Cadbury and pig DNA: when issue management intersects with religion

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to discuss the evolving role of religion in issue management and introduces a case in Malaysia to examine the emerging corporate risk when western multinationals fall foul of the precepts of Islam. Design/methodology/approach - The paper details events when Cadbury in Malaysia faced online rumours that its locally made chocolate was contaminated by porcine DNA and examines the corporate and community response in the context of issue management, international public relations, cross-cultural communication theory and apologia theory. Findings - The case illustrates that for a multinational company doing business in a Muslim country, an issue response strategy must be based on sound local knowledge and understanding of the religious implications. Practical implications - Although issues in the public arena frequently have a political and legal dimension, a religious element can make issue management even more challenging. Internationalisation of both business and issues has increased the profile of Islamic values, and the case shows the practical effectiveness of a calm and considered response in the face of extreme provocation. Originality/value - While western public relations literature has highlighted cases of strongly held familiar Christian values driving issues onto the national issue management agenda, this paper identifies how Islamic precepts now represent an increasingly important consideration for modern risk and issue managers

Effect of Room Arrangement and Blood Sample Collection Sequence on Serum Thyroid Hormone and Cortisol Concentrations in Cynomolgus Macaques (Macacafascicularis)

We evaluated the relationship, in cynomolgus macaques (Macacafascicularis), between rank for order of blood collection with serum concentrations of 3,5,3\u27-triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (FT4), and serum cortisol. These relationships were determined for males and females that were housed in two room arrangements. For both room arrangements, males and females were housed separately. For room arrangement 1, macaques were housed on both sides of the animal holding room. The sides of the animal holding room were designated as side A or side B. Blood was initially collected from animals on side A, then from animals on side B. Animals on side B were able to visually observe macaques on side A being physically restrained and sedated for blood collection. In room arrangement 2, the macaques were housed on only one side of the animal holding room and could not directly observe other animals being physically restrained and sedated for blood collection. The relationship for serum FT4 concentration with blood sample collection sequence was different for each room arrangement. For room arrangement 1, we observed an inverse relationship between serum FT4 concentration and the rank for order of blood collection. This finding was observed for males and females and was consistent with the lower serum Ff4 value observed for animals housed on room side B. We also observed a trend for higher serum T4 concentration on room side A, but the reverse was true for serum cortisol concentration. In contrast, a macaque\u27s rank for blood collection sequence in room arrangement 2 was not predictive of the rank for serum thyroid hormone (T3, T4, FT4) or serum cortisol concentration. These results suggest that the arrangement of cages in a nonhuman primate holding room contributes to the variability for serum FT4 concentrations

Effect of Room Arrangement and Blood Sample Collection Sequence on Serum Thyroid Hormone and Cortisol Concentrations in Cynomolgus Macaques (Macacafascicularis)

We evaluated the relationship, in cynomolgus macaques (Macacafascicularis), between rank for order of blood collection with serum concentrations of 3,5,3\u27-triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (FT4), and serum cortisol. These relationships were determined for males and females that were housed in two room arrangements. For both room arrangements, males and females were housed separately. For room arrangement 1, macaques were housed on both sides of the animal holding room. The sides of the animal holding room were designated as side A or side B. Blood was initially collected from animals on side A, then from animals on side B. Animals on side B were able to visually observe macaques on side A being physically restrained and sedated for blood collection. In room arrangement 2, the macaques were housed on only one side of the animal holding room and could not directly observe other animals being physically restrained and sedated for blood collection. The relationship for serum FT4 concentration with blood sample collection sequence was different for each room arrangement. For room arrangement 1, we observed an inverse relationship between serum FT4 concentration and the rank for order of blood collection. This finding was observed for males and females and was consistent with the lower serum Ff4 value observed for animals housed on room side B. We also observed a trend for higher serum T4 concentration on room side A, but the reverse was true for serum cortisol concentration. In contrast, a macaque\u27s rank for blood collection sequence in room arrangement 2 was not predictive of the rank for serum thyroid hormone (T3, T4, FT4) or serum cortisol concentration. These results suggest that the arrangement of cages in a nonhuman primate holding room contributes to the variability for serum FT4 concentrations

Multisystem Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (Hand-Schüller-Christian disease) in an adult: a case report and review of the literature

Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare and enigmatic clonal disorder that affects mainly children. It is characterized by single or multiple granulomatous mass lesions composed of cells with the Langerhans' cell phenotype. Clinical presentation and behavior are heterogeneous and can range from a solitary lytic bone lesion (i.e., eosinophilic granuloma) with a favorable course to a fatal disseminated leukaemia-like form, with a wide spectrum of intermediate clinical presentations between these two extremes. Although LCH typically involves the bone, lesions can be found in almost all organs. We are reporting the case of a multisystem LCH in a 47-year-old patient who presented with a panhypopituitarism and diabetes insipidus, and who, 5years later, developed mandibular, mastoid and femoral lesions. The final diagnosis of LCH was made on mandibular biops

