Reverse knowledge transfer: evidence from General Motors in the UK and Poland

This paper explores the concept of a reverse diffusion of knowledge, that is, the transfer flowing from a company’s subsidiary to its home plant. The article presents the empirical evidence gathered in General Motors UK and Poland, where the reverse diffusion of a concept of the built-in quality took place. Lastly, the implications of our findings for future research are discussed.

Reverse transfers of innovation and national development: evidence from Brazilian subsidiaries

The search for innovation has become an important motivation for the internationalization of companies in emerging countries. In that context, this study tests the impact that a nation’s development has on whether subsidiaries transfer innovation of products or that of processes. Survey data collected from 73 subsidiaries of Brazilian companies indicate that companies located in developed markets tend to transfer more product-oriented innovations than do those based in emerging countries. Furthermore, the size and age of a subsidiary has an impact on the transfer process. The larger and younger the subsidiary, the more likely a company is to favor the flow of product innovation into its headquarters. The level of national development was not identified as an influence on the flow of process innovation.

Reverse correlation reveals how observers sample visual information when estimating three-dimensional shape

Human observers exhibit large systematic distance-dependent biases when estimating the three-dimensional (3D) shape of objects defined by binocular image disparities. This has led some to question the utility of disparity as a cue to 3D shape and whether accurate estimation of 3D shape is at all possible. Others have argued that accurate perception is possible, but only with large continuous perspective transformations of an object. Using a stimulus that is known to elicit large distance-dependent perceptual bias (random dot stereograms of elliptical cylinders) we show that contrary to these findings the simple adoption of a more naturalistic viewing angle completely eliminates this bias. Using behavioural psychophysics, coupled with a novel surface-based reverse correlation methodology, we show that it is binocular edge and contour information that allows for accurate and precise perception and that observers actively exploit and sample this information when it is available.

Towards conceptualizing reverse service supply chains

Purpose – Recognizing the heterogeneity of services, this paper aims to clarify the characteristics of forward and the corresponding reverse supply chains of different services. Design/methodology/approach – The paper develops a two-dimensional typology matrix, representing four main clusters of services according to the degree of input standardization and the degree of output tangibility. Based on this matrix, this paper develops a typology and parsimonious conceptual models illustrating the characteristics of forward and the corresponding reverse supply chains of each cluster of services. Findings – The four main clusters of service supply chains have different characteristics. This provides the basis for the identification, presentation and explanation of the different characteristics of their corresponding reverse service supply chains. Research limitations/implications – The findings of this research can help future researchers to analyse, map and model forward and reverse service supply chains, and to identify potential research gaps in the area. Practical/implications – The findings of the research can help managers of service firms to gain better visibility of their forward and reverse supply chains, and refine their business models to help extend their reverse/closed-loop activities. Furthermore, the findings can help managers to better optimize their service operations to reduce service gaps and potentially secure new value-adding opportunities. Originality/value – This paper is the first, to the authors ' knowledge, to conceptualize the basic structure of the forward and reverse service supply chains while dealing with the high level of heterogeneity of services.

Second-life retailing: a reverse supply chain perspective

Purpose – The authors examine the role of entrepreneurial business models in the reverse supply chain of apparel/fashion retailers. The purpose of this paper is to offer an alternative approach to the “return to the point of origin” prevalent in the reverse chain of manufacturers but less technically and economically feasible in the case of apparel/fashion retailers. This approach, second-life retailing, not only reduces waste but also democratises consumption. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on an extensive literature review, semi-structured interviews with managers of two second-life retailers in Malaysia and observations of a number of stores. Findings – Using the Business Model Canvas, the authors demonstrate the essential characteristics of second-life retailers. Retailers in this study, unlike retailers in the developed world, combine traditional business models with off-price retailing. There is no clear demarcation between the forward and reverse supply chain used to manage first- and second-hand retailing. Practical implications – The paper demonstrates the potential of innovative business models in the reverse supply chain. It encourages managers to look beyond the “return to the point of origin” and seek imaginative alternatives. Such alternatives potentially could result in additional revenue, enhanced sustainability and democratisation of consumption meeting triple bottom line objectives. Originality/value – This paper highlights the importance and relevance of entrepreneurial business models in addressing the reverse supply chain, demonstrating this with the aid of two Malaysian off-price retailers. It also contributes to our nascent knowledge by focusing on emerging markets.

Oral health in transition: the case of Indigenous peoples from Brazil

The objective of this paper is to summarise epidemiological information about the distribution of dental caries among Indigenous peoples in Brazil. The authors also present a case study of a specific group of Xavante Indians, one of the most numerous of Brazil`s Indigenous peoples, describing how their oral health has deteriorated over recent decades, and showing how an oral health programme is attempting to reverse the present trend of increase in caries. The programme at Etenheritipa Xavante village incorporated three principal components: educational, preventive, and clinical. From the beginning, the programme included epidemiological record keeping for monitoring the level of caries in the population. Transversal studies of the condition of oral health among the Xavante of Etenheritipa were undertaken in 1999, 2004, and 2007. In the period from 2004 to 2007 the DMFS values in the 11-15 age cohort had a significant reduction in caries experience. The mean DMFS score fell from 4.95 in 2004 to 2.39 in 2007 (p<0.01). An increase in the percent of individuals who were free from caries was also noted: in 1999, 20% of adolescents 11-15 had no caries; in 2007, the proportion had risen to 47%. The Xavante case is a prime example of the transition in oral health that is taking place among the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, and it highlights the importance of oral health promotion through preventive measures such as access to fluoridation and basic care in reducing the inequality between Indians and non-Indians.

