350 research outputs found
Disparate Information Provided by Pulse Wave Velocity versus Other Measures of Aortic Compliance in End-Stage Renal Disease
acceptedVersionPeer reviewe
How do MNC R&D laboratory roles affect employee international assignments?
Research and development (R&D) employees are important human resources for multinational corporations (MNCs) as they are the driving force behind the advancement of innovative ideas and products. International assignments of these employees can be a unique way to upgrade their expertise; allowing them to effectively recombine their unique human resources to progress existing knowledge and advance new ones. This study aims to investigate the effect of the roles of R&D laboratories in which these employees work on the international assignments they undertake. We categorise R&D laboratory roles into those of the support laboratory, the locally integrated laboratory and the internationally interdependent laboratory. Based on the theory of resource recombinations, we hypothesise that R&D employees in support laboratories are not likely to assume international assignments, whereas those in locally integrated and internationally interdependent laboratories are likely to assume international assignments. The empirical evidence, which draws from research conducted on 559 professionals in 66 MNC subsidiaries based in Greece, provides support to our hypotheses. The resource recombinations theory that extends the resource based view can effectively illuminate the international assignment field. Also, research may provide more emphasis on the close work context of R&D scientists rather than analyse their demographic characteristics, the latter being the focus of scholarly practice hitherto
Resting heart rate predicts cardiac autonomic modulation during passive head-up tilt in subjects without cardiovascular diseases
Background Resting heart rate (HR) and its variability (HRV) reflects the cardiac sympathovagal balance that is stimulated by head-up tilting. HRV is influenced by the level of HR, but how much HRV offers additional information about cardiac autonomic tone than HR alone remains unresolved. We examined the relation of resting HR with HRV during head-up tilt. Methods. Hemodynamics of 569 subjects without known cardiovascular diseases and medications with direct cardiovascular effects were recorded using whole-body impedance cardiography, radial pulse wave analysis, and electrocardiography-based HRV analysis during passive head-up tilt. Results. Higher low frequency to the high-frequency ratio (LF/HF) of HRV (reflecting sympathovagal balance) was associated with higher HR in supine (pâ<â.05, both linear regression analysis and variance analysis comparing HR tertiles) and upright postures (pâ<â.001, linear regression analysis). The association of HR with HRV during tilt-testing remained significant when the HR dependence of HRV was mathematically weakened by dividing the HRV power spectra with the fourth power of the average RR-interval. Conclusion. Higher resting HR is related to higher LF/HF both supine and upright, reflecting elevated sympathetic influence on cardiac autonomic modulation. Lower resting HR is associated with lower resting LF/HF, while the differences in LF/HF between the HR tertiles were minor during head-up tilt, suggesting a greater change in cardiac sympathovagal balance in response to upright posture in those with lowest resting HR. Altogether, resting HR well predicts HRV levels during head-up tilt.Trial registration: Clinicaltrialsregister.eu 2006-002065-39, first registered 5 May 2006. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01742702, first registered 5 December 2012.publishedVersionPeer reviewe
The type of the functional cardiovascular response to upright posture is associated with arterial stiffness: a cross-sectional study in 470 volunteers
Background: In a cross-sectional study we examined whether the haemodynamic response to upright posture could be divided into different functional phenotypes, and whether the observed phenotypes were associated with known determinants of cardiovascular risk.Methods: Volunteers (n = 470) without medication with cardiovascular effects were examined using radial pulse wave analysis, whole-body impedance cardiography, and heart rate variability analysis. Based on the passive head-up tilt induced changes in systemic vascular resistance and cardiac output, the principal determinants of blood pressure, a cluster analysis was performed.Results: The haemodynamic response could be clustered into 3 categories: upright increase in vascular resistance and decrease in cardiac output were greatest in the first (+ 45 % and -27 %, respectively), smallest in the second (+ 2 % and -2 %, respectively), and intermediate (+ 22 % and -13 %, respectively) in the third group. These groups were named as 'constrictor' (n = 109), 'sustainer' (n = 222), and 'intermediate' (n = 139) phenotypes, respectively. The sustainers were characterized by male predominance, higher body mass index, blood pressure, and also by higher pulse wave velocity, an index of large arterial stiffness, than the other groups (p < 0.01 for all). Heart rate variability analysis showed higher supine and upright low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio in the sustainers than constrictors, indicating increased sympathovagal balance. Upright LF/HF ratio was also higher in the sustainer than intermediate group. In multivariate analysis, independent explanatory factors for higher pulse wave velocity were the sustainer (p < 0.022) and intermediate phenotypes (p < 0.046), age (p < 0.001), body mass index (p < 0.001), and hypertension (p < 0.001).Conclusions: The response to upright posture could be clustered to 3 functional phenotypes. The sustainer phenotype, with smallest upright decrease in cardiac output and highest sympathovagal balance, was independently associated with increased large arterial stiffness. These results indicate an association of the functional haemodynamic phenotype with an acknowledged marker of cardiovascular risk
