An ethnopharmacological review of Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit

This review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of ethnobotanical uses, chemical constituents, posology, and toxicology of Hyptis  suaveolens, and to address the significant medicinal benefits in order to promote its application. An extensive and systematic review of the literature was undertaken and all relevant abstracts and full-text articles analyzed and included in the review. A wide range of traditional uses are cited in the literature, ranging from uses for malaria, constipation, stomach problems, renal inflammation to external uses in repelling insects and treating injuries such as lacerations and burnrelated damage to skin and tissues. To date, pharmacological studies have demonstrated the  significant activities of this plant that support uses such as antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antiulcer, and antiinflammatory. Numerous important phytochemicals, including 6 triterpenes, 8 diterpenes and 1 flavonoid have been isolated, identified and reported. The extracts and phytochemicals isolated from the plants show considerable potential for medicinal exploitation and utilization, including antimitotic, antiproliferative, cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-secretory, hepatoprotective, insecticidal, and acaricidal activities. As a medicinal plant, H. suaveolens is endowed with immense exploitation and utilization value and is widely used worldwide Therefore, further studies to fully elucidate its medicinal potential are warranted. Keywords: Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit, Ulcer Antimicrobial Inflammation, Diterpenes, Traditional medicine, Ethnopharmacology, Lamiacea

Effect of bedtime administration of blood-pressure lowering agents on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring results: A meta-analysis

Background: Bedtime administration of antihypertensive drugs currently receives more at­tention, but no clear consensus has been reached on the blood pressure (BP)-lowering effect of this strategy. Methods: We systematically searched literature for clinical trials of ingestion time of anti­hypertensive drugs evaluated by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) to perform a meta-analysis which aimed at determining the difference in diurnal, nocturnal, and 24-h mean of systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP), absolute BP reduction from baseline between bedtime administration group (experimental group) and morning (awaking) administration group (control group). Results: The synthesis analysis showed that the level of BP in bedtime administration group was lower than the morning administration group, which reduced diurnal SBP/DBP by 1.67/1.13 mm Hg (p = 0.36/0.48), 24-h SBP/DBP by 2.78/0.36 mm Hg (p = 0.09/0.62), nocturnal SBP/DBP by 6.32/3.17 mm Hg (p = 0.03/0.007). Furthermore, there was lack of statistically significant differences in the diurnal mean of SBP/DBP reduction from baseline between the two groups (p = 0.94/0.85), but bedtime administration resulted in significant reduction from baseline in the nocturnal mean of SBP/DBP, by –4.72/–3.57 mm Hg (p = 0.01/0.05). Funnel plot demonstrated that there was no evidence of publication bias. Conclusions: Administration of ≥ 1 antihypertensive drugs at bedtime or evening results in a greater reduction of nocturnal hypertension than dosing in the morning without loss of efficacy of diurnal and 24 h mean BP reduction

Comparison of aroma and taste profiles of kiwi wine fermented with/without peel by combining intelligent sensory, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance

Kiwi wine (KW) is tipically made by fermenting juice from peeled kiwifruit, resulting in the disposal of peel and pomace as by-products. However, the peel contains various beneficial compounds, like phenols and flavonoids. Since the peel is edible and rich in these compounds, incorporating it into the fermentation process of KW presents a potential solution to minimize by-product waste. This study compared the aroma and taste profiles of KW from peeled (PKW) and unpeeled (UKW) kiwifruits by combining intelligent sensory technology, GC-MS, and 1H-NMR. Focusing on aroma profiles, 75 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified in KW fermented with peel, and 73 VOCs in KW without peel, with 62 VOCs common to both. Among these compounds, rose oxide, D-citronellol, and bornylene were more abundant in UKW, while hexyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, and 2,4,5-trichlorobenzene were significantly higher in PKW. For taste profiles, E-tongue analysis revealed differences in the taste profiles of KW from the two sources. A total of 74 molecules were characterized using 1H-NMR. UKW exhibited significantly higher levels of tartrate, galactarate, N-acetylserotonin, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelate, fumarate, and N-acetylglycine, along with a significantly lower level of oxypurinol compared to PKW. This study seeks to develop the theoretical understanding of the fermentation of kiwifruit with peel in sight of the utilization of the whole fruit for KW production, to increase the economic value of kiwifruit production

Recombination for innovation: performance outcomes from international partnerships in China

This paper examines the relationship between different types of international partnerships and innovation performance. By drawing on a conceptual framework which outlines how new bundles of transferrable and non-transferrable ownership advantages are created from such partnerships (Collinson and Narula, 2014), we analyze empirical evidence from a large-scale survey of 320 individual company responses from the China-based operations of foreign multinational firms alongside in-depth case studies. Our study reveals that different types of collaborative partnerships (cooperative vs competitive) are associated with different innovation performance outcomes (product vs process innovation). In addition, we find that a sustainable, reciprocal relationship between collaborative partners can generate superior innovation performance. Contextual factors including the role of government and industry characteristics have an important bearing on innovation performance in collaborative partnerships in China. We conclude with implications for researchers, managers and policymakers

Organizational Ambidexterity and the Emerging-to-Advanced Economy Nexus: Cases from Private Higher Education Operators in the United Kingdom

