2,294 research outputs found

    Corporate Social Responsibility – The Global Financial Crisis: A Case Study on the Rise of Toyota and the Demise of General Motors

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    Globalisation has connected the world at a phenomenal rate (Becks, 2000), and because of globalisation, MNCs now have to play roles that were traditionally the responsibilities of governments. Also, with global warming issues on the rise, the role that auto manufacturing companies play in curbing greenhouse emission cannot be ignored. This article will compare the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices of General Motors with Toyota. In this „David versus Goliath‟ saga, Toyota overtook GM in 2008 to become the world‟s largest automaker. Why GM failed as an automaker could be attributed to their inability to fully operationalise their corporate social responsibility commitments and strategies. Toyota, on the other hand implemented their CSR strategies on a global scale. The article proposes that CSR is crucial in the auto industry, and great companies, such as GM, can and will fail if they ignore the importance of CSR. Keywords: Corporate social responsibility, auto industry, Toyota, GM, Big Thre

    Direct and quantitative absorptive spectroscopy of nanowires

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    Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2012.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 125-130).Photonic nanostructures exhibit unique optical properties that are attractive in many different applications. However, measuring the optical properties of individual nanostructures, in particular the absorptive properties, remains a significant challenge. Conventional methods typically provide either an indirect or qualitative measure of absorption. The objective of this thesis is to therefore demonstrate a method capable of directly and quantitatively measuring the absorptive properties of individual nanostructures. This method is based on atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever thermometry where a bimorph cantilever is used as a heat flux sensor. These sensors operate on the principle of a thermomechanical bending response and by virtue of their dimensionality, are capable of picowatt sensitivity. To validate the use of this technique, a single silicon nanowire is measured. By attaching a silicon nanowire to a cantilever and illuminating the sample with monochromatic light, the absolute absorptance spectrum of the nanowire was measured and shown to match well with theory. This spectroscopic technique can conceivably be used to measure even smaller samples, samples which cannot be characterized using conventional methods.by Jonathan Kien-Kwok Tong.S.M

    Astrobatics: Characterization of Experimental Self-Toss Maneuvers at the Naval Postgraduate School and NASA Ames

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    Astrodynamics 2020, Advances in the Astronautical Sciences, Vol 175Astrobee is a small, compact vehicle designed to operate onboard the International Space Station and perform tasks related to observation, maintenance, and hosting guest science experiments. ASTROBATICS, is an experiment led by the Spacecraft Robotics Laboratory of the Naval Postgraduate School in collaboration with NASA. ASTROBATICS is investigating self-toss hopping maneuvers to be utilized within the International Space Station in order to provide a method of locomotion. As part of the preliminary preparation, experiments were conducted at the Naval Postgraduate School and NASA Ames in order to characterize self-toss maneuvers

    Effect of beta‐blockade on mortality in patients with cardiac amyloidosis:A systematic review and meta‐analysis

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    Aims: The efficacy of beta‐blockers in cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is unclear, and concerns persist that neurohormonal blockade could worsen symptoms of heart failure. We aimed to assess whether beta‐blocker therapy is associated with improved survival in patients with CA. Methods and results: We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to examine the impact of beta‐blocker therapy on mortality in patients with CA. A search of MEDLINE and EMBASE was performed in August 2023. Data were extracted from observational studies and synthesized with pooling and random effects meta‐analysis. Thirteen studies including 4215 patients with CA were incorporated in this review (3688 transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR‐CM), 502 light chain amyloid cardiomyopathy (AL‐CM), 25 not specified; age 74.8 ± 5.5 years, 76% male). Over half of the cohort (52%) received beta‐blockers and the rate of beta‐blocker withdrawal was 28%. All‐cause mortality was 33% (range: 13–51%) after a median follow‐up ranging from 13 to 36 months. There was an inverse association between the pooled risk of mortality and the use of beta‐blocker therapy at any time point (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.29–0.80, I2 = 83%, P = 0.005, seven studies). There was no association between mortality and beta‐blocker use (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.29–1.47, I2 = 88%, P = 0.30) in the three studies that only included patients with ATTR‐CM. The three studies that included patients with both ATTR‐CM and AL demonstrated an association of beta‐blocker use with reduced mortality (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.29–0.63, I2 = 4%, P < 0.001). The only study that solely included 53 patients with AL‐CM, demonstrated improved survival among the 53% who were able to tolerate beta‐blocker therapy (RR 0.26, 95% CI 0.08–0.79, P = 0.02). The absence of information on staging of CA is an important limitation of this study. Conclusions: Treatment with beta‐blockers may be associated with a survival benefit in patients with CA, but these findings are subject to selection and survivor biases. Definitive prospective randomized trials of conventional heart failure therapies are needed in CA

    Clinical and cost-effectiveness of internal limiting membrane peeling for patients with idiopathic full thickness macular hole. Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial : FILMS (Full-thickness macular hole and Internal Limiting Membrane peeling Study)

