bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
β1 integrin-mediated multicellular resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma through activation of the FAK/Akt pathway
Authors: Tian Tao , Li Chun-Li , Fu Xiao , Wang Shu-Hong , Lu Jun , Guo Hui , Yao Yu , Nan Ke-Jun , Yang Yu-Juan
Published: January 2018

Objective

To explore the role and mechanism of β1 integrin in the regulation of multicellular drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

This in vitro study used a liquid overlay technique to obtain multicellular spheroids of two human HCC cell lines, HepG2 and Bel-7402. The morphology of the spheroids was observed by optical and electron microscopy. The effects of exposure to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (CDDP) on cell proliferation and the induction of apoptosis were assessed in monolayer cells and multicellular spheroids. The levels of β1 integrin and the effects on the focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway were evaluated using Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The role of β1 integrin was confirmed by using an inhibitory antibody.

Results

Cell proliferation inhibition and cell apoptosis induced by 5-FUl and CDDP were abrogated in multicellular spheroids compared with monolayer cells. There were high levels of β1 integrin in multicellular spheroids. β1 integrin inhibitory antibody prevented the formation of multicellular spheroids, coupled with a significant increase in proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction. β1 integrin inhibitory antibody effectively suppressed activation of both FAK and Akt in multicellular spheroids.

Conclusions

β1 integrin mediated multicellular drug resistance through the FAK/Akt pathway in HCC spheroids.
Localized autoimmune pancreatitis mimicking pancreatic cancer: Case report and literature review
Authors: Hsu Wen-Ling , Chang Shu-Min , Wu Pei-Yin , Chang Chin-Chuan
Published: January 2018

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AP) is a rare autoimmune pancreatic manifestation of systemic immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related sclerosing disease. Distinguishing between AP and pancreatic cancer is crucial because the clinical courses, treatments, and prognoses of these two disease entities are quite different. We herein report a case involving a 52-year-old man with subacute epigastralgia who visited our hospital for evaluation of a suspicious pancreatic mass found during esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed an enlarged lesion in the pancreatic head with encasement of hepatic vessels. The lesion also exhibited increased 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose accumulation on positron emission tomography/CT imaging, which was highly suggestive of pancreatic cancer. After open biopsy, morphologic examination showed an inflammatory infiltrate in the pancreas, which was compatible with chronic sclerotic pancreatitis. Further laboratory tests revealed an elevated serum IgG4 level, and the diagnosis of sclerotic pancreatitis was then confirmed. After corticosteroid treatment, the pancreatic lesion showed shrinkage on follow-up CT, and the serum IgG4 titer decreased to the normal range. This case suggests that clinicians should be familiar with the clinical presentations and diagnostic criteria of AP versus pancreatic cancer. An awareness of the differences between these diseases may avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary surgical intervention.
Serum potassium levels and outcomes in critically ill patients in the medical intensive care unit
Authors: Tongyoo Surat , Viarasilpa Tanuwong , Permpikul Chairat
Published: January 2018

Objective

To compare the outcomes of patients with and without a mean serum potassium (K+) level within the recommended range (3.5–4.5 mEq/L).

Methods

This prospective cohort study involved patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) of Siriraj Hospital from May 2012 to February 2013. The patients’ baseline characteristics, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, serum K+ level, and hospital outcomes were recorded. Patients with a mean K+ level of 3.5 to 4.5 mEq/L and with all individual K+ values of 3.0 to 5.0 mEq/L were allocated to the normal K+ group. The remaining patients were allocated to the abnormal K+ group.

Results

In total, 160 patients were included. Their mean age was 59.3±18.3 years, and their mean APACHE II score was 21.8±14.0. The normal K+ group comprised 74 (46.3%) patients. The abnormal K+ group had a significantly higher mean APACHE II score, proportion of coronary artery disease, and rate of vasopressor treatment. An abnormal serum K+ level was associated with significantly higher ICU mortality and incidence of ventricular fibrillation.

Conclusion

Critically ill patients with abnormal K+ levels had a higher incidence of ventricular arrhythmia and ICU mortality than patients with normal K+ levels.
Effects of multiple sclerosis and medications on menopausal age
Authors: Türk Börü Ülkü , Köseoğlu Toksoy Cansu , Bölük Cem , Bilgiç Adnan , Taşdemir Mustafa
Published: January 2018

Objectives

We aimed to determine whether multiple sclerosis (MS) and methylprednisolone and disease-modifying drugs have an effect on menopausal age.

Methods

A total of 86 patients and 98 healthy subjects were included in this study. The natural menopausal age of the patients and healthy subjects were compared. The cumulative dosages of methylprednisolone, beta interferons (IFNβs), and glatiramer acetate were calculated. The effects of the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), duration of the disease, and cumulative dosage of medications on menopausal age were evaluated.

