| 1. |
- Alajbeg, Ivan, et al.
(author)
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Intraoralelectrostimulator for xerostomia relief : along-term, multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled, clinical trial
- 2012
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In: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology. - : Elsevier. - 2212-4403 .- 2212-4411. ; 113:6, s. 773-781
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: A previous sham-controlled multinational study demonstrated the short-term efficacy and safety for xerostomia treatment of an intraoral device that delivers electrostimulation to the lingual nerve. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that those beneficial effects would be sustained over an 11-month period. STUDY DESIGN: The device was tested on a mixed sample of 94 patients with xerostomia in an open-label, uncontrolled, prospective multicenter trial. Statutory outcome assessments were done at 5th, 8th, and 11th months and analyzed by multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Improvements achieved at month 5 from baseline were sustained throughout the follow-up period for the primary outcome, xerostomia severity, and the secondary outcomes resting whole salivary flow rate, xerostomia frequency, oral discomfort, and difficulties in speech, swallowing, and sleeping. No significant side effects were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The beneficial effects of a removable intraoral electrostimulating device were sustained for an 11-month period.
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| 2. |
- Alajoutsijärvi, Kimmo, et al.
(author)
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Customer relationship strategies and the smoothing of Industry-Specific Business Cycles : The Case of the Global Fine Paper Industry
- 2001
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In: Industrial Marketing Management. - 0019-8501. ; 30:6, s. 487-497
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this study is to argue for the importance of customer relationship strategies in smoothing industry-specific business cycles. We use the global fine paper industry as an example of an industry renowned for its drastic, seemingly uncontrollable business cycles. As in so many other global industries producing upstream, commodity products such as steel, copper, or sawn goods, dramatic price fluctuations are a reality for managers in both supplying and buying organizations in the fine pager industry. In this article, a representative case of one business cycle is described and analyzed to illustrate the empirical phenomenon in a real-life setting. We use some specific concepts and frameworks developed in industrial marketing research to further understanding of the underlying logic behind business relationships that enhances cyclicality in the industry. Furthermore. these concepts also give insights into the smoothing of industry-specific business cycles through the application of more explicit, cooperative customer relationship strategies. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 3. |
- Alajrami, Sami, et al.
(author)
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Enabling GSD Task Allocation via Cloud-based Software Processes
- 2017
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In: Software Engineering Research, Management and Applications SERA-2017. - Springer : Springer International Publishing. - 9783319613888 ; , s. 179-192
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Allocating tasks to distributed sites in Global Software Development (GSD) projects is often done unsystematically and based on the personal experi- ence of project managers. Wrong allocation decisions increase the project’s risks as tasks have dependencies that are inherited by the distributed sites. Decision sup- port can help make the task allocation a more informed and systematic process. The challenges in allocating tasks to distributed sites exist because of three dis- tance dimensions between sites (geographical, temporal and cultural). An informed task allocation decision needs to consider these distances. Therefore, in this paper, we propose to integrate and semi-automate the calculation of an existing Global Distance Metric (GDM) into an architecture that supports executing cloud-based software processes. We analyze the potential of integrating the GDM into this archi- tecture and identify the needed extensions to the architecture.
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| 4. |
- Blease, Charlotte
(author)
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Psychotherapy is still failing patients : revisiting informed consent - a response to Garson Leder
- 2021
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In: Journal of Medical Ethics. - : Institute of Medical Ethics. - 0306-6800 .- 1473-4257. ; 47:7, s. 448-449
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Compared with mainstream medicine and complementary and alternative therapies, the practice of psychotherapy has enjoyed a relative pass when it comes to ethical evaluation. Therefore, contributions to the, although slowly growing, body of literature on psychotherapy ethics are to be welcomed. In his paper ‘Psychotherapy, placebos, and informed consent’, Garson Leder takes issue with what he calls the ‘go open’ project in psychotherapy ethics—the idea that the so-called ‘common factors’ in therapy should be disclosed to prospective patients. Although Leder does not give a detailed list, the common factors include therapist characteristics (empathy, positive regard, positive expectations that therapy will succeed), patient characteristics (expectations about therapy including its plausibility, confidence in the therapist), and the working alliance (how well both therapist and patient work well together during sessions). He argues that the project advocating disclosure of these factors is flawed on two grounds: (1) that information about common factors is not necessary for informed consent; and (2) clarity about specific mechanisms of change in therapy is consistent with ‘many theory-specific forms of psychotherapy’. There are multiple serious problems with Leder’s critique of the recent literature, including how he represents the contours of the debate, which I list, and address in this response.
