421 research outputs found
Introduction: Revisiting the Roles and Responsibilities of Trade Associations
We explain that the reasons for this Dialog stem from the enduring gaps in our understanding of what trade associations are, how they work, and what impact they have on members, industries, markets, and societies. The Dialog includes an opening paper by Thomas Lawton, Tazeeb Rajwani and Amy Minto and is followed by contributions from Michael Barnett, Steven Kahl, Lyn Spillman, and Howard Aldrich. Building on previous and ongoing research, each author reflected on the key questions driving this Dialogue: Do trade associations matter and if so, how? We argue that not only do they matter but more attention needs to be given to their roles and responsibilities
Why Trade Associations Matter: Exploring Function, Meaning, and Influence
We explore the organizational characteristics of trade associations (TAs) and suggest theoretical approaches for undertaking research into or involving TAs in management and organization studies. Through emphasizing the role of TAs within and between industries and at the interface of business and society, we consider how TAs generate meaning and influence
Thermal resistant environmental barrier coating
A process for preparing a silicon based substrate with a protective coating having improved thermal resistance at temperature up to at least 1500.degree. C., and the resulting article
New potent inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme
AbstractUsing an earlier model of the favoured orientation of binding functions of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, it has been possible to postulate a new, 7,6-bicyclic system, based on hexahydropyridazine, which might be expected to have high potency. Some members of this system which have been synthesised have been shown to be very active ACE inhibitors, in vitro and in vivo
A multi-centre, parallel group superiority trial of silk therapeutic clothing compared to standard care for the management of eczema in children (CLOTHES Trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Background - Eczema is a chronic, itchy skin condition that can have a large impact on the quality of life of patients and their families. People with eczema are often keen to try out non-pharmacological therapies like silk therapeutic garments that could reduce itching or the damage caused by scratching. However, the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these garments in the management of eczema has yet to be proven. The CLOTHES Trial will test the hypothesis that ‘silk therapeutic garments plus standard eczema care’ is superior to ‘standard care alone’ for children with moderate to severe eczema.Methods/Design - Parallel group, observer-blind, pragmatic, multi-centre randomised controlled trial of 6 months’ duration. Three hundred children aged 1 to 15 years with moderate to severe eczema will be randomised (1:1) to receive silk therapeutic garments plus standard eczema care, or standard eczema care alone. Primary outcome is eczema severity, as assessed by trained and blinded investigators at 2, 4 and 6 months (using the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI)). Secondary outcomes include: patient-reported eczema symptoms (collected weekly for 6 months to capture long-term control); global assessment of severity; quality of life of the child, family and main carer; use of standard eczema treatments (emollients, corticosteroids applied topically, calcineurin inhibitors applied topically and wet wraps); frequency of infections; and cost-effectiveness. The acceptability and durability of the clothing will also be assessed, as will adherence to wearing the garments. A nested qualitative study will assess the views of a subset of children wearing the garments and their parents, and those of healthcare providers and commissioners. Randomisation uses a computer-generated sequence of permuted blocks of randomly varying size, stratified by recruiting hospital and child’s age ( 5 years), and concealed using a secure web-based system. The sequence of treatment allocations will remain concealed until randomisation and data collection are complete.Recruitment is taking place from November 2013 to May 2015, and the trial will be completed in 2016. Full details of results will be published in the National Institute for Health Research Journal series.Trial registration - Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN77261365 (registered 11 November 2013)
Multi-Isotope Geochemical Baseline Study of the Carbon Management Canada Research Institutes CCS Field Research Station (Alberta, Canada), Prior to CO2 Injection
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is an industrial scale mitigation strategy for reducing anthropogenic CO2 from entering the atmosphere. However, for CCS to be routinely deployed, it is critical that the security of the stored CO2 can be verified and that unplanned migration from a storage site can be identified. A number of geochemical monitoring tools have been developed for this purpose, however, their effectiveness critically depends on robust geochemical baselines being established prior to CO2 injection. Here we present the first multi-well gas and groundwater characterisation of the geochemical baseline at the Carbon Management Canada Research Institutes Field Research Station. We find that all gases exhibit CO2 concentrations that are below 1%, implying that bulk gas monitoring may be an effective first step to identify CO2 migration. However, we also find that predominantly biogenic CH4 (∼90%–99%) is pervasive in both groundwater and gases within the shallow succession, which contain numerous coal seams. Hence, it is probable that any upwardly migrating CO2 could be absorbed onto the coal seams, displacing CH4. Importantly, 4He concentrations in all gas samples lie on a mixing line between the atmosphere and the elevated 4He concentration present in a hydrocarbon well sampled from a reservoir located below the Field Research Station (FRS) implying a diffusive or advective crustal flux of 4He at the site. In contrast, the measured 4He concentrations in shallow groundwaters at the site are much lower and may be explained by gas loss from the system or in situ production generated by radioactive decay of U and Th within the host rocks. Additionally, the injected CO2 is low in He, Ne and Ar concentrations, yet enriched in 84Kr and 132Xe relative to 36Ar, highlighting that inherent noble gas isotopic fingerprints could be effective as a distinct geochemical tracer of injected CO2 at the FRS
Citrullinated Inhibitor of DNA Binding 1 Is a Novel Autoantigen in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/150530/1/art40886_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/150530/2/art40886.pd
Genome-wide determinants of mortality and motor progression in Parkinson’s disease
There are 90 independent genome-wide significant genetic risk variants for Parkinson’s disease (PD) but currently only five nominated loci for PD progression. The biology of PD progression is likely to be of central importance in defining mechanisms that can be used to develop new treatments. We studied 6766 PD patients, over 15,340 visits with a mean follow-up of between 4.2 and 15.7 years and carried out genome-wide survival studies for time to a motor progression endpoint, defined by reaching Hoehn and Yahr stage 3 or greater, and death (mortality). There was a robust effect of the APOE ε4 allele on mortality in PD. We also identified a locus within the TBXAS1 gene encoding thromboxane A synthase 1 associated with mortality in PD. We also report 4 independent loci associated with motor progression in or near MORN1, ASNS, PDE5A, and XPO1. Only the non-Gaucher disease causing GBA1 PD risk variant E326K, of the known PD risk variants, was associated with mortality in PD. Further work is needed to understand the links between these genomic variants and the underlying disease biology. However, these may represent new candidates for disease modification in PD
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