Results

The patients’ mean menopausal age was 45.3 ± 4.8 years and healthy subjects’ menopausal age was 46.8 ± 4.3 years, with no significant difference between the two groups. The cumulative dosage of methylprednisolone showed an effect on menopausal age. There was a significant inverse correlation between menopausal age and dosage of IFNβ-1b, while the disease duration and EDSS score showed no correlation with menopausal age.

Conclusions

We conclude that menopausal age is not affected by MS. However, long-term methylprednisolone and IFNβ-1b treatments may change menopausal age in a dose-dependent manner.
Changes in Distress Measured by the Distress Thermometer as Reported by Patients in Home Palliative Care in Germany
Authors: Ohnhäuser Stefanie , Wüller Johannes , Foldenauer Ann Christina , Pastrana Tania
Published: January 2018

Aim:

To identify changes in distress as reported by patients in a home palliative care program over a 2-week period.

Methods:

Prospective study in West Germany with consecutive patients cared for at home by a palliative care specialty team. Exclusion criteria were patients under 18 years of age, mentally or physically not able to complete the assessment questionnaires, or unable to comprehend German language. Distress was measured using the distress thermometer (DT); sociodemographic and medical data were collected from the patients’ records.

Results:

One hundred three participated in the study (response rate of 69%) and 39 participants completed DT at 2-week follow-up (T1; response rate = 38%; mean age = 67; female = 54.4%; married = 67%; living home with relatives = 60.2%; oncological condition = 91.3%; Karnofsky performance status [KPS] 0-40 = 18.9%, KPS 50-70 = 70.3%, KPS >80 = 10.8%). The mean DT score at the first visit (T0) was 5.9 (2.3), with 82.1% of the participants scoring DT ≥5. At the 2-week follow-up (T1), mean DT score was 5.0 (2.0), with 64.1% scoring DT ≥5, showing a statistically significant difference between T0 and T1. Comparing the single scores at T0 and T1 of each participant, the difference in DT scores was −0.9 (2.27).

Conclusion:

The DT is a useful tool for screening severity and changes in psychological distress as well as sources of distress. The DT detected change in self-reported distress within a short treatment period, indicating success or failure of the palliative care treatment approaches.
“They Said on the Death Certificate…But Really What I Think Happened”
Authors: Williams Beverly Rosa , Bailey F. Amos , Goode Patricia S. , Burgio Kathryn L.
Published: January 2018

Cause of death information is a vital resource for family and public health, yet significant issues persist regarding its determination, documentation and communication. In this study, we aim to characterize cause of death attribution process from the perspective of next-of-kin of Veterans who died in Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers. Using a semi-structured guide, we explored next-of-kin's experiences of the Veteran's terminal hospitalization and conducted a content analysis of interview texts. In over two-third of cases next-of-kin's understanding was not consistent with their recollection of physicians' determination of cause of death. Discrepancies between official cause of death and lay understanding engendered confusion and distress. Findings have relevance for shaping the context of post-death patient/family-centered clinical practice and serve as a means for improving efficacy of cause of death communication and reducing potential for misunderstandings.
Anti-overturning capacity and critical roll angle of straddling monorail vehicle
Authors: Ji Yuanjin , Ren Lihui
Published: January 2018

Straddling monorail vehicles are a new rail transportation mode in which the bearing, running, and guiding rely on rubber tyre running gears. Since the lateral span of the running wheel is small, stabilizing wheels are added to enhance the anti-overturning capacity, which is influenced by the contact between the stability wheels and track beam. If one stabilizing wheel loses contact with the track beam, the tendency to overturn increases significantly. To ensure the straddling monorail vehicle has a stable anti-overturning capacity, an initial preload pressure is applied to the all stabilizing wheels and guiding wheels. The specific preload pressure of the stabilizing and guiding wheels is a unique issue of straddling monorail vehicles. This paper deduced a flexible coefficient formula of straddling monorail vehicles, validated the accuracy of the flexible coefficient formula based on dynamics simulations, and discussed the correlation between the flexibility coefficient and stabilizing wheel contact conditions. According to the variation regularity of the anti-overturning capacity of straddling monorail vehicles, the concept of vehicle critical roll angle was proposed. The calculation formula of the critical roll angle of straddling monorail vehicles was determined, and its accuracy was validated by dynamics simulations. Based on the above fundamentals, a functional relationship between the critical roll angle and stabilizing wheel preload pressure was derived. This paper proposed that the value of stabilizing wheel preload pressure should be reasonably determined according to the critical roll angle and discussed the maximum and minimum speed limit of curve negotiating.
Numerical analysis of the counter-intuitive dynamic behavior of the elastic-plastic pin-ended beams under impulsive loading with regard to linear hardening effects
Authors: Shams Alizadeh Mehdi , Heidari Shirazi Kourosh , Moradi Shapour , Sedighi Hamid Mohammad
Published: January 2018