The entrepreneurial marketing management and commercialization arrangements of born-global bio-enterprises: the case of UK companies
Born global bio-enterprises are a unique âbreedâ of relatively small biotechnology enterprises operating in multiple countries. The companies are nimble and seemingly well-prepared for challenges that ephemeral markets such as the internationalised biotechnology sector brings. The international marketing management challenges they encounter appear to stimulate their entrepreneurial marketing and commercialisation instincts. Surprisingly, there is a dearth of studies that examine their entrepreneurial predispositions. As such, this study is an attempt to explain their entrepreneurial tendencies by investigating the marketing and commercialisation strategies adopted by born global bio-enterprises in the UKâs biotechnology industry. The study assumes a multi-case approach examining five archetypical born global bio-enterprises currently active in the UK. It contributes to the international entrepreneurship and marketing management literature. Specifically, it provides international business managers with new knowledge about various marketing manoeuvres they can apply in international networks for their marketing mileage. In doing so, the study proposes a theoretical framework mapping out entrepreneurial marketing and commercialisation arrangements in internationalised biotechnology markets. Its findings are useful to various stakeholders including: policy makers, managers of technology-based companies and business management researchers
Polymorphism of the FABP2 gene: a population frequency analysis and an association study with cardiovascular risk markers in Argentina
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The FABP2 gene encodes for the intestinal FABP (IFABP) protein, which is expressed only in intestinal enterocytes. A polymorphism at codon 54 in exon 2 of the FABP2 gene exchanges an Alanine (Ala), in the small helical region of the protein, for Threonine (Thr). Given the potential physiological role of the Ala54Thr FABP2 polymorphism, we assess in this study the local population frequency and analyze possible associations with five selected markers, i.e. glycemia, total cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, and high Cardiovascular Risk Index (CVR index).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied 86 men and 116 women. DNA was extracted from a blood drop for genotype analysis. Allele frequencies were calculated by direct counting. Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium was evaluated using a Chi-square goodness of fit test.</p> <p>For the polymorphism association analysis, five markers were selected, i.e. blood pressure, Framingham Risk Index, total cholesterol, BMI, and glycemia.</p> <p>For each marker, the Odds Ratio (OR) was calculated by an online statistic tool.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our results reveal a similar population polymorphism frequency as in previous European studies, with <b>q = 0.277 </b>(95% confidence limits 0.234â0.323). No significant association was found with any of the tested markers in the context of our Argentine nutritional and cultural habits. We did, however, observe a tendency for increased Cholesterol and high BMI in Thr54 carriers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first study to look at the population frequency of the Thr54 allele in Argentina. The obtained result does not differ from previously reported frequencies in European populations. Moreover, we found no association between the Thr54 allele and any of the five selected markers. The observed tendency to increased total cholesterol and elevated BMI in Thr54 carriers, even though not significant for p < 0.1 could be worth of further investigation to establish whether the Thr54 variant should be taken into consideration in cardiovascular prevention strategies.</p
Gene Set Enrichment Analysis Identifies LIF as a Negative Regulator of Human Th2 Cell Differentiation
In this study we show that IL-4 is crucial during reinforcement window of human Th2 differentiation for optimal Th2 development. We have also shown here that during this stage, IL-4 helps in cellular decision-making process of differentiation versus proliferation. We have combined computational and experimental methods to analyze Th2 transcription network to name novel players of the process of Th2 differentiation. Here we report that LIF through STAT3 negatively regulates Th2 differentiation. This approach can be generalized to analyze âomicsâ data to identify key regulatory modules
Accuracy in Copy Number Calling by qPCR and PRT: A Matter of DNA
The possible implication of copy number variation (CNV) in the genetic susceptibility to human disease needs to be assessed using robust methods that can be applied at a population scale. In this report, we analyze the performance of the two major techniques, quantitative PCR (qPCR) and paralog ratio test (PRT), and investigate the influence of input DNA amount and template integrity on the reliability of both methods. Analysis of three genes (PRELID1, SYNPO and DEFB4) in a large sample set showed that both methods are prone to false copy number assignments if sufficient attention is not paid to DNA concentration and quality. Accurate normalization of samples is essential for reproducible qPCR because it avoids the effect of differential amplification efficiencies between target and control assays, whereas PRT is generally more sensitive to template degradation due to the fact that longer amplicons are usually needed to optimize sensitivity and specificity of paralog sequence PCR. The use of normalized, high quality genomic DNA yields comparable results with both methods
- âŠ