Stress-Mediated Increases in Systemic and Local Epinephrine Impair Skin Wound Healing: Potential New Indication for Beta Blockers

Rivkah Isseroff and colleagues describe how stress-induced elevation of epinephrine levels can impair the healing of burns in mice and suggest that β2 adrenergic receptor antagonists may have a role in improving skin wound repair

CURATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH LIBRARIES

Libraries, museums and archives hold valuable collections in a variety of media, presenting a vast body of knowledge rooted in the history of human civilisation. These form the repository of the wisdom of great works by thinkers of past and the present. The holdings of these institutions are priceless heritage of the mankind as they preserve documents, ideas, and the oral and written records. To value the cultural heritage and to care for it as a treasure bequeathed to us by our ancestors is the major responsibility of libraries. The past records constitute a natural resource and are indispensable to the present generation as well as to the generations to come. Libraries preserve the documentary heritage resources for which they are primarily responsible. Any loss of such materials is simply irreplaceable. Therefore, preserving this intellectual, cultural heritage becomes not only the academic commitment but also the moral responsibility of the librarians/information scientists, who are in charge of these repositories. The high quality of the papers and the discussion represent the thinking and experience of experts in their particular fields. The contributed papers also relate to the methodology used in libraries in Asia to provide access to manuscripts and cultural heritage. The volume discusses best practices in Knowledge preservation and how to collaborate and preserve the culture. The book also deals with manuscript and archives issues in the digital era. The approach of this book is concise, comprehensively, covering all major aspects of preservation and conservation through libraries. The readership of the book is not just limited to library and information science professionals, but also for those involved in conservation, preservation, restoration or other related disciplines. The book will be useful for librarians, archivists and conservators. We thank the Sunan Kalijaga University, Special Libraries Association- Asian Chapter for their trust and their constant support, all the contributors for their submissions, the members of the Local and International Committee for their reviewing effort for making this publication possible

Effectiveness of self-esteem boosters in decreasing maladaptive behaviors of children with attention-deficit hyper-activity disorder

The efficacy of the Self-esteem Boosters in decreasing the maladaptive behavior of children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is tested in this study. This study used the single case design which was also known as the N of 1 design (Cohen and Mansion, 1985). The researcher utilized the experimental type ABAB design. The subjects of the study were 8-year old girls with an attention problem called Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The findings of this study showed that when Self-Esteem/Boosters were implemented in Treatment 1, a decrease in the frequency of maladaptive behaviors in comparison to observation 1 was detected. When Treatment 2 was implemented, a decline in the frequency of the behaviors was again noted. Also, observations made by the teachers confirmed the change in the subjects\u27 behavior.The study presented the following conclusions:1. Self-esteem Booster, as a technique, helped more children who were hyperactive and impulsive than those who were distractible 2. Self-esteem Booster had improved the self-esteem of the subjects such that those with low self-esteem produced greater changes in their level of self-esteem that those who already had a high level of self-esteem and,3. Improved self-esteem was accompanied by reduced Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder of the subjects. The following recommendations were made:1. A replication of the study be undertaken to establish a generalization of the data. Since the subjects in this study are females, it will be best to have males as subjects, too 2. The Self-esteem Boosters treatment be tested and employed to help children/individuals increase attention span and,3. An intensive study on the long-range effect of Self-esteem Boosters be undertaken to further strengthen the efficacy of such a treatment

A qualitative assessment of the business continuity practices of selected ASEAN banks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Many economies rely heavily on the banking sector for their productivity and development, so much so, that any disruption could result in the stagnation of business and organizational operations worldwide. Due to this, central banks encourage the use of business continuity practices to exercise conservatism in assessing all the risks involved in their external and internal environment. This study aims to qualitatively assess the business continuity practices enacted by the 20 selected ASEAN banks before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. To assess these practices, the researchers adopted and modified frameworks from each central bank to come up with a collective framework, which was then reviewed by three assessors. After the assessment, the strategies were collected to create an inventory of actions for future banks to follow. There are two research propositions in this study: (1) the practices for pandemic-related risks that the Banks disclosed in 2018 and 2019 align with the practices implemented during the years 2020 to 2021; and (2) that the selected ASEAN banks have adhered to the criteria of the collective framework on the assessment of a bank’s preparedness in the event of a pandemic, both in their implementations and disclosures. The results of the study uphold the first proposition as Banks were continually implementing the practices they had disclosed against the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes the integration of early warning systems and the investment in the development of disaster recovery centers. However, there were certain additions to their practices during the outbreak, which included specific mentions of pandemic and high-absenteeism risks. Moreover, the Banks also tightened their systems and restructuring programs, enacting a more conservative approach to default and credit risks. However, the results of the study only partially uphold the second proposition as the Banks were not able to adhere to certain criteria in the collective framework. This includes the inclusion of pandemic and high-absenteeism risks before the outbreak, elaboration of table-top exercises, disclosure of recovery time objectives, recovery point objectives, and operational breakdowns. The researchers point out their reasons for exclusion on the lack of emphasis by their respective central banks or confidentiality purposes. Despite this, the researchers found that the banks had proven to be resilient against the COVID-19 Pandemic by being able to respond to the outbreak with their continuous assistance to employees, the performance of stress tests, and further investment in disaster recovery centers. Just the same, the researchers recommend that the Board of Directors review their identified excluded practices for inclusions in its future disclosures. Moreover, the central banks could make use of the collective framework in updating the standardized framework they periodically release. It is also recommended that future banks make use of the created inventory of practices to respond more proactively to similar disruptions. Keywords: business continuity practices, pandemic risk, banking sector, ASEA

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate preserves intracellular glutathione and protects cortical neurons against oxidative stress

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP), an endogenous intermediate of glycolysis, protects the brain against ischemia-reperfusion injury. The mechanisms of FBP protection after cerebral ischemia are not well understood. The current study was undertaken to determine whether FBP protects primary neurons against hypoxia and oxidative stress by preserving reduced glutathione (GSH). Cultures of pure cortical neurons were subjected to oxygen deprivation, a donor of nitric oxide and superoxide radicals (3-morpholinosydnonimine), an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis (L-buthionine-sulfoximine) or glutathione reductase (1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea) in the presence or absence of FBP (3.5 mM). Neuronal viability was determined using an 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay. FBP protected neurons against hypoxia-reoxygenation and oxidative stress under conditions of compromised GSH metabolism. The efficacy of FBP depended on duration of hypoxia and was associated with higher intracellular GSH concentration, an effect partly mediated via increased glutathione reductase activity