Hydrogen Motion in Magnesium Hydride by NMR

In coarse-grained MgH2, the diffusive motion of hydrogen remains too slow (<10^5 hops s^−1) to narrow the H NMR line up to 400 °C. Slow-motion dipolar relaxation time T1D measurements reveal the motion, with hopping rate ωH from 0.1 to 430 s^−1 over the range of 260 to 400 °C, the first direct measurement of H hopping in MgH2. The ωH data are described by an activation energy of 1.72 eV (166 kJ/mol) and attempt frequency of 2.5 × 10^15 s^−1. In ball-milled MgH2 with 0.5 mol % added Nb2O5 catalyst, line-narrowing is evident already at 50 °C. The line shape shows distinct broad and narrow components corresponding to immobile and mobile H, respectively. The fraction of mobile H grows continuously with temperature, reaching ∼30% at 400 °C. This demonstrates that this material’s superior reaction kinetics are due to an increased rate of H motion, in addition to the shorter diffusion paths from ball-milling. In ball-milled MgH2 without additives, the line-narrowed component is weaker and is due, at least in part, to trapped H2 gas. The spin−lattice relaxation rates T1^−1 of all materials are compared, with ball-milling markedly increasing T1^−1. The weak temperature dependence of T1^−1 suggests a mechanism with paramagnetic relaxation centers arising from the mechanical milling

Preventing Running Injuries Using a Pre-Running Exercise Program (PREP): A Pilot Study

Hypothesis: An 8 week supervised PREP implemented prior to a 5k running program will reduce the incidence of RRI\u27s among novice runners training for a 5k below the previously published incidence rates

Ball-on-Ring Test Validation for Equibiaxial Flexural Strength Testing of Engineered Ceramics

The validation of a ball-on-ring, equibiaxial flexural strength method to obtain the transverse rupture strength (TRS) of right cylindrical ceramic specimens was performed in this study. Validation of the test method was achieved using commercially available engineered high purity alumina disks and finite element (FE) model analysis. The validated fixture was then used to obtain the TRS and Weibull statistical analysis of MgO-partially stabilized zirconia (MSZ) and Y2O3-partially stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic disks. TRS data for alumina, MSZ, and YSZ agreed with the TRS values reported in the literature. A statistically relevant number of samples (N \u3e 30) for each material were tested to allow for a Weibull statistical analysis. Weibull parameters for these materials were within the expected values for engineered ceramics. The characteristic strength for alumina, MSZ, and YSZ were determined to be 289, 786, and 814 MPa, respectively. The Weibull modulus was determined between 10 and 25 for each material, which is typical of engineered ceramics. In addition, FE model results were in close agreement with experimental fracture values for the three ceramic materials tested in this study

Tropheryma whipplei bivalvular endocarditis and polyarthralgia: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Tropheryma whipplei infection should be considered in patients with suspected infective endocarditis with negative blood cultures. The case (i) shows how previous symptoms can contribute to the diagnosis of this illness, and (ii) elucidates current recommended diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to Whipple's disease. CASE PRESENTATION: A 71-year-old Swiss man with a past history of 2 years of diffuse arthralgia was admitted for a possible endocarditis with severe aortic and mitral regurgitation. Serial blood cultures were negative. Our patient underwent replacement of his aortic and mitral valve by biological prostheses. T. whipplei was documented by polymerase chain reactions on both removed valves and on stools, as well as by valve histology. A combination of hydroxychloroquine and doxycycline was initiated as lifetime treatment followed by the complete disappearance of his arthralgia. CONCLUSIONS: This case report underlines the importance of considering T. whipplei as a possible causal etiology of blood culture-negative endocarditis. Lifelong antibiotic treatment should be considered for this pathogen (i) due to the significant rate of relapses, and (ii) to the risk of reinfection with another strain since these patients likely have some genetic predisposition

Integration of professional judgement and decision-making in high-level adventure sports coaching practice

This study examined the integration of professional judgement and decision-making processes in adventure sports coaching. The study utilised a thematic analysis approach to investigate the decision-making practices of a sample of high-level adventure sports coaches over a series of sessions. Results revealed that, in order to make judgements and decisions in practice, expert coaches employ a range of practical and pedagogic management strategies to create and opportunistically use time for decision-making. These approaches include span of control and time management strategies to facilitate the decision-making process regarding risk management, venue selection, aims, objectives, session content, and differentiation of the coaching process. The implication for coaches, coach education, and accreditation is the recognition and training of the approaches that“create time” for the judgements in practice, namely“creating space to think”. The paper concludes by offering a template for a more expertise-focused progression in adventure sports coachin