The counter-intuitive behavior where the permanent deflection of elastic-plastic beam come to rest in the opposite direction of the impulsive loading, normally appears and disappears abruptly, in certain small ranges of loading and structural parameters. One of the most important issues in the study of this phenomenon is the determination of the influence of different parameters. This work is aimed to study the effects of hardening in counter-intuitive dynamic behavior of elastic-plastic pin-ended beams under impulsive loading. This has been done by developing the proposed Galerkin numerical model and presenting a novel algorithm. The Galerkin method as well as the commercial finite element code ANSYS/LS-DYNA is applied to study this phenomenon. In order to account for the hardening effects in Galerkin method, a new algorithm is proposed. The time history curves for mid-span of the beam is studied in detail and the region of the occurrence of the counter-intuitive behavior is determined. Furthermore, using the finite element software, energy diagrams of the beam are also derived. It has been found that the counter-intuitive behavior is a phenomenon, which is very sensitive to loading, therefore it may appear with a little change in the amount of loading. The results also show that although both methods predict one continuous region of loading for the occurrence of this phenomenon in elastic-perfectly plastic beams, still there are two continuous distinct regions of loading, when considering the hardening effects, for this phenomenon. In addition, this anomalous behavior would occur in the proper ratios of kinetic to internal energy and when considering the linear hardening effects, the possibility of the occurrence of the counter-intuitive behavior exists in a wider domain of energy ratio.
Robust ascent trajectory design and optimization of a typical launch vehicle
Authors: Roshanian Jafar , Bataleblu Ali A , Ebrahimi Masoud
Published: January 2018

Robustness and reliability of the designed trajectory are crucial for flight performance of launch vehicles. In this paper, robust trajectory design optimization of a typical LV is proposed. Two formulations of robust trajectory design optimization problem using single-objective and multi-objective optimization concept are presented. Both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties in model parameters and operational environment characteristics are incorporated in the problem, respectively. In order to uncertainty propagation and analysis, the improved Latin hypercube sampling is utilized. A comparison between robustness of the single-objective robust trajectory design optimization solution and deterministic design optimization solution is illustrated using probability density functions. The multi-objective robust trajectory design optimization is executed through NSGA-II and a set of feasible design points with a good spread is obtained in the form of Pareto frontier. The final Pareto frontier presents a trade-off between two conflicting objectives namely maximizing injection robustness and minimizing gross lift-off mass of launch vehicle. The resulted Pareto frontier of the multi-objective robust trajectory design optimization shows that with 1% increase in gross mass, the robustness of the design point to the considered uncertainties can be increased about 80%. Also, numerical simulation results show that the multi-objective formulation is a necessary approach to achieve a good trade-off between optimality and robustness.
The role of smart grid in integrating the renewable energies in Slovakia
Authors: Janíček František , Perný Milan , Šály Vladimír , Váry Michal , Breza Juraj , Chochol Peter
Published: January 2018

Implementation of renewable energy sources into the electric network is one of the current essential requirements. The process is assumed to be assisted by smart grid solution. The Slovak Republic is obliged to increase the total share of renewable energy to 14 and 24 % (international system of units and ISO 31–0) in electricity generation in 2020 as a result of the European Union policy. This fact has an undeniable impact on the electric network and the situation needs to be solved comprehensively. Moreover, production from renewable energy sources (photovoltaic, wind energy and others) is often unpredictable in nature and therefore concentrated effort on effective management system and planning is inevitable. Monitoring of the real production from renewable energy sources and comparison with simulations and predictions are part of a systematic approach to intelligent networks and their components. The smart grid concept presented here takes into account the technical aspect. Moreover, the issue of the economic and political framework is discussed in this paper. The major progress in implementing the smart grid concept in Slovakia is made in the field of smart metering.
Below Either/Or: Rereading Femininity and Monstrosity Inside Enuma Elish
Authors: Xiang Zairong
Published: January 2018

Often seen as a typical Chaoskampf, the cosmic struggle between Marduk and Tiamat in the Babylonian epic of creation, Enuma Elish, looked at closely belies this reading that has been dominating scholarship since the nineteenth century. Through a close-reading of the epic’s narrative against its modern/colonial reception, the article argues that Enuma Elish provides a rich and complex narrative in which motherhood and monstrosity do not oppose each other (as some early feminist critiques would like), nor do they run together with each other (as misogynist readings would like). The textual, historical and philological analyses, as well as reception-critiques, ultimately serve to theorize from within the ancient cosmology an immanent and decolonial logic that is beyond ‘either/or’.
Motherhood as a Space for the Other: A Dialogue between Mother Maria Skobtsova and Hélène Cixous
Authors: Bauerová Kateřina
Published: January 2018