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| 5. |
- Boluk, Karla
(author)
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Using CSR as a tool for development : an investigation of the Fair Hotels Scheme in Ireland
- 2013
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In: Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism. - 1528-008X .- 1528-0098. ; 14:1, s. 49-65
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article explores an opportunity for the accommodation sector in Ireland to engage in Corporate Social Responsibility. The aim of this article is to investigate the Fair Hotels Ireland scheme and explore its potential to create social cohesion which may then influence the economic and social progress in both theory and praxis. The research question that supports the aim of this study is: has the Fair Hotels Ireland scheme created value and influenced consumer purchasing? To respond to this research question ten interviews were carried out with Fair Hotel managers in Ireland. A content analysis was used to examine the data. The results indicated that hotel managers noticed an increase in business as a consequence of their CSR and becoming a Fair Hotel; and the scheme was described as creating value for their hotel and staff. However, the managers had not noticed a significant difference in the level of employee satisfaction. © 2013 Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
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| 9. |
- Chivasso, Clara, et al.
(author)
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Ezrin is a novel protein partner of aquaporin-5 in human salivary glands and shows altered expression and cellular localization in sjögren’s syndrome
- 2021
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In: International Journal of Molecular Sciences. - : MDPI AG. - 1661-6596 .- 1422-0067. ; 22:17
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is an exocrinopathy characterized by the hypofunction of salivary glands (SGs). Aquaporin-5 (AQP5); a water channel involved in saliva formation; is aberrantly dis-tributed in SS SG acini and contributes to glandular dysfunction. We aimed to investigate the role of ezrin in AQP5 mislocalization in SS SGs. The AQP5–ezrin interaction was assessed by immuno-precipitation and proteome analysis and by proximity ligation assay in immortalized human SG cells. We demonstrated, for the first time, an interaction between ezrin and AQP5. A model of the complex was derived by computer modeling and in silico docking; suggesting that AQP5 interacts with the ezrin FERM-domain via its C-terminus. The interaction was also investigated in human minor salivary gland (hMSG) acini from SS patients (SICCA-SS); showing that AQP5–ezrin complexes were absent or mislocalized to the basolateral side of SG acini rather than the apical region compared to controls (SICCA-NS). Furthermore, in SICCA-SS hMSG acinar cells, ezrin immunore-activity was decreased at the acinar apical region and higher at basal or lateral regions, accounting for altered AQP5–ezrin co-localization. Our data reveal that AQP5–ezrin interactions in human SGs could be involved in the regulation of AQP5 trafficking and may contribute to AQP5-altered localization in SS patients.
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| 10. |
- Chivasso, Clara, et al.
(author)
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Unraveling human aqp5-pip molecular interaction and effect on aqp5 salivary glands localization in ss patients
- 2021
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In: Cells. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4409. ; 10:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Saliva secretion requires effective translocation of aquaporin 5 (AQP5) water channel to the salivary glands (SGs) acinar apical membrane. Patients with Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) display abnormal AQP5 localization within acinar cells from SGs that correlate with sicca manifestation and glands hypofunction. Several proteins such as Prolactin-inducible protein (PIP) may regulate AQP5 trafficking as observed in lacrimal glands from mice. However, the role of the AQP5-PIP complex remains poorly understood. In the present study, we show that PIP interacts with AQP5 in vitro and in mice as well as in human SGs and that PIP misexpression correlates with an altered AQP5 distribution at the acinar apical membrane in PIP knockout mice and SS hMSG. Furthermore, our data show that the protein-protein interaction involves the AQP5 C-terminus and the N-terminal of PIP (one molecule of PIP per AQP5 tetramer). In conclusion, our findings highlight for the first time the role of PIP as a protein controlling AQP5 localization in human salivary glands but extend beyond due to the PIP-AQP5 interaction described in lung and breast cancers.
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