What to Gain from Trade Show Information - an Empirical Study

Trade show is generally considered to be an effective marketing tool for products and services, but it also has an important role as information-sharing platform between trade show participants. This study examines what kind of value trade show information has for the companies attending a B2B trade show. In this study, the value of trade show information was measured by using the Return On Trade Show Information – model (RTSI) developed by Bettis-Outland, Cromartie, Johnston and Borders (2010). Using this framework, it was studied how information acquistion, dissemination and use, as well as quality of information impact on the tangible and intangible outcomes of trade show participation. In addition, the RTSI model was developed further and objective setting for information was included in the model. Quantitative methods were used to carry out the research. The data for this study was collected through an online questionnaire targeted to both exhibitors and visitors of a B2B trade show. The survey was sent out to 3550 trade show attendees of which 450 completed the questionnaire resulting a total response rate of 12,9 %. Two multiple regression models were used to analyze the data. The findings of this study show that information acquisition, dissemination and use have all significant impact on information value. These findings are in line with previous research on RTSI. In addition, this study has been able to demonstrate that quality of information has positive relationship with information value. Also, the objective setting was found to have significant impact on tangible and intangible outcomes of trade show participation

Differences in central actions of arachidonic acid and prostaglandin F2α_{2\alpha} between spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats

Prostag1andin F$_{2\alpha}$ (PGF$_{2\alpha}$) is one of the most common metabo1ites of arachidonic acid (M) in rat brain. When administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) to rats, both AA and PGFal exert dose-related hypertensive, tachycardic and hyperthermic effects. Metabolie alterations in the endogenaus formation of some prostaglandins in the brain-stem of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) have been reported. Therefore the central effects of AA and PGF $_{2\alpha}$ on blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature were studied both in SHR and nonootensive Wistar rats (NR) under urethane-anaesthesia. The hypertensive effect of AA i.c.v. (0.01-100 $\mu$g/rat) was larger in magni tude in SHR than in NR, but there was no significant difference in the M-induced changes of heart rate and body temperature between the groups. Pretreatment of NR wi th soditm1 :meclofenamate (1 mg/rat i.c.v.) antagonised the central effects of M indicating that these effects are not due to M itself but to its conversion to prostaglandins. Unlike the effects of AA, the central hypertensive, tachycardic and hyperthennic responses to PGF$_{2\alpha}$ (0.5-50 l-lg/rat i.c.v .) were significantly attenuated in SHR. The present results obtained with M are conpatible with the previous assumption that the synthesis of prostaglandins in the brain of SHR might differ from that in NR. The results also demonstrate that the central effects of PGF$_{2\alpha}$ are reduced in SHR

Философия и методология науки

НАУКАУЧЕБНО-МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ КОМПЛЕКСЫФИЛОСОФИЯУчебно-методический комплекс включает в себя учебную программу по философии и методологии науки для аспирантов и соискателей ГУО "Витебский государственный медицинский университет", методические рекомендации, тематический план и планы семинарских занятий, а также, примерную тематику и порядок написания реферата, список литературы и вопросы для самоконтроля

Cardiovascular effects of TRH i.c.v. in conscious rats

In addition to the endocrine effects, the thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) is known to induce dose-dependent increases in blood pressure and heart rate after intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration in urethane-anaesthetised rats (1, 2). The a~ of the present study was to investigate whether TRH has similar effects in conscious rats of various strains i.e. spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Wistar (NR) rats

The relationship between ventricular dilatation, neuropathological and neurobehavioural changes in hydrocephalic rats

BACKGROUND: The motor and cognitive deficits observed in hydrocephalus are thought to be due to axonal damage within the periventricular white matter. This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between ventricular size, cellular changes in brain, and neurobehavioural deficits in rats with experimental hydrocephalus. METHODS: Hydrocephalus was induced in three-week old rats by intracisternal injection of kaolin. Behavioural and motor function were tested four weeks after hydrocephalus induction and correlated to ventricular enlargement which was classified into mild, moderate or severe. Gross brain morphology, routine histology and immunohistochemistry for oligodendrocytes (CNPase), microglia (Iba-1) and astrocytes (GFAP) were performed to assess the cellular changes. RESULTS: Decreases in open field activity and forelimb grip strength in hydrocephalus correlated with the degree of ventriculomegaly. Learning in Morris water maze was significantly impaired in hydrocephalic rats. Gradual stretching of the ependymal layer, thinning of the corpus callosum, extracellular oedema and reduced cortical thickness were observed as the degree of ventriculomegaly increased. A gradual loss of oligodendrocytes in the corpus callosum and cerebral cortex was most marked in the severely-hydrocephalic brains, whereas the widespread astrogliosis especially in the subependymal layer was most marked in the brains with mild hydrocephalus. Retraction of microglial processes and increase in Iba-1 immunoreactivity in the white matter was associated ventriculomegaly. CONCLUSIONS: In hydrocephalic rats, oligodendrocyte loss, microglia activation, astrogliosis in cortical areas and thinning of the corpus callosum were associated with ventriculomegaly. The degree of ventriculomegaly correlated with motor and cognitive deficits