The article deals with the issue of motherhood as a space for the other in terms of its being a space shared with the other on both the biological level and also in the metaphorical sense of the word, where motherhood means accepting the other into the wider space of the body of a family, of society, and of the whole universe. This opening up of one’s space for the other necessarily implies that the space diminishes. The article explores the theme through the work of two writers, Mother Maria Skobtsova (1891–1945) and Hélène Cixous (b. 1937), as both reflect in their lives the idea of motherhood as a space for the other. It puts their voices into conversation from their different discourses. Mother Maria speaks the language of theology and poetry, and the artistic language of icons; Hélène Cixous the language of literary criticism, psychoanalysis, and creative writing.
Ecofeminist Epistemology in Vandana Shiva’s The Feminine Principle of Prakriti and Ivone Gebara’s Trinitarian Cosmology
Authors: Garrity-Bond Cynthia
Published: January 2018

The ecofeminist cosmologies of Indian scientist Vandana Shiva and Catholic theologian Ivone Gebara are examined. At the centre of each author’s discourse is their feminist epistemology that occasion a new way of knowing, incorporating each thinker’s social locations as nexus for authority. For Shiva, the feminine principle of Prakriti, or the awareness of nature as a living, interdependent force, is realized through the inclusion of women as sources of expertise and knowledge. Gebara rejects classical theology and philosophy as androcentric, anthropocentric, and hierarchical. Instead Gebara envisions a revised epistemology of inclusivity with emphasis on multiplicity and unity initiated by an ecofeminist Trinitarian cosmology. Taken together Shiva and Gebara provide an epistemology that privileges the paradox of unity through diversity and difference as a solution to society’s current ecological crises.
The Martyr, the Moviegoer: Bhagat Singh at the Cinema
Authors: Elam J. Daniel
Published: January 2018

This article attempts to rethink Indian anticolonial agitator Bhagat Singh within four alternative lineages, rooted in his often undiscussed love of early Hindi and American cinema. To date, Bhagat Singh has often been confined within the rubrics of a properly political form of revolution, whereby revolution is recognizable to the colonial state. To rethink revolution requires scholars to question the repetition of these colonial logics by moving away from the “recognizably political” to other forms of anti-authorial, anticolonial practices. This article focuses on Bhagat Singh’s viewing and response to the 1927 American iteration of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and the 1927 Hindi film Wildcat of Bombay. The article considers the ways in which Bhagat Singh moved beyond “properly political” forms of agitation in favor of affective, aesthetic, and experiential models of movie-going in the early twentieth century. By doing so, it reorganizes the categories of “world literature” away from the nation-state in favor of worldwide circulation, distribution, and interpretation.
Urban Flooding and Climate Change
Authors: Thanvisitthpon Nawhath , Shrestha Sangam , Pal Indrajit
Published: January 2018

Flooding in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, impedes the development of the city and brings challenges to the well-being of its citizens. The city is situated in a flood-prone area. This study investigated perceptions of the causes among the residents of perennial floods in Bangkok, examining daily precipitation changes over the last 30 years on eight indices (R10, R20, R25, CDD, CWD, RX5day, PRCPTOT and R99p) and the characteristics of the city that promote or exacerbate flooding. The data was collected by the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) from station ID 455201 in the period 1986 -2015. Plausible factors contributing to flooding vulnerability and to the ineffective implementation of the city’s flood corrective and preventive measures were determined. A survey of 400 residents of 20 flood-prone localities in the capital’s four districts was carried out and statistical analysis was performed. Further, levels of satisfaction with the efficiency and effectiveness of the city’s flood corrective and preventive measures were assessed. The documentary and empirical findings collectively illuminate three contributing factors or causes of persistent flooding in the capital and of the ineffectual execution of flood-related policies and measures.
Unusualness as a predictor of music preference
Authors: Chmiel Anthony , Schubert Emery
Published: January 2018

This paper investigates the role of unusualness ratings in predicting music preference. In addition, the variables complexity and familiarity were rated for five music stimuli covering a range of styles. Ninety-four participants were exposed to each stimulus ten times over a three-week period. The three variables were tested as predictors of preference using linear and quadratic curve-fitting procedures. A linear increasing relationship was observed for familiarity, and inverted-U relationships were observed for unusualness and complexity. These results are consistent with Berlyne’s inverted-U model, or a segment of the inverted-U in the case of familiarity. Unusualness was a good indicator of music preference, and explained more variance than complexity or familiarity. Furthermore, the two stimuli that scored highest in unusualness produced consistently low ratings of preference independent of exposure, which appears to be a hallmark of “extreme” music stimuli.
Person, Process, Choice: The Psychology of New Venture Creation
Authors: Shaver Kelly G. , Scott Linda R.
Published: January 2018

