The determinants of export performance in BRIC countries: the role of firm resources and the institutional environment

We posit that export performance of firms in emerging economies depends both on their firm-specific resource endowments and on the institutional environments within which they operate. Specifically, we argue that firms will be likely to export when political instability is high, they face more informal competitors, and are able to grease the regulatory system via bribes. Furthermore, firm export intensity will depend on access to critical resources such as skilled workforce, managerial talent and product quality. We test these conjectures using a dataset of 5,600 firms in the four largest emerging market economies (Brazil, Russia, China and India). Our results confirm that the institutional environments affect export propensity through political instability and bribery, whilst the export intensity of firms depends on the availability of skilled workers and adherence to international quality standards. These findings provide new insights into the export performance of emerging market firms (EMFs)

Islet cell cytoplasmic antibody reactivity in midgestational human fetal pancreas

The reactivity of islet cell cytoplasmic antibodies (ICA)-positive and ICA-negative sera of recent onset type 1 diabetic patients was studied in human fetal pancreata of 12-18 weeks' gestation and compared with the reactivity of these sera in adult human control pancreata. The aims of the study were: (1) to observe the presence of ICA staining in human fetal islet cells; (2) to compare endpoint titres (in Juvenile Diabetes Foundation units) of ICA-positive patient sera in fetal pancreata and adult human control pancreata. Ten ICA-positive sera and eight ICA-negative sera from newly diagnosed diabetic patients and four sera from healthy controls were tested on three human adult and eight human fetal pancreata. As in the adult control pancreata. ICA-positive sera reacted to insulin-, glucagon-, and somatostatin-positive cells of fetal pancreata of all gestational ages. This was observed both in single cells and in cells in islet-like cell clusters. Dilution of a reference serum gave similar results in both adult and fetal pancreata. In contrast, the ICA-positive patient sera yielded a striking heterogeneity in fetal as well as in adult pancreata. However, end-point titres between adult and fetal pancreata did not differ significantly (P>0.05). In conclusion, ICA-positive sera from recent onset diabetic patients show that the expression of molecules to which ICA react is present in all islet cells and starts before week 12 of gestation

Glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies in screening for autoimmune diabetes: influence of comorbidity, age, and sex on specificity and threshold values

This study demonstrates that age- and sex-nondefined populations can be used for definition of reference values for glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65) antibodies and that comorbidity involving tissues that express GAD needs not be taken into account when screening for GAD antibodies. Because storage conditions may significantly affect the outcome of GAD antibody tests, these need to be monitored meticulously in collaborative studies

Autism and theory of mind in interactive spaces.

How is an Interactive Media Arts practice placed to explore what is often considered a scientific field of research? This paper is a discussion on the main areas of study situating an observational PhD study on non-verbal children with autism. The author suggests that in fact an arts practice allows for more sensitive research and allows natural emergence to explore and facilitate the expression of Theory of Mind and physical consciousness

Identification, characterization and application of autoantigens in type 1 diabetes mellitus

Type 1 diabetes mellitus or insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by the selective destruction of insulin producing B-cells in the islets of Langerhans. The exact cause of this destruction is unknown, but is mediated by cells of the immune system. The immune system has a remarkable ability to recognize self from non-self, thereby providing a constant surveillance-mechanism that protects us for foreign invaders. This mechanism has failed in type 1 diabetes and attacks and destroys B-cells. The autoimmune basis of type 1 diabetes is described in chapter 1. The central problem in autoimmunity is why and how the immune system sometimes fails to distinguish between self and non-self. Re-instructing the immune system or blocking faulty immune reactions could result in primaryor secondary prevention of type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. This requires however, the molecular dissection of the process, including the identification of B-cell proteins involved in the autoimmune reactions. This thesis aims to contribute to this by the identification and characterization of two humoral autoantigens in type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, a 64kD and a 38kD protein. These aims are specified as follows: 1. Identification of the 64kD autoantigen in type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. 2. Biochemical and Cell biological characterization of the 64kD protein. 3. Identification of the 38kD autoantigen in type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. 4. Biochemical and Cell biological characterization of the 38kD protein. 5. Analysis of the frequencies of autoantibodies to the 64kD and the 38kD autoantigen at clinical diagnosis and in the prediabetic period. 6. Assessment of the predictive value of these autoantibodies, in particular in relation to other markers of autoimmune B-cell destruction

Residual C-peptide is associated with new and persistent impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia in type 1 diabetes

