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Scintillation screens are widely used to diagnose high-charge density, low-average current electron beams from laser wakefield accelerators (LWFAs). However, the absolute response between emitted photons and electron charge has only been calibrated at a limited number of facilities, and there have been discrepancies between these calibrations. In this report, we comprehensively revised the absolute charge calibration of two high relative brightness scintillating screens of LANEX Regular (Carestream) and PI200 (Mitsubishi) by employing the high-brightness photoinjector at the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC), which provides electron beams with variable charges (50–350 pC per pulse) and energies (26.55, 34.50, 42.10 MeV). Our results show that the energy-independent fluorescence efficiency of LANEX Regular and PI200 is (7.39 ± 0.38) × 109 and (2.04 ± 0.04) × 1010 photons/sr/pC, respectively, and both screens retained over 98.5% efficiency at accumulated charge densities up to 500 nC/mm2. These results provide a robust framework for applying the scintillation screens in LWFA diagnostics to enhance accuracy and reliability in electron beam characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of auxiliary information concept (AIC) and variable sampling interval (VSI) feature in control charts is shown to enhance the sensitivity of the charts in out-of-control detection. In this paper, the VSI hybrid exponentially weighted moving average (HEWMA) chart based on auxiliary information (denoted as the VSI AIC-HEWMA) for the process mean is proposed, where two levels of sampling interval are considered, with test statistic that considers both information from the study and auxiliary characteristics. Monte-Carlo simulation is used to compute the average time to signal (ATS), standard deviation of the time to signal (SDTS) and expected ATS (EATS) of the chart. The VSI AIC-HEWMA chart is then compared with the auxiliary information based variable sampling interval exponentially weighted moving average (VSI AIC-EWMA) and AIC-HEWMA charts. Results show that the VSI AIC-HEWMA chart is more sensitive than the competing charts for all sizes of shift in out-of-control detection, by having the smallest out-of-control ATS and EATS values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Survivorship of medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is technique-dependent. Correct femoral-tibial component positioning associates with improved survivorship. Image-free robotic-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty enables preoperative and intraoperative planning of alignment and assessment of positioning prior to execution. This study aimed to compare the radiological outcomes between robotic-assisted UKA (R-UKA) and conventional UKA (C-UKA). Methods: This retrospective case control study involved 140 UKA (82 C-UKA and 58 R-UKA) performed at an academic institution between March 2016 to November 2020, with a mean follow-up of 3 years. Postoperative radiographs were evaluated for mechanical axis and femoral-tibial component position. Component position was measured by two methods: (1) femoral-tibial component contact point with reference to four medial-to-lateral quadrants of the tibial tray and (2) femoral-tibial component contact point deviation from the center of the tibial tray as a percentage of the tibial tray width. Baseline demographics and complications were recorded. Results: There was a higher mean component deviation in C-UKA compared with R-UKA using method 2 (17.2% vs. 12.8%; P = 0.007), but no difference in proportion of zonal outliers using method 1 (4 outliers in C-UKA, 5.1% vs. 1 outlier in R-UKA, 1.8%; P = 0.403). R-UKA showed no difference in mean mechanical alignment (C-UKA 5° vs. R-UKA 5°; P = 0.250). 2-year survivorship was 99% for C-UKA and 97% for R-UKA. Mean operative time was 18 min longer for R-UKA (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Image-free robotic-assisted UKA had improved component medio-lateral alignment compared with conventional technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arjunolic acid (AA) is a triterpenoid saponin found in Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. (Combretaceae). It exerts cardiovascular protective effects as a phytomedicine. However, it is unclear how AA exerts the effects at the molecular level. This study investigates the cardioprotective effects of arjunolic acid (AA) via MyD88-dependant TLR4 downstream signaling marker expression. The MTT viability assay was used to assess the cytotoxicity of AA. LPS induced in vitro cardiovascular disease model was developed in H9C2 and C2C12 myotubes. The treatment groups were designed such as control (untreated), LPS control, positive control (LPS + pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC)-25 µM), and treatment groups were co-treated with LPS and three concentrations of AA (50, 75, and 100 µM) for 24 h. The changes in the expression of TLR4 downstream signaling markers were evaluated through High Content Screening (HCS) and Western Blot (WB) analysis. After 24 h of co-treatment, the expression of TLR4, MyD88, MAPK, JNK, and NF-κB markers were upregulated significantly (2-6 times) in the LPS-treated groups compared to the untreated control in both HCS and WB experiments. Evidently, the HCS analysis revealed that MyD88, NF-κB, p38, and JNK were significantly downregulated in the H9C2 myotube in the AA treated groups. In HCS, the expression of NF-κB was downregulated in C2C12. Additionally, TLR4 expression was downregulated in both H9C2 and C2C12 myotubes in the WB experiment. TLR4 marker expression in H9C2 and C2C12 myotubes was subsequently decreased by AA treatment, suggesting possible cardioprotective effects of AA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From a Confucianism perspective, this study examined the mediating role of harmony on the relationship between transformational leadership and leadership effectiveness. A new measurement scale for harmony was developed and tested. Data were collected from 312 full-time employees of nine different organizations in China through an on-site survey. The study used a pilot test, factor analysis, reliability, and validity test, analysis of bivariate correlations, and bootstrapping test. The results showed a significant relationship between transformational leadership and leadership effectiveness, with harmony partially mediating this relationship. The measurement scale for harmony was statistically validated as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this study, sea cucumber (Holothuria scabra; Jaegar 1833) extracts and collagens were evaluated for inhibitory properties of protein‐bound advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Processed dried sea cucumber with salt extract showed a significant lower IC50 value for fluorescent AGEs (9.19 ± 7.68 μg mL−1, P < 0.05) and fructosamine (503.47 ± 46.37 μg mL−1, P < 0.05), respectively. Processed dried with and without salt extracts significantly reduced the Nε‐carboxymethyllysine (CML) and methylglyoxal‐derived hydroimidazolone‐1 (MG‐H1) levels tested at 250 μg mL−1. Smoked dried and fresh‐dried extracts significantly reduced the Nε‐carboxyethyllysine (CEL) levels tested at 250 μg mL−1. Pepsin‐solubilised collagen and the crude collagen fibrils significantly reduced CML and MG‐H1 levels whereas CEL levels were unchanged. