Network exploration and exploitation capabilities and foreign market knowledge: The enabling and disenabling boundary conditions for international performance

This empirical study analyzes how strategic orientations influence the relationships between exploration and exploitation-related networking capabilities, foreign market knowledge, and market performance of 198 internationally operating firms in Bangladesh. The results of hierarchical regression showed that a higher level of network exploration capability and network exploitation capability individually generate greater foreign market knowledge. In addition, our results show that international entrepreneurial orientation reinforces the positive effect of network exploration capability.The positive association between market knowledge and performance, in turn, is accentuated by a proactive export market orientation but attenuated by a responsive export market orientation. These findings suggest that, while both types of networking capabilities are beneficial to develop stocks of foreign market knowledge, firms can acquire and create greater knowledge if they strategically align entrepreneurial orientation with network exploration capability.Further, to use this market knowledge with the goal of improving their position in international markets, firms need to develop a proactive rather than a responsive export market orientation. The current study contributes to the literature on networking capabilities by analyzing firms' networking capabilities with the lens of exploration-exploitation typologies and incorporating strategic orientations as the contextual factors of such capabilities.</p

Characterization of the pscC (Type III secretion) gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA01) and assessment of immunogenicity of pscC protein in rats

Proteins associated with the bacterial membrane can be recruited for application as antigens for the development of vaccines. This preliminary study was directed towards evaluating the antigenic properties of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA01) pscC protein which is a component of the Type III secretion system. Gene specific primers were designed to isolate the pscC gene which was isolated, ligated onto the multiple cloning site of vector pGS21(a), cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli (BL21). The molecular weight of the expressed pscC protein was determined by SDS-PAGE (10% sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) and was found to be around 57 KDa and purified by the size exclusion chromatography. Finally, the purified pscC protein was injected subcutaneously into adult Sprague Dawley rats with a range of concentrations (50, 100 and 150 microgram per rat) respectively. Recombinant pscC antigen induced a specific humoral immune response against the antigen, which was validated by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results concluded that anti-pscC antibody was elicited in the animal model

Contaminated Turmeric Is a Potential Source of Lead Exposure for Children in Rural Bangladesh

Background. During the conduct of a cohort study intended to study the associations between mixed metal exposures and child health outcomes, we found that 78% of 309 children aged 20–40 months evaluated in the Munshiganj District of Bangladesh had blood lead concentrations ≥5 µg/dL and 27% had concentrations ≥10 µg/dL. Hypothesis. Environmental sources such as spices (e.g., turmeric, which has already faced recalls in Bangladesh due to high lead levels) may be a potential route of lead exposure. Methods. We conducted visits to the homes of 28 children randomly selected from among high and low blood lead concentration groups. During the visits, we administered a structured questionnaire and obtained soil, dust, rice, and spice samples. We obtained water samples from community water sources, as well as environmental samples from neighborhood businesses. Results. Lead concentrations in many turmeric samples were elevated, with lead concentrations as high as 483 ppm. Analyses showed high bioaccessibility of lead. Conclusions. Contamination of turmeric powder is a potentially important source of lead exposure in this population

Adherence to infection prevention and control measures among healthcare workers serving in COVID-19 treatment centers in Punjab, Pakistan

Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are easily adoptable activities to prevent the spread of infection to patients as well as among health care workers (HCWs). This cross-sectional study evaluated the adherence to IPC measures among HCWs working at COVID-19 treatment centers in Punjab, Pakistan. HCWs were recruited via convenient sampling through Google form® using the World Health Organization risk assessment tool. All data were analyzed using SPSS 20. A total of 414 HCWs completed the survey (response rate=67.8%), and majority of them were males (56.3%). Most of the HCWs were nurses (39.6%) followed by medical doctors (27.3%). Around 53% reported insufficiency of personal protective equipment (PPE), 58.2% didn’t receive IPC training and 40.8% didn’t have functional IPC team at their health facilities. The majority of HCWs (90%) used disposable gloves and N95 facemasks while interacting with COVID-19 patients. Nearly 45% used protective face shields and gowns before providing care to their patients. Hand hygiene practices while touching, and performing any aseptic procedure was adopted by 70.5% and 74.1% of HCWs, respectively. In conclusion, the adherence to IPC measures among Pakistani HCWs working in COVID-19 treatment centers is good despite the limited availability of PPEs. Their practices can be optimized by establishing institutional IPC teams, periodic provision of IPC training and necessary PPE

Contaminated Turmeric Is a Potential Source of Lead Exposure for Children in Rural Bangladesh

Background. During the conduct of a cohort study intended to study the associations between mixed metal exposures and child health outcomes, we found that 78% of 309 children aged 20-40 months evaluated in the Munshiganj District of Bangladesh had blood lead concentrations ≥5 g/dL and 27% had concentrations ≥10 g/dL. Hypothesis. Environmental sources such as spices (e.g., turmeric, which has already faced recalls in Bangladesh due to high lead levels) may be a potential route of lead exposure. Methods. We conducted visits to the homes of 28 children randomly selected from among high and low blood lead concentration groups. During the visits, we administered a structured questionnaire and obtained soil, dust, rice, and spice samples. We obtained water samples from community water sources, as well as environmental samples from neighborhood businesses. Results. Lead concentrations in many turmeric samples were elevated, with lead concentrations as high as 483 ppm. Analyses showed high bioaccessibility of lead. Conclusions. Contamination of turmeric powder is a potentially important source of lead exposure in this population