How do relationship characteristics create relationship value? Evidence from high-tech SMEs

Relationship value in the business market and its positive impacts on firm performance have discussed in industrial marketing (Tzokas & Saren, 1999; Ulaga & Eggert, 2006; Wilson & Jantrania, 1994). Furthermore, many scholars such as Wilson & Jantrania (1994) have urged for more research to elucidate the characteristics of relationship value, by extension, the sub-dimensional relationship value. However, there is still lack of empirical studies about different dimensions of relationship value and discussion of their mediator roles between relationship characteristics and firm relationship performance. We can assume that firms can have insights into a variety of dimensions of relationship value created through the different dimensions of relationship characteristics with partners and each dimension of relationship value can have associated with the overall performance of the firm. In particular, since SMEs in the high tech industries face on a shorter span of product life cycle, higher uncertainties or limited resources, SMEs need to build alliance partnerships with their suppliers or buyers to reduce risks and to have competitive advantages. Therefore, understanding of how high-tech SMEs have built interactional relationships with alliance partners and how different relational characteristics create different types of relationship value is critical in SMEs context. In addressing the above mentioned assumption, the study contributes to the literature in three ways. First, by investigating the influences of different types of relationship characteristics on the creation of different dimensions of relationship value among high-tech SMEs, this study stresses the importance of dimensions of relationship value which prior theoretical literature has indicated but they were not spelt out with good size of empirical evidence yet. The results of the analysis provide high-tech SMEs with practical implications by suggesting how they can create each dimension of relationship value by choosing and developing each dimension of relationship characteristics with alliance partners. Second, with theoretical implications, the study contributes to a knowledge body of literature on relationship value based on a resource-based theory by developing the measurement items for four types of relationship value and adding empirical evidence from technology-intensive SMEs. Finally, this study fills an important gap in relationship marketing literature by providing an in-depth investigation of how SMEs can achieve overall performance

How do relationship characteristics create relationship value? Evidence from high-tech SMEs

Relationship value in the business market and its positive impacts on firm performance have discussed in industrial marketing (Tzokas & Saren, 1999; Ulaga & Eggert, 2006; Wilson & Jantrania, 1994). Furthermore, many scholars such as Wilson & Jantrania (1994) have urged for more research to elucidate the characteristics of relationship value, by extension, the sub-dimensional relationship value. However, there is still lack of empirical studies about different dimensions of relationship value and discussion of their mediator roles between relationship characteristics and firm relationship performance. We can assume that firms can have insights into a variety of dimensions of relationship value created through the different dimensions of relationship characteristics with partners and each dimension of relationship value can have associated with the overall performance of the firm. In particular, since SMEs in the high tech industries face on a shorter span of product life cycle, higher uncertainties or limited resources, SMEs need to build alliance partnerships with their suppliers or buyers to reduce risks and to have competitive advantages. Therefore, understanding of how high-tech SMEs have built interactional relationships with alliance partners and how different relational characteristics create different types of relationship value is critical in SMEs context. In addressing the above mentioned assumption, the study contributes to the literature in three ways. First, by investigating the influences of different types of relationship characteristics on the creation of different dimensions of relationship value among high-tech SMEs, this study stresses the importance of dimensions of relationship value which prior theoretical literature has indicated but they were not spelt out with good size of empirical evidence yet. The results of the analysis provide high-tech SMEs with practical implications by suggesting how they can create each dimension of relationship value by choosing and developing each dimension of relationship characteristics with alliance partners. Second, with theoretical implications, the study contributes to a knowledge body of literature on relationship value based on a resource-based theory by developing the measurement items for four types of relationship value and adding empirical evidence from technology-intensive SMEs. Finally, this study fills an important gap in relationship marketing literature by providing an in-depth investigation of how SMEs can achieve overall performance

Multiple tumor suppressors regulate a HIF-dependent negative feedback loop via ISGF3 in human clear cell renal cancer.

Whereas VHL inactivation is a primary event in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the precise mechanism(s) of how this interacts with the secondary mutations in tumor suppressor genes, including PBRM1, KDM5C/JARID1C, SETD2, and/or BAP1, remains unclear. Gene expression analyses reveal that VHL, PBRM1, or KDM5C share a common regulation of interferon response expression signature. Loss of HIF2α, PBRM1, or KDM5C in VHL-/-cells reduces the expression of interferon stimulated gene factor 3 (ISGF3), a transcription factor that regulates the interferon signature. Moreover, loss of SETD2 or BAP1 also reduces the ISGF3 level. Finally, ISGF3 is strongly tumor-suppressive in a xenograft model as its loss significantly enhances tumor growth. Conversely, reactivation of ISGF3 retards tumor growth by PBRM1-deficient ccRCC cells. Thus after VHL inactivation, HIF induces ISGF3, which is reversed by the loss of secondary tumor suppressors, suggesting that this is a key negative feedback loop in ccRCC. © 2018, Liao et al