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that protein‐bound AGE and CML inhibition significantly correlated with the total phenolic and antioxidant activities, respectively. This study provides a strong rationale for further investigation aimed at identifying the active compounds responsible for the observed effects on biomarkers relevant to diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This was an observational study on cervical length and head perineum distance and the prediction of time of delivery. One-hundred and twenty-five nulliparous women with uncomplicated, term, singleton pregnancy were recruited when they presented to the labor ward with show or infrequent painful uterine contractions (less than three contractions in ten minutes on a 30 min cardiotocogram). Apart from digital vaginal examination to assess cervical length and dilatation, sonographic cervical length and head perineum distance were measured by two-dimensional ultrasound. We compared women who delivered within 72 h of presentation of labor symptoms, with women who did not. After excluding ten women whose labor was induced and delivered within 72 h of presentation, one hundred and fifteen women were included for final data analysis. Main findings: Forty-nine women (42.6%) delivered while sixty-six women (57.4%) remained undelivered at 72 h of presentation of symptoms of labor. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups on age, presence of show, contractions, fetal head station and presentation and mode of delivery. For the group who had delivered within 72 h of presentation of labor symptoms, the mean sonographic cervical length was 1.87 cm ± 0.62 cm, while the head perineum distance was 6.01 cm ± 1.15 cm. For the other group, the mean sonographic cervical length was 2.10 cm ± 0.83 cm; head perineum distance was 6.03 cm ± 1.18 cm. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups for both sonographic cervical length (p =.90); and head perineum distance (p =.08). We also compared the cervical length measured by digital vaginal examination versus sonography. The median sonographic measurements were 1.47 cm, 2.11 cm and 2.79 cm at "1 cm," "2 cm" and "3 cm" digital vaginal measurement, respectively. However, there was extensive overlap between digitally and sonographically measured cervical length. Prediction accuracy of cervical length and head perineum distance was poor. The area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were 0.433 for sonographic cervical length and 0.501 for HPD. Conclusion: Transperineal sonographical assessment of cervical length and head perineum distance before labor was not useful in predicting the time of delivery. However, it can be explored as an alternative assessment method when digital vaginal examination is not preferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a case of perianal basal cell carcinoma (BCC), a rare form of anorectal malignancy. The patient, a 79-year-old male with multiple comorbidities, presented with rectal bleeding and a perianal lump. The initial impression was perianal squamous cell carcinoma, but a biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of BCC. The article highlights the challenges in identifying perianal BCC and emphasizes the importance of thorough examination and biopsy for perianal lesions. It also mentions the risk factors and treatment options for this condition. The authors call for continued clinical vigilance in detecting anorectal malignancies, especially as environmental risk factors and treatment modalities evolve. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: Agricultural accounting is gaining ground across different disciplines, rendering it a significant research area. This study aims to assess agricultural accounting research for the past 93 years in terms of publication frequency, subject areas, topics that received the most attention among researchers, as well as the institutions that contribute to this subject area. Design/methodology/approach: This study employs a bibliometric analysis collected through the Scopus database. The sample included 3,612 documents. The analyzed variables include the number of publications per year, documents published, country, author affiliation, keywords and active institutions. Analyses include graphical network maps. Findings: The findings of this study reveal the importance of supportive institutions, human capabilities and international collaboration in aiding research and development. It provides an overview of agricultural accounting literature over the years and aid researchers in this research domain to explore more studies and develop better arguments. The results also indicate the continuing growth in the number of publications in recent years by authorship; country include the USA, China, the UK, Australia and Germany; institutes include Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wageningen University and Research Centre; and the subject areas include Environmental Science; Agriculture and Biology sciences; and Social Sciences. The most frequent keywords connecting to author's area of research, as highlighted in Figure 5, include agriculture, accounting, water accounting, environmental accounting and cost analysis. Research limitations/implications: The study is based on the Scopus database, which has limited coverage. The keywords of the literature search were restricted to "agriculture and accounting" or "agricultural and accounting" and the research approach limited to quantitative perspective. Practical implications: The findings may benefit policymakers as well as academicians toward understanding the areas of interest in agricultural accounting. Originality/value: This