Psychology can be distinguished from other behavioral sciences by its emphasis on the behavior of the individual person. Behavior, in turn, is influenced by the way in which the external world is represented in the mind, and by the individual's exercise of choice. The article examines the possibility that relatively enduring attributes of the person might affect entrepreneurial activity, describes the social cognitive processes Involved in constructing representations of the external environment, and suggests which motivational variables affect behavioral choices. Although past research on “the psychology of the entrepreneur” has not been productive, a psychological approach based on persons, process, and choice holds promise for the future.
Sociology and Entrepreneurship: Concepts and Contributions
Authors: Reynolds Paul D.
Published: January 2018

Sociological perspectives and research provide important and distinctive contributions to the understanding of entrepreneurship in three ways. The first is through the development of societal conceptions regarding productive activities that encompass the entrepreneurial role or function. The major alternatives emphasize socioeconomic systems as (a) moving toward an equilibrium (reflecting a broad consensus) or (b) reflecting the outcome of class competition (emphasizing conflict resolution). Both assume the inevitable dominance of massive productive organizations. These conceptions have recently been supplemented with attention to the dual nature of advanced economies or the benefits of flexible specialization. The second is through attention to specific societal characteristics affecting entrepreneurship: modernization; the role of the state in economic development; variations in the scope and nature of the unregistered (underground) economy; and the character of organizational populations and their ecological niche as they affect new firm foundings. The third is through attention to the impact of social context on the decisions of individuals to pursue entrepreneurial options. This includes attention to the individual's life course stage; social networks and embeddedness; ethnicity; and work experiences.
Integrating the Daughter into Family Business Management
Authors: Dumas Colette
Published: January 2018

This paper presents guidelines for integrating daughters into family business management. Based upon the results of an empirical study of daughters working with their founder/fathers in 18 family-owned firms, this paper indicates that the daughter represents an often untapped resource within the family firm and may be particularly suited for working in collaboration with the father/founder to manage the family firm. Key aspects of the daughter's particular strengths in working with the father to manage the family firm are stressed, and steps for integrating the daughter into family firm management are proposed.
A Decision Theory Model for Entrepreneurial Acts
Authors: Campbell Charles A.
Published: January 2018

The decision to become an entrepreneur is considered as an alternative to wage labor. The potential entrepreneur evaluates whether there are positive expected net present benefits of entrepreneurship relative to the expected gains from wage labor. The expected net gain from entrepreneurship depends both on the average income from successful entrepreneurship weighted by the probability of success and the average income from wage labor weighted by the probability of employment. The inclusion of economic factors not only adds to the understanding of entrepreneurship but suggests avenues by which policy makers can encourage entrepreneurship.
The Entrepreneur and the Initiation of New Venture Launch Activities
Authors: Herron Lanny , Sapienza Harry J.
Published: January 2018

Much of the previous research attempting to relate traits of the entrepreneur to new venture creation has failed to demonstrate a definitive linkage. This failure should not impugn the importance of the individual as the most cogent unit of analysis In entrepreneurship research and theory. On the contrary, since most new organizations are Initiated and created by individuals operating alone or in small teams, it should motivate new ways of modeling and testing the human phenomena involved In venture creation. Accordingly, this paper presents a structural model of the initiation of new venture creation which links psychological and behavioral concepts with those of organization theory to explain the initiation of launch activities for new business enterprises.
A Model of Entrepreneurial Socialization and Organization Formation
Authors: Starr Jennifer A. , Fondas Nanette
Published: January 2018

This model applies theories of organizational socialization to characterize the aspiring entrepreneur's journey from neophyte to firm founder and to Identify factors that may Influence the transition from a pre-organization to the formation of a new organization. The model distinguishes two identifiable stages which shape organization formation—Anticipatory Socialization and New Entrepreneur Socialization. Anticipatory Socialization characterizes the predisposing characteristics and experiences that precede the cognitive choice to become an entrepreneur. New Entrepreneur Socialization specifies the critical variables that Influence the new recruit once the decision Is made to start a firm. Three factors determine the transition into the entrepreneurial role: Motivational Bases for Adaptation, Socializing Agents and the Structural Context of the Entrepreneurial Setting. The eventual outcome of entrepreneurial socialization, Organization Formation, Is the survival or discontinuance of the venture. A model of entrepreneurial socialization focuses attention on the adaptive Intra-personal and Inter-personal processes that shape the new venture creation process.
A Model of Venture Creation in New Industries
Authors: VanderWerf Pieter A.
Published: January 2018

The peculiarities of new industries make them particularly favorable to the creation of new ventures. The ventures arise from among those parties that have access to Information about the new product, a community that expands over time. But certain activities of the creation process—especially Information gathering and fundraising—stop many ventures from continuing. Moreover, these constrictions In the process are Influenced by past levels of success of the process Itself. This sets up feedback mechanisms that regulate creation rates In various patterns, but eventually lower them to near zero, completing the familiar cycle of new industry entries.
Financial Factors Which Stimulate Innovation
Authors: Brophy David , Shulman Joel
Published: January 2018

