Uncovering the hidden costs of offshoring: The interplay of complexity, organizational design, and experience

This study investigates estimation errors due to hidden costs—the costs of implementation that are neglected in strategic decision-making processes—in the context of services offshoring. Based on data from the Offshoring Research Network, we find that decision makers are more likely to make cost-estimation errors given increasing configuration and task complexity in captive offshoring and offshore outsourcing, respectively. Moreover, we show that experience and a strong orientation toward organizational design in the offshoring strategy reduce the cost-estimation errors that follow from complexity. Our findings contribute to research on the effectiveness of sourcing and global strategies by stressing the importance of organizational design and experience in dealing with increasing complexity

Depsipeptide substrates for sortase-mediated N-terminal protein ligation

Technologies that allow the efficient chemical modification of proteins under mild conditions are widely sought after. Sortase-mediated peptide ligation provides a strategy for modifying the N or C terminus of proteins. This protocol describes the use of depsipeptide substrates (containing an ester linkage) with sortase A (SrtA) to completely modify proteins carrying a single N-terminal glycine residue under mild conditions in 4–6 h. The SrtA-mediated ligation reaction is reversible, so most labeling protocols that use this enzyme require a large excess of both substrate and sortase to produce high yields of ligation product. In contrast, switching to depsipeptide substrates effectively renders the reaction irreversible, allowing complete labeling of proteins with a small excess of substrate and catalytic quantities of sortase. Herein we describe the synthesis of depsipeptide substrates that contain an ester linkage between a threonine and glycolic acid residue and an N-terminal FITC fluorophore appended via a thiourea linkage. The synthesis of the depsipeptide substrate typically takes 2–3 d

Using interpretative phenomenological analysis to inform physiotherapy practice: An introduction with reference to the lived experience of cerebellar ataxia

The attached file is a pre-published version of the full and final paper which can be found at the link below.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Qualitative research methods that focus on the lived experience of people with health conditions are relatively underutilised in physiotherapy research. This article aims to introduce interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), a research methodology oriented toward exploring and understanding the experience of a particular phenomenon (e.g., living with spinal cord injury or chronic pain, or being the carer of someone with a particular health condition). Researchers using IPA try to find out how people make sense of their experiences and the meanings they attach to them. The findings from IPA research are highly nuanced and offer a fine grained understanding that can be used to contextualise existing quantitative research, to inform understanding of novel or underresearched topics or, in their own right, to provoke a reappraisal of what is considered known about a specified phenomenon. We advocate IPA as a useful and accessible approach to qualitative research that can be used in the clinical setting to inform physiotherapy practice and the development of services from the perspective of individuals with particular health conditions.This article is available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund

Synthesis of global satellite observations of magmatic and volcanic deformation: implications for volcano monitoring & the lateral extent of magmatic domains

Global Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) measurements made over the past decades provide insights into the lateral extent of magmatic domains, and capture volcanic process on scales useful for volcano monitoring. Satellite-based SAR imagery has great potential for monitoring topographic change, the distribution of eruptive products and surface displacements (InSAR) at subaerial volcanoes. However, there are challenges in applying it routinely, as would be required for the reliable operational assessment of hazard. The deformation detectable depends upon satellite repeat time and swath widths, relative to the spatial and temporal scales of volcanological processes. We describe the characteristics of InSAR-measured volcano deformation over the past two decades, highlighting both the technique’s capabilities and its limitations as a monitoring tool. To achieve this, we draw on two global datasets of volcano deformation: the Smithsonian Institution Volcanoes of the World database and the Centre for the Observation and Modelling of Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tectonics volcano deformation catalogue, as well as compiling some measurement characteristics and interpretations from the primary literature. We find that a higher proportion of InSAR observations capture non-eruptive and non-magmatic processes than those from ground-based instrument networks, and that both transient ( 5 years) deformation episodes are under-represented. However, satellite radar is already used to assess the development of extended periods of unrest and long-lasting eruptions, and improved spatial resolution and coverage have resulted in the detection of previously unrecognised deformation at both ends of the spatial scale (~ 10 to > 1000 km²). ‘Baseline’ records of past InSAR measurements, including ‘null’ results, are fundamental for any future interpretation of interferograms in terms of hazard‚ both by providing information about past deformation at an individual volcano, and for assessing the characteristics of deformation that are likely to be detectable (and undetectable) using InSAR. More than half of all InSAR deformation signals attributed to magmatic processes have sources in the shallow crust (< 5 km depth). While the depth distribution of InSAR-derived deformation sources is affected by measurement limitations, their lateral distribution provides information about the extent of active magmatic domains. Deformation is common (24% of all potentially magmatic events) at loci ≥5 km away from the nearest active volcanic vent. This demonstrates that laterally extensive active magmatic domains are not exceptional, but can comprise the shallowest part of trans-crustal magmatic systems in a range of volcanic settings

Idiopathic pancreatitis is a consequence of an altering spectrum of bile nucleation time

