Coping With Dissonance: Psychological Mechanisms That Enable Ambivalent Attitudes Toward Animals

People generally tend to love and show care for animals. Yet they also purchase and consume animal products that are produced in a way that causes animals great suffering. This critical literature review focuses on the psychological mechanisms that ease or eliminate cognitive tensions associated with the recognition of one’s contribution to animal suffering. The major mechanisms discussed are cognitive dissonance, psychic numbing, denial of mind, and linguistic objectification. Psychosocial factors are also discussed, including physical invisibility of animal cruelty, improper socialization about farm animals, and group biases. Recent studies specifically focused on human attitudes toward animals and their suffering are supplemented by attention to broader coping mechanisms associated with the large-scale suffering of others. The results of the research discussed in this review suggest that cognitive dissonance is the cause of unpleasant guilt associated with animal suffering and is thus a crucial motivating factor for behavioral or attitudinal change. Since most Americans do not cease consumption of animal products, attitudinal changes are presented as the preferred route to dissonance reduction. The mechanism of psychic numbing may aid in dulling the negative affect associated with mass suffering. Denial of mind to animals may ease tension by devaluing their suffering, which is likely also a result of linguistic objectification. Social factors are suggested as aiding these mechanisms. Overall these findings suggest that ending animal cruelty will involve significant psychological and social adjustments in the way we think about and address animals

Knowledge and understanding of pharmacogenomic testing among patients and health care professionals : a scoping review

OBJECTIVE: To support the introduction of pharmacogenomic tests in current practice, this study identifies the factors associated with a better understanding of the information related to genetic, genomic and/or pharmacogenomic tests by patients and health care professionals. METHODS: Following a scoping review methodology, a search for literature was conducted with keywords related to health literacy and knowledge translation in the context of pharmacogenomic tests. Since only 6 articles were identified, the context of genetic or genomic testing were added to the inclusion criteria, leading to 24 articles. RESULTS: Fourteen of the studies analyzed focused on genetic predictive, diagnostic or carrier tests, or concerned genetics in general, while ten addressed or included the use of pharmacogenomic tests. Demographic, individual, experiential and contextual factors were associated with a better understanding of the information related to genetic, genomic and/or pharmacogenomic tests among the targeted populations. RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS: Our review shows that there is currently little empirical research available to identify the factors to consider in order to develop educational tools and resources specific to pharmacogenomics. CONCLUSION: Expanding our review to include genetic and genomic testing factors can serve as a starting point for the evidence to be validated in future empirical research

L'internationalisation des entreprises de biotechnologie

La présente étude démontre que l'entrepreneurship international, la gestion internationale et la gestion des entreprises de biotechnologie reposent sur une base multifactorielle en ce qui a trait aux entreprises de biotechnologie en santé humaine dans le domaine thérapeutique. Cette théorie multifactorielle de l'internationalisation s'appuie sur l'analyse de 430 accords technologiques répartis entre Montréal et Boston en tenant compte de trois fonctions, soit, la recherche et développement (R-D), la production et le marketing. Il est important de souligner que le tissu socioéconomique distingue les entreprises de Montréal de celles de Boston et module également les caractéristiques des entreprises et la nature des accords technologiques. La théorie multifactorielle tient compte des quatre mesures de l'internationalisation, soit la vitesse, le rythme, la diversité et l'intensité dûment associés aux trois fonctions et à la nature des accords technologiques. Les résultats de notre recherche mettent en lumière l'importance du tissu socioéconomique. Ainsi, la maturité des régions dans le domaine thérapeutique, les ressources humaines et financières disponibles, la proximité d'infrastructures de production et de multinationales, ainsi que l'homogénéité de la population influencent les caractéristiques des entreprises dont dépend l'élaboration d'accords technologiques à l'étranger. Alors que l'expérience précédente du dirigeant et l'obtention de capital de risque entraînent l'augmentation du nombre de brevets et d'employés, l'âge de l'entreprise affecte l'étape de développement de son produit le plus avancé et sa présence en Bourse. À Montréal, l'internationalisation s'inscrit dans le vécu des entreprises en matière de R-D pour parer à l'homogénéité du milieu socioéconomique, pour rechercher la complémentarité des ressources et des compétences. Ces entreprises utilisent particulièrement les achats de licences et les alliances de R-D à la fois avec des universités et avec de petites entreprises étrangères, principalement américaines. À Boston, le tissu socioéconomique permet aux entreprises de se développer à l'échelle nationale en offrant notamment une indépendance financière qui leur concède le privilège de choisir les accords les plus prometteurs, dont ceux avec de grandes corporations, et ce, au moment opportun. La proximité de multinationales favorise les liens et permet de restreindre leurs accords technologiques étrangers dont le rythme de ceux tout de même établis est plus rapide en raison de ce support. D'ailleurs, ces entreprises s'illustrent davantage sur la scène internationale pour le marketing. En fait. les accords de R-D avec des multinationales semblent se convertir en ventes de licences. Enfin, la documentation et la diflusion des apprentissages sur les procédures de formation des accords technologiques influencent la vitesse, le rythme et la diversité de l'internationalisation. Cependant, plus de dirigeants devraient mettre en place des mesures incitatives pour bénéficier de ces avantages. Bref, l'intégration des théories économiques et comportementales de la gestion internationale ainsi que des observations empiriques en entrepreneurship international dans une théorie multifactorielle permet une compréhension intégrée et globale du processus d'internationalisation des entreprises de biotechnologie thérapeutique. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Entrepreneurship international, Internationalisation, Accords technologiques, Biotechnologie

