Decreased levels of stem cell factor in subjects with incident coronary events.

It has been proposed that vascular progenitor cells play an important role in vascular repair, but their possible clinical importance in cardiovascular disease has not been fully characterized. Vascular endothelial growth factor A, placental growth factor and stem cell factor (SCF) are three growth factors that are important in recruiting vascular progenitor cells. In this study, we investigated the association between the plasma levels of these growth factors and incident coronary events (CEs)

IL-22 affects smooth muscle cell phenotype and plaque formation in apolipoprotein E knockout mice.

IL-22 is a recently discovered cytokine that belongs to the family of IL-10 related cytokines. It is produced by activated T-cells and innate lymphoid cells and has been suggested to be involved in tissue repair. As both inflammation and repair play important roles in atherosclerosis we investigated if IL-22 deficiency influences the disease process in Apoe(-/-) mice

Comprehensive resequence analysis of a 136 kb region of human chromosome 8q24 associated with prostate and colon cancers

Recently, genome-wide association studies have identified loci across a segment of chromosome 8q24 (128,100,000–128,700,000) associated with the risk of breast, colon and prostate cancers. At least three regions of 8q24 have been independently associated with prostate cancer risk; the most centromeric of which appears to be population specific. Haplotypes in two contiguous but independent loci, marked by rs6983267 and rs1447295, have been identified in the Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility project (http://cgems.cancer.gov), which genotyped more than 5,000 prostate cancer cases and 5,000 controls of European origin. The rs6983267 locus is also strongly associated with colorectal cancer. To ascertain a comprehensive catalog of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the two regions, we conducted a resequence analysis of 136 kb (chr8: 128,473,000–128,609,802) using the Roche/454 next-generation sequencing technology in 39 prostate cancer cases and 40 controls of European origin. We have characterized a comprehensive catalog of common (MAF > 1%) SNPs within this region, including 442 novel SNPs and have determined the pattern of linkage disequilibrium across the region. Our study has generated a detailed map of genetic variation across the region, which should be useful for choosing SNPs for fine mapping of association signals in 8q24 and investigations of the functional consequences of select common variants

Sequencing of diverse mandarin, pummelo and orange genomes reveals complex history of admixture during citrus domestication

Cultivated citrus are selections from, or hybrids of, wild progenitor species whose identities and contributions to citrus domestication remain controversial. Here we sequence and compare citrus genomes-a high-quality reference haploid clementine genome and mandarin, pummelo, sweet-orange and sour-orange genomes-and show that cultivated types derive from two progenitor species. Although cultivated pummelos represent selections from one progenitor species, Citrus maxima, cultivated mandarins are introgressions of C. maxima into the ancestral mandarin species Citrus reticulata. The most widely cultivated citrus, sweet orange, is the offspring of previously admixed individuals, but sour orange is an F1 hybrid of pure C. maxima and C. reticulata parents, thus implying that wild mandarins were part of the early breeding germplasm. A Chinese wild 'mandarin' diverges substantially from C. reticulata, thus suggesting the possibility of other unrecognized wild citrus species. Understanding citrus phylogeny through genome analysis clarifies taxonomic relationships and facilitates sequence-directed genetic improvement

Sequencing of diverse mandarin, pummelo and orange genomes reveals complex history of admixture during citrus domestication

Cultivated citrus are selections from, or hybrids of, wild progenitor species whose identities and contributions to citrus domestication remain controversial. Here we sequence and compare citrus genomes-a high-quality reference haploid clementine genome and mandarin, pummelo, sweet-orange and sour-orange genomes-and show that cultivated types derive from two progenitor species. Although cultivated pummelos represent selections from one progenitor species, Citrus maxima, cultivated mandarins are introgressions of C. maxima into the ancestral mandarin species Citrus reticulata. The most widely cultivated citrus, sweet orange, is the offspring of previously admixed individuals, but sour orange is an F1 hybrid of pure C. maxima and C. reticulata parents, thus implying that wild mandarins were part of the early breeding germplasm. A Chinese wild 'mandarin' diverges substantially from C. reticulata, thus suggesting the possibility of other unrecognized wild citrus species. Understanding citrus phylogeny through genome analysis clarifies taxonomic relationships and facilitates sequence-directed genetic improvement. (Résumé d'auteur

ENIGMA-anxiety working group : Rationale for and organization of large-scale neuroimaging studies of anxiety disorders

