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Purpose: This study empirically investigates the influence of students' brand attitudes and perceptions of brand fit on their study intention vis-à-vis international brand alliances and individual brands after alliance. Design/methodology/approach: Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used in data analysis, and a questionnaire was administered to a sample of sub-degree business management students recruited from a self-financing higher education institution in Hong Kong. Findings: The results indicate that students' prior attitudes towards the brands of foreign and local institutions and their perceptions of brand fit positively affect their study intention, providing evidence that post-attitudes towards individual brands fully mediate the relationship between attitudes towards international brand alliances and study intention towards individual institutions. Originality/value: International brand alliances between higher education institutions are becoming increasingly important. In Hong Kong, despite the emerging trend of collaboration between foreign and local universities, an evaluation of the effect of international brand alliances on study intention has been seriously overlooked.

There is increasing interest in defining optimal conditions for rearing salmon to market size in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Salinity, however, as a parameter that can be potentially manipulated, has been poorly studied. To address this knowledge gap, we reared coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum, 1792)) and Atlantic (Salmo salar Linnaeus, 1758) salmon from smolt to market size over ~460 days at five different salinities (0, 5,10, 20, and 30 ppt) and examined their growth performance. We found that both species reared at intermediate salinities (5-10 ppt) started to show significantly larger body mass than fish reared either in freshwater or full-strength seawater at around days 250-300. These growth-enhancing effects were maintained until day 460. The higher growth in Atlantic salmon at intermediate salinities was associated with a reduced economic feed conversion ratio, but this was not observed in coho salmon. The all-female coho salmon showed no incidence of sexual maturation and negligible cataract formation, while the mixed-sex Atlantic salmon showed high levels of sexual maturation (up to 50%) and presence of cataracts (up to 60%). Our results indicate that all-female coho salmon may be better suited to RAS than Atlantic salmon in some aspects. However, in both species, long-term rearing at intermediate salinities improved growth in RAS. Key words: Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, closed containment aquaculture, coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, precocious maturation, RAS, osmoregulation, gonadosomatic index, optimal environmental conditions. La determination des conditions optimales pour l'elevage des saumons jusqu'a leur taille commerciale dans les systemes d'aquaculture en recirculation (SAR) suscite un interet croissant. La salinite, a titre de parametre pouvant etre manipule, a toutefois ete peu etudiee. Pour combler cette lacune dans les connaissances, nous avons eleve des saumons cohos (Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum, 1792)) et atlantiques (Salmo salar Linnaeus, 1758) du stade de saumoneau a leur taille commerciale sur ~460 jours a cinq salinites differentes (0, 5, 10, 20 et 30 ppm) et examine leur croissance. Nous avons constate que, elevees a des salinites intermediaries (5-10 ppm), les deux especes commencaient apres 250-300 jours a presenter des masses corporelles significativement plus grandes que les poissons eleves en eau douce ou dans de l'eau de mer. Ces effets d'acceleration de la croissance se maintenaient jusqu'au 460 (e) jour. La croissance accrue des saumons atlantiques a des salinites intermediaires etait associee a un indice de consommation economique reduit, une association non observee chez les saumons cohos. Les saumons cohos, tous femelles, ne presentaient aucun cas de maturation sexuelle et un degre negligeable de formation de cataractes, alors que les saumons atlantiques, qui comptaient des individus des deux sexes, presentaient une incidence elevee de maturation sexuelle (jusqu'a 50 %) et la presence de cataractes (jusqu'a60%).Nos resultats indiquent que les saumons cohos exclusivement femelles pourraient, a certains egards, mieux convenir aux SAR que les saumons atlantiques. L'elevage a long terme a des salinites intermediaires ameliore toutefois la croissance des deux especes dans des SAR. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : saumon atlantique, Salmo salar, aquaculture en parc clos, saumon coho, Oncorhynchus kisutch, maturation precoce, SAR, osmoregulation, indice gonadosomatique, conditions ambiantes optimales., Introduction The production of seafood from capture fisheries has remained largely unchanged over the past four decades, yet the demand for seafood continues to grow (FAO 2020). To make up [...]

Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type 1 is an autosomal dominant neuropathy caused by the SPTLC1 or SPTLC2 variants. These variants modify the preferred substrate of serine palmitoyl transferase, responsible for the first step of de novo sphingolipids synthesis, leading to accumulation of cytotoxic deoxysphingolipids. Diagnosis of HSAN1 is based on clinical symptoms, mainly progressive loss of distal sensory keep, and genetic analysis. Aim: Identifying new SPTLC1 or SPTLC2 "gain-of-function" variants raises the question as to their pathogenicity. This work focused on characterizing six new SPTLC1 variants using in silico prediction tools, new meta-scores, 3D modeling, and functional testing to establish their pathogenicity. Methods: Variants from six patients with HSAN1 were studied. In silico, CADD and REVEL scores and the 3D modeling software MITZLI were used to characterize the pathogenic effect of the variants. Functional tests based on plasma sphingolipids quantification (total deoxysphinganine, ceramides, and dihydroceramides) were performed by tandem mass spectrometry. Results: In silico predictors did not provide very contrasting results when functional tests discriminated the different variants according to their impact on deoxysphinganine level or canonical sphingolipids synthesis. Two SPTLC1 variants were newly described as pathogenic: SPTLC1 NM_006415.4:c.998A>G and NM_006415.4:c.1015G>A. Discussion: The combination of the different tools provides arguments to establish the pathogenicity of these new variants. When available, functional testing remains the best option to establish the in vivo impact of a variant. Moreover, the comprehension of metabolic dysregulation offers opportunities to develop new therapeutic strategies for these genetic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article integrates the exposure and adaptation hypotheses concerning gambling engagement by quantitatively modeling, at the community level, the non-linear relationship between gamblers' engagement and their years of gambling experience and identifies the years of experience corresponding to the maximum/minimum engagement. Gambling engagement indicators were based on the odds of three metrics concerning casino visits, gambling budgets, and gambling affordability being beyond predefined thresholds. Empirical data were collected offline and online (n = 206 and 481) in Macao. Curve fitting of these indicators against gamblers' years of experience found that the odds of casino visit frequency being less than daily and the gambling budget being greater than both the first and second quartiles followed up-maximum-down quadratic curves over gamblers' experience. Their maxima were at around 13.3, 22.0, and 22.4 years, respectively. In conclusion, these indicators are non-linearly and bi-directionally related to gamblers' years of experience as per the aforesaid curves, i.e. the two hypotheses take turns to prevail over gamblers' lives and are thus integrated temporally. Unprecedentedly, such curves quantitatively model and quantify the timing, magnitude, maximization, and minimization of these indicators' variations over gamblers' lives, which matter to governments, the public, therapeutic/rehabilitative professionals, and gambling operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bracing is one of the first-line treatment for early-onset idiopathic scoliosis (EOIS) to control curves from progression. This study aimed to explore the determinants that govern bracing effectiveness in EOIS. Methods: One hundred and eleven patients with EOIS (mean age of 8.6 ± 1.25 at diagnosis) received bracing treatment and had a final follow-up beyond skeletal maturity were identified from records between 1988 and 2021. Demographic data and clinical features of spinal curvature were obtained for correlation analyses to determine the associations between curve outcomes and clinical features. Results: Most patients were female (85.6%) and had a major curve on the left side (67%). The mean baseline Cobb angle of major curves was 21.73 ± 7.92°, with a mean Cobb angle progression of 18.05 ± 19.11°. The average bracing duration was 5.3 ± 1.9 years. Only 26 (23.4%) of them underwent surgery. The final Cobb angle and curve progression at the final follow-up with a Cobb angle of ≥50° were positively correlated with the initial Cobb angle (r = 0.206 and r = 0.313, respectively) and negatively correlated with maturity parameters. The lumbar curve type was found to correlate with a smaller final Cobb angle. Conclusions: The majority of patients had a final Cobb angle < 50°, which was considered a successful bracing outcome. The final Cobb angle correlated with the initial Cobb angle and curve types observed in EOIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals hold different epistemic beliefs at different ages, and these beliefs can affect a wide range of reasoning tasks. The present study examined Chinese secondary school students' epistemic beliefs at different grade levels, and how these related to the students' abilities to identify various forms of fallacy with the use of a cross-sectional design. One hundred and forty-six Chinese secondary school students (Grade 7 N = 32, Grade 9 N = 40, Grade 10 N = 36, and Grade 11 N = 38) completed a 14-item Epistemic Beliefs Questionnaire and a set of fallacy tasks. CFA showed that the questionnaire measured the four dimensions of the secondary school student samples adequately. A non-linear trend of epistemic beliefs across different grades was found and analyses using MANOVA showed significant grade differences in the dimension of Certainty (Grade 7 vs. 10 vs. 11). ?[superscript 2] tests showed only significant grade difference in the fallacy of Appeal to Authority (Grade 7 vs Grade 9; Grade 7 vs. 10). Finally, only grade, but not epistemic beliefs, predicted fallacy identification (Appeal to Authority) when all variables were considered in the ordinal logistic regression model. The issue of epistemic dimensions change and students' informal reasoning ability are discussed in light of the Chinese culture.

