The impact of corporate social responsibility disclosure on financial performance of industrial companies in New Zealand

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) maintains the balance between internal and external factors of the organisations. The study aims to explore the relationship between the CSR disclosure and the Financial Performance (FP) of industrial organisations operating in New Zealand. Six industrial companies of New Zealand were selected randomly, and secondary data of their annual reports as well as CSR reports and online reports were prepared for a regression analysis. Average Share Price and CSR activities disclosed are the variables of the regression analysis. Findings revealed that there is a positive relationship between CSR disclosure and the FP of the industrial companies operating in New Zealand

Fabrication of biopolymer based nanoparticles for the entrapment of chromium and iron supplements

The objective of this study was to encapsulate iron and chromium into novel nanoparticles formulated using chitosan (CS), dextran sulfate (DS) and whey protein isolate (WPI) for oral drug delivery. Empty and loaded CS-DS nanoparticles were prepared via complex coacervation whilst whey protein nanocarriers were produced by a modified thermal processing method using chitosan. The physiochemical properties of the particles were characterized to determine the effects of formulation variables, including biopolymer ratio on particle size and zeta potential. Permeability studies were also undertaken on the most stable whey protein–iron nanoparticles by measuring Caco-2 ferritin formation. A particle size analysis revealed that the majority of samples were sub-micron sized, ranging from 420–2400 nm for CS-DS particles and 220–1000 nm for WPI-CS samples. As expected, a higher chitosan concentration conferred a 17% more positive zeta potential on chromium-entrapped WPI nanoparticles, whilst a higher dextran volume decreased the size of CS-DS nanoparticles by 32%. The addition of iron also caused a significant increase in size for all samples, as seen where the loaded WPI samples were 296 nm larger than the empty particles. Caco-2 iron absorption revealed that one formulation, which had the lowest particle size (226 ± 10 nm), caused a 64% greater iron absorption compared to the ferrous sulfate standard. This study describes, for the first time, the novel design of chromium- and iron-entrapped nanoparticles, which could act as novel systems for oral drug delivery

Synthesis, anti-HIV activity and molecular modeling study of some new pyrimidine analogues

A new series of 2,6-diamino-5-arylazo-4-chloropyrimidine analogues (6-13) were synthesized from the pyrimidine scaffold 5, via diazotization with various amines. Nucleophilic displacement of compound 5 by ethanethiolate or arylthio nucleophiles, afforded the 4-alkylthio analogues (14-16). Treatment of compound 17 or 18 with thiourea under MWI gave the 4-thione derivatives 19 and 20, respectively. On treatment of compound 20 with 2-mercaptoacetic acid furnished the 4-thio analogue (21). Reaction of compound 19 or 20 with sodium hypochlorite followed by ammonium hydroxide afforded the 4-aminothio analogues 22 and 23, respectively. Oxidation of compound 23 with H2O2 led to the 4-sulphonamide derivative 24. All new compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antiviral activity against the replication of HIV-1 and HIV-2 in MT-4 cells. Compounds 14-16 and 21 showed an EC50 values of > 2.12, 1.99, 1.80 and 1.92 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, preliminary structure-activity relationship and molecular modeling of compound 15 has been studied

Real-Time Measurement of Lung Motion for CT Guided Lung Biopsies

The objective of this project is to develop a device that allows a physician to view and measure real time lung motion of a patient inside a CT scanner during lung biopsy. This will increase time efficiency and accuracy of lung tumor treatment CT procedures, as this device will enable the collection of clear and meaningful scans. With this application, size and simplicity are of the utmost importance, as the device must be as practical as possible. Given these constraints the design involves a low profile, low volume sensor to measure data while physically attached to the patient’s bed, and a computer base station graphical user interface which receives the data wirelessly. The interface of this base station, as viewed by the physician, displays a live graph of the lung displacement - accurate within 0.18 ms and 2 mm. This device will not only allow doctors to biopsy lung lesions more efficiently, but will also reduce radiation exposure to the patient by avoiding repeated scans. The device will work in tandem with the CT scan; the device triggering the scan to be taken when the patient’s lungs are held in the desired position. This procedure will help to minimize healthy tissue damage and to streamline the treatment process by reducing the amount of X-ray scans needed, thus positively impacting patient recovery time and overall process effectiveness.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/capstone/1189/thumbnail.jp

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Progressive muscle weakness, atrophy, and spasticity characterize the condition, which eventually leads to paralysis and respiratory failure. There is currently no cure for ALS, and the standard of care is supportive, with riluzole being the only approved medication that has been shown to slightly slow disease progression (1). However, the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the treatment of ALS is a new area of research in regenerative medicine. MSCs are multipotent stem cells that have the ability to differentiate into a variety of cell types, including neurons, and have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties, making them an appealing therapy for neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS (2). This review examines the safety and efficacy of MSC therapy for ALS in four randomized controlled trials. The trials involved administering MSCs via various routes, including intrathecal and intravenous, and assessing outcomes such as survival, disease progression, and quality of life. The findings of these trials shed light on the potential of MSC therapy as a novel approach to treating ALS