study provides the potential areas within agricultural accounting literature in a broader scope that deserve multiple accounting practices to cover diverse agricultural activities such as cost accounting, financial reporting, managerial accounting, auditing, taxation and financial information systems. The study suggests developing countries promote innovative research on agricultural practice to meet global scientific and technological developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical varices are a rare condition characterized by recurrent antepartum hemorrhage and less than 20 cases were reported in the literature. It is usually associated with placenta previa. We herein describe four cases of cervical varices without placenta previa. Meticulous speculum examination, ultrasonography with Doppler and colposcopy are essential for establishing the diagnosis and assessing the extent of the cervical varix. We propose to classify it as the apparent external os type or ultrasonography‐based endocervical type. Most cases presented in the literature were delivered by cesarean section. Nevertheless, one of our cases was a successful vaginal delivery. Our case illustrates that vaginal delivery is possible in isolated cervical varices. More case reports are needed to have a better understanding of this rare entity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a 6-week core stabilization training program (CSTP) in improving dynamic balance and back-extensor endurance of horse riders; and develop a measurement tool in assessing the dynamic postural stabilization endurance for horse riders. Twelve male horse riders (age: 23.58 ± 1.93 years; height: 165.09 ± 4.60 cm; weight: 56.53 ± 4.75 kg; experience in horse racing: 1.75 ± 0.34 years) completed 12 training sessions in 6 weeks. Subjects performed the CSTP with two progressions. CSTP started with the basic consciousness activation exercises, and then eliminated visual feedback in dynamic balance task on unstable surfaces and finished with switching the center of gravity. Moderate-to-large difference was demonstrated in the Y-Balance test scores for right leg (102.81 ± 8.32 vs 106.471 ± 4.35 cm, d = 0.55, 95% CL 0.00 to 1.08) and left leg (102.04 ± 3.20 vs 106.29 ± 3.62 cm, d = 1.25, 95% CL 0.41 to 2.05) following 6 weeks CSTP. However, trivial to small differences was reported between left and right leg in pre (d = 0.12, 95% CL − 0.49 to 0.73) and post 6-week CSTP (d = 0.04, 95% CL − 0.69 to 0.78). Biering–Sørensen test (BST) shows largely greater performance after 6-week CSTP (98.3 ± 30.1 vs 131.8 ± 19.0 s, d = 1.33, 95% CL 0.54–2.09). A novel measurement, Swiss ball four-point kneeling test was shown to be correlated with the change in BST (r = 0.633). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma fibrinogen is an important coagulation factor and susceptible to post-translational modification by oxidants. We have reported impairment of fibrin polymerization after exposure to hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and increased methionine oxidation of fibrinogen in severely injured trauma patients. Molecular dynamics suggests that methionine oxidation poses a mechanistic link between oxidative stress and coagulation through protofibril lateral aggregation by disruption of AαC domain structures. However, experimental evidence explaining how HOCl oxidation impairs fibrinogen structure and function has not been demonstrated. We utilized polymerization studies and two dimensional-nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (2D-NMR) to investigate the hypothesis that HOCl oxidation alters fibrinogen conformation and T2 relaxation time of water protons in the fibrin gels. We have demonstrated that both HOCl oxidation of purified fibrinogen and addition of HOCl-oxidized fibrinogen to plasma fibrinogen solution disrupted lateral aggregation of protofibrils similarly to competitive inhibition of fibrin polymerization using a recombinant AαC fragment (AαC 419–502). DOSY NMR measurement of fibrinogen protons demonstrated that the diffusion coefficient of fibrinogen increased by 17.4%, suggesting the oxidized fibrinogen was more compact and fast motion in the prefibrillar state. 2D-NMR analysis reflected that water protons existed as bulk water (T2) and intermediate water (T2i) in the control plasma fibrin. Bulk water T2 relaxation time was increased twofold and correlated positively with the level of HOCl oxidation. However, T2 relaxation of the oxidized plasma fibrin gels was dominated by intermediate water. Oxidation induced thinner fibers, in which less water is released into the bulk and water fraction in the hydration shell was increased. We have confirmed that T2 relaxation is affected by the self-assembly of fibers and stiffness of the plasma fibrin gel. We propose that water protons can serve as an NMR signature to probe oxidative rearrangement of the fibrin clot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in economic globalization has created a need for multinational corporations to use expatriates to manage their foreign subsidiaries. Expatriate employees face many challenges that they can meet successfully only if they are well prepared through sound cross‐cultural training. In this exploratory study, we investigated the effects of cross‐cultural training on Chinese expatriates in Nigeria. We mainly focused on the relationship between predeparture and postarrival cross‐cultural training. In this study, we surveyed 198 Chinese expatriates in Nigeria and found that both predeparture and postarrival training have significant and positive influences on Chinese expatriates' adjustment. Additionally, our results demonstrated that language training and previous overseas experience also have positive effects on Chinese expatriates' adjustment in Nigeria. The implications of these findings are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is an intracellular kinase that plays an important role in modulating tumor immune response and thus is an attractive target for drug discovery. Crystallization of the wild‐type HPK1 kinase domain has been hampered by poor expression in recombinant systems and poor solubility. In this study, yeast surface display was applied to a library of HPK1 kinase‐domain variants in order to select variants with an improved expression level and solubility. The HPK1 variant with the most improved properties contained two mutations, crystallized readily in complex with several small‐molecule inhibitors and provided valuable insight to guide structure‐based drug design. This work exemplifies the benefit of yeast surface display towards engineering crystallizable proteins and thus enabling structure‐based drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the roles of one's original family and current family in influencing his or her entering entrepreneurial endeavors. Specifically, individuals' original family is also crucial for entrepreneurship, which has been neglected by prior studies to a large extent. Moreover, the authors argue that a good marital relationship between two parents within the original family could facilitate an entrepreneurial spirit by providing better family support, whereas a good relationship with one's life partner or spouse within their current family could also increase the likelihood of entrepreneurial activities through reducing work stress. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use two archival data sets: National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 and 2013 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Adult Population Survey to test whether a harmonious relationship between two parents or with life partner/spouse could encourage individuals to become an entrepreneur and whether family support and work conflict mediate such a relationship. Findings: This study found that parents' relationship in one's adolescence provides individuals with more support, which leads to more entrepreneurial endeavors, whereas the conflicts between two parents will reduce their likelihood of initiating entrepreneurial activities. Besides, a good relationship with one's life partner/spouse can release his/her work stress, which is also important for entrepreneurship development. Originality/value: Different from the extant related research that focuses more on on-site predictors of entrepreneurship, the current study proposes factors from other life domains, including those in one's adolescence, that can also influence and change individuals' choice of entrepreneurial activities throughout their entire life. Harmonious family relationships (i.e. fewer family conflicts) are important for one to start a business, and family conflicts can reduce the likelihood of choosing entrepreneurship as the main occupation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tight and simultaneous combination of moral, benevolent and authoritarian leadership as well as the negative impact of authoritarian leadership imposes challenges to paternalistic leadership researchers. We used three-way tests to investigate the relationships among three dimensions of paternalistic leadership and our results indicate that the relationship between benevolent/moral leadership and leadership effectiveness is stronger for high than for low authoritarian leadership. In addition, when a leader has low benevolent and/or moral leadership, low authoritarianism has higher leadership effectiveness than high authoritarianism. However, when both benevolent and moral leadership are high, high authoritarianism works better than low authoritarianism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Authorities publish recommendations on the hepatitis B virus (HBV) viral load threshold to initiate antiviral treatment but the timing of quantification during pregnancy is not well defined. HBV DNA levels in pregnancy women at 28-30 weeks predict the risk of immunoprophylaxis failure. This study compared and evaluated the correlation between HBV DNA levels before 22 and 28-30 weeks' gestation. Clinical predictive factors for HBV DNA >6, 7 and 8 log10  IU/mL were studied.Material and Methods: A retrospective analysis of HBV DNA levels of women <22 and 28-30 weeks of gestation was carried out in 352 pregnant HBV carriers. HBV DNA was examined using the COBAS TaqMan HBV Monitor Test coupled with the COBAS Ampliprep extraction system (Both Roche Diagnostics, Branchburg, NJ, USA).Results: A strong positive correlation was found between the viral loads of women <22 weeks (mean 16.7 weeks) and 28-30 weeks of gestation, which was independent of the viral load level and gestational age of quantification (r = 0.942, P < 0.001). Univariate analysis showed that positive hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), maternal age <35 years old and body mass index ≤21 kg/m2 were associated with a higher mean viral load at 28-30 weeks of gestation (P < 0.05). These factors were also associated with a higher chance of viral load >6, 7 and 8 log10  IU/mL at 28-30 weeks (P < 0.05). In multiple regression analysis, only the viral load of <22 weeks and positive HBeAg remained predictive of a higher mean viral load at 28-30 weeks of gestation (P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the HBV DNA of <22 weeks was an excellent predictor for different viral load cut-offs at 28-30 weeks. The area under curve was 0.986, 0.998 and 0.994 for viral load 6, 7 and 8 log10  IU/mL, respectively.Conclusions: HBV DNA quantification should be performed before 22 weeks of gestation. Viral load cut-offs similar to those at 28 weeks can be used to determine immunoprophylaxis failure at earlier gestation. Maternal positive HBeAg status was associated with a higher chance of viral load >6, 7 or 8 log10  IU/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to lay the necessary conceptual and empirical groundwork that advances knowledge about paternalistic leadership (PL). PL is reinterpreted as a leadership style consisting of authoritative, moral and benevolent leadership. The mediating role of trust is examined, and a formal, unified construct model of PL is suggested through evidence of construct validity. Design/methodology/approach: An on-site survey was used to collect data from 312 full-time employees in nine organizations in China. Factor analysis, reliability and validity test, and an analysis of bivariate correlations were conducted. Findings: The new construct of PL achieved a positive alignment and coherence among the three dimensions. Subordinates' trust was found to be critical for paternalistic leaders to be perceived as effective leaders. Research limitations/implications: Leadership and its effectiveness were examined only at the dyadic level. The levels of the supervisors and their effectiveness differ because some were from middle management, whereas others were from first line managers. Practical implications: Trust is an important explanatory mechanism for the relationship between PL and employee performance, especially in China. It is a key factor that creates loyalty and builds a good relationship between leaders and subordinates. Social implications: Trust signals a strong sense of sharing