only in the crude model. After stratifying for sex, boys in the second and third tertile of exposure to PFOA presented significantly lower scores on the Externalizing Problem Scale than boys with the lowest exposure levels in the adjusted model. Girls exposed to higher levels of ΣPFAS exposure (T2) showed significantly lower scores on the Externalizing Problem Scale, in both crude and adjusted models. No significant associations with PFOS were found. Conclusions: Results from the current study show that prenatal exposure to PFOA was negatively related to externalizing behavior in boys. Results were different for boys and girls, emphasizing that mechanisms at work might be sex-dependent. However, results should be interpreted with caution as the sample size was small.

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