The Dark Side of Cross-Listing: A New Perspective from China

An interesting phenomenon for Chinese firms that list their stock both in China and abroad is that the overwhelming majority had gone public, and listed, abroad first. We find that when these companies return to China to issue stock and list, they experience poorer post-issuance stock and operating performance in comparison to purely domestic issuers. Also, they raise more funds relative to their sales, leave less money on the table for investors, and incur lower direct flotation costs. Among returning firms, those which raise higher proceeds relative to sales experience poorer long-run stock performance and lower Tobin’s q post issuance. Our results offer a new perspective on cross-listing, which we term “dressing-up-for-premium”. Firms from less-developed markets take advantage of the enhanced visibility and prestige associated with the foreign listing to issue shares domestically at inflated prices and favorable terms, and to raise greater proceeds than they can efficiently use

The Decrease of Rouleaux Formation of Red Blood Cells in Healthy Human by Water-Soluble Chlorophyll as Revealed by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Objective: In present study, we examined rouleaux formation of red blood cells before and after drinking water-soluble chlorophyll as anantioxidant. Method: In blood smear, red blood cells of 20 volunteers were examined before and after drinking water-soluble chlorophyllby using a light microscope, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The rouleauxformations were modularly found in 30 and 60 min. In contrast, those formations rarely appeared in 45 min. ESR values of both sexesafter drinking water-soluble chlorophyll for 45 min were significantly lower than those before drinking. In SEM, before drinking watersolublechlorophyll, rouleaux formations were found. After drinking water-soluble chlorophyll for 45 min, however, those formationsdisappeared. Conclusion: The results suggest that water-soluble chlorophyll may be able to decrease rouleaux formations of red bloodcells in healthy volunteers.Keywords: water-soluble chlorophyll, rouleaux formation, red blood cell, scanning electron microscopyThai Pharm Health Sci J 2009;4(4):450-455

Intended Use of Proceeds and the Performance of Initial Public Offerings (IPO)

Other than debt financing, Initial Public Offerings (IPO) become a common method of capital raising among firms for various purposes. Prospectus is issued on the pre-issuance of the IPO disclosing various mandatory and non-mandatory voluntary information to help the potential investors in their decision making process. Other than financial information on previous and forecasted future performance, the intended use of the IPO’s proceeds information is one of the crucial information for the stakeholders especially the investors as they will be the financial contributor for the purposes. In one hand, the issuers may decide to issue highly priced IPO to fulfil their financial needs and other going-public motives. In the other hand, the investors willing to subscribe for the IPO to meet their investment target. The gap between the objectives of these two main stakeholders create uncertainties that may jeopardize the interest of the investors. Thus, the objective of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the intended uses of the IPO’s proceed disclosed in the prospectus and their subsequent performance of the stocks. The result of the study can provide input for the investors and other stakeholders for their decision making process to meet their respective objectives

EVN observations of 6.7 GHz methanol maser polarization in massive star-forming regions. IV. Magnetic field strength limits and structure for seven additional sources

Magnetohydrodynamical simulations show that the magnetic field can drive molecular outflows during the formation of massive protostars. The best probe to observationally measure both the morphology and the strength of this magnetic field at scales of 10-100 au is maser polarization. We measure the direction of magnetic fields at milliarcsecond resolution around a sample of massive star-forming regions to determine whether there is a relation between the orientation of the magnetic field and of the outflows. In addition, by estimating the magnetic field strength via the Zeeman splitting measurements, the role of magnetic field in the dynamics of the massive star-forming region is investigated. We selected a flux-limited sample of 31 massive star-forming regions to perform a statistical analysis of the magnetic field properties with respect to the molecular outflows characteristics. We report the linearly and circularly polarized emission of 6.7 GHz CH3OH masers towards seven massive star-forming regions of the total sample with the European VLBI Network. The sources are: G23.44-0.18, G25.83-0.18, G25.71-0.04, G28.31-0.39, G28.83-0.25, G29.96-0.02, and G43.80-0.13. We identified a total of 219 CH3OH maser features, 47 and 2 of which showed linearly and circularly polarized emission, respectively. We measured well-ordered linear polarization vectors around all the massive young stellar objects and Zeeman splitting towards G25.71-0.04 and G28.83-0.25. Thanks to recent theoretical results, we were able to provide lower limits to the magnetic field strength from our Zeeman splitting measurements. We further confirm (based on ∼80% of the total flux-limited sample) that the magnetic field on scales of 10-100 au is preferentially oriented along the outflow axes. The estimated magnetic field strength of |B||| > 61 mG and >21 mG towards G25.71-0.04 and G28.83-0.25, respectively, indicates that it dominates the dynamics of the gas in both regions

Adjusting the pH of expired eosin dye by using either hydrocholic acid or glacial acetic acid to improve the efficiency of staining tissue.