The expansion of advanced-market economy (AME) firms into emerging-market economies (EME) is well documented. In recent decades, EME companies have moved increasingly into AMEs, especially within the manufacturing sector, as well as other important AME sectors such as higher education (HE). However, the latter have received less attention. This study conducts an in-depth qualitative analysis of two EME HE organizations operating in the international HE sector in London. The argument applies a theoretical framework of organizational ambidexterity with which to examine the contexts and complexities in collaborations between EME-HE and AME-HE firms. These argument surfaces, inter alia: differing dynamics in relation to institutional frameworks and sense making; myopic internationalization; tensions regarding organizational reputation, place, partner, and product legitimization; unfulfilled reverse innovation and “explorative-pull” phenomena. Overall, the article develops novel conceptual frameworks of practical relevance, which inform EME-AME firm collaborative operations in AME settings. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Equity ownership in cross-border mergers and acquisitions by British firms: an analysis of real options and transaction cost factors

The authors investigate the factors influencing the share of equity ownership sought in cross-border mergers and acquisitions (CBM&As). Drawing on real options theory and transaction cost economics (TCE), they address and hypothesize key factors linked to commitment under exogenous uncertainty and the separation of desired and non-desired assets’ influence on share of equity sought by acquiring firms in CBM&As. Empirical analysis based on 1872 CBM&As undertaken by British firms in both developed and emerging economies shows that British MNEs are more likely to pursue a partial acquisition in a target foreign firm when those foreign firms are from culturally distant countries. Further, findings support the view that the high cost of separating desired assets from non-desired assets motivates firms to make a partial acquisition rather than acquire the target completely. This is one of the first studies to use real options theory to address the cost of commitment under exogenous uncertainty, as well as TCE logic to address the separation of desired and non-desired assets in the target firm while analysing equity ownership sought in CBM&As. Empirically, this paper contributes by examining CBM&As by British firms in both developed and emerging markets

Integration of Non-market and Market Activities in Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions

Drawing on the resource dependence theory and the resource-based view, this paper investigates the interactions between market and nonmarket activities of firms in the context of the post-merger integration phase in cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Based on a cross-country survey of 111 M&A practitioners who were personally involved in cross-border M&As around the world, we test seven hypotheses on various market and nonmarket aspects of post-merger integration. We find a positive correlation between buffering strategies and adaptive capabilities in the nonmarket environment, and between bridging and adaptive capabilities in the market environment. However, we could not find any significant correlation between buffering and adaptive capabilities in the market environment, and bridging and adaptive capabilities in the nonmarket environment. We also find that adaptability in the nonmarket environment is positively correlated with adaptability in the market environment, and in turn adaptability in the market environment leads to positive organizational performance of a cross border M&A. These results provide further support for the value of the alignment between market and nonmarket activities and help to fill a gap in the literature on the market-nonmarket interactions in post-merger integration

The impact of climate change on infectious disease transmission: perceptions of CDC health professionals in Shanxi Province, China

There have been increasing concerns about the challenge of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases due to climate change, especially in developing countries including China. Health professionals play a significant role in the battle to control and prevent infectious diseases. This study therefore aims to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of health professionals at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in different levels in China, and to consider adaptation measures to deal with the challenge of climate change. In 2013, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was undertaken among 314 staff in CDCs in Shanxi Province, China, whose routine work involves disease control and prevention. Data were analyzed using descriptive methods and logistic regression. A majority of the CDC staff were aware of the health risks from climate change, especially its impacts on infectious disease transmission in their jurisdictions, and believed climate change might bring about both temporal and spatial change in transmission patterns. It was thought that adaptation measures should be established including: strengthening/improving currently existing disease surveillance systems and vector monitoring; building CDC capacity in terms of infrastructure and in-house health professional training; development and refinement of relevant legislation, policies and guidelines; better coordination among various government departments; the involvement of the community in infectious disease interventions; and collaborative research with other institutions. This study provides a snapshot of the understanding of CDC staff regarding climate change risks relevant to infectious diseases and adaptation in China. Results may help inform future efforts to develop adaptation measures to minimize infectious disease risks due to climate change.Junni Wei, Alana Hansen, Ying Zhang, Hong Li, Qiyong Liu, Yehuan Sun, Shulian Xue, Shufang Zhao, Peng B

Sustainable supply chain management towards disruption and organizational ambidexterity:A data driven analysis

Balancing sustainability and disruption of supply chains requires organizational ambidexterity. Sustainable supply chains prioritize efficiency and economies of scale and may not have sufficient redundancy to withstand disruptive events. There is a developing body of literature that attempts to reconcile these two aspects. This study gives a data-driven literature review of sustainable supply chain management trends toward ambidexterity and disruption. The critical review reveals temporal trends and geographic distribution of literature. A hybrid of data-driven analysis approach based on content and bibliometric analyses, fuzzy Delphi method, entropy weight method, and fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory is used on 273 keywords and 22 indicators obtained based on the experts’ evaluation. The most important indicators are identified as supply chain agility, supply chain coordination, supply chain finance, supply chain flexibility, supply chain resilience, and sustainability. The regions show different tendencies compared with others. Asia and Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa are the regions needs improvement, while Europe and North America show distinct apprehensions on supply chain network design. The main contribution of this review is the identification of the knowledge frontier, which then leads to a discussion of prospects for future studies and practical industry implementation