Understanding and simulating the material behavior during multi-particle irradiations

A number of studies have suggested that the irradiation behavior and damage processes occurring during sequential and simultaneous particle irradiations can significantly differ. Currently, there is no definite answer as to why and when such differences are seen. Additionally, the conventional multi-particle irradiation facilities cannot correctly reproduce the complex irradiation scenarios experienced in a number of environments like space and nuclear reactors. Therefore, a better understanding of multi-particle irradiation problems and possible alternatives are needed. This study shows ionization induced thermal spike and defect recovery during sequential and simultaneous ion irradiation of amorphous silica. The simultaneous irradiation scenario is shown to be equivalent to multiple small sequential irradiation scenarios containing latent damage formation and recovery mechanisms. The results highlight the absence of any new damage mechanism and time-space correlation between various damage events during simultaneous irradiation of amorphous silica. This offers a new and convenient way to simulate and understand complex multi-particle irradiation problems

Assessment of a novel, capsid-modified adenovirus with an improved vascular gene transfer profile

<p>Background: Cardiovascular disorders, including coronary artery bypass graft failure and in-stent restenosis remain significant opportunities for the advancement of novel therapeutics that target neointimal hyperplasia, a characteristic of both pathologies. Gene therapy may provide a successful approach to improve the clinical outcome of these conditions, but would benefit from the development of more efficient vectors for vascular gene delivery. The aim of this study was to assess whether a novel genetically engineered Adenovirus could be utilised to produce enhanced levels of vascular gene expression.</p> <p>Methods: Vascular transduction capacity was assessed in primary human saphenous vein smooth muscle and endothelial cells using vectors expressing the LacZ reporter gene. The therapeutic capacity of the vectors was compared by measuring smooth muscle cell metabolic activity and migration following infection with vectors that over-express the candidate therapeutic gene tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3).</p> <p>Results: Compared to Adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5), the novel vector Ad5T*F35++ demonstrated improved binding and transduction of human vascular cells. Ad5T*F35++ mediated expression of TIMP-3 reduced smooth muscle cell metabolic activity and migration in vitro. We also demonstrated that in human serum samples pre-existing neutralising antibodies to Ad5T*F35++ were less prevalent than Ad5 neutralising antibodies.</p> <p>Conclusions: We have developed a novel vector with improved vascular transduction and improved resistance to human serum neutralisation. This may provide a novel vector platform for human vascular gene transfer.</p&gt

Association of the 894G>T polymorphism in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene with risk of acute myocardial infarction

Background: This study was designed to investigate the association of the 894G>T polymorphism in the eNOS gene with risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) on coronary angiography, and in-hospital mortality after AMI. Methods: We studied 1602 consecutive patients who were enrolled in the GEMIG study. The control group was comprised by 727 individuals, who were randomly selected from the general adult population. Results: The prevalence of the Asp298 variant of eNOS was not found to be significantly and independently associated with risk of AMI (RR = 1.08, 95%CI = 0.77–1.51, P = 0.663), extent of CAD on angiography (OR = 1.18, 95%CI = 0.63–2.23, P = 0.605) and in-hospital mortality (RR = 1.08, 95%CI = 0.29–4.04, P = 0.908). Conclusion: In contrast to previous reports, homozygosity for the Asp298 variant of the 894G>T polymorphism in the eNOS gene was not found to be associated with risk of AMI, extent of CAD and in-hospital mortality after AM

Cis and Trans Effects of Human Genomic Variants on Gene Expression

This work was funded by the Louis-Jeantet Foundation (http://www.jeantet.ch/), the European Research Council (Grant ID: 260927 http://erc.europa.eu/), the Swiss National Foundation (Grant ID: 130342 http://www.snf.ch), NCCR Frontiers In Genetics (http://www.frontiers-in-genetics.org), the UK Medical Research Council (http://www.mrc.ac.uk) and the Wellcome Trust (Grant ID: 092731).

Adult granulosa cell tumor associated with endometrial carcinoma: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>If strict criteria for the diagnosis of carcinoma are used and all patients with granulosa cell tumors are considered, the best estimate of the incidence of associated endometrial carcinomas is under 5%. In patients with granulosa cell tumors, estrogen-dependent endometrial cancers are rarely found, and most of these endometrial cancers are well-differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinomas that carry a good prognosis when detected early.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a 65-year-old post-menopausal Nigerian woman of the Igbo tribe with an adult granulosa cell tumor that was initially treated as endometrial carcinoma. She underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy and a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy after histopathologic confirmation of a well-differentiated granulosa cell tumor of the ovary and a nuclear grade 1 adenocarcinoma of the endometrium (International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists stage 1B). She had a good post-operative recovery and was discharged 10 days after treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The association between adult granulosa cell tumors of the ovary and endometrial carcinomas is rare. A high index of suspicion as well as good imaging and histopathologic analyses are important in making this diagnosis.</p