Because Innovation requires the commitment of resources to a development with highly uncertain net returns, the methodology of financial economics Is useful In understanding innovation, even to the point of suggesting a relationship between the Incidence and rate of Innovation and the state of key financial factors. Our model posits such a relationship, grouping the key financial factors under the headings of investment valuation and financing: the fundamental components of financial economics. The model argues that the incidence and rate of innovation are related to both valuation and financing factors as well as the Interactions between them. We present a structure for this model and suggest a LISREL methodology for empirically testing these financial factors.
Entrepreneurial Start-up and Growth: A Classification of Problems
Authors: Terpstra David E. , Olson Philip D.
Published: January 2018

The purpose of this study was to develop a classification scheme for the types of problems encountered by emerging organizations using an open-ended approach to generating the Initial response data. The CEOs of 121 Inc. 500 firms were asked to state the most significant problem during their firms’ first year and during a later growth stage. The open-ended responses were systematically sorted Into classes of problems, and the resulting classification schemes appeared to be more comprehensive and exhaustive than some previously developed schemes that relied on closed-ended response categories to develop their problem classes. Once developed, the classification schemes were used to examine the relative frequencies of types of problems at both the start-up and later growth stage. The findings indicated mixed support for previous research linking types of dominant problems to different stages of organizational development.
Board of Directors Leadership and Structure: Control and Performance Implications
Authors: Daily Catherine M. , Dalton Dan R.
Published: January 2018

Research examining the association of corporate governance structures and firm performance has relied almost exclusively on the large-scale firm. This may, however, be a limited forum for questions of this sort. Officers and boards of directors for the large-scale firm may lack the discretion—or the wherewithal—to effect changes In policy or outcomes. It Is In the smaller firm that such performance/governance linkages may be more easily observed. This study, then, focuses on a number of corporate governance structures and their relationships to firm performance for the smaller corporation. Ironically, the very organizations that the literature suggests might benefit most from independent governance structures are those that rely on them least.
Informal Strategic Networks and the Board of Directors
Authors: Borch Odd Jarl , Huse Morten
Published: January 2018

This paper contributes to the understanding of small firms directorates in developing informal strategic networks. These networks are of great importance to small firms, and directorates may play a central role in creating, maintaining, and influencing external contacts of importance to the firm. In a field survey of 104 dual leadership joint stock hotels in Norway and Sweden, associations between board composition, board-management relations, and director incentives, and the boards’ networking involvement have been explored. The study revealed the importance of the directors’ incentives in taking care of the networking functions of contacting and lobbying.
Gender and Ownership in UK Small Firms
Authors: Rosa Peter , Hamilton Daphne
Published: January 2018

The emphasis on the individual “female entrepreneur” in much of the small business literature in the last decade disguises the fact that many women in business ownership are in partnership with others, usually with men. How “gender” impinges on the process of small business ownership has been little studied. The paper examines gender and ownership using evidence from a three-year study on the impact of gender on small business management, involving interviews with 602 male and female UK business owners, drawn from three industrial sectors. Difficulties were encountered in interpreting sex differences as “gender” trends, owing to significant sectoral variation. Nevertheless, some marked gender differences were identified. These referred to differential patterns of kinship with the respondent; the allocation and perception of specialist roles within the business; and the fact that female owners are less likely to be associated with more than two businesses. Overall sole traders were in the minority in both sexes, implying that most owners shared responsibility and management in some way with other owners. The paper concludes with methodological implications of co-ownership for the sampling and analysis of small business owner/managers from a gender perspective.
Factors of New Technology Adoption in the Retail Sector
Authors: Julien Pierre-André , Raymond Louis
Published: January 2018

If small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in retailing are to be competitive in today's market, they need to master management and production information technologies. These technologies must be linked to the firm's operations, such as inventory, distribution, and shipping. The aim of this research is to identify the organizational, structural, and strategic factors that determine hardware and software technology adoption by retail SMEs. The sample is composed of 79 firms in the food (grocery), hardware, and (ladles') garment sectors. The determinant factors identified include sector, status (independent or affiliated), decentralization, bureaucratization, strategic proactiveness, and time-frame.
Nimrod Press (A)
Authors: Churchill Neil , Tower Walter
Published: January 2018

“Entrepreneurs have an immortality complex, and succession is not an issue we want to deal with. This is not an ego trip, but every entrepreneur has to have total confidence in his or her own ideas and abilities at all times.”
The Formation and Incorporation of Virtual Entrepreneurial Groups
Authors: Stephenson Karen
Published: January 2018

This article argues that the recognition of anomaly in organizations is socially organized through the formation of virtual entrepreneurial groups. The process of group formation and incorporation within the organization Is described. The new group, e.g. a virtual group, Is a mobile strategic position within an existing organization. Case data is drawn from a two-year observational period in a firm which underwent a major reorganization. A mix of qualitative and quantitative methodologies is used to describe the adjustment of this new group with existing groups before and after reorganization. Differences in inter- and intra-communication and work patterns are discussed.
Entrepreneurship in a Remote Sub-Arctic Community
Authors: Dana Leo-Paul
Published: January 2018