Ankara vastuu ja sen soveltamisalan muodostuminen oikeuskäytännössä

Tutkielmassa on tarkasteltu lainopillisin menetelmin ankaraa vastuuta sekä sitä, millaisiin tekijöihin ankara vastuu on korkeimman oikeuden ratkaisukäytännössä liitetty ja millaisia perusteita ankaran vastuun asettamisen taustalta voidaan hahmottaa. Ankaran vastuun soveltamisalaa on pyritty selvittämään ratkaisuharkinnan kannalta merkityksellisten argumenttien ja periaatteiden avulla. Lisäksi tutkielmassa on tarkasteltu korkeimman oikeuden roolia ankaran vastuun kehittäjänä sekä tuottamuksesta riippumattoman vastuun yleissäännöksen mahdollisuutta ja tarvetta. Ankaraan vastuuseen liitetyt käytännön tilanteet poikkeavat merkittävästi toisistaan, ja oikeuskäytännössä on muodostunut varsin hajanainen joukko tapauksia, joissa vastuun on katsottu syntyvän tuottamuksesta riippumatta. Tilanteille on tavallisesti yhteistä vahinkoon johtaneen toiminnan liittyminen harjoittajan elinkeinotoiminnan alaan ja toimintaan liittyvä henkilövahinkojen tai muiden vakavien vahinkojen riski. Tuottamuksesta riippumattoman vastuun voidaan nähdä olevan ensisijaisesti sidoksissa suuruudeltaan tai todennäköisyydeltään poikkeuksellisen vahinkoriskin aiheuttamiseen ja riskin jakamiseen siten, että se toteuttaa periaatetta sosiaalisesti oikeudenmukaisesta riskinjaosta. Vastuuharkinnassa huomiota kiinnitetään muun muassa vahingonaiheuttajan ja vahingonkärsijän vaikutusmahdollisuuksille pienentää vahinkoriskiä sekä näiden saamaan hyötyyn riskin ottamisesta. Oikeuskäytännön kehityksen myötä ankaraan vastuuseen on vakiintuneesti liitetty räjäytystöitä, kovapanosammuntojen järjestämistä, muunlaisen räjähdysvahinkoriskin tai tärinän aiheuttamista, palo- tai ympäristövaarallisen aineen säilyttämistä sekä moottoriurheilukilpailujen järjestämistä koskeva vastuu. Lisäksi ankara vastuu on liitetty oikeuskäytännössä työnantajan vastuuseen koneiden tai laitteiden puutteellisuuksista työntekijöille aiheutuneista vahingoista, turvetuotannosta aiheutuneisiin vahinkoihin sekä tietyissä tilanteissa terveydenhoidossa aiheutuneisiin vahinkoihin. Lisäksi vastuun on katsottu olevan tuottamuksesta riippumatonta sellaisissa tapauksissa, joissa vahinkotilanne on analoginen tietyn ankaran vastuun perustavan säädöksen kanssa. Riittävän kattavan ja kuitenkin täsmällisen ankaran vastuun yleissäännöksen laatiminen on osoittautunut erityisen haastavaksi, mutta tutkimuksen mukaan yleissäännös ei ole välttämättä tarpeellinen. Korkeimman oikeuden ratkaisukäytännössään luomat soveltamisedellytykset mahdollistaisivat lainsäädäntöä joustavamman ja yhteiskunnan muutosten mukana kehittyvän vastuuperusteen alan muotoilemisen. Oikeuskäytännössä on suhtauduttu hyvin pidättyväisesti ankaran vastuun alan laajentamiseen ilman kirjoitetun lain tukea, mikä käy ilmi useiden ratkaisujen perusteluista. Korkeimman oikeuden ratkaisukäytännöstä ilmenevä argumentaatio on myös paljolti sidoksissa yksittäistapaukselliseen tosiseikastoon, jolloin perusteluiden pohjalta on vaikea muodostaa ankaran vastuun yleistä soveltamisalaa koskevia päätelmiä. Tutkimuksessa esitetyn näkemyksen mukaan korkeimman oikeuden olisi kuitenkin mahdollista ottaa nykyistä aktiivisempi rooli ankaran vastuun soveltamisalan muodostamisessa