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The pathogenesis of idiopathic pancreatitis (IP) remains poorly understood. Our hypothesis is that IP is a sequel of micro-crystallization of hepatic bile.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A prospective case control study compared 55 patients; symptomatic cholelithiasis - 30 (14 male, median age 36 years; mean BMI - 25.1 kg/m²), gallstone pancreatitis - 9 (3 male, median age 35 years; mean BMI - 24.86 kg/m²) and IP - 16 (9 male, median age 34 years; mean BMI -23.34 kg/m²) with 30 controls (15 male, median age 38 years; mean BMI = 24.5 kg/m²) undergoing laparotomy for conditions not related to the gall bladder and bile duct. Ultrafiltered bile from the common hepatic duct in patients and controls was incubated in anaerobic conditions and examined by polarized light microscopy to assess bile nucleation time (NT). In the analysis, the mean NT of patients with gallstones and gallstone pancreatitis was taken as a cumulative mean NT for those with established gallstone disease (EGD).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Patients were similar to controls. Mean NT in all groups of patients was significantly shorter than controls (EGD cumulative mean NT, 1.73 +/- 0.2 days vs. controls, 12.74 +/- 0.4 days, P = 0.001 and IP patients mean NT, 3.1 +/- 0.24 days vs. controls, 12.74 +/- 0.4 days, P = 0.001). However, NT in those with IP was longer compared with those with EGD (mean NT in IP, 3.1 +/- 0.24 days vs. cumulative mean in EGD: 1.73 +/- 0.2 days, P = 0.002).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Nucleation time of bile in patients with IP is abnormal and is intermediate to nucleation time of lithogenic bile at one end of the spectrum of lithogenicity and non-lithogenic bile, at the other end.</p

Trust Perceptions of Online Travel Information by Different Content Creators: Some Social and Legal Implications

Consumers are increasingly turning to the online environment to provide information to assist them in making purchase decisions related to travel products. They often rely on travel recommendations from different sources, such as sellers, independent experts and, increasingly, other consumers. A new type of online content, usergenerated content (UGC), provides a number of legal and social challenges to providers and users of that content, especially in relation to areas such as defamation, misrepresentation and social embarrassment. This paper reports research that examined the level of trustworthiness of online travel information from these different sources. The study used a survey of Australian travel consumers (n= 12,000) and results support the notion that there are differences in the level of trust for online travel information from different sources. Respondents ‘tended to agree’ that they trusted information provided by travel agents, information from commercial operators and comments made by travellers on third party websites. However, the highest level of trust was afforded to information provided on State government tourism websites. These results suggest that greater trust is placed in online travel comments when they are on a specific travel website than when they are on a more generic social networking website. However, respondents were ‘not sure’ that they trusted comments made by travellers on weblogs and on social networking sites. Some 88% of respondents that had not visited UGC websites (or were unsure if they had) indicated that they thought that UGC would be useful in the future – suggesting that they feel that any concerns they may have in relation to legal and social problems resulting from its use will be resolved

Age-related difference in susceptibility of ApcMin/+ mice towards the chemopreventive efficacy of dietary aspirin and curcumin

The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug aspirin and the spice curcumin retard adenoma formation when administered long-term to ApcMin/+ mice, a model of human familial adenomatous polyposis coli. Both agents interfere with cyclooxygenase activity. When aspirin is administered to ApcMin/+ mice only postweaning, but not before, it is inefficacious, while curcumin given postweaning is active. Here the hypothesis was tested that dietary aspirin (0.05%) or curcumin (0.2%) prevent or delay adenoma formation in offsprings when administered to ApcMin/+ mothers and up to the end of weaning, but not afterwards. Whereas curcumin was without effect when administered in this way, aspirin reduced numbers of intestinal adenomas by 21%. When aspirin given up to the end of weaning was combined with curcumin administered from the end of weaning for the rest of the animals' lifetime, intestinal adenoma numbers were reduced by 38%. The combination was not superior to intervention postweaning with curcumin alone. These results show that aspirin exerts chemopreventive activity in the ApcMin/+ mouse during tumour initiation/early promotion, while curcumin is efficacious when given at a later stage of carcinogenic progression. Thus, the results suggest that in this mouse model aspirin and curcumin act during different ‘windows’ of neoplastic development

Embryonic Lethality in Mice Lacking the Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells 5 Protein Due to Impaired Cardiac Development and Function

Nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 protein (NFAT5) is thought to be important for cellular adaptation to osmotic stress by regulating the transcription of genes responsible for the synthesis or transport of organic osmolytes. It is also thought to play a role in immune function, myogenesis and cancer invasion. To better understand the function of NFAT5, we developed NFAT5 gene knockout mice. Homozygous NFAT5 null (NFAT5−/−) mouse embryos failed to develop normally and died after 14.5 days of embryonic development (E14.5). The embryos showed peripheral edema, and abnormal heart development as indicated by thinner ventricular wall and reduced cell density at the compact and trabecular areas of myocardium. This is associated with reduced level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and increased caspase-3 in these tissues. Cardiomyocytes from E14.5 NFAT5−/− embryos showed a significant reduction of beating rate and abnormal Ca2+ signaling profile as a consequence of reduced sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) and ryanodine receptor (RyR) expressions. Expression of NFAT5 target genes, such as HSP 70 and SMIT were reduced in NFAT5−/− cardiomyocytes. Our findings demonstrated an essential role of NFAT5 in cardiac development and Ca2+ signaling. Cardiac failure is most likely responsible for the peripheral edema and death of NFAT5−/− embryos at E14.5 days

Corporate Structure and Performance Feedback: Aspirations and Adaptation in M-Form Firms

In this study, we examine how business units of multidivisional (M-form) firms adapt their activities in response to poor performance at the corporate and business unit levels. By linking performance feedback theory with theories of attention and M-form organizations, we show that corporate structure influences the relationship between performance below aspirations and business unit adaptation. Because corporate structure vertically differentiates performance goals and problemistic search, solutions to performance problems vary across corporate and business unit levels, with divergent implications for business unit adaptation. We examine business unit adaptation empirically through new product introductions in the global mobile device industry, finding that poor performance at the business unit level leads to greater new product introductions. In contrast, corporate-level responses to performance problems have a negative cross-level effect on new product introductions. We also find that these negative effects are attenuated for strategically significant business units, which have more input into corporate responses. By linking structural and behavioral drivers of action, this paper contributes to the knowledge and understanding of adaptive behavior in multidivisional firms