This exploratory study attempts to provide a theoretical and empirically Informed Judgment about entrepreneurial activities In a small sub-Arctic Alaskan town. An Interdisciplinary literature review leads to the development of a theoretical typology of the entrepreneur, the framework of which Is used to analyze empirical findings. Having obtained, using ethnographic methodology, information onhowandwhypeople In that town become entrepreneurs, the author compares empirical findings with established theories. Evidence reveals that Eskimos and non-native respondents relate to opportunity quite differently. This supports the notion that entrepreneurship should not be viewed as a function of opportunity, but rather as a function of cultural perceptions of opportunity. Implications and topics for future research are discussed.
Effect of alkali silica reaction on the mechanical properties of aging mortar bars: Experiments and numerical modeling
Authors: Pathirage M , Bousikhane F , D’Ambrosia M , Alnaggar M , Cusatis G
Published: January 2018

Alkali silica reaction and its effect on concrete and mortar have been studied for many years. Several tests and procedures have been formulated to evaluate this reaction, particularly in terms of aggregate reactivity. However, the data given in the literature concerning the mechanical properties of concrete and mortar are scattered and very little information is available for some properties such as fracture energy. In this study, the mechanical behavior of mortar was evaluated and monitored, under normal and accelerated environmental conditions. Fracture energy, compressive strength and tensile strength were measured for mortar specimens, casted with highly reactive Spratt crushed aggregate, at two different storage temperatures (23℃ and 80℃) and at two different alkali concentrations (immersed in water and in 1 N NaOH solution). Moreover, free expansion tests (according to ASTM C1260) and petrographic observations were performed, in order to relate them to the evolution of the mechanical properties of mortar. Results show a decrease of the mechanical properties associated with specimens at 80℃ in alkali solution and that the deterioration due to alkali silica reaction is counter-balanced by the strengthening of mortar resulting from the hydration process. A multi-physics computational framework, based on the Lattice Discrete Particle Model is then proposed. Numerical simulations based on a complete calibration and validation with the obtained experimental data capture the behavior of mortar subjected to the complex coupled effect of strength build-up and alkali silica reaction at different temperatures and alkali contents.
Crizotinib, an Effective Agent in ROS1-Rearranged Adenocarcinoma of Lungs: A Case Report
Authors: Joshua Julie Mariam , KD Salima , K Pavithran , Vijayan Meenu
Published: January 2018

Introduction:

ROS1 rearrangement has recently emerged as a new molecular subtype in non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is predominantly found in lung adenocarcinoma compared with other oncogenes such as EGFR, KRAS, or ALK. It has been identified in only 1% to 2% of NSCLC cases.

Case Report:

We report a case of 52-year-old man (nonsmoker) with a medical history of allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma. Histopathologic examination of bronchoscopic-guided biopsy showed adenocarcinoma histology on September 2015. After 2 months, he developed left-sided pneumonia for which he was treated with multiple intravenous antibiotics. In the meantime, fiberoptic bronchoscopy was done which revealed purulent secretion from right upper lobe and narrowed opening of right middle lobe. His cancer symptoms got worsened and bronchial biopsy showed EGFR mutation negative. For further diagnosis, fluorescent in situ hybridization test was done which showed ROS1 mutation positive. By then, the patient was started with crizotinib 250 mg twice daily for ROS1 mutation in July 2016. Later, patient appears to benefit from treatment with crizotinib. X-ray report and positron emission tomographic-computed tomographic scan revealed that the patient was overall better with clear chest and well tolerated with the therapy. Crizotinib was approved on March 11, 2016 by Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with ROS1-positive NSCLC.

Conclusions:

In this report, crizotinib showed marked antitumor activity in patients with advanced ROS1 rearrangement, a third molecular subgroup of NSCLC.
Landscapes of hoping – urban expansion and emerging futures in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Authors: Hauer Janine , Østergaard Nielsen Jonas , Niewöhner Jörg
Published: January 2018

Hope is much discussed as a future-oriented affect emerging from uncertain living conditions. While this conceptualisation illuminates the role that hope plays in shaping life trajectories, hope itself remains largely unaddressed. In this paper, we approach hope ethnographically as practice through the lens of material-semiotics. We draw on fieldwork in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where hoping turns out to be co-constitutive of peri-urban life and landscape. We challenge person-centred understandings of hope in order to bring materiality back in two ways: first, hoping in its various modes and forms is always situated in particular settings, thus, its enactment has to be reflected; and second, hoping “takes place”, it is co-constitutive of the transformation of urban life. Additionally, we consider the temporality of hoping and highlight how hoping persists through urban space. We conclude that a more profound and thoroughly materialised understanding of hoping’s generative and stabilising potential may strengthen the role of anthropology in current research on socio-ecological transformations.
Privilege without papers: Intersecting inequalities among 1.5-generation Brazilians in Massachusetts
Authors: Cebulko Kara
Published: January 2018