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    Background: A full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) is a common retinal condition associated with impaired vision. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated that surgery, by means of pars plana vitrectomy and post-operative intraocular tamponade with gas, is effective for stage 2, 3 and 4 FTMH. Internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling has been introduced as an additional surgical manoeuvre to increase the success of the surgery; i.e. increase rates of hole closure and visual improvement. However, little robust evidence exists supporting the superiority of ILM peeling compared with no-peeling techniques. The purpose of FILMS (Fullthickness macular hole and Internal Limiting Membrane peeling Study) is to determine whether ILM peeling improves the visual function, the anatomical closure of FTMH, and the quality of life of patients affected by this disorder, and the cost-effectiveness of the surgery. Methods/Design: Patients with stage 2–3 idiopathic FTMH of less or equal than 18 months duration (based on symptoms reported by the participant) and with a visual acuity ≤ 20/40 in the study eye will be enrolled in this FILMS from eight sites across the UK and Ireland. Participants will be randomised to receive combined cataract surgery (phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation) and pars plana vitrectomy with postoperative intraocular tamponade with gas, with or without ILM peeling. The primary outcome is distance visual acuity at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include distance visual acuity at 3 and 24 months, near visual acuity at 3, 6, and 24 months, contrast sensitivity at 6 months, reading speed at 6 months, anatomical closure of the macular hole at each time point (1, 3, 6, and 24 months), health related quality of life (HRQOL) at six months, costs to the health service and the participant, incremental costs per quality adjusted life year (QALY) and adverse events. Discussion: FILMS will provide high quality evidence on the role of ILM peeling in FTMH surgery. Trial registration: This trial is registered with Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN number 33175422 and Clinical Trials.gov identifier NCT00286507.Chief Scientist Office, Scotland (project ref no CZH/4/235), NHS GrampianPeer reviewedPublisher PD

    ENSO diversity shows robust decadal variations that must be captured for accurate future projections

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    El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) shows a large diversity of events that is modulated by climate variability and change. The representation of this diversity in climate models limits our ability to predict their impact on ecosystems and human livelihood. Here, we use multiple observational datasets to provide a probabilistic description of historical variations in event location and intensity, and to benchmark models, before examining future system trajectories. We find robust decadal variations in event intensities and locations in century-long observational datasets, which are associated with perturbations in equatorial wind-stress and thermocline depth, as well as extra-tropical anomalies in the North and South Pacific. Some climate models are capable of simulating such decadal variability in ENSO diversity, and the associated large-scale patterns. Projections of ENSO diversity in future climate change scenarios strongly depend on the magnitude of decadal variations, and the ability of climate models to reproduce them realistically over the 21st century

    Prevalence and risk factors of community-associated methicillin-resistant carriage in Asia-Pacific region from 2000 to 2016:a systematic review and meta-analysis

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    Objective: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is an emerging global public health threat. In response to a highlighted strategic priority of the World Health Organization Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, to "strengthen the knowledge and evidence base through surveillance and research", we synthesized published articles to estimate CA-MRSA carriage prevalence in the Asia-Pacific region. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PROSPERO CRD:42017067399). We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed for articles published from 1 January 2000 to 19 May 2017, which reported CA-MRSA carriage (defined as either colonization or infection) in Asia-Pacific region from 2000 to 2016. Studies were stratified according to settings (community or hospital where CA-MRSA was isolated) and study populations (general public or subpopulations with specified characteristics). Ranges of CA-MRSA carriage prevalence were reported for study groups. Results: In total, 152 studies were identified. Large diversity was observed among studies in most study groups. In community-level studies, the CA-MRSA carriage prevalence among the general public ranged from 0% to 23.5%, whereas that ranged from 0.7% to 10.4% in hospital settings. From community-level studies, countries with the highest prevalence were India (16.5%-23.5%), followed by Vietnam (7.9%) and Taiwan (3.5%-3.8%). Children aged ≤6 (range: 0.5%-40.3%) and household members of CA-MRSA carriers (range: 13.0%-26.4%) are subgroups without specific health conditions but with much higher CA-MRSA carriage when compared to the general population. Conclusion: Our CA-MRSA prevalence estimates serve as the baseline for future national and international surveillance. The ranges of prevalence and characteristics associated with CA-MRSA carriage can inform health authorities to formulate infection control policies for high-risk subgroups. Future studies should explore the heterogeneities in CA-MRSA carriage prevalence among subgroups and countries to clarify the predominant transmission mechanisms in Asia-Pacific and other regions

    Spatial inflection and memory for direction in Acazulco Otomi

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    Many languages have developed a specialized tool for coding spatial background aspects of events: associated motion morphology. This sparsely investigated verb inflection allows speakers to specify that the situation described by a verb takes place against the background of a motion event, as in “sing (while coming)”. Associated-motion systems typically include deictic information, and when verb inflection requires distinctions between motion in different directions, a thinking-for-speaking account would predict cognitive consequences in the shape of heightened memory for direction. To evaluate this hypothesis, we compare encoding of and memory for direction in an endangered Otopamean language, Acazulco Otomí (Mexico). First, we examine diversity and frequency in the use of associated-motion inflection in pilgrim narratives. Then, we investigate the potential cognitive correlates with a psycholinguistic recognition-memory experiment measuring change-detection performance. Linguistic encoding of background direction was found to support memory for direction, but the sample size was small, and the experiment further indicated that both the associated-motion inflection and its corresponding attention patterns are in a process of dissolution. This echoes findings in Arrernte and Mojeño Trinitario, and we discuss why associated motion might be an especially vulnerable category in language-endangerment contexts
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