Altres ajuts: Anxiety Disorders Research Network European College of Neuropsychopharmacology; Claude Leon Postdoctoral Fellowship; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation, 44541416-TRR58); EU7th Frame Work Marie Curie Actions International Staff Exchange Scheme grant 'European and South African Research Network in Anxiety Disorders' (EUSARNAD); Geestkracht programme of the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw, 10-000-1002); Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) program within the National Institute of Mental Health under the Intramural Research Program (NIMH-IRP, MH002781); National Institute of Mental Health under the Intramural Research Program (NIMH-IRP, ZIA-MH-002782); SA Medical Research Council; U.S. National Institutes of Health grants (P01 AG026572, P01 AG055367, P41 EB015922, R01 AG060610, R56 AG058854, RF1 AG051710, U54 EB020403).Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and disabling but seem particularly tractable to investigation with translational neuroscience methodologies. Neuroimaging has informed our understanding of the neurobiology of anxiety disorders, but research has been limited by small sample sizes and low statistical power, as well as heterogenous imaging methodology. The ENIGMA-Anxiety Working Group has brought together researchers from around the world, in a harmonized and coordinated effort to address these challenges and generate more robust and reproducible findings. This paper elaborates on the concepts and methods informing the work of the working group to date, and describes the initial approach of the four subgroups studying generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobia. At present, the ENIGMA-Anxiety database contains information about more than 100 unique samples, from 16 countries and 59 institutes. Future directions include examining additional imaging modalities, integrating imaging and genetic data, and collaborating with other ENIGMA working groups. The ENIGMA consortium creates synergy at the intersection of global mental health and clinical neuroscience, and the ENIGMA-Anxiety Working Group extends the promise of this approach to neuroimaging research on anxiety disorders

Standardize or Adapt? Building a Successful Brand in the Fashion Industry : A Case Study of the Swedish Fashion Company Hunky Dory AB

The brand building process is investigated by looking at the strategy of a small to medium-sized fashion company, Hunky Dory AB. According to the model presented in this thesis, the brand building process consists of five stages; product attributes, brand identity, positioning, marketing communication, and distribution. These stages are investigated separately to see whether standardization, adaptation, or a contingency approach is used at each stage. It is found that Hunky Dory mainly standardize, or aim to standardize, the stages in their strategic brand building process across international markets. However, adaptation is to some extent necessary or inevitable in the stages product attributes, marketing communications and distribution. The only exception is a variable in distribution, the choice of stores, which is adapted to what suits the local market. In conclusion, Hunky Dory pursue a mix of standardization and adaptation, which supports the contingency perspective

Please leave a comment : A case study of value co-creation in the Swedish telecom industry

The customer’s role as a co-creator of value is an essential element in the service-dominant (S-D) logic, highlighting the importance for firms to develop relationships with customers through dialogue. By providing feedback customers become co-developers, and help create a competitive advantage. Moreover, the Internet offers an abundance of digital channels for dialogue. Payne et al (2008) have developed a framework for value co-creation, which in this paper is adapted to communication in digital channels, focusing on a company perspective. The purpose of this study is to investigate how companies in the Swedish telecommunication industry use digital channels, including social media, for value co-creation with customers. To enable this a case study is conducted with three network operators. The data collection consists of several interviews. Findings indicate that the companies are indeed customer-centric in their offerings, and that communication and feedback in digital channels are of strategic importance. Furthermore, changes in technology, industry logics and customer preferences offer opportunities as well as challenges. Another challenge lies in finding suitable metrics and in knowledge management. The concept of lead users is presented as a potential resource. It is concluded that communication in digital channels enhances the features of the S-D logic

Standardize or Adapt? Building a Successful Brand in the Fashion Industry : A Case Study of the Swedish Fashion Company Hunky Dory AB

The brand building process is investigated by looking at the strategy of a small to medium-sized fashion company, Hunky Dory AB. According to the model presented in this thesis, the brand building process consists of five stages; product attributes, brand identity, positioning, marketing communication, and distribution. These stages are investigated separately to see whether standardization, adaptation, or a contingency approach is used at each stage. It is found that Hunky Dory mainly standardize, or aim to standardize, the stages in their strategic brand building process across international markets. However, adaptation is to some extent necessary or inevitable in the stages product attributes, marketing communications and distribution. The only exception is a variable in distribution, the choice of stores, which is adapted to what suits the local market. In conclusion, Hunky Dory pursue a mix of standardization and adaptation, which supports the contingency perspective