Radio pulsars scintillate because their emission travels through the ionized interstellar medium along multiple paths, which interfere with each other. It has long been realized that, independent of their nature, the regions responsible for the scintillation could be used as 'interstellar lenses' to localize pulsar emission regions.sup.1,2. Most such lenses, however, resolve emission components only marginally, limiting results to statistical inferences and detections of small positional shifts.sup.3-5. As lenses situated close to their source offer better resolution, it should be easier to resolve emission regions of pulsars located in high-density environments such as supernova remnants.sup.6 or binaries in which the pulsar's companion has an ionized outflow. Here we report observations of extreme plasma lensing in the 'black widow' pulsar, B1957+20, near the phase in its 9.2-hour orbit at which its emission is eclipsed by its companion's outflow.sup.7-9. During the lensing events, the observed radio flux is enhanced by factors of up to 70-80 at specific frequencies. The strongest events clearly resolve the emission regions: they affect the narrow main pulse and parts of the wider interpulse differently. We show that the events arise naturally from density fluctuations in the outer regions of the outflow, and we infer a resolution of our lenses that is comparable to the pulsar's radius, about 10 kilometres. Furthermore, the distinct frequency structures imparted by the lensing are reminiscent of what is observed for the repeating fast radio burst FRB 121102, providing observational support for the idea that this source is observed through, and thus at times strongly magnified by, plasma lenses.sup.10.Radiation from the 'black widow' pulsar B1957+20 is amplified when a companion brown dwarf passes in front of the source, suggesting that plasma flowing from the companion acts as a lens., Author(s): Robert Main [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , I-Sheng Yang [sup.3] [sup.4] , Victor Chan [sup.1] , Dongzi Li [sup.3] [sup.5] , Fang Xi Lin [sup.3] [sup.5] , Nikhil Mahajan [sup.1] [...]

We discuss inline electrical testing to monitor the baseline of Analog Computing hardware using Phase Change Memory (PCM) technology. Tightening the PCM resistance distribution is necessary to meet analog computation requirement. A new yield methodology is introduced. A study of heater process variation, which will affect the heater height and the PCM resistance, will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Omicron generally causes milder disease than previous strains of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), especially in fully vaccinated individuals. However, incompletely vaccinated children may develop Omicron‐related complications such as those affecting the central nervous system. To characterize the spectrum of clinical manifestations of neuro‐COVID and to identify potential biomarkers associated with clinical outcomes, we recruited 15 children hospitalized for Omicron‐related neurological manifestations in three hospitals in Hong Kong (9 boys and 6 girls aged 1–13 years). All were unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated. Fourteen (93.3%) were admitted for convulsion, including benign febrile seizure (n = 7), complex febrile seizure (n = 2), seizure with fever (n = 3), and recurrent breakthrough seizure (n = 2), and the remaining nonconvulsive patient developed encephalopathic state with impaired consciousness. None of the seven children with benign febrile seizure and six of eight children with other neurological manifestations had residual deficits at 9‐month follow‐up. SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA was undetectable in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens of seven patients who underwent lumbar puncture. Spike‐and‐wave/sharp waves affecting the frontal lobes were detected in four of seven (57.1%) patients who underwent electroencephalogram. Children with Omicron‐related neurological manifestations had significantly higher blood levels of IL‐6 (p < 0.001) and CHI3L1 (p = 0.022) than healthy controls, and higher CSF levels of IL‐6 (p = 0.002) than children with non‐COVID‐19‐related febrile illnesses. Higher CSF‐to‐blood ratios of IL‐8 and CHI3L1 were associated with longer length of stay, whereas higher ratios of IL‐6 and IL‐8 were associated with higher blood tau level. The role of CSF:blood ratio of IL‐6, IL‐8, and CHI3L1 as prognostic markers for neuro–COVID should be further evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an inherited