bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Technology Exploitation Paths: Combining Technological and Complementary Resources in New Product Development and Licensing
Authors: Bianchi Mattia , Frattini Federico , Lejarraga José , Di Minin Alberto 
Published: July 2014

Technological resources in the form of patents, trade secrets, and know‐how have become key assets for modern enterprises. This paper addresses a critical issue in technology and innovation management, namely, the commercial exploitation of technological resources resulting from research and development (R&D) investments. Extracting economic value from these resources by maximizing the benefits for shareholders is an extremely challenging task because technological resources are intangible, idiosyncratic, uncertain, predominantly tacit, and with poorly defined property rights.In their attempt to extract the maximum value from their technological resources, firms increasingly combine their internal exploitation through new product development (NPD) with external exploitation through licensing. However, most existing studies onNPDand technology licensing have treated the two exploitation paths independently and in isolation, which has resulted in two separate research streams using different theories and addressing different managerial challenges.The purpose of this paper is to contribute to filling this gap by developing and testing a comprehensive conceptual framework that simultaneously considers the antecedents affecting the successful implementation ofNPDand licensing strategies as well as their consequences on firm profitability. The paper in particular investigates the effects of the interplay between technological resources and three types of complementary resources, marketing, manufacturing, and relational.We test the model using structural equation modeling on a sample of 733Spanish manufacturing firms observed from 2003 to 2007. The data provide support for the existence of different paths to market firm technologies: an internal path, whereby the ownership of technological resources fully explainsNPDperformance, and an external path, whereby high intensity of marketing and relational resources reinforces the positive effect of technological resources on licensing performance. This sustains the relevance of the resource‐based value‐enhancing effects of complementary resources in licensing, as opposed to the motivation‐reducing effects advanced by transaction cost‐based literature.Moreover, the empirical analysis shows a substitution effect betweenNPDand licensing, whereby their simultaneous pursuit at intense levels is associated with lower profit margins. This provides evidence of the much theorized, but seldom tested, rent dissipation effect.These findings offer several contributions to research on licensing,NPD, open innovation, and the resource‐based view of the firm. On a managerial level, they suggest that achieving maximum value from proprietary technologies may not entail exploiting them both through external and internal paths. Managers are also informed that the resource combinations that enhance licensing performance include marketing and relational resources.
Chitosan and its oligosaccharide derivatives (chito‐oligosaccharides) as feed supplements in poultry and swine nutrition
Authors: Swiatkiewicz S. , Swiatkiewicz M. , Arczewska‐Wlosek A. , Jozefiak D. 
Published: July 2014

SummaryChitosan is a non‐toxic polyglucosamine, widespread in nature, which is deacetylated to varying degrees form of chitin, a component of exoskeleton of shrimps, crabs and insects. Because chitosan contains reactive functional groups, that is, amino acids and hydroxyl groups, it is characterised by antimicrobial, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐oxidative, antitumor, immunostimulatory and hypocholesterolemic properties when fed as dietary additive for farm animals. This article reviews and discusses the results of studies on the effects of dietary chitosan and its oligosaccharide derivatives on performance and metabolic response in poultry and pigs, that is, haematological, biochemical and immunological blood characteristics, microbiological profile of intestines, intestinal morphology and digestibility of nutrients, as well as on the quality of meat and eggs. The results of most of the experiments presented in this review indicate that chitosan used as a feed additive for poultry and pigs has some beneficial, biological effects, including immunomodulatory, anti‐oxidative, antimicrobial and hypocholesterolemic properties. These properties of chitosan, unlike many other kinds of feed additives, were often reflected in improved growth performance (body weight gain and/or feed conversion ratio) of young animals, that is, broiler chickens and weaned pigs.
Effects of supplementation level and particle size of alfalfa hay on growth characteristics and rumen development in dairy calves
Authors: Mirzaei M. , Khorvash M. , Ghorbani G. R. , Kazemi‐Bonchenari M. , Riasi A. , Nabipour A. , van den Borne J. J. G. C. 
Published: July 2014