Aims: To describe the change in impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (IAH) over time and to identify factors associated with this change in the Dutch Type 1 Diabetes biomarkers cohort (NCT04977635).Methods: A prospective cohort of type 1 diabetes patients, with C-peptide &lt;300 pmol/L, who had completed the Clarke questionnaire, to determine IAH status, at baseline and after 2 years. Changes in awareness status were defined and compares as follows: unchanged normal awareness (NAH) versus unchanged IAH, new IAH versus reversal of IAH. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted using forward and backward stepwise selection using a 0.10 P-value cut-off, and stepwise backward selection using AIC criteria.Results: A total of 431 out of 611 participants were included. The baseline prevalence of IAH was 17 % and 20 % after 2 years. The incidence proportion of new IAH and reversal of IAH were, 9.5 % and 31 %, respectively. For every 2.7-fold increase in C-peptide, the odds of IAH decrease by 58 %. A 1-unit increase in BMI over the 2-year follow-up period is associated with a 5.27-fold increase in the odds of reversing IAH.Conclusions: Higher C-peptide levels are protective against new IAH, and an increase in BMI over time is associated with the reversal of IAH.</p

Increased skin autofluorescence of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes despite a well-controlled HbA1c:results from a cohort study

BACKGROUND: Early identification of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes at high risk for development of complications is important, as early intervention may prevent further deterioration. Here we investigate the applicability of assessing skin advanced glycation end products (sAGEs) by skin autofluorescence (SAF) as a potential surrogate risk marker. METHODS: This study included a cross-sectional analysis of SAF in 77 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 118 healthy controls across age categories (11–12, 13–14, 15–16, and 17–19 years old). In patients, the impact of current and historical glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values, age, and duration of diabetes on SAF was studied in a retrospective cohort study and analyzed with multivariable analyses. RESULTS: SAF was significantly and similarly higher in patients when compared with controls across all age categories (P ≤0.009). For patients, age, duration of diabetes, and current and historical HbA1c were associated with SAF in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed no association between HbA1c and SAF. A subgroup of patients with a HbA1c-within-target (≤7.5 %/59 mmol/mol) were observed to have high SAF. CONCLUSION: Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes show higher SAF than controls. The presumed correlation of high HbA1c with high SAF does not exist in all patients. Thus, use of this non-invasive measure may provide a surrogate marker for diabetic complications, additional to HbA1c

Differences in lipid and blood pressure measurements between individuals with type 1 diabetes and the general population:a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a precarious complication of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Alongside glycaemic control, lipid and blood pressure (BP) management are essential for the prevention of CVD. However, age-specific differences in lipid and BP between individuals with T1D and the general population are relatively unknown.DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.SETTING: Six diabetes outpatient clinics and individuals from the Lifelines cohort, a multigenerational cohort from the Northern Netherlands.PARTICIPANTS: 2178 adults with T1D and 146 22 individuals without diabetes from the general population.PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol), systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP), stratified by age group, glycated haemoglobin category, medication use and sex.RESULTS: In total, 2178 individuals with T1D and 146 822 without diabetes were included in this study. Total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were lower and SBP and DBP were higher in individuals with T1D in comparison to the background population. When stratified by age and medication use, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were lower and SBP and DBP were higher in the T1D population. Men with T1D achieved lower LDL-cholesterol levels both with and without medication in older age groups in comparison to women. Women with T1D had up to 8 mm Hg higher SBP compared with the background population, this difference was not present in men.CONCLUSIONS: Lipid and BP measurements are not comparable between individuals with T1D and the general population and are particularly unfavourable for BP in the T1D group. There are potential sex differences in the management of LDL-cholesterol and BP.</p

Losing Track of Lipids in Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes:Towards Individualized Patient Care

Aim To assess 1) the prevalence of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) changing from low-risk into borderline-high-risk lipid levels or from borderline-high-risk into high-risk lipid levels ('lose track of lipids') and 2) the power of a risk score including the determinants HbA1c, body mass index (BMI), gender, age, diabetes duration and ethnicity in predicting which patients lose track of lipids. Methods 651 children and adolescents with T1D were included in this longitudinal retrospective cohort study. Lipid dynamics and the impact of the risk score on losing track of lipids were evaluated. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate screening intervals. Results 31-43% percent of the patients had lost track of one or more lipids at the next lipid measurement. This happened more frequently in patients with a low-risk lipid level at start. Depending on the lipid parameter, 5% of patients with low-risk lipid levels lost track of lipids after 13-23 months. The risk score based on concomitant information on the determinants was moderately able to predict which patients would lose track of lipids on the short term. Conclusions A considerable number of children and adolescents with T1D loses track of lipids and does so within a 2-year screening interval. The predictive power of a risk score including age, BMI, gender, HbA1c, diabetes duration and ethnicity is only moderate. Future research should focus on another approach to the determinants used in this study or other determinants predictive of losing track of lipids on the short term