Multinational Enterprise Competition: Grounding The Eclectic Paradigm Of Foreign Production In Resource-Advantage Theory

Purpose – This paper seeks to explicate a dynamic theory of competition, i.e. the resource-advantage theory of competition, with the aim of developing a theoretical foundation for the eclectic paradigm of foreign production. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is conceptual in approach. Findings – The paper develops a set of five criteria that should be met by any theory that attempts to ground the eclectic paradigm. In addition, it demonstrates that the resource-advantage theory of competition meets all of these criteria. Research limitations/implications – By providing a theoretical foundation for the eclectic paradigm of foreign production, the paper provides researchers with a broader perspective from which to investigate multinational enterprise competition. Originality/value – The usefulness of frameworks, such as the eclectic paradigm of foreign production, is limited when they are not grounded in positive theories. By grounding the eclectic paradigm of foreign production, this paper enhances the paradigm’s usefulness

ECONOMIC IMPACT EVALUATION OF GLOBAL MARKETING SUPPORT SERVICES - AN EXPORTS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ON THE ECONOMY OF ARKANSAS

This study determines the impact of Global Marketing Support Services (GMSS) - an exports assistance program in assisting 13 small and medium sized businesses to export. The total impact of exports (direct, indirect and induced effects) on added value, employment, labor income and tax impacts in Arkansas are estimated using Impact Analysis for Planning (IMPLAN).International Relations/Trade,

Importance of the ebp (endocarditis- and biofilm-associated pilus) locus in the pathogenesis of Enterococcus faecalis ascending urinary tract infection.

BACKGROUND: We recently demonstrated that the ubiquitous Enterococcus faecalis ebp (endocarditis- and biofilm-associated pilus) operon is important for biofilm formation and experimental endocarditis. Here, we assess its role in murine urinary tract infection (UTI) by use of wild-type E. faecalis OG1RF and its nonpiliated, ebpA allelic replacement mutant (TX5475). METHODS: OG1RF and TX5475 were administered transurethrally either at an ~1 : 1 ratio (competition assay) or individually (monoinfection). Kidney pairs and urinary bladders were cultured 48 h after infection. These strains were also tested in a peritonitis model. RESULTS: No differences were observed in the peritonitis model. In mixed UTIs, OG1RF significantly outnumbered TX5475 in kidneys (P=.0033) and bladders (P\u3c or =.0001). More OG1RF colony-forming units were also recovered from the kidneys of monoinfected mice at the 4 inocula tested (P=.015 to P=.049), and 50% infective doses of OG1RF for kidneys and bladder (9.1x10(1) and 3.5x10(3) cfu, respectively) were 2-3 log(10) lower than those of TX5475. Increased tropism for the kidney relative to the bladder was observed for both OG1RF and TX5475. CONCLUSION: The ebp locus, part of the core genome of E. faecalis, contributes to infection in an ascending UTI model and is the first such enterococcal locus shown to be important in this site

Adherence to host extracellular matrix and serum components by Enterococcus faecium isolates of diverse origin.

Enterococcus faecium has emerged as an important cause of nosocomial infections over the last two decades. We recently demonstrated collagen type I (CI) as a common adherence target for some E. faecium isolates and a significant correlation was found to exist between acm-mediated CI adherence and clinical origin. Here, we evaluated 60 diverse E. faecium isolates for their adherence to up to 15 immobilized host extracellular matrix and serum components. Adherence phenotypes were most commonly observed to fibronectin (Fn) (20% of the 60 isolates), fibrinogen (17%) and laminin (Ln) (13%), while only one or two of the isolates adhered to collagen type V (CV), transferrin or lactoferrin and none to the other host components tested. Adherence to Fn and Ln was almost exclusively restricted to clinical isolates, especially the endocarditis-enriched nosocomial genogroup clonal complex 17 (CC17). Thus, the ability to adhere to Fn and Ln, in addition to CI, may have contributed to the emergence and adaptation of E. faecium, in particular CC17, as a nosocomial pathogen