within the relationship. It induces positive emotional feelings in their leader by the subordinates and, therefore, taps into positive evaluations about the effectiveness of their leader. Originality/value: This study developed the theoretical underpinnings and provided measurement instruments for PL. It offered a formal, unified construct model of PL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant portion of the scientific effort has been devoted to the detection of endotoxins in pharmaceutical solutions, as they pose major health threats as contaminants even in minute amounts. Conventional methods based on the biological response of endotoxins have been well-established, but as technology advances, many limitations surfaced in the recent years. As a result, information obtained by chemical analytical methods becomes valuable in crossvalidating these results. In addition to providing an overview on the main strategies for detecting the presence of endotoxins, the biological methods are compared with the chemical techniques. The review also investigates future advances aimed toward a more accurate, reliable, and convenient endotoxin test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrot peel generated from the juice factories is considered as waste and it can be potential for further recovery of carotenoids. Drying treatment is essential to minimise degradation of carotenoids and ease transportation as well as storage of the peel for further processing. This study aimed to determine the impact of different drying conditions on its physicochemical and antioxidant properties to propose the most suitable conditions for drying carrot peel for further recovery of carotenoids. Drying conditions were found to significantly affect retention of total carotenoids, β-carotene, lutein and lycopene as well as antioxidant capacity in carrot peel. Optimal conditions for hot-air drying were at 40 °C for 3.5 h; vacuum drying were at 60 °C, −60 kPa for 4 h; dehumidification drying was at 50 °C for 2.5 h with relative humidity (RH) of 16–21 %; and microwave drying was at 600 W for 7 min. In comparison with freeze drying (control) and other three different drying methods at each optimal conditions, dehumidification drying at 50 °C with RH of 16–21 % was the most effective method as it retained high levels of total carotenoids (2.75 mg/g DW), β-carotene (1.57 mg/g DW), lutein (0.17 mg/g DW) and lycopene (0.78 mg/g DW). Dried carrot peel also had potent antioxidant properties (ABTS: 4.71 and CUPRAC: 19 mM TE/g DW). Therefore, these conditions are recommended for drying carrot peel for further recovery of carotenoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the population worldwide ages, the epidemic of kidney disease will also increase. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) positive rapidly progressive positive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) is the most common etiology for biopsied patients among the very elderly. Its pathological features and clinical course are well described, though there is still debate about the mechanism of injury involved in individual patients. From very ancient times, the cornerstone of treatment historically has been high-dose cyclophosphamide and a lengthy course of high-dose corticosteroids. Although this regimen has diminished the immediate mortality rate of RPGN, its intermediate and long-term adverse effects are not insignificant. Attempts to minimize toxicity and improve efficacy have been made through the years to allow physicians some options for therapy. Lower cumulative cyclophosphamide regimens, shorter corticosteroid courses, and the introduction of rituximab have modified the armamentarium for treatment of ANCA positive RPGN. As progress is made in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of this disease, new targets will be found for potential therapeutic attack. The complement system is an area of active interest for all glomerular diseases at this time. Indeed, animal studies and preliminary human studies suggest that targeting the complement system can ameliorate the course of ANCA-positive RPGN. Hopefully, as the population ages, we will see more and safer therapeutic options to treat this once rapidly fatal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Plasma anti-Xa activity, the recommended test to monitor low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) therapy, is not readily available in many laboratories. In our clinical trials on the use of LMWH as anticoagulation for haemodialysis, a consistent prolongation of APTT in addition to the elevated anti-Xa activity was observed in the patients after LMWH administration. Hence, the paired anti-Xa activity and APTT data were re-analyzed. The APTT ratio, which was the proportional change in APTT from the baseline value after LMWH administration, was found to have a strong correlation with anti-Xa activity (coefficient of determination, R 2 = 0.72, P < 0.001). In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the APTT ratio was also found to be an excellent predictor of therapeutic anti-Xa activity ≧0.5 IU/mL (area under curve = 0.93, P < 0.001). The sensitivity was 88% and the specificity was 83.3% when an APTT ratio ≧1.4 was used as the cut point to predict the achievement of therapeutic anti-Xa activity. Our results illustrated that APTT is a potentially useful screening test to assess the degree of anticoagulation achieved by LMWH during haemodialysis, if the testing for plasma anti-Xa activity is not available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological cells in a population can behave heterogeneously upon uniform external stimulation, i.e., responses of subpopulations of the cells are different. Therefore, distributions of cell properties, rather than the average, are more meaningful for the characterization of biological cells under stresses. Change in the symmetry of the distribution is also an indicator of heterogeneous cellular responses. Single-cell ICP-MS measures the contents of essential and absorbed elements of individual cells in a population and naturally gives the distributions of ICP-MS intensity of the measured elements. We propose the correlation of the distributions of ICP-MS intensity and other cellular properties for the characterization of cellular responses to external stresses. A novel correlation method is adopted: the corresponding percentiles of distributions of two cell properties are correlated in a plot. The linearity of the correlation plots is a measure of the similarity of the two distributions under external stresses. Linear plots signify similar skewness and cellular responses, and vice versa. In addition, changes in the slope of the plots versus the strength of external stress are a measure of the relative sensitivity of the two properties to the external stress. The well-characterized toxicology of Cr(vi) on C. vulgaris was used as a test model. Mg was used as an intrinsic biomarker. Distributions of the ICP-MS intensity of Mg and cell volume become asymmetric under Cr(vi) stress, indicating heterogeneous cellular responses to Cr(vi) stresses. However, each pair of distributions is of similar shape and skewness and the correlation plots are linear, suggesting that the two properties are related. Moreover, the slope of the correlation plots increases with the Cr(vi) concentration, i.e., the cellular Mg content per unit cell volume increases upon Cr(vi) stress. The single-cell ICP-MS intensity of the absorbed Cr also correlates linearly with Mg intensity. The strong correlation of the ICP-MS intensity of Mg and Cr and the simultaneous increase in both cellular Mg and Cr contents indicate that the increase in cellular Mg contents is related to the uptake of toxic Cr(vi) ions by the algal cells. The proposed method of single-cell ICP-MS measurement and distribution correlation appears to be a feasible technique for direct label-free characterization of cellular responses to external stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the level of disability awareness in the property management industry in Hong Kong.Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire survey was conducted on 342 local property management practitioners. The survey was conducted online in the period between 15 September 2014 and 30 November 2014 to collect various information of the respondents such as their backgrounds, different perceptions towards the disabled and disability awareness. In addition, in-depth interviews with two front-line property management personnel were undertaken to provide a more narrative account of the topic.Findings The respondents generally recognized the importance of inclusive built environment to persons with disabilities (PWD) and the vital role played by property management in safeguarding the interests of PWD. However, the research found that some misconceptions about disabilities still prevailed in the industry and the interests of PWD have received inadequate consideration in the routine property management tasks performed by the practitioners, reflecting a lack of disability awareness in the local property management industry.Research limitations/implications The research findings provide a baseline reference for longitudinal tracking of the disability awareness among property management practitioners in the future.Practical implications Drawing on the research findings, this paper made several recommendations for improving disability awareness in Hong Kong’s property management industry. In addition, the research findings can be used for before-and-after analyses when the public authority strives to evaluate the effectiveness of their programmes, training workshops or campaigns of disability awareness promotion in the industry.Originality/value The importance of property management in the achievement of inclusive built environment has long been ignored in the literature. This study on disability awareness of property management practitioners is very likely the first of its kind in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To find out whether intrapartum translabial ultrasound examination is painless by comparing pain score of ultrasound-based versus digital vaginal examination of foetal head station.Methods: In 94 women carrying uncomplicated-term singleton pregnancies, labour progress was assessed by translabial ultrasound, followed immediately by conventional digital vaginal examination. Pain scores (0-10) using visual analogue pain scale were obtained for both examinations. Forty-eight and forty-six sets of data were obtained in first and second stage of labour, respectively. The difference in pain scores between digital vaginal examination and translabial ultrasound was analysed.Results: The median pain score for translabial ultrasound was 0 (range 0-8), while that for vaginal examination was 4.5 (range 0-10), p < 0.05. There was no significant difference in pain scores between first and second stages of labour for translabial ultrasound (p = 0.123) and for vaginal examination (p = 0.680). The pain score for vaginal examination was higher than that of translabial ultrasound in 81.9%, similar in 13.8% and lower in 4.3% of cases. There was no statistically significant difference in pain scores obtained for digital vaginal examination by clinicians with different experience (p = 0.941).Conclusions: Intrapartum translabial ultrasound is generally better tolerated than digital vaginal examination for assessment of labour progress, making it an acceptable adjunctive assessment tool during labour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tended to view disability inclusion as merely another mandate, building and construction practitioners have yet to recognize its value in social sustainability. In academia, similarly, it has received less attention than other building performance attributes such as environmental friendliness and indoor air quality. With rights to access now acknowledged as basic human rights, there is demand for a tool to assess building disability inclusiveness, indicating the extent to which building considerations include persons with disabilities (PWDs). This paper proposes a Building Inclusiveness Assessment Score (BIAS) to fill the existing gap. The BIAS framework comprises two hierarchies of inclusion attributes identified from literature, guides, and standards of barrier-free access and universal design. The final product consists of two building disability inclusiveness assessment tools: the Physical Disability Inclusion Sub-score (PDIS) and the Visual Impairment Inclusion Sub-score (VIIS). These are simple, quantitative, objective tools for assessing buildings. We performed a Monte Carlo simulation to validate the assessment protocols. Following the validation, we assessed 48 university buildings at four universities in Hong Kong to illustrate the real-life application of the tools. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: To determine any change in adverse neonatal/maternal outcomes after increasing the rate of vaginal twin delivery by comparing vaginal twin delivery and caesarean delivery with our previous cohort study.Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, all twins booked at a Hong Kong regional obstetrics unit were evaluated during a 3-year period from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2012.Results: Out of the 269 sets of twins who eventually delivered in our unit, 68 (25.3%) of them were delivered vaginally, compared to 15.8% in our previous cohort study (p = 0.02). For those who were suitable for vaginal delivery, significantly more women attempted vaginal delivery: 93/133 (69.9%) versus 47/100 (47%) (p = 0.0005). The success rate for vaginal delivery and rate of requiring caesarean delivery for the 2nd twin were similar between these two periods. There were significantly more 2nd twins with cord blood pH < 7.2 when both twins were delivered by vaginal delivery. Otherwise, there was no significant difference between other neonatal/maternal morbidities.Conclusion: With proper counseling, significantly more women who were suitable for vaginal twin delivery would opt to do so. There was no significant increase in neonatal/maternal morbidities despite the increased rate of vaginal twin delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In another recent MEITL cohort in which more than 70% of the patients treated with CHOP [[4]], 4 of the 24 relapsed or progressed patients had CNS involvement. Dear Editor, Monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T cell lymphoma (MEITL), previously known as enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma (EATL) type II, is a rare T cell lymphoma. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Findings of substantial remaining morbidity in treated major depressive disorder (MDD) led us to review controlled trials of treatments aimed at preventing early relapses or later recurrences in adults diagnosed with MDD to summarize available data and to guide further research. Methods: Reports (n = 97) were identified through systematic, computerized literature searching up to February 2015. Treatment versus control outcomes were summarized by random-effects meta-analyses. Results: In 45 reports of 72 trials (n = 14 450 subjects) lasting 33.4 weeks, antidepressants were more effective than placebos in preventing relapses (response rates [RR] = 1.90, confidence interval [CI]: 1.73-2.08; NNT = 4.4; p < 0.0001). In 35 reports of 37 trials (n = 7253) lasting 27.0 months, antidepressants were effective in preventing recurrences (RR = 2.03, CI 1.80-2.28; NNT = 3.8; p < 0.0001), with minor differences among drug types. In 17 reports of 22 trials (n = 1 969) lasting 23.7 months, psychosocial interventions yielded inconsistent or inconclusive results. Conclusions: Despite evidence of the efficacy of drug treatment compared to placebos or other controls, the findings further underscore the substantial, unresolved morbidity in treated MDD patients and strongly encourage further evaluations of specific, improved individual and combination therapies (pharmacological and psychological) conducted over longer times, as well as identifying clinical predictors of positive or unfavorable responses and of intolerability of long-term treatments in MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiotensin 1–7 (Ang 1–7) counter-regulates the cardiovascular actions of angiotensin II (Ang II). The present study investigated the protective effect of Ang 1–7 against Ang II-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and endothelial dysfunction. Ex vivo treatment with Ang II (0.5 μM, 24 hours) impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation in mouse aortas; this harmful effect of Ang II was reversed by co-treatment with ER stress inhibitors, l4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA) and tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) as well as Ang 1–7. The Mas receptor antagonist, A779, antagonized the effect of Ang 1–7. The elevated mRNA expression of CHOP, Grp78 and ATF4 or protein expression of p-eIF2α and ATF6 (ER stress markers) in Ang II-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and mouse aortas were blunted by co-treatment with Ang 1–7 and the latter effect was reversed by A779. Furthermore, Ang II-induced reduction in both eNOS phosphorylation and NO production was inhibited by Ang 1–7. In addition, Ang 1–7 decreased the levels of ER stress markers and augmented NO production in HUVECs treated with ER stress inducer, tunicamycin. The present study provides new evidence for functional antagonism between the two arms of the renin-angiotensin system in endothelial cells by demonstrating that Ang 1–7 ameliorates Ang II-stimulated ER stress to raise NO bioavailability, and subsequently preserves endothelial function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammary carcinoma cells produce pro-angiogenic factors to stimulate angiogenesis and tumor growth. Trefoil factor-3 (TFF3) is an oncogene secreted from mammary carcinoma cells and associated with poor prognosis. Herein, we demonstrate that TFF3 produced in mammary carcinoma cells functions as a promoter of tumor angiogenesis. Forced expression of TFF3 in mammary carcinoma cells promoted proliferation, survival, invasion and in vitro tubule formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). MCF7-TFF3 cells with forced expression of TFF3 generated tumors with enhanced microvessel density as compared to tumors formed by vector control cells. Depletion of TFF3 in mammary carcinoma cells by siRNA concordantly decreased the angiogenic behavior of HUVEC. Forced expression of TFF3 in mammary carcinoma cells stimulated IL-8 transcription and subsequently enhanced IL-8 expression in both mammary carcinoma cells and HUVEC. Depletion of IL-8 in mammary carcinoma cells with forced expression of TFF3, or antibody inhibition of IL-8, partially abrogated mammary carcinoma cell TFF3-stimulated HUVEC angiogenic behavior in vitro, as did inhibition of the IL-8 receptor, CXCR2. Depletion of STAT3 by siRNA in MCF-7 cells with forced expression of TFF3 partially diminished the angiogenic capability of TFF3 on stimulation of cellular processes of HUVEC. Exogenous recombinant hTFF3 also directly promoted the angiogenic behavior of HUVEC. Hence, TFF3 is a potent angiogenic factor and functions as a promoter of de novo angiogenesis in mammary carcinoma, which may co-coordinate with the growth promoting and metastatic actions of TFF3 in mammary carcinoma to enhance tumor progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess whether angle of progression (AOP) and head–perineum distance (HPD) measured by intrapartum transperineal ultrasound (ITU) correlate with