Case study analysis of strategic alliances for the U.S. beef industry

This paper provides case studies on the structure of six strategic alliances in the beef industry. Strategic alliances are identified whose structure could conceivably be used in Louisiana. Strategic alliances are compared and contrasted on the basis of development and performance. The main objective of this study was to determine the organization and operation of six strategic alliances in the beef industry. The study examines strategic alliances in the U.S. beef industry using multiple exploratory case studies. The exploratory type, allows the researcher to better understand critical points in the beef industry and how the use of strategic alliances can lead to better performance. The alliances are chosen within four different categories of strategic alliances in the beef industry; in this case, six alliances are chosen as commercial beef carcass type. As a research technique, the exploratory case study attempts to answer what questions, and provides the researcher an opportunity to develop hypotheses. Five hypotheses are formulated in the study. Based on the hypotheses, personal interviews take place with the application of a questionnaire that contains fifty-seven open-ended type questions on production, economic and general characteristics about the alliances. The information gathered will support or refute the hypotheses formulated in order to establish precise criteria on strategic alliance formation. A comparison between the six strategic alliance structures will be describe based on the hypotheses formulated and information collected throughout the application of the questionnaire. The hypothesis test revealed that strategic alliances serve, with no doubt, to reduce transaction cost along the production chain but it is not the case for the issue of price variability. As well, strategic alliances serve to increase the flow of information and to provide alternative market outlets but do not serve to increase producers\u27 access to capital

Case Studies of Strategic Alliances in Southeastern Beef Production

Three calf marketing and three commercial beef carcass strategic alliances were examined via case study to determine alliance structure and whether each addressed risk, transaction costs, capital availability, and other concerns. The alliances reduced transaction costs and increased information flow among segments, but did not specifically address risk.Livestock Production/Industries,

Case Studies of Strategic Alliances in U.S. Beef Production

Calf marketing, commercial beef carcass, and natural/implant-free beef strategic alliances were examined via case study to determine alliance structure and whether each addressed risk, transaction costs, capital availability, and other concerns. All alliances were structured differently through vertical or horizontal coordination, and each had been established within the past 12 years. Alliance administrators reported that an advantage to cow-calf producers was higher cattle prices received relative to producers outside the alliances. The alliances reduced transaction costs and increased information flow among segments. Alliances did not specifically address risk or increased access to capital for technology adoption or expansion purposes.cattle industry, industry structure, risk, strategic alliances, transaction costs, Agribusiness, Livestock Production/Industries,

Identification of six new susceptibility loci for invasive epithelial ovarian cancer.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 12 epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) susceptibility alleles. The pattern of association at these loci is consistent in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers who are at high risk of EOC. After imputation to 1000 Genomes Project data, we assessed associations of 11 million genetic variants with EOC risk from 15,437 cases unselected for family history and 30,845 controls and from 15,252 BRCA1 mutation carriers and 8,211 BRCA2 mutation carriers (3,096 with ovarian cancer), and we combined the results in a meta-analysis. This new study design yielded increased statistical power, leading to the discovery of six new EOC susceptibility loci. Variants at 1p36 (nearest gene, WNT4), 4q26 (SYNPO2), 9q34.2 (ABO) and 17q11.2 (ATAD5) were associated with EOC risk, and at 1p34.3 (RSPO1) and 6p22.1 (GPX6) variants were specifically associated with the serous EOC subtype, all with P < 5 × 10(-8). Incorporating these variants into risk assessment tools will improve clinical risk predictions for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.COGS project is funded through a European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme grant (agreement number 223175 ] HEALTH ]F2 ]2009 ]223175). The CIMBA data management and data analysis were supported by Cancer Research.UK grants 12292/A11174 and C1287/A10118. The Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium is supported by a grant from the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund thanks to donations by the family and friends of Kathryn Sladek Smith (PPD/RPCI.07). The scientific development and funding for this project were in part supported by the US National Cancer Institute GAME ]ON Post ]GWAS Initiative (U19 ]CA148112). This study made use of data generated by the Wellcome Trust Case Control consortium. Funding for the project was provided by the Wellcome Trust under award 076113. The results published here are in part based upon data generated by The Cancer Genome Atlas Pilot Project established by the National Cancer Institute and National Human Genome Research Institute (dbGap accession number phs000178.v8.p7). The cBio portal is developed and maintained by the Computational Biology Center at Memorial Sloan ] Kettering Cancer Center. SH is supported by an NHMRC Program Grant to GCT. Details of the funding of individual investigators and studies are provided in the Supplementary Note. This study made use of data generated by the Wellcome Trust Case Control consortium, funding for which was provided by the Wellcome Trust under award 076113. The results published here are, in part, based upon data generated by The Cancer Genome Atlas Pilot Project established by the National Cancerhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng.3185This is the Author Accepted Manuscript of 'Identification of six new susceptibility loci for invasive epithelial ovarian cancer' which was published in Nature Genetics 47, 164–171 (2015) © Nature Publishing Group - content may only be used for academic research

Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure &lt; 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate &lt; 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation