Ideological divisions will drive jihadist rivalry

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Current Lead ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Long Term Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Islamic Tradition ◽  
Ideological Differences ◽  
State Group

Subject Ideological divisions between Islamic State group and al-Qaida. Significance Islamic State group (ISG) and al-Qaida are both rooted in the same ideology, namely jihadi-salafism, which draws heavily on the Islamic tradition native to Saudi Arabia known as Wahhabism. However, fundamental ideological differences exist between the two rival groups, contributing to their acrimonious split in February 2014. Ideology underlies their divergent strategies and priorities, and will play a key part in determining which one wins the battle for supremacy of the global jihadist movement. Impacts Reconciliation is highly unlikely, but tactical cooperation will still occur on the ground. Sectarian attacks will increase, raising perceptions of a regional Sunni-Shia war. Competition for leadership of the global jihad could see both groups attempt attacks on Western targets. Military setbacks could narrow ISG's current lead over al-Qaida in terms of popularity and profile. Al-Qaida's more conciliatory and accommodative approach to local groups may mean it has greater prospects of long-term survival than ISG.

The influence of sex and the presence of giant cells on postoperative long-term survival in adult patients with supratentorial glioblastoma multiforme

2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoki Shinojima ◽  
Masato Kochi ◽  
Jun-Ichiro Hamada ◽  
Hideo Nakamura ◽  
Shigetoshi Yano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glioblastoma Multiforme ◽  
Giant Cell ◽  
Adult Patients ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Long Term Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Free Interval ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains incurable by conventional treatments, although some patients experience long-term survival. A younger age, a higher Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score, more aggressive treatment, and long progression-free intervals have been reported to be positively associated with long-term postoperative patient survival. The aim of this retrospective study was the identification of additional favorable prognostic factors affecting long-term survival in surgically treated adult patients with supratentorial GBM. Methods. Of 113 adult patients newly diagnosed with histologically verified supratentorial GBM who were enrolled in Phase III trials during the period between 1987 and 1998, six (5.3%) who survived for longer than 5 years were defined as long-term survivors, whereas the remaining 107 patients served as controls. All six were women and were compared with the controls; they were younger (mean age 44.2 years, range 31–60 years), and their preoperative KPS scores were higher (mean 85, range 60–100). Four of the six patients underwent gross-total resection. In five patients (83.3%) the progression-free interval was longer than 5 years and in three a histopathological diagnosis of giant cell GBM was made. This diagnosis was not made in the other 107 patients. Conclusions. Among adult patients with supratentorial GBM, female sex and histopathological characteristics consistent with giant cell GBM may be predictive of a better survival rate, as may traditional factors (that is, younger age, good KPS score, more aggressive resection, and a long progression-free interval).

Adult cerebellar medulloblastomas: the pathological, radiographic, and clinical disease spectrum

1989 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 536-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerry L. Hubbard ◽  
Bernd W. Scheithauer ◽  
David B. Kispert ◽  
Sandra M. Carpenter ◽  
Mark R. Wick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Spinal Metastases ◽  
Tumor Location ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Long Term Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Disease Spectrum ◽  
Imaging Characteristics

✓ The records of 34 patients over 16 years of age with cerebellar medulloblastoma were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were treated by surgery, and all surviving patients were given radiation therapy. The imaging characteristics of this rare entity were evaluated with regard to the tumor location in the cerebellum, and the prognostic effects of histological characteristics such as neuronal or glial differentiation and the presence of desmoplasia were investigated. Neither histological parameters nor tumor location (median, paramedian, or lateral cerebellar) affected patient survival. The desmoplastic variant was encountered in 38% of these adult medulloblastomas and occurred in all three cerebellar locations. The degree of surgical resection did not have a major effect on long-term survival; long-term survival was possible even in patients who had received only a biopsy. The extent of initial radiation therapy was positively correlated with recurrence-free survival; full neuraxis irradiation was associated with a 13% incidence of delayed spinal metastases, whereas 75% of patients treated with irradiation of only the posterior fossa and/or the whole brain developed spinal deposits. A similar local recurrence rate (12.5%) was noted in both irradiation groups. Chemotherapy resulted in palliation in some patients with metastatic disease.

Yemen campaign raises Saudi stability risks

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Crown Prince ◽  
State Group ◽  
At Home

Significance The Saudi-led campaign against the Huthi movement in Yemen looks set to continue well into 2016. At the end of 2015 there were signs that the length and scale of the coalition effort had weakened the Huthis, but not yet to a point where the group is ready for serious negotiations. Impacts The war will enable both al-Qaida and Islamic State group (ISG) to expand in Yemen and potentially threaten Saudi Arabia. The conflict will intensify anti-Shia rhetoric in Saudi Arabia, further straining the loyalty of the Saudi Shia minority. Fiscal pressures at home will increase Saudi Arabia's incentive to draw the conflict to a close. Progress in Yemen could boost the succession prospects of the war's key architect, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

Russia is expanding its military options in Syria

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Military Training ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Military Support ◽  
Russian Military ◽  
State Group

Subject Russia's diversified military capacity in Syria. Significance Russian armed forces played an active role in the Syrian government's recapture of Palmyra in March, despite the partial withdrawal of Russian aircraft from Syria. As well as air strikes, months of Russian military training and arms deliveries enhanced the Syrian army's combat capacity, contributing to a rapid collapse of Islamic State group (ISG) resistance. The operation showed how Russia has widened the instruments available: it can scale conventional air strikes up or down, provide fire support from helicopters or artillery, and use these elements to compensate for deficiencies in the Syrian military, while supplying weaponry, training and coordination to local forces. Impacts Russian military support can ensure the Syrian regime's survival, but that will require a long-term presence. The recapture of Aleppo would constitute a near fatal blow to the Syrian rebel movement. The Russian military will learn lessons about weaponry and coordination from the Syrian operation. Elements of these lessons including control of proxy forces may be applied in future foreign interventions. The use of mercenaries, trialled in Syria, offers Moscow a useful and deniable instrument abroad.

Enterprise survival in the high-tech community: persuasion and power in board decisions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronit Yitshaki ◽  
Eli Gimmon ◽  
Susanna Khavul
Keyword(s):  
High Tech ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Board Size ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Long Term Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Board Processes ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Start Ups

Purpose This study aims to examine the extent to which board size, the use of power by venture capital investors and entrepreneurs’ interpersonal tactics such as persuasion to sway board decisions, influence the long-term survival of start-ups. Design/methodology/approach This study used a mixed-methods approach. The quantitative part is based on data collected from 179 chief executive officers (CEOs) of high-tech start-ups community financed by venture capitalists (VCs) in Israel of which 59 did not survive. To achieve a better understanding of these findings, semi-structured interviews with 12 entrepreneurs were conducted. Findings Smaller boards were positively associated with venture survival. The use of power by VC investors positively influenced start-up survival. CEO persuasion had a negative effect on venture survival; however, its interaction with board size suggests that it had a lesser effect on very small boards. Practical implications Although investors’ control over decision-making contributes to long-term survival, entrepreneurs should be aware of the possible detrimental effects of exercising a high level of persuasion in board processes. The findings also suggest that a small board size is preferable for start-up survival. Originality/value Exploring the effect of board processes on venture survival is considered complex. A unique sample of high-technology start-ups consisting of both surviving and failed start-ups was analyzed to explore the effects of persuasion and power in board processes.

North-south divide will ease Syria rebel tensions

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
The South ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The North ◽  
Rebel Groups ◽  
Euphrates Valley ◽  
State Group

Significance Syria's beleaguered mainstream rebel movement suffered numerous territorial losses in 2014 at the hands of Islamic State group (ISG) and the regime. Partly in response to these losses, a wider realignment of rebel alliances is now underway. Rebel groups are shifting away from overambitious schemes to unify under one national umbrella or on an ideological basis, and are moving towards more pragmatic local coalitions that are creating a de facto geographical 'north-south' divide among the rebels. Impacts Any international fightback against ISG requires the overcoming of US and Saudi objections to LF and other Islamist rebels. A nationwide Syrian rebel army will only materialise in the event of a US-led ground campaign against ISG. Recruiting tribal militias will probably prove a cheaper and more practical option. Saudi Arabia will prioritise the rebel scene in the south and Euphrates valley, leaving Qatar and Turkey to dominate the north. Dire military conditions will reinforce the drive for pragmatic cooperation among Damascus rebels.

Saudi-Iran escalation will prolong regional conflicts

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regional Powers ◽  
Regional Conflicts ◽  
State Group

Significance The protests came in reaction to Saudi Arabia's surprise decision to execute prominent Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr, who was imprisoned for his role in anti-government protests in eastern Saudi Arabia in 2011. The escalation between rival regional powers Saudi Arabia and Iran comes as efforts intensify to solve proxy conflicts in the region, most notably Syria and Yemen, and to fight the rising threat from the Islamic State group (ISG). Impacts Rising anti-Shia sentiment in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will fuel ISG's rise. Iran's hardliners will play on anti-Saudi rhetoric in order to strengthen their position ahead of elections next month. Saudi Arabia may refuse to participate in international talks on Syria later this month.

Corporate sustainability management under market uncertainty

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 1023-1037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Honglei Liu ◽  
Sang Jin Kim ◽  
Huanzhang Wang ◽  
Kyung Hoon Kim
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Responsibility ◽  
Market Uncertainty ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Sustainability Management ◽  
Long Term Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Survival And Growth

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand how market uncertainty affects sustainability management for long-term survival and growth. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling is applied to evaluate the research model using data from a survey of 210 firms in China. Findings Empirical findings show that market uncertainty encourages entrepreneurship, which is an impetus for sustainability management. Economic and environmental responsibility positively affects balanced scorecard, but social responsibility does not. Research limitations/implications The study results show that economic and environmental responsibility is essential for success, but social responsibility appears to lack effect. Therefore, future research might further explore why social responsibility fails to enhance corporate performance. Practical implications When firms consider sustainability management for long-term survival and growth, they should not only strive to grow regional economic benefits but also adhere to environmental regulations and protect the local ecosystem. Originality/value This study observes how market uncertainty, entrepreneurship and corporate sustainability (economic, environmental and social responsibility) affect the overall performance of firms in China.

scholarly journals Desiccation as a Long-Term Survival Mechanism for the Archaeon Methanosarcina barkeri

2011 ◽  
Vol 78 (5) ◽  
pp. 1473-1479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly L. Anderson ◽  
Ethel E. Apolinario ◽  
Kevin R. Sowers
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rates ◽  
Extracellular Polysaccharide ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
Methanosarcina Barkeri ◽  
Stress Factors ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Long Term Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Protection Mechanisms

ABSTRACTViable methanogens have been detected in dry, aerobic environments such as dry reservoir sediment, dry rice paddies and aerobic desert soils, which suggests that methanogens have mechanisms for long-term survival in a desiccated state. In this study, we quantified the survival rates of the methanogenic archaeonMethanosarcina barkeriafter desiccation under conditions equivalent to the driest environments on Earth and subsequent exposure to different stress factors. There was no significant loss of viability after desiccation for 28 days for cells grown with either hydrogen or the methylotrophic substrates, but recovery was affected by growth phase, with cells desiccated during the stationary phase of growth having a higher rate of recovery after desiccation. Synthesis of methanosarcinal extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) significantly increased the viability of desiccated cells under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions compared with that of non-EPS-synthesizing cells. DesiccatedM. barkeriexposed to air at room temperature did not lose significant viability after 28 days, and exposure ofM. barkerito air after desiccation appeared to improve the recovery of viable cells compared with that of desiccated cells that were never exposed to air. DesiccatedM. barkeriwas more resistant to higher temperatures, and although resistance to oxidative conditions such as ozone and ionizing radiation was not as robust as in other desiccation-resistant microorganisms, the protection mechanisms are likely adequate to maintain cell viability during periodic exposure events. The results of this study demonstrate that after desiccationM. barkerihas the innate capability to survive extended periods of exposure to air and lethal temperatures.

scholarly journals Transcriptomic Response of Listeria monocytogenes during the Transition to the Long-Term-Survival Phase

2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (17) ◽  
pp. 5966-5972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Wen ◽  
Xiangyu Deng ◽  
Zengxin Li ◽  
Edward G. Dudley ◽  
Ramaswamy C. Anantheswaran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
Transcriptomic Response ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Long Term Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Serotype 4B ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

ABSTRACTListeria monocytogenescan change its cellular morphology from bacilli to cocci during the transition to the long-term-survival (LTS) phase. The LTS cells demonstrated increased baro- and thermotolerance compared to their vegetative counterparts. So far, the underlying mechanisms that trigger this morphological and physiological transition remain largely unknown. In this study, we compared the transcriptomic profiles ofL. monocytogenesserotype 4b strain F2365 at different growth stages in tryptic soy broth with yeast extract (TSBYE) using a whole-genome DNA chip approach. We identified a total of 225 differentially expressed genes (≥4-fold;P< 0.05) during the transition to the LTS phase in TSBYE. Genes related to cell envelope structure, energy metabolism, and transport were most significantly upregulated in the LTS phase. The upregulation of compatible solute transporters may lead to the accumulation of cellular solutes, lowering intracellular water activity and thus increasing bacterial stress resistance during the transition to the LTS phase. The downregulation of genes associated with protein synthesis may indicate a status of metabolic dormancy of the LTS cells. The transcriptomic profiles of resuscitated LTS cells in fresh TSBYE resembled those of log-phase cells (r=0.94), as the LTS cells rapidly resume metabolic activities and transit back to log phase with decreased baro- and thermotolerance.

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