This paper explores the case of 1.5-generation Brazilians who migrated to Massachusetts in the 1980s and 1990s and grew up as unauthorized. Compared to unauthorized youth from other Latin American groups, Brazilians who migrated during this time are relatively privileged: they often come from Brazilian middle-class families, are relatively lighter-skinned, and as visa over-stayers who migrated pre-2001, they have been better positioned to access the very limited pathways to citizenship. Drawing primarily on in-depth interviews, I argue that “privilege without papers”—that is, the intersection of racial and/or social class privilege with (il)legality—shapes their lives in important and nuanced ways. Indeed, some 1.5-generation Brazilians are quite aware of their privilege relative to other unauthorized groups from Latin America. Many Brazilians have experienced movement toward legal inclusion in young adulthood either through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which grants partial inclusion, or through marriage or other legal dispensations that grant pathways to citizenship. Shifts in status have brought new opportunities, some peace of mind, and a degree of legitimacy. Yet, for many, including several who could pass as White, the legacy of legal exclusion has undermined their sense of belonging.
Pedagogical possibilities of becoming and the transitional space
Authors: Sojot Amy N
Published: January 2018

Asking after the self in the process of learning without a definitive endpoint or prescribed path to creating that knowledge presents a way to consider a self that is distinct from assumptions of what constitutes an ideal learner. Thinking of the space and self in motion, rather than as inert and passive, allows the exploration of pedagogical implications. In this paper, I revisit a moment of self-provocation during preparation for a class. Reflecting and critically engaging with this memory presents a vignette to work through the possibilities of transitional space, the sensation of the becoming, learning self, and how the act of “catching myself” enables the reconsideration of engaging with pedagogy and assumptions made about education. Conceptualizing the learning self as becoming and in motion—rather than being, was, is, or to be—loosens the grasp of fixed educational assumptions that guide the discourse of education, in how it is conceived and acted out. This “loosening” has reverberations within the politics of how things are taught, considered, and learned, as it calls into question hierarchical valuations of what constitute “accepted” ways of knowing and being.
12-Hour nursing shifts in critical care: A service evaluation
Authors: Battle Ceri , Temblett Paul
Published: January 2018

The aim of this single-centre study was to investigate the impact of the introduction of 12-h critical care nursing shifts on healthcare provider and patient care outcomes. A single-centre, prospective service evaluation was completed over a two-year period, comparing the 8-h and 12-h shifts. Outcomes included number of clinical incidents, levels of burn-out, sick rates, personal injuries and training. There were no significant differences between the clinical incidents, sickness rates, personal injuries and staff training between the two data collection periods. The results of the burn-out analysis demonstrate that emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation improved, from the 8-h to 12-h shifts (both p < 0.05). In conclusion, the results of this service evaluation have demonstrated that 12-h nursing shifts can be introduced safely into the critical care environment, without any detriment to patient or healthcare provider outcomes.
Exploring fasting practices for critical care patients – A web-based survey of UK intensive care units
Authors: Segaran Ella , Lovejoy Tracy D , Proctor Charlie , Bispham Wendy L , Jordan Rebecca , Jenkins Bethan , O’Neill Eileen , Harkess Sarah EJ , Terblanche Marius
Published: January 2018

Background

Enteral nutrition delivery in the critically ill is frequently interrupted for surgical and airway procedures to avoid aspiration of stomach contents. Recurrent fasting leads to under delivery of enteral nutrition and this underfeeding is associated with worse outcomes. International fasting recommendations do not provide guidance for intubated patients receiving enteral nutrition. This study aimed to gain a detailed perspective of UK critical care fasting practices.

Methods

A web-based survey was sent to 232 UK intensive care units consisting of questions relating to fasting practices, presence of guidelines, average fasting times for common procedures and dietitian time per intensive care unit bed.

Results

A total of 176 intensive care units responded. Only 20% of units had guidelines and respondents stated that they were not consistently adhered to (mean compliance 66%). Units with greater dietetic involvement were more likely to have guidelines (p = 0.04). Fasting times were shorter for abdominal surgery (p = 0.002), non-abdominal surgery (p = 0.016) and radiology (p = 0.015) if a guideline was present. Fasting for extubation and tracheostomy was similar irrespective of the presence of a guideline. Considerable variation in fasting times was reported, usually due to inconsistencies in clinical decision-making.

Conclusions

This survey of national practice demonstrates that fasting times are varied and inconsistent, which may lead to under-delivery of enteral nutrition. More dietetic input was associated with increased likelihood of a fasting guideline.