Purification et études toxicologiques des variants 042 et 17-2 de l'entérotoxine east1 (EnteroAggregative escherichia coli heat-Stable Toxin 1)

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal

Functional and contextual dimensions of INVs’ alliance partner selection

Prior research on the selection of international alliance partners calls for investigation of the potential specificity of selection criteria for evaluating partners for alliances with different objectives or functions. The present study responds to this need and contributes to the development of the field of international entrepreneurship by examining the relation between the alliance function and the criteria chosen. We studied three alliance functions: R&D, production, and marketing. Second, for each alliance function, we analyzed the criteria selected within two contexts: developing countries and those that consider emerging markets in their partner choice set. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 25 executives from INVs in two major North American biotechnology clusters, representing 239 alliances. 65.7% of these were signed with international partners. Results indicate that, aside from compatibility/complementarity of resources (R&D and production alliances), all criteria used within a single function are unique to that function. Furthermore, these criteria differ somewhat when the potential partners considered by a firm include those from both emerging and developed markets, compared to firms that limit potential partners to those in developed markets contexts. Finally, the study reveals that respondent firms integrate country, industry, and market attractiveness factors with partner selection criteria for marketing alliances. This suggests that, for many firms, market choice and partner selection are not successive steps. The study’s originality lies in its focus on the relationship between alliance function and partner selection criteria used by INVs as well as within different contexts.Des études précédentes portant sur la sélection des partenaires pour des alliances internationales soulèvent le besoin d’examiner la spécificité des critères de sélection dans l’évaluation des partenaires pour des fonctions différentes. Cet article répond à ce besoin et contribue au développement du domaine de l’entrepreneuriat international en analysant la relation entre l’objectif et les critères choisis pour trois types d’alliances : recherche et développement, production et marketing. Pour chaque fonction, les critères sont aussi analysés dans deux contextes : les entreprises qui limitent leurs partenaires à des pays développés et celles qui considèrent les pays en émergence. Des entrevues semi-structurées ont été réalisées auprès de 25 dirigeants de nouvelles entreprises internationales en biotechnologie de Montréal et de Boston, totalisant 239 alliances, dont 157 internationales. Les résultats indiquent que, mis à part la complémentarité et la compatibilité, tous les critères utilisés à l’intérieur d’une fonction lui sont spécifiques. Les critères peuvent diverger lorsque les partenaires potentiels proviennent de marchés émergents en plus de marchés développés. Pour les alliances marketing, les entreprises répondantes prennent en compte, en sus des critères de sélection reliés au partenaire, l’attractivité du pays, de l’industrie et du marché. Pour plusieurs entreprises, le choix du marché et la sélection du partenaire ne constitueraient pas des étapes successives. L’originalité de cette recherche repose sur le fait qu’elle se concentre sur la relation entre la fonction de l’alliance et les critères de sélection utilisés par les entreprises, qui pourront aussi varier selon le contexte