SummaryThe aim of this study was to assess the effects of particle size (PS) of alfalfa hay on growth characteristics and rumen development in dairy calves at two levels of alfalfa supplementation. Fifty newborn dairy calves (42.7 ± 2.2 kg BW) were used in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with the factors supplementation level (low, 8%; or high, 16% on DM basis) and PS (medium, 2.92 mm; or long, 5.04 mm as geometrical means) of alfalfa hay. In addition, a control group without alfalfa hay was used. Hence, treatments were: control (C); low level with medium PS (LM); low level with long PS (LL); high level with medium PS (HM) or high level with long PS (HL). Growth performance of alfalfa‐fed calves did not differ from control calves, but alfalfa supplementation decreased corneum thickness of the rumen wall. In alfalfa‐fed calves, post‐weaning starter intake was greater for LL calves than for LM calves. During the entire rearing period, starter intake was 26–32% higher for LL and HM calves than for LM calves. Pre‐weaning average daily gain was higher for LL and HM calves than for HL calves, but this effect was not persistent over the entire rearing period. Final body weight decreased from 86 to 79 kg when the level of long PS alfalfa hay increased from 8 to 16%, but increased from 78 to 87 kg when the level of medium PS alfalfa increased from 8 to 16%. Regardless of PS and level, morphometric characteristics of rumen wall were generally similar among alfalfa feeding groups, but corneum thickness decreased from 8.7 to 6.1 μm with greater PS at the low level. These results indicate that adequate, but not excessive, physical stimulation is required for appropriate rumen development and growth performance of dairy calves.
Quantifying oral inflammatory load: oral neutrophil counts in periodontal health and disease
Authors: Landzberg M. , Doering H. , Aboodi G. M. , Tenenbaum H. C. , Glogauer M. 
Published: July 2014

Background and ObjectiveNeutrophils are the primary white blood cells that are recruited to fight the initial phases of microbial infections. While healthy norms have been determined for circulating blood neutrophil counts in order to identify patients with suspected systemic infections, the levels of oral neutrophils (oPMNs) in oral health and in the presence of periodontal diseases have not been described. It is important to address this deficiency in our knowledge as neutrophils are the primary immune cell present in the crevicular fluid and oral environment and previous work has suggested that they may be good indicators of overall oral inflammation and periodontal disease severity. The objective of this study was to measure oPMN counts obtained in a standardized oral rinse from healthy patients and from those with chronic periodontal disease in order to determine if oPMN levels have clinical relevance as markers of periodontal inflammation. A parallel goal of this investigation was to introduce the concept of ‘oral inflammatory load’, which constitutes the inflammatory burden experienced by the body as a consequence of oral inflammatory disease.Material and MethodsPeriodontal examinations of patients with a healthy periodontium and chronic periodontal disease were performed (n = 124). Two standardized consecutive saline rinses of 30 s each were collected before patient examination and instrumentation. Neutrophils were quantified in the rinse samples and correlated with the clinical parameters and periodontal diagnosis.ResultsAverage oPMN counts were determined for healthy patients and for those with mild, moderate and severe chronic periodontal diseases. A statistically significant correlation was found between oPMN counts and deep periodontal probing, sites with bleeding on probing and overall severity of periodontal disease.ConclusionsoPMN counts obtained through a 30‐s oral rinse are a good marker of oral inflammatory load and correlate with measures of periodontal disease severity.
Hepatocellular carcinoma risk in HBeAg‐negative chronic hepatitis B patients with or without cirrhosis treated with entecavir: HepNet.Greece cohort
Authors: Papatheodoridis G. V. , Manolakopoulos S. , Touloumi G. , Nikolopoulou G. , Raptopoulou‐Gigi M. , Gogos C. , Vafiadis‐Zouboulis I. , Karamanolis D. , Chouta A. , Ilias A. , Drakoulis C. , Mimidis K. , Ketikoglou I. , Manesis E. , Mela M. , Hatzis G. , Dalekos G. N. ,   the HepNet.Greece Study Group
Published: July 2014

SummaryHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may still develop in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with lamivudine. Whether HCC rates are comparable in patients treated with the current first‐line antivirals remains uncertain. We estimated the incidence and evaluated predictors of HCC in a large nationwide prospective cohort (HepNet.Greece) of HBeAg‐negative CHB patients treated with entecavir. HBeAg‐negative CHB patients from the same cohort who were initially treated with lamivudine were used as controls. We included 321 patients treated with entecavir for a median of 40 months and 818 patients treated initially with lamivudine for a median of 60 months. In the entecavir group, HCC developed in 4 of 321 (1.2%) patients at a median of 1.5 (range: 1.0–4.5) years, while the cumulative HCC incidence was significantly higher in cirrhotics than noncirrhotics (1, 3, 5 years: 0%, 3%, 9% vs 1%, 1%, 1%; P = 0.024) and in older patients (P = 0.026). Entecavir compared with lamivudine group patients had lower HCC incidence (1, 3, 5 years: 0.3%, 1.2%, 2.8% vs 0.7%, 3.8%, 5.6%; P = 0.024). However, in multivariable Cox regression analysis, the HCC risk was independently associated with older age (P < 0.001), male gender (P = 0.011) and cirrhosis (P = 0.025), but not with the initial agent. In conclusion, our large nationwide study indicates that the HCC risk remains increased in entecavir‐treated HBeAg‐negative CHB patients with cirrhosis, particularly of older age, at least for the first 5 years. The HCC risk does not seem to be significantly reduced with entecavir compared with antiviral therapy starting with lamivudine.
A Grey System Theory‐Based Default Prediction Model for Construction Firms
Authors: Tserng Hui Ping , Ngo Thanh Long , Chen Po Cheng , Quyen Tran Le 
Published: July 2014

AbstractAs the prediction of construction firm failure is of great importance for owners, contractors, investors, banks, insurance firms, and creditors, previous studies have developed several models for predicting the probability of construction firm default based on financial ratio analysis. However, to be applied, these models require a considerable quantity of data, including normally distributed data, and the models cannot tolerate too many changing factors. Furthermore, most of the approaches produce sample selection biases. To avoid these disadvantages, this study is the first to integrate the grey system theory with all available firm‐year samples during the sample period to provide a new method for predicting the probability of construction firm default. This method not only offers an improved rate of prediction accuracy, but it also offers simpler and clearer procedures as a reference for examining firm default probability and ranks all financial ratios in terms of their level of importance. The research collects and analyzes the financial reports of 92 construction firms in the United States. The proposed model includes only eight ranked variables (financial ratios), and it achieves an 84.8% level of accuracy for predicting construction firm default probability. As a result, practitioners may directly use the model as a means of quickly and conveniently examining their firm default probability with the simple procedures.
NilD CRISPR RNA contributes to Xenorhabdus nematophila colonization of symbiotic host nematodes
Authors: Veesenmeyer Jeff L. , Andersen Aaron W. , Lu Xiaojun , Hussa Elizabeth A. , Murfin Kristen E. , Chaston John M. , Dillman Adler R. , Wassarman Karen M. , Sternberg Paul W. , Goodrich‐Blair Heidi 
Published: July 2014

SummaryThe bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila is a mutualist of entomopathogenic Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes and facilitates infection of insect hosts. X. nematophila colonizes the intestine of S. carpocapsae which carries it between insects. In the X. nematophila colonization‐defective mutant nilD6::Tn5, the transposon is inserted in a region lacking obvious coding potential. We demonstrate that the transposon disrupts expression of a single CRISPR RNA, NilD RNA. A variant NilD RNA also is expressed by X. nematophila strains from S. anatoliense and S. websteri nematodes. Only nilD from the S. carpocapsae strain of X. nematophila rescued the colonization defect of the nilD6::Tn5 mutant, and this mutant was defective in colonizing all three nematode host species. NilD expression depends on the presence of the associated Cas6e but not Cas3, components of the Type I‐E CRISPR‐associated machinery. While cas6e deletion in the complemented strain abolished nematode colonization, its disruption in the wild‐type parent did not. Likewise, nilD deletion in the parental strain did not impact colonization of the nematode, revealing that the requirement for NilD is evident only in certain genetic backgrounds. Our data demonstrate that NilD RNA is conditionally necessary for mutualistic host colonization and suggest that it functions to regulate endogenous gene expression.
Exposition of dermatophyte Trichophyton mentagrophytes to L‐cystine induces expression and activation of cysteine dioxygenase
Authors: Kasperova Alena , Cahlikova Romana , Kunert Jiri , Sebela Marek , Novak Zdenek , Raska Milan 
Published: July 2014