Skill Up Tennessee: Job training that works

Employment and training services offered through Extension are part of and continue a long tradition of policy-focused employment and job training. This paper chronicles the successes of UT Extension’s work as a third-party partner in the delivery of workforce development programming geared toward individuals receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The paper begins with an overview of the federal program and a discussion of how Tennessee forged a state-level partnership for the delivery of workforce services. Data showing program success including number of participants served, supportive services offered, and economic impact are highlighted. Finally, lessons learned are outlined

Hairy cell leukemia : experience at a tertiary cancer centre in Northern India

Background : The prognosis of Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) has improved markedly following treatment with cladribine (2- CdA), a nucleoside analogue. We reviewed data on patients with HCL treated in our department. Methods . Between 1995 and 2004, 23 patients with hairy cell leukemia (HCL) were diagnosed Patients median age was 48.5 years (range, 32 to 66 years), there were 18 males and 5 females. The common presenting symptoms were: fatigue (82.6%), fever (34.7%), abdominal discomfort (21.7%), arthralgia/bone pains (13%) and bleeding (17.3%). 22 of 23 (95.6%) patients had enlarged spleen, and hepatomegaly (65%). Lymph node enlargement was present in 17% of patients. Investigations revealedmedian Hb of 7.8g% (5.7 to 12.9 g%), thrombocytopenia (median 55000/cmm) and median WBC count of 3500/cmm (range, 600 to 20,200/cmm). Bicytopenia or pancytopenia was present in 87% and bone marrow fibrosis in 75% of cases. Immunophenotyping studies revealed expression of CD11C (60%), CD25 (60%), FMC7(47.8%), CD23(34.8%), CD103 in 39% of cases. 20 of 23 patients received treatment; two received treatment else where and one patient died of liver failure prior to treatment. 17 of 20 patients were treated with 2-CdA, 2 with interferon alfa (IFN-a) and one patient underwent splenectomy alone. Three patients received 2-CdA as second line therapy for treatment of relapse: this includes . one patient each, treated with IFN- α and splenectomy both and one patient received 2-cdA twice in view of relapse. Results . Following treatment with 2CdA . 95% of patients responded; complete-84.2% and partial response in 10.5%. one (5.2%) patient died of toxicity. Two patients relapsed at a mean follow up of 25 months. The common side effects were febrile episodes (n=10) and grade I-II myelosuppression. One patient died of toxicity to 2-CdA. This patient was a known case of multidrug resistant disseminated tuberculosis. He had severe myelosuppression with fungal sepsis with multiorgan failure and BM Aspirate was positive for AFB. Other infections documented were Pulmonary tuberculosis in 2 and herpes zoster in one patient. The patient who underwent Splenectomy achieved remission but relapsed after 3 years and was salvaged with 2-CdA again. Median time for normalization of blood counts after 2-CdA was 28 days and median time to regress spleen was 41.5 days . Conclusion . Present study confirms good outcome with 2-CdA (cladribine) therapy for patients of hairy cell leukemia

Computational Fluid Dynamic study on the effect of near gravity material on dense medium cyclone treating coal using Discrete Phase Model and Algebraic Slip mixture multiphase model

In this paper, the effect of near gravity material at desired separation density during the coal washing is studied. It is believed that the Dense Medium Separation of coal particles in the presence of high percentage of near gravity material, results in a significant misplacement of coal particles to wrong products. However the performance of dense medium cyclone does not merely depend on the total amount of near gravity materials but also on their distribution as well as on their quality. This paper deals with numerical simulation of magnetite medium segregation and coal partitioning handled in a 350 mm dense medium cyclone. Volume of Fluid coupled with Reynolds Stress Model is used to resolve the two-phase air-core and turbulence. Algebraic Slip mixture multiphase model with the granular options are considered to predict magnetite medium segregation. Medium segregation results are validated against Gamma Ray Tomography measurements. Further, Discrete Phase Model is used to track the coal particles. Residence Time Distribution of different size and density coal particles are also estimated using Discrete Phase Model. Additionally, Algebraic Slip mixture model is also utilised to simulate magnetite and coal particle segregation at different near gravity material proportions. Discrepancies in the coal particle behaviour at different near gravity material content are explained using locus of zero vertical velocities, mixture density, coal volume fractions

Analysis of clonality and antibiotic resistance among early clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium in the United States.

