In spite of rich experience in ICT projects' management, a considerable number of them fail. Success of ICT projects is even further endangered in transitional countries, where two parallel processes of informatization and re-engineering of public institutions is taking place. Measures of successful ICT projects' management are defined in strategic documents of egovernment development, however they are not enough to avoid failures. The risk concerning execution of ICT projects is defined in relation to the decision-making theory and organizational theory. Major parameters of ICT decisions and their implementation are analysed: changing laws and regulations, the scale and diversity of ICT projects executed in public institutions, expertise and skills in ICT management, relations between public institution and private partner. Results of activating those parameters are presented in four examples of large systems projects accomplished in public administration in Poland.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive and severe liver disease, characterized by lipid accumulation, inflammation, and downstream fibrosis. Despite its increasing prevalence, there is no approved treatment yet available for patients. This has been at least partially due to the lack of predictive preclinical models for studying this complex disease. Here, we present a 3D in vitro microtissue model that uses spheroidal, scaffold free co-culture of primary human hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, liver endothelial cells and hepatic stellate cells. Upon exposure to defined and clinically relevant lipotoxic and inflammatory stimuli, these microtissues develop key pathophysiological features of NASH within 10 days, including an increase of intracellular triglyceride content and lipids, and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, fibrosis was evident through release of procollagen type I, and increased deposition of extracellular collagen fibers. Whole transcriptome analysis revealed changes in the regulation of pathways associated with NASH, such as lipid metabolism, inflammation and collagen processing. Importantly, treatment with anti-NASH drug candidates (Selonsertib and Firsocostat) decreased the measured specific disease parameter, in accordance with clinical observations. These drug treatments also significantly changed the gene expression patterns of the microtissues, thus providing mechanisms of action and revealing therapeutic potential. In summary, this human NASH model represents a promising drug discovery tool for understanding the underlying complex mechanisms in NASH, evaluating efficacy of anti-NASH drug candidates and identifying new approaches for therapeutic interventions.

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Governance is a popular theoretical approach in the social sciences. However, it involves a number of definitional and theoretical problems. The issue of the ambiguity of the concept and the numerous attempts to recognize the complexity of reality in its framework is subject to criticism. A categorization of numerous definitions of governance is proposed. The weaknesses of the governance approach as a theoretical framework in the social sciences are indicated: the inability to clearly indicate a causal entity in decision-making networks, wrongful diminution of the role of state agencies, its strong normative dimension. In the conclusions it is stated that governance is an attempt, albeit not very successful, but one and only at a holistic description of the hyperpluralist environment of public actors. The weakness of governance approach can be overcome by subjecting the phenomena to micro-or meso-level analysis.

The paper addresses the issue of information technology use in public administration of the country that only a decade ago started to build both its public administration and IT infrastructure. The process of creating institutions serving the people rather than politics was launched at first on the local level. Consequently, the local level is the most experienced one in implementing the principles of civil society and applying modern tools to public decision-making and management.The study focused on 15 local administrations in the capital cities of Polish regions. The study focused on hardware, software and orgware in these administrations. The author's objective was to present "a big picture" of the informatization process in local administration, with special attention paid to: a) the reasons of IT failures; b) the conditions of successful IT implementation; c) the convergence between the experience of IT applications in the EU countries' and US administrations and that of Polish administration. The research method was based on the technique of questionnaire interview and qualitative analysis. The questionnaire was addressed to information resources managers in local administration.Correlations between variables portraying the quality and quantity of IT and the current state of informatization process were elaborated. Six variables were treated as pivotal in the evaluation of IT management and use in local administration: 1) one computer per x employees; 2) percent of networked computers; 3) the number of MIS applications; 4) the degree of MIS integration; 5) the stage of GIS development; 6) the institutional arrangement of information resources' management.Three basic reasons behind the failures in IT implementation and information resources management were identified: 1) inability of local decision-makers and administrators to express the informational needs of the organisation; 2) lack of proper management of IT projects; 3) divergent group interests inside a given administration. Other causes of the observed facts were also explained.Convergence in conditions of successful IT implementation in different administrations was verified. The basic conditions of IT success observed in the cases under investigation were mentioned: 1) professional IT management carried by a separate information systems' unit; 2) creating a complex strategy of informatization and future IT management; 3) support of local decision-makers; 4) sufficient financial and human resources; 5) end-users involvement in creating and implementation of IT project.In conclusion, the author made an effort to find convergence in organisational and social outcomes of informatization process. The results of the URBIS project constituted the point of reference. The thesis that in the short run computing has relatively little effect on organisation structures and reinforces the existing organisational arrangements has been confirmed. Special attention has been paid to the conflict of interests over the control of IT inside public institutions.Last bu...