connective tissue disorder. Pectus excavatum (PEX) is common in MFS. The purpose was to evaluate the association of PEX with cardiovascular manifestations of MFS, biventricular size and function. Methods: MFS adults undergoing cardiac MRI were retrospectively evaluated. Exclusion criteria were incomplete cardiac MRI, significant artifacts, co-existent ischaemic or congenital heart disease. Haller Index (HI) ≥3.25 classified patients as PEX positive (PEX+) and PEX negative (PEX−). Cardiac MRI analysis included assessment of mitral valve prolapse (MVP), mitral annular disjunction (MAD), biventricular volumetry and aortic dimensions. Results: 212 MFS patients were included, 76 PEX+ and 136 PEX− (HI 8.3 ± 15.2 vs 2.3 ± 0.5, P <.001). PEX+ were younger (33.4 ± 12.0 vs 38.1 ± 14.3 years, P =.02) and similar in sex distribution (55% vs 63% male, P =.26) compared to PEX−. MVP and MAD were more frequent in PEX+ vs PEX− (43/76 [57%] vs 37/136 [27%], P <.001; 44/76 [58%] vs 50/136[37%], P =.003, respectively). PEX+ had higher right ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes (RVEDVi 92 ± 17mL/m2 vs 84 ± 22mL/m2, P =.04; RVESVi 44 ± 10 mL/m2 vs 39 ± 14 mL/m2, P =.02), lower RV ejection fraction (RVEF 52 ± 5% vs 55 ± 6%, P =.01) compared to PEX−. Left ventricular (LV) volumes, LVEF and aortic dimensions were similar. Conclusion: MFS adults with PEX have higher frequency of cardiac manifestations including MV abnormalities, increased RV volumes and lower RVEF compared to those without PEX. Awareness of this association is important for all radiologists who interpret aortic CT or MRI, where HI can be easily measured. PEX in MFS may suggest more severe disease expression necessitating careful screening for MV abnormalities and outcomes surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction (MI) has been associated with an inflammatory response and a rise in TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) promote a decreased expression of inflammatory molecules. We aimed to study whether PPAR stimulation by clofibrate decreases inflammation and reduces infarct size in rats with MI. Male Wistar rats were randomized into 3 groups: control, MI + vehicle, and MI + clofibrate (100 mg/kg). Treatment was administered for 3 consecutive days, previous to 2 h of MI. MI induced an increase in protein expression, mRNA content, and enzymatic activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Additionally, MI incited an increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, and IL-6. MI also elevated the nuclear content of nuclear factor- κB (NF-κB) and decreased IκB, both in myocyte nuclei and cytosol. Clofibrate treatment prevented MI-induced changes in iNOS, MMP-2 and MMP-9, ICAM-1, IL-6, NF-κB, and IκB. Infarct size was smaller in clofibrate-treated rats compared to MI- vehicle animals. In silico analysis exhibited 3 motifs shared by genes from renin-angiotensin system, PPARα, iNOS, MMP-2 and MMP-9, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1, suggesting a cross regulation. In conclusion, PPARα-stimulation prevents overexpression of pro-inflammatory molecules and preserves viability in an experimental model of acute MI. Key words: PPAR, iNOS, fibrates, myocardial infarction, interleukins, cell adhesion molecules, matrix metalloproteinases, NF-κB, IκB. On a associe l'infarctus du myocarde (IM) a une reponse immunitaire et a une hausse des taux de TNF-α, d'interleukine (IL)-1β et d'IL-6. Par ailleurs, on sait que les recepteurs actives par les proliferateurs de peroxysomes (PPAR) favorisent la diminution de l'expression des molecules inflammatoires. Notre etude visait donc a determiner si la stimulation des PPAR par le clofibrate entraine une diminution de l'inflammation et de la taille de l'infarctus en creur infarci chez le rat. Des rats Wistar ont ete randomises dans 3 groupes: temoin, IM + vehicule et IM + clofibrate (a 100 mg/kg). Le traitement a ete administre pendant 3 jours consecutifs avant une occlusion coronarienne de 2 h. La presence de l'IM a entraine une augmentation de l'expression proteique, de la teneur en ARNm et de l'activite enzymatique de la NO synthase inductible (iNOS). En outre, l'IM a favorise l'expression des metalloproteinases matricielles (MMP)-2 et MMP-9, de la molecule d'adhesion intercellulaire (ICAM)-1 et d'IL-6. L'IM a aussi entraine une hausse des taux du facteur nucleaire-κB (NF-κB) dans le noyau des cardiomyocytes comme dans le cytosol. Nous avons observe que le traitement par le clofibrate permettait de prevenir les variations des taux d'iNOS, des MMP-2 et MMP-9, d'ICAM-1, d'IL-6, de NF-κB et d'IκB. De plus, la taille de l'infarctus etait moins grande chez les rats traites par le clofibrate que chez ceux qui recevaient le vehicule. L'analyse in silico a revele la presence de 3 motifs communs a des genes du systeme renine-angiotensine, des PPARα, de l'iNOS, des MMP-2 et MMP-9, de l'ICAM-1 et de la VCAM-1, ce qui laisse supposer la presence d'une regulation croisee. En conclusion, la stimulation des PPARα permet de prevenir la surexpression des molecules pro-inflammatoires et de preserver la viabilite dans un modele d'IM aigu. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: PPAR, iNOS, fibrates, infarctus du myocarde, interleukines, molecules d'adhesion intercellulaire, metalloproteinases matricielles, NF-κB, IκB., Introduction Acute myocardial infarction (MI) has been associated with an immediate inflammatory response accompanied by a gain in cytokine production, e.g., tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 (Mann [...]

This study, using the "Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale" (CES-D), investigated the moods, perceptions, and behavioral changes among college students during the week following September 11 and again 11 weeks later. Originally, we had planned to survey college students using the CES-D on September 12th and 13th as part of a pilot study of college students and depression; however, due to the terrorist attacks of September 11, we postponed the survey and administered the scale on September 19th and 20th. This provided a unique opportunity to describe students' reactions to the terrorist attacks of September 11. The study, conducted at a small liberal arts college in central Virginia, included students enrolled in four sections of a general education course. Students were administered the CES-D one week (n = 89) and again 11 weeks (n = 75) after 9/11. We report the results of the 75 students who responded to both surveys. A significant difference was found between week one and week eleven on the overall CES-D score. Multiple comparisons using the Bonferroni method found significant differences in 6 of the 20 items of the scale. The findings indicate that 9/11 took a heavy toll on immediate psychological and emotional health. Most students' depressive symptoms subsided after 11 weeks. Colleges and universities, in planning for possible future attacks, should be prepared to identify and assist students experiencing trauma-related stress, anxiety, or depressive symptoms, as well as be alert to the possibility of lingering anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder in some students. (Contains 4 figures.)

Simple Summary: There is a scarcity of economic analysis on the use of non-invasive biomarkers to inform policy-making with respect to their application in population-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programs. The objective of this study is to conduct a comparative cost-effectiveness analysis on using M3CRC (m3 + Fn + Ch + Bc + FIT) as a primary test for population-based screening, when compared with FIT and colonoscopy. The study can provide economic analysis regarding the use of non-invasive biomarkers in population-based CRC screening programs. This study aimed to examine the cost-effectiveness of fecal biomarker M3 panel compared to fecal immunochemical test (FIT) and colonoscopy in an Asian population. In a hypothetical population of 100,000 persons aged 50 years who received FIT yearly, M3 biomarker yearly, or colonoscopy every 10 years until the age of 75 years. Participants with positive FOBT or a result of "high risk" identified using the M3 biomarker are offered colonoscopy. We assumed surveillance colonoscopy is repeated every 3 years, and examined the treatment cost. A comparison of various outcome measures was conducted using Markov modelling. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of FIT, M3 biomarker, and colonoscopy was USD108,176, USD133,485 and USD159,596, respectively. Comparing with FIT, the use of M3 biomarker could lead to significantly smaller total loss of cancer-related life-years (2783 vs. 5279); a higher number of CRC cases prevented (1622 vs. 146), a higher proportion of CRC cases prevented (50.2% vs. 4.5%), more life-years saved (2852 vs. 339), and cheaper total costs per life-year saved (USD212,553 vs. 773,894). The total costs per life-year saved is more affordable than that achieved by colonoscopy as a primary screening tool (USD212,553 vs. USD236,909). The findings show that M3 biomarkers may be more cost-effective than colonoscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]