Exploiting moderate hypoxia to benefit patients with brain disease: Molecular mechanisms and translational research in progress

Hypoxia is increasingly recognized as an important physiological driving force. A specific transcriptional program, induced by a decrease in oxygen (O$_{2}$) availability, for example, inspiratory hypoxia at high altitude, allows cells to adapt to lower O$_{2}$ and limited energy metabolism. This transcriptional program is partly controlled by and partly independent of hypoxia‐inducible factors. Remarkably, this same transcriptional program is stimulated in the brain by extensive motor‐cognitive exercise, leading to a relative decrease in O$_{2}$ supply, compared to the acutely augmented O$_{2}$ requirement. We have coined the term “functional hypoxia” for this important demand‐responsive, relative reduction in O$_{2}$ availability. Functional hypoxia seems to be critical for enduring adaptation to higher physiological challenge that includes substantial “brain hardware upgrade,” underlying advanced performance. Hypoxia‐induced erythropoietin expression in the brain likely plays a decisive role in these processes, which can be imitated by recombinant human erythropoietin treatment. This article review presents hints of how inspiratory O$_{2}$ manipulations can potentially contribute to enhanced brain function. It thereby provides the ground for exploiting moderate inspiratory plus functional hypoxia to treat individuals with brain disease. Finally, it sketches a planned multistep pilot study in healthy volunteers and first patients, about to start, aiming at improved performance upon motor‐cognitive training under inspiratory hypoxia

Skull Fractures Induce Neuroinflammation and Worsen Outcomes after Closed Head Injury in Mice

Publisher Copyright: © Liga Zvejniece et al., 2020; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2020. Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.The weight-drop model is used widely to replicate closed-head injuries in mice; however, the histopathological and functional outcomes may vary significantly between laboratories. Because skull fractures are reported to occur in this model, we aimed to evaluate whether these breaks may influence the variability of the weight-drop (WD) model. Male Swiss Webster mice underwent WD injury with either a 2 or 5 mm cone tip, and behavior was assessed at 2 h and 24 h thereafter using the neurological severity score. The expression of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 genes was measured at 12 h and 1, 3, and 14 days after injury. Before the injury, micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) was performed to quantify skull thickness at the impact site. With a conventional tip diameter of 2 mm, 33% of mice showed fractures of the parietal bone; the 5 mm tip produced only 10% fractures. Compared with mice without fractures, mice with fractures had a severity-dependent worse functional outcome and a more pronounced upregulation of inflammatory genes in the brain. Older mice were associated with thicker parietal bones and were less prone to skull fractures. In addition, mice that underwent traumatic brain injury (TBI) with skull fracture had macroscopic brain damage because of skull depression. Skull fractures explain a considerable proportion of the variability observed in the WD model in mice - i.e., mice with skull fractures have a much stronger inflammatory response than do mice without fractures. Using older mice with thicker skull bones and an impact cone with a larger diameter reduces the rate of skull fractures and the variability in this very useful closed-head TBI model.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Focal brain trauma in the cryogenic lesion model in mice

The method to induce unilateral cryogenic lesions was first described in 1958 by Klatzo. We describe here an adaptation of this model that allows reliable measurement of lesion volume and vasogenic edema by 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride-staining and Evans blue extravasation in mice. A copper or aluminium cylinder with a tip diameter of 2.5 mm is cooled with liquid nitrogen and placed on the exposed skull bone over the parietal cortex (coordinates from bregma: 1.5 mm posterior, 1.5 mm lateral). The tip diameter and the contact time between the tip and the parietal skull determine the extent of cryolesion. Due to an early damage of the blood brain barrier, the cryogenic cortical injury is characterized by vasogenic edema, marked brain swelling, and inflammation. The lesion grows during the first 24 hours, a process involving complex interactions between endothelial cells, immune cells, cerebral blood flow, and the intracranial pressure. These contribute substantially to the damage from the initial injury. The major advantage of the cryogenic lesion model is the circumscribed and highly reproducible lesion size and location