BACKGROUND: The Enterococcus faecium genogroup, referred to as clonal complex 17 (CC17), seems to possess multiple determinants that increase its ability to survive and cause disease in nosocomial environments. METHODS: Using 53 clinical and geographically diverse US E. faecium isolates dating from 1971 to 1994, we determined the multilocus sequence type; the presence of 16 putative virulence genes (hyl(Efm), esp(Efm), and fms genes); resistance to ampicillin (AMP) and vancomycin (VAN); and high-level resistance to gentamicin and streptomycin. RESULTS: Overall, 16 different sequence types (STs), mostly CC17 isolates, were identified in 9 different regions of the United States. The earliest CC17 isolates were part of an outbreak that occurred in 1982 in Richmond, Virginia. The characteristics of CC17 isolates included increases in resistance to AMP, the presence of hyl(Efm) and esp(Efm), emergence of resistance to VAN, and the presence of at least 13 of 14 fms genes. Eight of 41 of the early isolates with resistance to AMP, however, were not in CC17. CONCLUSIONS: Although not all early US AMP isolates were clonally related, E. faecium CC17 isolates have been circulating in the United States since at least 1982 and appear to have progressively acquired additional virulence and antibiotic resistance determinants, perhaps explaining the recent success of this species in the hospital environment

Identification and phenotypic characterization of a second collagen adhesin, Scm, and genome-based identification and analysis of 13 other predicted MSCRAMMs, including four distinct pilus loci, in Enterococcus faecium.

Attention has recently been drawn to Enterococcus faecium because of an increasing number of nosocomial infections caused by this species and its resistance to multiple antibacterial agents. However, relatively little is known about the pathogenic determinants of this organism. We have previously identified a cell-wall-anchored collagen adhesin, Acm, produced by some isolates of E. faecium, and a secreted antigen, SagA, exhibiting broad-spectrum binding to extracellular matrix proteins. Here, we analysed the draft genome of strain TX0016 for potential microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs). Genome-based bioinformatics identified 22 predicted cell-wall-anchored E. faecium surface proteins (Fms), of which 15 (including Acm) had characteristics typical of MSCRAMMs, including predicted folding into a modular architecture with multiple immunoglobulin-like domains. Functional characterization of one [Fms10; redesignated second collagen adhesin of E. faecium (Scm)] revealed that recombinant Scm(65) (A- and B-domains) and Scm(36) (A-domain) bound to collagen type V efficiently in a concentration-dependent manner, bound considerably less to collagen type I and fibrinogen, and differed from Acm in their binding specificities to collagen types IV and V. Results from far-UV circular dichroism measurements of recombinant Scm(36) and of Acm(37) indicated that these proteins were rich in beta-sheets, supporting our folding predictions. Whole-cell ELISA and FACS analyses unambiguously demonstrated surface expression of Scm in most E. faecium isolates. Strikingly, 11 of the 15 predicted MSCRAMMs clustered in four loci, each with a class C sortase gene; nine of these showed similarity to Enterococcus faecalis Ebp pilus subunits and also contained motifs essential for pilus assembly. Antibodies against one of the predicted major pilus proteins, Fms9 (redesignated EbpC(fm)), detected a \u27ladder\u27 pattern of high-molecular-mass protein bands in a Western blot analysis of cell surface extracts from E. faecium, suggesting that EbpC(fm) is polymerized into a pilus structure. Further analysis of the transcripts of the corresponding gene cluster indicated that fms1 (ebpA(fm)), fms5 (ebpB(fm)) and ebpC(fm) are co-transcribed, a result consistent with those for pilus-encoding gene clusters of other Gram-positive bacteria. All 15 genes occurred frequently in 30 clinically derived diverse E. faecium isolates tested. The common occurrence of MSCRAMM- and pilus-encoding genes and the presence of a second collagen-binding protein may have important implications for our understanding of this emerging pathogen

Automated Aqua-Hydroponics System Using Arduino, Plc and IoT

Promotion of soil-less organic horticulture farming practices in small and large scale markets. The promotion is done in the traditional way of aquaponics or hydroponics as a separate farming technique. The combination of this technique with the help of automation in a single system will promote high reach in the development of organic horticulture farming. The automation is done with the help of Arduino for small-scale purposes and PLC for large-scale purposes. IoT is used for displaying the necessary parameters of the system