Opportunity recognition by international high technology start-up and growth photonics firms

For high technology firms that depend on foreign markets from the outset, identifying opportunities is a matter not only of business development but of survival. This study contributes to the opportunity recognition literature by exploring the paths taken by these international entrepreneurs to find opportunities in foreign markets. Moreover, it examines the paths of firms at different lifecycle stages. Based on in-depth interviews with 5 start-ups and 5 growth firms in Canada specialized in photonics, this research delves into both the personal characteristics of the entrepreneurial teams and the methods they use to find international opportunities. The sources they use as well as the actions undertaken are examined and compared. The practical goal is to identify path components which may be adjusted in start-up firms to improve the probability of finding and developing fruitful opportunities

Exploring the use of a participative design in the early development of a predictive test : the importance of physician involvement

In this study, we contribute to the personalized medicine and health care management literature by developing and testing a new participative design approach. We propose that involving gastroenterologists in the development of a predictive test to assist them in their clinical decision-making process for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases will increase the likelihood of their acceptance of the innovation. Based on data obtained from 6 focus groups across Canada from a total of 28 physicians, analyses reveal that current tools do not enable discriminating between treatment options to find the best fit for each patient. Physicians expect a new predictive tool to have the capability of showing clear reliability and significant benefits for the patient, while being accessible in a timely manner that facilitates clinical decisions. Physicians also insist on their key role in the implementation process, hence confirming the relevance and importance of participative designs in personalized medicine

Patients’ perception of their involvement in shared treatment decision making : key factors in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

Objectives This study aims to characterize the relationships between the quality of the information given by the physician, the involvement of the patient in shared decision making (SDM), and outcomes in terms of satisfaction and anxiety pertaining to the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods A Web survey was conducted among 200 Canadian patients affected with IBD. The theoretical model of SDM was adjusted using path analysis. SAS software was used for all statistical analyses. Results The quality of the knowledge transfer between the physician and the patient is significantly associated with the components of SDM: information comprehension, patient involvement and decision certainty about the chosen treatment. In return, patient involvement in SDM is significantly associated with higher satisfaction and, as a result, lower anxiety as regards treatment selection. Conclusions This study demonstrates the importance of involving patients in shared treatment decision making in the context of IBD. Practice implications Understanding shared decision making may motivate patients to be more active in understanding the relevant information for treatment selection, as it is related to their level of satisfaction, anxiety and adherence to treatment. This relationship should encourage physicians to promote shared decision making

Adaptive Movement Compensation for In Vivo Imaging of Fast Cellular Dynamics within a Moving Tissue

In vivo non-linear optical microscopy has been essential to advance our knowledge of how intact biological systems work. It has been particularly enabling to decipher fast spatiotemporal cellular dynamics in neural networks. The power of the technique stems from its optical sectioning capability that in turn also limits its application to essentially immobile tissue. Only tissue not affected by movement or in which movement can be physically constrained can be imaged fast enough to conduct functional studies at high temporal resolution. Here, we show dynamic two-photon Ca2+ imaging in the spinal cord of a living rat at millisecond time scale, free of motion artifacts using an optical stabilization system. We describe a fast, non-contact adaptive movement compensation approach, applicable to rough and weakly reflective surfaces, allowing real-time functional imaging from intrinsically moving tissue in live animals. The strategy involves enslaving the position of the microscope objective to that of the tissue surface in real-time through optical monitoring and a closed feedback loop. The performance of the system allows for efficient image locking even in conditions of random or irregular movements

L’entrepreneuriat international : origines et perspectives

Les PME sont perçues comme rapides en exécution et en décision, innovantes et spécialisées dans leur domaine. Les grandes entreprises sont indépendantes, crédibles, moins risquées et possèdent de nombreuses ressources internes. Ces différences font en sorte que les PME et les grandes entreprises se complètent parfois très bien. En ce sens, les grandes entreprises se tournent vers les PME pour bonifier leur portefeuille de produits, profiter de leur capacité à innover et épargner certains frais. À l’inverse, les PME s’intéressent aux grandes entreprises pour leur aptitude à s’internationaliser, leur crédibilité et pour le partage des coûts et des risques