One-step reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of respiratory syncytial virus in children

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the main cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children. Rapid diagnosis is required to permit appropriate care and treatment and to avoid unnecessary antibiotic use. Reverse transcriptase (RT-PCR) and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) methods have been considered important tools for virus detection due to their high sensitivity and specificity. In order to maximize use-simplicity and minimize the risk of sample cross-contamination inherent in two-step techniques, a RT-PCR method using only a single tube to detect HRSV in clinical samples was developed. Nasopharyngeal aspirates from 226 patients with acute respiratory illness, ranging from infants to 5 years old, were collected at the University Hospital of the University of Sao Paulo (HU-USP), and tested using IFA, one-step RT-PCR, and semi-nested RT-PCR. One hundred and two (45.1%) samples were positive by at least one of the three methods, and 75 (33.2%) were positive by all methods: 92 (40.7%) were positive by one-step RT-PCR, 84 (37.2%) by IFA, and 96 (42.5%) by the semi-nested RT-PCR technique. One-step RT-PCR was shown to be fast, sensitive, and specific for RSV diagnosis, without the added inconvenience and risk of false positive results associated with semi-nested PCR. The combined use of these two methods enhances HRSV detection. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of lipid-lowering drugs on reverse cholesterol transport gene expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear and HepG2 cells

Aims: The ATP-binding cassette transporters, ABCA1 and ABCG1, are LXR-target genes that play an important role in reverse cholesterol transport. We examined the effects of inhibitors of the cholesterol absorption (ezetimibe) and synthesis (statins) on expression of these transporters in HepG2 cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of individuals with primary (and nonfamilial) hypercholesterolemia (HC). Materials & methods: A total of 48 HC individuals were treated with atorvastatin (10 mg/day/4 weeks) and 23 were treated with ezetimibe (10 mg/day/4 weeks), followed by simvastatin (10 mg/day/8 weeks) and simvastatin plus ezetimibe (10 mg of each/day/4 weeks). Gene expression was examined in statin- or ezetimibe-treated and control HepG2 cells as well as PBMCs using real-time PCR. Results: In PBMCs, statins and ezetimibe downregulated ABCA1 and ABCG1 mRNA expression but did not modulate NR1H2 (LxR-beta) and NR1H3 (LXR-alpha) levels. Positive correlations of ABCA1 with ABCG1 and of NR1H2 with NR1H3 expressions were found in all phases of the treatments. In HepG2 cells, ABCA1 mRNA levels remained unaltered while ABCG1 expression was increased by statin (1.0-10.0 mu M) or ezetimibe (5.0 mu M) treatments. Atorvastatin upregulated NR1H2 and NR1H3 only at 10.0 mu M, meanwhile ezetimibe (1.0-5.0 mu M) downregulated NR1H2 but did not change NR1H3 expression. Conclusion: Our findings reveal that lipid-lowering drugs downregulate ABCA1 and ABCG1 mRNA expression in PBMCs of HC individuals and exhibit differential effects on HepG2 cells. Moreover, they indicate that the ABCA1 and ABCG1 transcript levels were not correlated directly to LXR mRNA expression in both cell models treated with lipid-lowering drugs.

Epidemiology and Genetic Variability of Human Metapneumovirus During a 4-Year-Long Study in Southeastern Brazil

Epidemiological and molecular characteristics of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) were compared with human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) in infants and young children admitted for acute lower respiratory tract infections in a prospective study during four consecutive years in subtropical Brazil. GeneScan polymerase chain assays (GeneScan RT-PCR) were used to detect hMPV and hRSV in nasopharyngeal aspirates of 1,670 children during January 2003 to December 2006. hMPV and hRSV were detected, respectively, in 191 (11.4%) and in 702 (42%) of the children admitted with acute lower respiratory tract infections at the Sao Paulo University Hospital. Sequencing data of the hMPV F gene revealed that two groups of the virus, each divided into two subgroups, co-circulated during three consecutive years. It was also shown that a clear dominance of genotype B1 occurred during the years 2004 and 2005, followed by genotype A2 during 2006. J. Med. Virol. 81:915-921,2009. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Genetic Variability of Human Metapneumovirus Isolated From Chilean Children, 2003-2004

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a significant cause of acute lower respiratory tract infection in all age groups, particularly in children. Two genetic groups and four subgroups of hMPV have been described. They co-circulate during an epidemic in variable proportions. The aims were to characterize the genotypes of hMPV recovered from children hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infection and to establish the molecular epidemiology of strains circulating in Santiago of Chile during a 2-year period. The detection of the N gene by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction was carried out for screening 545 infants hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infection in Santiago during 2003-2004. The genetic typing of hMPV was performed by analyzing the fusion gene sequences. hMPV was detected in 10.2% (56/545 cases). Phylogenetic analysis of F gene sequences from 39 Chilean hMPV strains identified the two groups and four subgroups previously described. Strains clustered into group A were split further into the sub lineages A1, A2, and A3. Most Chilean strains clustered into the proposed novel A3 sub lineage (59%). A3 viruses were present in both years, while A1 and A2 circulated just in I year. In conclusion, hMPV is a relevant cause of acute lower respiratory infection in Chilean children and the potential novel cluster of group A emphasize the need for further regional genetic variability studies. J. Med. Virol. 81:340-344, 2009. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.