Entry mode research and SMEs : a review and future research agenda

Research on SMEs’ entry modes remains limited and is spread across various, often disconnected research fields using a broad variety of theories, sample characteristics, and methods. This makes it challenging for researchers to identify interesting research opportunities. Our study investigates the current state of the SME entry mode literature by conducting a systematic literature review of 47 articles. Our review shows that scholars should be more careful when conceptualizing SMEs, and we recommend the use of both quantitative and qualitative longitudinal research designs. We explain how new theories and perspectives might address existing problems and weaknesses in this literature.status: publishe

The development of a juvenile porcine augmented renal clearance model through continuous infusion of lipopolysaccharides : an exploratory study

Augmented renal clearance (ARC) as observed in the critically ill (pediatric) population can have a major impact on the pharmacokinetics and posology of renally excreted drugs. Although sepsis has been described as a major trigger in the development of ARC in human critically ill patients, mechanistic insights on ARC are currently lacking. An appropriate ARC animal model could contribute to reveal these underlying mechanisms. In this exploratory study, a state of ARC was induced in 8-week-old piglets. Conscious piglets were continuously infused over 36 h with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Escherichia coli (O111:B4) to induce sepsis and subsequently trigger ARC. To study the dose-dependent effect of LPS on the renal function, three different doses (0.75, 2.0, 5.0 mu g/kg/h) were administered (two male piglets/dose, one sham piglet), in combination with fluid administration (0.9% NaCl) at 6 ml/kg/h. Single boluses of renal markers, i.e., creatinine [40 mg/kg body weight (BW)], iohexol (64.7 mg/kg BW), and para-aminohippuric acid (PAH, 10 mg/kg BW) were administered intravenously to evaluate the effect of LPS on the renal function. Clinical parameters were monitored periodically. Blood sampling was performed to determine the effect on hematology, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, and prostaglandin E-2 plasma levels. All piglets that were continuously infused with LPS displayed an elevated body temperature, heart rhythm, and respiratory rate similar to 1-3 h after start of the infusion. After infusion, considerably higher total body clearances of iohexol, creatinine, and PAH were observed, independent of the administration of LPS and/or its dose. Since also the sham piglet, receiving no LPS, demonstrated a comparable increase in renal function, the contribution of fluid administration to the development of ARC should be further evaluated

Multi-MGy total ionizing dose induced MOSFET variability effects on radiation hardened CMOS image sensor performances

MOSFETs variability in irradiated CIS up to 10 MGy (SiO2) is statistically investigated on about 65000 devices. Different variability sources are identified and the role played by the transistors composing the readout chain is clarified

Vulnerability and Hardening Studies of Optical and Illumination Systems at MGy Dose Levels

In the framework of the fusion for energy radiation hard imaging system project, the main radiation effects affecting the image quality of a miniaturized complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-based camera exposed to radiation doses up to 1 MGy(SiO 2 ) are investigated for ITER applications. The radiation effects related to two of the three subcomponents of the camera are investigated: the optical system (OS) and the illumination system (IS). Subsystem demonstrators have been manufactured selecting radiation tolerant or hardened materials and components to demonstrate the feasibility to withstand such high dose levels while fulfilling the ITER remote handling needs in terms of optical performances and miniaturization. Regarding the OS, the observed degradation of the radiation-hardened optical glasses used for the OS lenses is characterized in terms of both radiation-induced attenuation and radiation-induced refractive-index change. At the system level, impact of these phenomena on the OS demonstrator performances is discussed in terms of image contrast. Radiation test results highlight the high radiation tolerance of manufactured monochrome and color OS to both degradation mechanisms. Regarding the IS, the selected architecture consists in a ring of 20 commercially available light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with monochrome (amber) or white emissions. An appropriate choice for the LEDs allows designing an IS with the requested performances and slight degradation of its output power at the MGy dose levels. From the obtained results, developing miniaturized IS and OS subcomponents for MGy dose operation levels appears realistic using commercially available technologies and appropriate hardening procedures

Antiretrovirals and isoniazid preventive therapy in the prevention of HIV-associated tuberculosis in settings with limited health-care resources.

Antiretroviral therapy and isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) are both effective interventions to prevent HIV-associated tuberculosis, but work via different mechanisms. We propose that these two interventions might best be used as complementary strategies at different stages of HIV progression. At relatively high CD4-cell counts, IPT reduces tuberculosis risk by 64% (95% CI 39-78%) in patients with positive tuberculin skin tests, and is the key tuberculosis preventive intervention before patients are eligible for antiretroviral therapy. However, at low CD4-cell counts, reliable exclusion of active tuberculosis is difficult, fewer patients are eligible for IPT, and waning immune function might limit the durability of its effect. In such patients, antiretroviral therapy is the primary intervention needed, reducing tuberculosis incidence by 67% (95% CI 61-73%). However, tuberculosis risk during long-term antiretroviral therapy remains several times higher than background, especially in those with poor immune recovery. Patients might therefore derive additional benefit from combined use of IPT and antiretroviral therapy to simultaneously treat mycobacterial infection and restore tuberculosis-specific immune function. For those first presenting with advanced immunodeficiency, we propose that concurrent IPT might best be delayed until completion of the first few months of antiretroviral therapy, when active tuberculosis can be more reliably excluded. Data from randomised controlled trials are needed to underpin further development of public-health policy

The contribution of dynamic capabilities to new venture survival in nascent markets: the boundary role of stability

The dynamic capability literature has argued that dynamic capabilities are of most importance to companies that face dynamic environments. New ventures in nascent markets are in such a situation. They need to develop dynamic capabilities to survive. However, the literature remains silent when it comes to the boundary conditions under which these dynamic capabilities have most impact on survival. We extend the literature on dynamic capabilities by arguing that firm stability triggered by the formalization of the roles in the management team and the installation of an external board will help the firm to organize and structure the key organizational resources around a particular opportunity and subsequently facilitates and increases the impact of dynamic capabilities. We therefore contribute to the literature on dynamic capabilities by showing its duality with firm stability. However, while role formalization is an important boundary condition for the success of dynamic capabilities, the installation of a board with external directors decreases the impact of dynamic capabilities. We explain this by the decreased resource cognition among the decision makers at board level which undermines the positive impact of venture stability