clinical fetal head station (station); and whether AOP versus HPD varies during uterine contraction and relaxation. In a subset of primipaorus women, whether these ITU parameters correlate with time to normal spontaneous delivery (TD). Methods: We evaluated prospectively 100 primiparous and multiparous women at term in active labor. Transabdominal and transperineal ultrasound (sagittal and transverse plane) were used to measure fetal head position and ITU parameters, respectively. Digitally palpated station and cervical dilatation were also noted. The results were compared using regression and correlation coefficients. Results: Station was moderately correlated with AOP (r = 0.579) and HPD (r = −0.497). AOP was highly correlated with HPD during uterine contraction (r = −0.703) and relaxation (r = −0.647). In the subgroup of primiparous women, natural log of TD has the highest correlation with HPD and AOP during uterine contraction (r = 0.742), making prediction of TD similar to that of using cervical dilatation. Conclusion: ITU parameters were moderately correlated with station. There was constant high correlation between AOP and HPD. Prediction of TD in primiparous women using ITU parameters was similar to that of using cervical dilatation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annexin 1 (ANXA1) is an endogenous anti-inflammatory protein implicated in cancer. ANXA1 was previously shown to be regulated by hsa-miR-196a. However, whether ANXA1 itself regulates microRNA (miR) expression is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the regulation of miR by ANXA1 in MCF7 breast cancer cells. MCF7-EV (Empty vector) and MCF7-V5 (ANXA1-V5 expressing cells) were subjected to a miR microarray. Microarray analysis revealed a number of miRNAs which were dysregulated in MCF7-V5 cells. 2 novel miRNAs (miR562 and miR26b*) were validated, cloned and functionally characterized. As ANXA1 constitutively activates NF-κB activity to modulate breast cancer metastasis, we found that miR26b* and miR562 directly targeted the canonical NF-κB pathway by targeting the 3′ UTR and inhibiting expression of Rel A (p65) and NF-κB1 (p105) respectively. MiR562 inhibited wound healing, which was reversed when ANXA1 was overexpressed. Overexpression of either miR562 or miR26b* in MCF-7 cells enhanced endothelial tube formation when cocultured with human umbilical cord endothelial cells while conversely, treatment of MCF7 cells with either anti-miR562 or anti-miR26b* inhibited endothelial tube formation after co-culture. Further analysis of miR562 revealed that miR562-transfected cell conditioned media enhances endothelial cell tube formation, indicating that miR562 increased angiogenic secreted factors from MCF-7 breast tumor cells. TNFα was increased upon overexpression of miR562, which was reversed when ANXA1 was co-transfected In conclusion, this data suggests that ANXA1-regulated miR26b* and miR562 may play a role in wound healing and tumor-induced endothelial cell tube formation by targeting NF-κB expression and point towards a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliable and accurate identification of cancer categories is crucial to a successful diagnosis and a proper treatment of the disease. In most existing work, samples of gene expression data are treated as one-dimensional signals, and are analyzed by means of some statistical signal processing techniques or intelligent computation algorithms. In this paper, from an image-processing viewpoint, a spectral-feature-based Tikhonov-regularized least-squares (TLS) ensemble algorithm is proposed for cancer classification using gene expression data. In the TLS model, a test sample is represented as a linear combination of the atoms of a dictionary. Two types of dictionaries, namely singular value decomposition (SVD)-based eigenassays and independent component analysis (ICA)-based eigenassays, are proposed for the TLS model, and both are extracted via a two-stage approach. The proposed algorithm is inspired by our finding that, among these eigenassays, the categories of some of the testing samples can be assigned correctly by using the TLS models formed from some of the spectral features, but not for those formed from the original samples only. In order to retain the positive characteristics of these spectral features in making correct category assignments, a strategy of classifier committee learning (CCL) is designed to combine the results obtained from the different spectral features. Experimental results on standard databases demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aims Recent studies suggested that the development of neuropathic pain associated with neural injury may be partly due to up-regulation of cyclooxygenase ( COX) in the central nervous system. However, the cellular sources of COX-1 and COX-2 up-regulation following nerve injury are unclear. Methods We investigated the spinal cellular sources of COX-1 and COX-2 in association with allodynia following L5 spinal nerve ligation ( SNL). Results Post- SNL pain-related behaviour was shown by increased sensitivity to mechanical stimulation. There was a significant increase in both COX-1 and COX-2 immunoreactivity ( P < 0.01) on the ipsilateral side of spinal dorsal horn. Double immunofluorescence labelling demonstrated that COX-1 immunoreactive cells colocalized chiefly with dorsal horn neuronal nuclei and microglia, whereas COX-2 was expressed in neuronal cytoplasm. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that while spinal dorsal horn neurones are important source of COX-1 and COX-2 after nerve injury, microglia also contribute to the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain, partly by producing additional COX-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth dynamics of 1D nanorods (NRs) composed of noble metals is ambiguous during glancing angle deposition (GLAD). The continuum equation (CE) model describes ballistic deposition limited by adatom diffusion, not verified in GLAD of noble metal NRs. In this work, GLAD is operated at Ts (substrate temperature) below room temperature to create inclined Ag NRs, and the CE fits the growth orientation of NRs with deposition angles at fixed Ts well. The CE fitting evaluates the diffusion activation energy (Ed) as 0.23 eV, showing that Ag NRs are poly-crystalline with dominant (111), as confirmed by XRD. This work introduces an effective approach to study the growth thermodynamics of 1D nanostructures and evaluate the Ed of adatoms with relatively low melting points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]