SummaryCysteine dioxygenase (CDO) is involved in regulation of intracellular cysteine levels by catabolising the cysteine to sulphite and sulphate. In keratinolytic fungi, sulphite is actively excreted to reduce disulphide bridges in keratin before its enzymatic degradation. The pathogenicity role of CDO was confirmed in cysteine‐hypersensitive and growth‐defective ΔCdo mutant of Arthroderma benhamiae on hair and nails. We analysed the CDO expression regulation in T. mentagrophytes (anamorph of A. benhamiae) mycelia by determining the Cdo mRNA and CDO protein levels and by analysing the proportion of two molecular forms of CDO in response to l‐cystine exposure. Cdo mRNA levels in mycelia lysates were detected by reverse‐transcription real‐time polymerase chain reaction and CDO protein by western blot using mouse CDO‐specific hyperimmune serum. The Cdo mRNA level increased gradually 2.5–4.5 h after exposure of the mycelium to l‐cystine. The CDO protein, detected as two bands of different mobility, appeared earlier in comparison to mRNA (1 h) and culminated after 24 h. More mobile form prevailed after 4.5 h. The comparison of the dynamics in the Cdo mRNA and CDO protein levels indicates that T. mentagrophytes responds to l‐cystine by increased transcription and apparently decreased degradation of the CDO and by changing towards higher mobility molecular form, similar to previous reports describing mammalian analogue.
Circular muscle contraction in the mice rectum plays a key role in morphine‐induced constipation
Authors: Ono H. , Nakamura A. , Matsumoto K. , Horie S. , Sakaguchi G. , Kanemasa T. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractBackgroundAlthough opioids induce intestinal muscle contraction and provoke constipation, the intestinal region(s) that contribute to the constipation have remained unclear. We report here a region‐specific response of intestinal muscle contraction to morphine and its correlation with in vivo constipation.MethodsRegions of mice small and large intestines were dissected histologically and circular muscle contractile responses were measured using isometric transducers. Bead expulsion assays were performed to assess in vivo constipation.Key ResultsThe strongest contraction in response to morphine was detected in the rectum. The distal and transverse colon also showed strong contractions, whereas weak responses were detected in the proximal colon, jejunum, and ileum. Regarding the sustainability of muscle contractions during morphine exposure, prolonged waves were detected only in the rectum, while the waves diminished gradually in other regions. To identify the mechanism(s) underlying this difference, we focused on nitric oxide synthase (NOS). In the distal colon, decreased contraction during morphine exposure was recovered by application of a NOS inhibitor (L‐NAME), while a NOS substrate (L‐arginine) enhanced contractile degradation. In contrast L‐NAME and L‐arginine modestly affected the sustained contraction in the rectum. To confirm the correlation with constipation, beads were inserted into the transverse colon, distal colon, or rectum after morphine administration and expulsion times were examined. Beads tended to stop at the rectum even when inserted in the deeper colonic regions.Conclusions & InferencesThe rectum showed the greatest response to morphine in both in vitro and in vivo analyses, therefore it may play a key role for opioid‐induced constipation.
Evolutionary ecology of resprouting and seeding in fire‐prone ecosystems
Authors: Pausas Juli G. , Keeley Jon E. 
Published: July 2014

SummaryThere are two broad mechanisms by which plant populations persist under recurrent disturbances: resprouting from surviving tissues, and seedling recruitment. Species can have one of these mechanisms or both. However, a coherent framework explaining the differential evolutionary pressures driving these regeneration mechanisms is lacking. We propose a bottom‐up approach in addressing this question that considers the relative survivorship of adults and juveniles in an evolutionary context, based on two assumptions. First, resprouting and seeding can be interpreted by analogy with annual versus perennial life histories; that is, if we consider disturbance cycles to be analogous to annual cycles, then resprouting species are analogous to the perennial life history with iteroparous reproduction, and obligate seeding species that survive disturbances solely through seed banks are analogous to the annual life history with semelparous reproduction. Secondly, changes in the selective regimes differentially modify the survival rates of adults and juveniles and thus the relative costs and benefits of resprouting versus seeding. Our approach provides a framework for understanding temporal and spatial variation in resprouting and seeding under crown‐fire regimes. It accounts for patterns of coexistence and environmental changes that contribute to the evolution of seeding from resprouting ancestors.
Inducible chemical defences in animals
Authors: Hettyey Attila , Tóth Zoltán , Van Buskirk Josh 
Published: July 2014

