Technologically Reflective Individuals as Enablers of Social Innovation.

This paper identifies technologically reflective individuals and demonstrates their ability to develop innovations that benefit society. Technological reflectiveness (TR) is the tendency to think about the societal impact of an innovation, and those who display this capability in public are individuals who participate in online idea competitions focused on technical solutions for social problems (such as General Electric's eco-challenge, the James Dyson Award, and the BOSCH Technology Horizon Award). However, technologically reflective individuals also reflect in private settings (e.g., when reading news updates), thus requiring a scale to identify them. This paper describes the systematic development of an easy-to-administer multi-item scale to measure an individual's level of TR. Applying the TR scale in an empirical study on a health monitoring system confirmed that individuals' degree of TR relates positively to their ability to generate (1) more new product features and uses, (2) features with higher levels of societal impact, and (3) features that are more elaborated. This scale allows firms seeking to implement co-creation in their new product development (NPD) process and sustainable solutions to identify such individuals. Thus, this paper indicates that companies wishing to introduce new technological products with a positive societal impact may profit from involving technologically reflective individuals in the NPD process.

[Primary failure of eruption (PFE). Clinical and molecular genetics analysis]. / Défaut primaire d'éruption (DPE). Analyse génétique clinique et moléculaire∗

BACKGROUND: The term "primary failure of eruption" (PFE) refers to the complete or partial failure of a primary non-ankylosed tooth to erupt due to a disturbance of the eruption mechanism. Up to now, the molecular basis for this failure was unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four families were studied in whom at least two members were affected by non-syndromic PFE as part of a clinical and molecular genetics study. Radiological diagnostics (OPTs) were carried out in all patients and their unaffected relatives (control group). The genetic analysis included a genomewide linkage analysis followed by direct DNA sequencing of positional candidate genes. RESULTS: Starting from the index patients, we were able to reconstruct pedigrees over two and/or three generations in the families that indicated an autosomal-dominant mode of inheritance of non-syndromic PFE. Fifteen patients were diagnosed with PFE. Gender distribution was nearly equal (7 female, 8 male). Molecular genetic analysis of the PTHR1 gene revealed three distinct heterozygous mutations (c.1050-3C>G; c.543 + 1G>A; c.463G>T). Unaffected persons exhibited no mutations. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of the genetic causes of non-syndromic PFE can now be used for the differential diagnosis of eruption failure. It permits affected family members to be identified early and may lead to new treatment possibilities in the long term. The genetically-verified diagnosis of "primary failure of eruption" can protect patients and orthodontists from years of futile treatment, because orthodontic treatment alone does not lead to success. Moreover, it has a negative influence on unaffected teeth and areas of the jaw.

Primary failure of eruption (PFE)--clinical and molecular genetics analysis.

BACKGROUND: The term "primary failure of eruption" (PFE) refers to the complete or partial failure of a primary non-ankylosed tooth to erupt due to a disturbance of the eruption mechanism. Up to now, the molecular basis for this failure was unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four families were studied in whom at least two members were affected by non-syndromic PFE as part of a clinical and molecular genetics study. Radiological diagnostics (OPTs) were carried out in all patients and their unaffected relatives (control group). The genetic analysis included a genomewide linkage analysis followed by direct DNA sequencing of positional candidate genes. RESULTS: Starting from the index patients, we were able to reconstruct pedigrees over two and/or three generations in the families that indicated an autosomal-dominant mode of inheritance of non-syndromic PFE. Fifteen patients were diagnosed with PFE. Gender distribution was nearly equal (7 female, 8 male). Molecular genetic analysis of the PTHR1 gene revealed three distinct heterozygous mutations (c.1050-3C>G; c.543+1G>A; c.463G>T). Unaffected persons exhibited no mutations. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of the genetic causes of non-syndromic PFE can now be used for the differential diagnosis of eruption failure. It permits affected family members to be identified early and may lead to new treatment possibilities in the long term. The genetically-verified diagnosis of "primary failure of eruption" can protect patients and orthodontists from years of futile treatment, because orthodontic treatment alone does not lead to success. Moreover, it has a negative influence on unaffected teeth and areas of the jaw.

PTHR1 loss-of-function mutations in familial, nonsyndromic primary failure of tooth eruption.

Tooth eruption is a complex developmental process requiring coordinated navigation through alveolar bone and oral epithelium. Primary failure of tooth eruption (PFE) is associated with several syndromes primarily affecting skeletal development, but it is also known as a nonsyndromic autosomal-dominant condition. Teeth in the posterior quadrants of the upper and lower jaw are preferentially affected and usually result in an open bite extending from anterior to posterior. In this study, we show that familial, nonsyndromic PFE is caused by heterozygous mutations in the gene encoding the G protein-coupled receptor for parathyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone-like hormone (PTHR1). Three distinct mutations, namely c.1050-3C > G, c.543+1G > A, and c.463G > T, were identified in 15 affected individuals from four multiplex pedigrees. All mutations truncate the mature protein and therefore should lead to a functionless receptor, strongly suggesting that haplo-insufficiency of PTHR1 is the underlying cause of nonsyndromic PFE. Although complete inactivation of PTHR1 is known to underlie the autosomal-recessive Blomstrand osteochondrodysplasia (BOCD), a lethal form of short-limbed dwarfism, our data now imply that dominantly acting PTHR1 mutations that lead to haplo-insufficiency of the receptor result in a nonsyndromic phenotype affecting tooth development with high penetrance and variable expressivity.