 This research work focused to study the improvement of expired eosin dye by using two types of acids. This dye is Eosin Y 1% aqueous solution that was commercial expired for 4 years. Eosin solution was divided into two groups that were tested with either hydrochloric acid (HCl) or Glacial acetic acid (GA) in different volume and pH. Acid quality of the first group was increased by using different volumes of HCl which were adjusted by 22.32 mM (pH~5.94), 44.64 mM (pH~5.74), 66.96 mM (pH~4.80), 111.61 mM (pH~2.13), 446.43 mM (pH~0.79) while acidity of the second group was adjusted by GA as 22.32 mM (pH~5.93), 111.61 mM (pH~5.23), 223.21 mM (pH~5.02), 446.43 mM (pH~4.59), 1,339.29 mM (pH~4.02), respectively. The control group used both new and old eosin dye. At low volume (22.32 mM), there was no significant difference on the quality of staining using HCl and GA. To compare the efficiency of both acids in higher volume and pH, the efficiency of intestine tissue's color staining was slightly changed little by using GA, whereas the more changing was revealed by using HCl. The efficient optimum range of HCl was 44.64-66.96 mM (pH~5.74-4.80), while the efficient range of GA was 446.43-1,339.29 mM (pH~4.59-4.02), compared with new control dye. The staining efficiency by using HCl should be careful because of rapid and strong impact in tissue. Therefore, this work will be useful to improve the efficiency of expired eosin dye by adjusting concentrations and pH of HCl and GA. (This work was supported by the grant from HRH Princess Mahachakri Sirindhorn Medical Center

Student Support Services with Remedial Management System

An innovative approach to support student services for an educational institution is proposed in this paper. This approach is applied to integrate the student centralized services to help problem student who probably dropping out the university. The student support service workflow information system (SSS WIS) is developed to support the approach. The system consists of: (1) student information system to analyze the problems that will occur in the following area: financial, health, social and psychological aspects, (2) the notification and appointment system to solve problems, and (3) troubleshooting system. The SSS WIS can be used to systematically support the students. It can solve the student problems on demand. This affects the higher retention rate. In addition, students can graduate from the university on time

Endoscopic sinus surgery for maxillary sinus mucoceles

BACKGROUND: Maxillary sinus mucoceles are relatively rare among all paranasal sinus mucoceles. With the introduction of endoscopic sinus surgical techniques, rhinologic surgeons prefer transnasal endoscopic management of sinus mucoceles. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical presentation of maxillary sinus mucoceles and to establish the efficacy of endoscopic management of sinus mucoceles. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2005, 14 patients underwent endoscopic sinus surgery for maxillary sinus mucocele. The presenting sign and symptoms, radiological findings, surgical management and need for revision surgery were reviewed. RESULTS: There were eight males and six females with an age range of 14 to 65. Ten patients complained of nasal obstruction, five of nasal drainage, five of cheek pressure or pain and one of proptosis of the eye and cheek swelling. The maxillary sinus and ipsilateral ethmoid sinus involvement on computed tomographic studies was seen in 4 patients. Four patients had history of endoscopic ethmoidectomy surgery for ethmoid sinusitis and one had Caldwell-Luc operation in the past. Ethmoidectomy with middle meatal antrostomy and marsupialization of the mucocele was performed in all patients. Postoperative follow-up ranged between 8 to 48 months. All patients had a patent middle meatal antrostomy and healthy maxillary sinus mucosa. No patients need revision surgery. CONCLUSION: The most common causes of mucoceles are chronic infection, allergic sinonasal disease, trauma and previous surgery. In 64% of the patients of our study cause remains uncertain. Endoscopic sinus surgery is an effective treatment for maxillary sinus mucoceles with a favorable long-term outcome

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Striae Gravidarum in Primiparae

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and associated factors of striae gravidarum in Thai singleton primiparae. Study design: Descriptive study. Materials and methods: Two hundred and seventy-two primiparous women who had delivered after 20 weeks of gestation at Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Medical College and Vajira Hospital were recruited. Data were obtained by interviewing postpartum women according to the pre-constructed questionnaires. The questionnaires were composed of four categories: general data, pregnancy data, the symptom of appearance of striae gravidarum and application of cosmetic products such as cream or lotion. The characteristics of participants with and without striae gravidarum were compared. Results: 67.6% of the study participants developed striae gravidarum. From multivariable analysis, the most significant factor was inflammatory acne (odds ratio = 6.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-19.7; p-value = 0.001) compared with those without acne or with non-inflammatory acne. Other significant associated factor (p-value 25 kg/m2 (odds ratio 2.8; 95% CI 1.0-7.5), light skin color (odds ratio 2.1; 95% CI 1.1-3.9) and fetal birth weight > 3000 g (odds ratio 1.9; 95% CI 1.0-3.6). Conclusions: The prevalence of striae gravidarum in Thai singleton primiparae was 67.6%. Inflammatory acne developed during pregnancy, younger maternal age, high pre-pregnancy BMI, light skin color, fetal weight > 3000 g were associated with striae gravidarum

Multi-epoch VLBI of a double maser super burst

In a rare and spectacular display, two well-known massive star forming regions, W49N and G25.65+1.05, recently underwent maser 'super burst' - their fluxes suddenly increasing above 30,000 and 18,000 Jy, respectively, reaching several orders of magnitude above their usual values. In quick-response, ToO observations with the EVN, VLBA and KaVA were obtained constituting a 4 week campaign - producing a high-cadence multi-epoch VLBI investigation of the maser emission. The combination of high-resolution, polarisation and flux monitoring during the burst provides one of the best accounts, to date, of the maser super burst phenomenon, aiding their use as astrophysical tools. These proceedings contain the preliminary results of our campaign

Treating rhinitis in the older population: special considerations

Rhinitis in the elderly is a common but often neglected condition. Structural changes in the nose associated with aging, predisposes the elderly to rhinitis. There are a number of specific factors that affect medical treatment of the elderly including polypharmacy, cognitive dysfunction, changes in body composition, impairment of liver and renal function and the cost of medications in the face of limited resources. Rhinitis in the elderly can be placed in several categories and treatment should be appropriate for each condition. The most important aim is to moisten the nasal mucosa since the nose of the elderly is so dry. Great caution should be used in treatment with first generation antihistamines and decongestants. Medications generally well tolerated by the elderly are second generation antihistamines, intra-nasal anti-inflammatory agents, leukotriene modifiers and iprapropium nasal spray