Effective implementation of relationship orientation in new product launches

The critical role of relationships in business performance is widely recognized in the business marketing literature. However, to date, the prevailing new product launch research has concentrated on firms&#39; general customer and competitor focus on predicting launch performance, and mainly applied a product centered or marketing mix perspective on considering effective strategic and tactical launch activities. Consequently, there is only scant knowledge on the relevance of a relational perspective when launching new products. The study contributes to this gap by examining the impact of firms&#39; relationship orientation on launch performance and the key activities through which it is transformed into performance in the new product launch context. A set of hypotheses is developed and tested with data collected from 109 new product launches in pharmaceutical companies. The results show that sales force management and relationship leveraging mediate relationship orientation&#39;s impact on launch performance through complexly intertwined relationships. From a theoretical perspective, this study highlights the role of the relational perspective in new product launch and fosters our understanding on how relationship-focused culture is effectively implemented in practice. From a managerial perspective, the results offer insights on how firms can effectively enhance the successful commercialization of new products through relationship-oriented sales and marketing activities.</p

Vildagliptin therapy reduces postprandial intestinal triglyceride-rich lipoprotein particles in patients with type 2 diabetes

Peer reviewe

Factors predicting chronic pain after open inguinal hernia repair : a regression analysis of randomized trial comparing three different meshes with three fixation methods (FinnMesh Study)

Correction: Volume: 22 Issue: 5 Pages: 819-819 DOI: 10.1007/s10029-018-1788-y WOS:000446065400016Chronic pain after inguinal hernioplasty is the foremost side-effect up to 10-30% of patients. Mesh fixation may influence on the incidence of chronic pain after open anterior mesh repairs. Some 625 patients who underwent open anterior mesh repairs were randomized to receive one of the three meshes and fixations: cyanoacrylate glue with low-weight polypropylene mesh (n = 216), non-absorbable sutures with partially absorbable mesh (n = 207) or self-gripping polyesther mesh (n = 202). Factors related to chronic pain (visual analogue scores; VAS ae 30, range 0-100) at 1 year postoperatively were analyzed using logistic regression method. A second analysis using telephone interview and patient records was performed 2 years after the index surgery. At index operation, all patient characteristics were similar in the three study groups. After 1 year, chronic inguinal pain was found in 52 patients and after 2 years in only 16 patients with no difference between the study groups. During 2 years' follow-up, three (0.48%) patients with recurrences and five (0.8%) patients with chronic pain were re-operated. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that only new recurrent hernias and high pain scores at day 7 were predictive factors for longstanding groin pain (p = 0.001). Type of mesh or fixation, gender, pre-operative VAS, age, body mass index or duration of operation did not predict chronic pain. Only the presence of recurrent hernia and early severe pain after index operation seemed to predict longstanding inguinal pain.Peer reviewe

Meaningful learning with mobile devices: pre-service class teachers’ experiences of mobile learning in the outdoors

The authors consider the use of mobile learning environment ActionTrack in teacher education. Pre-service class teachers’ (N = 277) experiences of the mobile learning environment were measured with a 7-point Likert-scale questionnaire based on seven attributes of meaningful learning. Students’ ratings for different attributes were analysed quantitatively. The authors conclude that, based on this analysis, it is possible to create meaningful learning experiences using ActionTrack. All the measured attributes of meaningful learning obtained positive values. In the mobile learning events of this study, three attributes arose as the essential features: mobile learning in the outdoors was primarily considered collaborative, active and contextual.</p

Investigation of human apoB48 metabolism using a new, integrated non-steady-state model of apoB48 and apoB100 kinetics

Background Triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and their remnants have emerged as major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. New experimental approaches are required that permit simultaneous investigation of the dynamics of chylomicrons (CM) and apoB48 metabolism and of apoB100 in very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). Methods Mass spectrometric techniques were used to determine the masses and tracer enrichments of apoB48 in the CM, VLDL1 and VLDL2 density intervals. An integrated non-steady-state multicompartmental model was constructed to describe the metabolism of apoB48- and apoB100-containing lipoproteins following a fat-rich meal, as well as during prolonged fasting. Results The kinetic model described the metabolism of apoB48 in CM, VLDL1 and VLDL2. It predicted a low level of basal apoB48 secretion and, during fat absorption, an increment in apoB48 release into not only CM but also directly into VLDL1 and VLDL2. ApoB48 particles with a long residence time were present in VLDL, and in subjects with high plasma triglycerides, these lipoproteins contributed to apoB48 measured during fasting conditions. Basal apoB48 secretion was about 50 mg day?1, and the increment during absorption was about 230 mg day?1. The fractional catabolic rates for apoB48 in VLDL1 and VLDL2 were substantially lower than for apoB48 in CM. Discussion This novel non-steady-state model integrates the metabolic properties of both apoB100 and apoB48 and the kinetics of triglyceride. The model is physiologically relevant and provides insight not only into apoB48 release in the basal and postabsorptive states but also into the contribution of the intestine to VLDL pool size and kinetics.Peer reviewe

