A demographic model for forecasting public school enrollments.

EducationDoctor of Education (Ed.D.

Why should Incumbent Firms jump on the Start-up Bandwagon in the Digital Era? - A Qualitative Study

Due to ongoing digitalization, the traditional business models of incumbent firms are threatened by the innovation performance of start-ups. Therefore, a few incumbent firms have established programs to collaborate with start-ups in order to receive relevant impulses from them. However, empirically, there has barely been any insight into the specific role that start-ups play for incumbent firms. For this purpose, we present the key findings of our qualitative study, which has been built on interviews (n=35) with experts. Our results reveal that incumbent firms and start-ups have equally environmental factors affecting their decision-making in pursuit of digitalization. However, they differ in their technological and organizational factors. According to our findings, we have emphasized that collaboration between incumbent firms and start-ups could be an opportunity to meet the challenges of the digital era. They can build on these identified enabling factors of the partner and overcome their own inhibiting factors

Generation of drug metabolite antigenicity in the intestinal mucosa

Both nitroreductase and transglutaminase activities have been assayed in the 10 000 x g supernatant fluids of rat intestine homogenates after Triton X-100 treatment. Incubation of 14C-nitrofurantoin in the intestine extract yielded protein-bound 14C-labeled products. Injection into rabbits of the conjugated protein similarly prepared with unlabeled nitrofurantoin elicited formation of antibodies against nitrofurantoin. These results suggest that intestinal metabolism and conjugation to protein of orally administered drugs may serve as a probable mechanism of drug allergy, and this may be accomplished by enzymatic coupling of relatively stable drug metabolites to protein carriers.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/26077/1/0000153.pd

The cornified envelope of terminally differentiated human epidermal keratinocytes consists of cross-linked protein

A small proportion of the protein of stratum corneum of human epidermal callus is insoluble even when boiled in solutions containing sodium dodecylsulfate and a reducing agent. This protein is present in the cornified envelope, a structure located beneath the plasma membrane. When cornified envelopes were dissolved by exhaustive proteolytic digestion and the products analyzed by chromatography, approximately 18% of the total lysine residues were found as the cross-linking dipeptide epsilon-(gamma-glutamyl) lysine. Labeled cornified envelope protein was synthesized by human epidermal keratinocytes allowed to differentiate terminally in culture. The extent of cross-linking, determined from the proportion of radioactive lysine in epsilon-(gamma-glutamyl) lysine after exhaustive proteolysis, was similar to that in stratum corneum. The properties of the cornified envelopes (insolubility in detergent and reducing agents, and solubility following proteolytic digestion) are readily explained by a structure consisting of a cross-linked protein lattice

Laughter and humor as complementary and alternative medicines for dementia patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The number of dementia patients has increased worldwide, with an estimated 13.7 million dementia patients in the Asia Pacific region alone. This number is expected to increase to 64.6 million by the year 2050.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>As a result of advances in research, there several pharmacological therapies available for the treatment of dementia patients. However, current treatments do not suppress the disease process and cannot prevent dementia, and it will be some time before these goals are realized. In the meantime, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is an important aspect in the treatment of dementia patients to improve their quality of life throughout the long course of the disease. Considering the individuality of dementia patients, applicability of laughter and humor therapy is discussed. Even though there are many things that need to be elucidated regarding the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of laughter and humor, both may be good CAM for dementia patients if they are applied carefully and properly.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>In this debate article, the physiological basis and actual application of laughter and humor in the treatment of dementia patients are presented for discussion on the applicability to dementia patients.</p

Epidermal Transglutaminase (TGase 3) Is Required for Proper Hair Development, but Not the Formation of the Epidermal Barrier

Transglutaminases (TGase), a family of cross-linking enzymes present in most cell types, are important in events as diverse as cell-signaling and matrix stabilization. Transglutaminase 1 is crucial in developing the epidermal barrier, however the skin also contains other family members, in particular TGase 3. This isoform is highly expressed in the cornified layer, where it is believed to stabilize the epidermis and its reduction is implicated in psoriasis. To understand the importance of TGase 3 in vivo we have generated and analyzed mice lacking this protein. Surprisingly, these animals display no obvious defect in skin development, no overt changes in barrier function or ability to heal wounds. In contrast, hair lacking TGase 3 is thinner, has major alterations in the cuticle cells and hair protein cross-linking is markedly decreased. Apparently, while TGase 3 is of unique functional importance in hair, in the epidermis loss of TGase 3 can be compensated for by other family members

Pharmacogenetic studies on the drug-related lupus syndrome. differences in antinuclear antibody development and drug-induced DNA damage in rapid and slow acetylator animal models

Pharmacogenetic study of an inbred mouse model system derived from A/J (slow acetylator) and C57BL/6J (rapid acetylator) parental strains shows that spontaneous occurrence of antinuclear antibodies is associated with the slow acetylator phenotype although the development of spontaneous and procainamide-induced antinuclear antibodies is a dissociable process. In another study using primary cultures of intact hepatocytes obtained from slow and rapid acetylator rabbits, observations indicate that the amount of DNA damage induced by exposure to hydrazine and arylamine containing foreign compounds depends on the concentration of the foreign compound used as well as on the acetylator phenotype. Exposure to hydralazine induced greater DNA damage in slow acetylator hepatocytes whereas exposure to the arylamine carcinogen, 2-aminofluorene, induced greater DNA damage in rapid acetylator hepatocytes.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/37756/1/1780240801_ftp.pd

Laughter and humour for personal development: A systematic scoping review of the evidence

The accessibility of laughter and humour make them attractive choices for self-care, and integrative medicine. There is a growing body of literature, but both fields are fragmented and the overall evidence has not been systematically reviewed. The relationship between health and personal development is increasingly recognized. This review scopes the evidence for laughter and humour interventions from the perspective of their potential benefits on personal development. A systematic scoping review used Joanna Briggs guidelines and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews Scoping Review extension (PRISMA-ScR). All-population laughter and humour interventions described in primary and secondary research from 1970, and in English, were searched in Web of Science and PubMed/Medline. Analysis of 240 primary research articles (k), and 11 systematic reviews (K), identified k = 564 discrete articles with studies involving 574,611 participants (n). Twelve large studies (n >15,000) contributed 77% of participants. Classification analysis found more research relating to humour (k = 445, n = 334,996) than laughter (k = 119, n = 239,615) and identified diverse personal development outcomes associated with Biological, Psychological, Social, Environmental, and Behavioural (BPSE-B) factors. This review presents growing evidence for the diverse applications and benefits of laughter and humour. Multiple opportunities for self-care and interventional applications are described. The consideration of personal development outcomes may support tailored applications according to specific needs and objectives. An umbrella Personal Development Theory of laughter and humour, inclusive humour and laughter definitions, and a humour-laughter-affect model are proposed to unify the fields.N/