Phenotypic plasticity is extremely widespread in the behaviour, morphology and life‐history of animals. However, inducible changes in the production of defensive chemicals are described mostly in plants and surprisingly little is known about similar plasticity in chemical defences of animals. Inducible chemical defences may be common in animals because many are known to produce toxins, the synthesis of toxins is likely to be costly, and there are a few known cases of animals adjusting their toxin production to changes in environmental conditions. We outline what is known about the occurrence of inducible chemical defences in animals and argue that there is immense potential for progress in this field. Possible directions include surveying diverse taxa to explore how general its occurrence may be and testing for selection acting on inducible chemical defences. Data on inducible chemical defences would provide insight into life‐history tradeoffs by enabling novel tests of how time‐costs and resource‐costs affect life‐history. If the synthesis of toxic compounds by animals proves accessible to manipulation, as it is in plants and fungi, this will open the way to refined estimates of the fitness costs of defence, ultimately providing a clearer picture of how plasticity evolves and is maintained in nature.SynthesisInducible changes in the behaviour, morphology, and life‐history of animals are extremely widespread, but surprisingly little is known about similar changes in the production of defensive chemicals. We outline what is known about the occurrence of inducible chemical defences in animals and argue that there is immense potential for progress in this field. Possible directions include surveying diverse taxa to explore how general its occurrence may be and testing for selection acting on inducible chemical defences. Data on inducible chemical defences would provide insight into life‐history tradeoffs by enabling novel tests of how time‐costs and resource‐costs affect life‐history. If the synthesis of toxic compounds by animals proves accessible to manipulation, we will be able to estimate the fitness costs of defence more precisely, and ultimately provide a clearer picture of how plasticity evolves and is maintained in nature.
Clinical anatomy of the maxillary nerve block in pediatric patients
Authors: Prigge Lané , van Schoor Albert‐Neels , Bosman Marius C. , Bosenberg Adrian T. 
Published: July 2014

SummaryBackgroundAnatomical landmarks in children are mostly extrapolated from studies in adults. Despite this, complex regional anesthetic procedures are frequently performed on pediatric patients. Sophisticated imaging techniques are available but the exact position, course and/or relationships of the structures are best understood with appropriate anatomical dissections. Maxillary nerve blocks are being used for peri‐operative analgesia after cleft palate repair in infants. However, the best approach for blocking the maxillary nerve in pediatric patients has yet to be established.ObjectiveTo determine the best approach for blocking the maxillary nerve within the pterygopalatine fossa.MethodsIn an attempt to define an optimal approach for maxillary nerve block in this age group three approaches were simulated and compared on 10 dried pediatric skulls as well as 30 dissected pediatric cadavers. The needle course, including depth and angles, to block the maxillary nerve, as it exits the skull at the foramen rotundum within the pterygopalatine fossa, was measured and compared. Two groups were studied: Group 1 consisted of skulls and cadavers of neonates (0–28 days after birth) and Group 2 consisted of skulls and cadavers from 28 days to 1 year after birth.ResultsNo statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) was found between the left and right side of each skull or cadaver. Only technique B, the suprazygomatic approach from the frontozygomatic angle towards the pterygopalatine fossa, exhibited no statistical significance (P > 0.05) when other measurements made on the skulls and cadavers were compared. Technique A, a suprazygomatic approach from the midpoint on the lateral border of the orbit, as well as technique C, an infrazygomatic approach with an entry at a point on a vertical line extending along the lateral orbit wall, showed statistical significant differences when measurements of the skulls and cadavers were compared.ConclusionsOn the basis of these findings technique B produces the most consistent data for age groups 1 and 2 and supports the clinical findings recently reported.