Pim kinases are upregulated during Epstein-Barr virus infection and enhance EBNA2 activity

Latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is strongly associated with B-cell proliferative diseases such as Burkitt's lymphoma. Here we show that the oncogenic serine/threonine kinases Pim-1 and Pim-2 enhance the activity of the viral transcriptional activator EBNA2. During EBV infection of primary B-lymphocytes, the mRNA expression levels of pint genes, especially of pim-2, are upregulated and remain elevated in latently infected B-cell lines. Thus, EBV-induced upregulation of Pim kinases and Pim-stimulated EBNA2 transcriptional activity may contribute to the ability of EBV to immortalize B-cells and predispose them to malignant growth. (C) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Influenza virus NS1 protein binds cellular DNA to block transcription of antiviral genes

Influenza NS1 protein is an important virulence factor that is capable of binding double-stranded (ds) RNA and inhibiting dsRNA-mediated host innate immune responses. Here we show that NS1 can also bind cellular dsDNA. This interaction prevents loading of transcriptional machinery to the DNA, thereby attenuating IAV-mediated expression of antiviral genes. Thus, we identified a previously undescribed strategy, by which RNA virus inhibits cellular transcription to escape antiviral response and secure its replication. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Fructose intervention for 12 weeks does not impair glycemic control or incretin hormone responses during oral glucose or mixed meal tests in obese men

Background and aims: Incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) are affected early on in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Epidemiologic studies consistently link high fructose consumption to insulin resistance but whether fructose consumption impairs the incretin response remains unknown. Methods and results: As many as 66 obese (BMI 26-40 kg/m(2)) male subjects consumed fructose-sweetened beverages containing 75 g fructose/day for 12 weeks while continuing their usual lifestyle. Glucose, insulin, GLP-1 and GIP were measured during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and triglycerides (TG), GLP-1, GIP and PYY during a mixed meal test before and after fructose intervention. Fructose intervention did not worsen glucose and insulin responses during OGTT, and GLP-1 and GIP responses during OGTT and fat-rich meal were unchanged. Postprandial TG response increased significantly, p = 0.004, and we observed small but significant increases in weight and liver fat content, but not in visceral or subcutaneous fat depots. However, even the subgroups who gained weight or liver fat during fructose intervention did not worsen their glucose, insulin, GLP-1 or PYY responses. A minor increase in GIP response during OGTT occurred in subjects who gained liver fat (p = 0.049). Conclusion: In obese males with features of metabolic syndrome, 12 weeks fructose intervention 75 g/day did not change glucose, insulin, GLP-1 or GIP responses during OGTT or GLP-1, GIP or PYY responses during a mixed meal. Therefore, fructose intake, even accompanied with mild weight gain, increases in liver fat and worsening of postprandial TG profile, does not impair glucose tolerance or gut incretin response to oral glucose or mixed meal challenge. (C) 2017 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Adrenal androgens versus cortisol for primary aldosteronism subtype determination in adrenal venous sampling

Objective: We examined if measurement of adrenal androgens adds to subtype diagnostics of primary aldosteronism (PA) under cosyntropin-stimulated adrenal venous sampling (AVS).Design: A prospective pre-specified secondary endpoint analysis of 49 patients with confirmed PA, of whom 29 underwent unilateral adrenalectomy with long-term follow-up.Methods: Concentrations of androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) were measured during AVS in addition to aldosterone and cortisol. Subjects with lateralisation index (LI) of ≥4 were treated with unilateral adrenalectomy, and the immunohistochemical subtype was determined with CYP11B2 and CYP11B1 stains. The performance of adrenal androgens was evaluated by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analyses in adrenalectomy and medical therapy groups.Results: During AVS, the correlations between cortisol and androstenedione, DHEA and DHEAS for LI and selectivity index (SI) were highly significant. The right and left side SIs for androstenedione and DHEA were higher (p Conclusions: Under cosyntropin-stimulated AVS, the measurement of androstenedione and DHEA did not improve the cannulation selectivity. The performance of cortisol and adrenal androgens are confirmatory but not superior to cortisol-based results in lateralisation diagnostics of PA.</p