Beta-blocker migraine prophylaxis affects the excitability of the visual cortex as revealed by transcranial magnetic stimulation

The objective of this study is to assess effects of beta-blocker migraine prophylaxis on cortical excitability determined by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Phosphene and motor thresholds (PT, MT) were investigated in 29 patients with migraine, in 15 of them prior to and following preventive medication with metoprolol and in 14 patients without prophylaxis. Following prophylaxis headache frequency significantly decreased (p = 0.005) and mean PT were significantly increased (51.5 ± 7.5 vs. 63.6 ± 8.4%) compared to patients without preventive treatment (53.7 ± 5.3 vs. 52.3 ± 6.3%; p = 0.040). Mean MT did not significantly differ either between groups or due to treatment. In the group of all patients, a significant inverse correlation between headache frequency and the level of PT was found (R = −0.629; p < 0.01). There was, however, no significant correlation in the subgroups of patients. We conclude that (a) clinical efficacy of beta-blocker treatment in migraine could be (at least partly) linked to its ability to modulate the excitability of the visual cortex and (b) the PT determined by TMS appears suitable to assess the effects of prophylaxis on cortical excitability in the individual patient. This may be useful in clinical trials investigating migraine preventive drugs

Goodwill or Opportunism? The Use of Coopetition in SME Internationalisation : Perspective of Finnish SMEs

In an increasingly complex and competitive global business environment, coopetition emerges as a potentially valuable strategy for SMEs engaging in internationalisation. Coopetition in SMEs is driven by lack of resources, liability of smallness and newness as well as a need for complementary resources. These are limitations for SME internationalisation. This thesis thus sets out to explore how and why SMEs use coopetition in the internationalisation process, with a specific focus on Finnish SMEs. The thesis explores the drivers of coopetition in SME internationalisation, the initiation process for coopetitive relationships in Finnish SMEs as well as the results of coopetition for internationalisation. A resource–based view of coopetition is used in this thesis to explain how and why SMEs engage in coopetition for their internationalisation efforts, with a theoretical review examining the drivers of coopetition in SMEs. The study is conducted via a qualitative research method, employing a case study of two Finnish SMEs that are actively cooperating with their competitors. The data gathering process used semi-structured interviews that were further analysed through the thematic analysis process. The results find that, in the case of the two Finnish SMEs studied for this thesis, SMEs see positive effects of using coopetition in the internationalisation process. Both SMEs increased their international presence thanks to cooperative interactions with their competitors that allowed them to reduce costs of internationalising as compared to acting alone, reaching a larger customer segment and improving business opportunities. The case study exhibits both opportunistic behaviours to improve competitive positions in relation to coopetitive partners and acts based on goodwill to help competitors. In addition, managerial implications for using coopetition in the internationalisation process are discussed

Small States and NATO: Membership Determined by History

The significant role that NATO has assumed in European security policy cannot be understated. The majority of European states, especially smaller ones, have shown little hesitance in joining the US-led Alliance, signifying its popularity in terms of providing security shelter and establishing credible deterrence. Yet, some small Western states have remained outside the NATO community, choosing instead to follow a path of neutrality, or military non-alignment. This begs the question: what is the rationale behind small state NATO rejection? When examining this reality, less literature exists that thoroughly encompasses the nuanced explanations that lie behind the answer. General theories usually incorporate broad and overarching concepts in an effort to conclude that small state security arrangements are always a consequence of larger and more influential forces around them. This research finds that a larger emphasis should be placed on historical processes and past events that have a direct and traceable lineage to current small state agency, security policy, and decision-making. The research will be conducted in the form of a case study between Estonia and Finland, two countries that share many similarities, yet differ in their past and current approaches to NATO. Theoretically, shelter theory and historical institutionalism are used in conjunction to draw a holistic picture of the important details that have influenced, and continue to influence, their NATO policies. More generally, this thesis aims to highlight how a more individual and historically based approach is conducive when discussing small state NATO integration at large