Understanding The Impact Of IT Service Innovation On Firm Performance: The Case Of Cloud Computing

Recently we have witnessed a new kind of IT advancement. It is a phenomenon where various types of IT capabilities are centralized into data centers to ensure that such resources are available wherever and whenever they are needed. Cloud computing is the latest version of IT service practice reflecting such new IT trends. Although cloud computing is considered a paradigm shift of IT service design and delivery in IS communities and intrigues large amounts of interest from business entities, few studies have examined this new IT and business phenomenon. To better understand the organizational application of cloud computing, the current study aims to investigate economic payoff from cloud computing investment. Employing the event study methodology, we analyze 183 firm-level announcements regarding cloud computing adoption. The results indicate that cloud computing adoption announcements are associated with positive increases in the market value of the firm. In addition, we identified differences in the effect of cloud computing adoption on market returns according to strategic adoption intention, firm size, and industry sector. These results can be used as useful references for the firm’s decision-making about whether, when, and how to adopt cloud computing to maximize its business value

Cocoa polyphenols suppress TNF-α-induced vascular endothelial growth factor expression by inhibiting phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 (MEK1) activities in mouse epidermal cells

Cocoa polyphenols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. TNF-α is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that has a vital role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases such as cancer and psoriasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression is associated with tumorigenesis, CVD, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. We tested whether cocoa polyphenol extract (CPE) inhibited TNF-α-induced VEGF expression in promotion-sensitive JB6 mouse epidermal cells. CPE significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced up-regulation of VEGF via reducing TNF-α-induced activation of the nuclear transcription factors activator protein-1 (AP-1) and NF-κB, which are key regulators of VEGF expression. CPE also inhibited TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. CPE blocked activation of their downstream kinases, p70 kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase and p90 kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase. CPE suppressed phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activity via binding PI3K directly. CPE did not affect TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 (MEK1) but suppressed TNF-α-induced MEK1 activity. Collectively, these results indicate that CPE reduced TNF-α-induced up-regulation of VEGF by directly inhibiting PI3K and MEK1 activities, which may contribute to its chemopreventive potentia

Isolation and characterization of differentially expressed genes in the mycelium and fruit body of Pleurotus ostreatus

The fruiting body of one of the most widely cultivated mushrooms, the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) is highly interesting, both commercially and scientifically. In the present study, we performed comparative proteomic profiling of P. ostreatus at two unique developmental stages; mycelium and fruit body, using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). Seven hundred fourteen (714) spots were detected and 29 spots (showing a high level of difference in their expressions) were identified by tandem mass spectrometry and basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) searching of an expressed sequence tag (EST) database of P. ostreatus. Among them, six proteins (putative fatty acid oxygenase, heat shock sks2, PriA homologue, Ap-1 like transcription factor YAP7, mung bean seed albumin, and C2H2 Zinc finger domain protein) and one protein (peroxisomal biogenesis factor 6) showed increased expression levels at the fruiting process and the mycelial stage, respectively. Through reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis, priA homologue and AP-1 like transcription factor yap7 showed gradually increased expression from mycelia to fruit body, whereas putative fatty acid oxygenase and heat shock protein sks2 were expressed only in the fruit body. These results provide useful information for future studies of mushroom development of P. ostreatus.Keywords: Developmental stage, mushroom fruiting, Pleurotus ostreatus, protein, two-dimensional gel electrophoresisAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(24), pp. 3790-379

Thyroid Transcription Factor-1 Facilitates Cerebrospinal Fluid Formation by Regulating Aquaporin-1 Synthesis in the Brain

In the brain, aquaporin-1 (AQP-1), a water channel for high osmotic water permeability, is mainly expressed in the apical membrane of the ventricular choroid plexus and regulates formation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Although the physiology of AQP-1 has been the subject of several publications, much less is known about the trans-acting factors involved in the control of AQP-1 gene expression. Here we report that TTF-1, a homeodomain-containing transcriptional regulator, is coexpressed with AQP-1 in the rat brain choroid plexus and enhances AQP-1 gene transcription by binding to conserved core TTF-1-binding motifs in the 5'-flanking region of the AQP-1 gene. Intracerebroventricular administration of an antisense TTF-1 oligodeoxynucleotide significantly decreased AQP-1 synthesis and reduced CSF formation. In addition, blockade of TTF-1 synthesis increased survival of the animals following acute water intoxication-induced brain edema. These results suggest that TTF-1 is physiologically involved in the transcriptional control of AQP-1, which is required for CSF formation

In vitro and in vivo Efficacy of New Blue Light Emitting Diode Phototherapy Compared to Conventional Halogen Quartz Phototherapy for Neonatal Jaundice

High intensity light emitting diodes (LEDs) are being studied as possible light sources for the phototherapy of neonatal jaundice, as they can emit high intensity light of narrow wavelength band in the blue region of the visible light spectrum corresponding to the spectrum of maximal bilirubin absorption. We developed a prototype blue gallium nitride LED phototherapy unit with high intensity, and compared its efficacy to commercially used halogen quartz phototherapy device by measuring both in vitro and in vivo bilirubin photodegradation. The prototype device with two focused arrays, each with 500 blue LEDs, generated greater irradiance than the conventional device tested. The LED device showed a significantly higher efficacy of bilirubin photodegradation than the conventional phototherapy in both in vitro experiment using microhematocrit tubes (44±7% vs. 35±2%) and in vivo experiment using Gunn rats (30±9% vs. 16±8%). We conclude that high intensity blue LED device was much more effective than conventional phototherapy of both in vitro and in vivo bilirubin photodegradation. Further studies will be necessary to prove its clinical efficacy

Partial Trisomy 1q41 Syndrome Delineated by Whole Genomic Array Comparative Genome Hybridization

Partial trisomy 1q syndrome is a rare chromosomal abnormality. We report on a male infant with 46,XY,der(11)t(1;11)(q41;p15.5) due to unbalanced segregation of the maternal reciprocal balanced translocation 46,XX,t(1;11)(q41;p15.5). The baby presented with a mild phenotype, characterized by a triangular face, almond-shaped eyes, low ears, short stature with relatively long legs, and mild psychomotor retardation. We utilized whole genomic array comparative genome hybridization (CGH) with 4,000 selected bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) to define the chromosomal breakpoints and to delineate the extent of the partial trisomy in more detail. To our knowledge, this is the first case of nearly pure "partial trisomy 1q41" defined by whole genomic array CGH

Reversible Pulmonary Hypertension in Adolescent with Left Atrial Myxoma

We report a patient of left atrial huge myxoma presenting with severe pulmonary hypertension in adolescents. A patient was a 14-year-old boy presented with sudden onset dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiographic study revealed the presence of a nodular, 4.34 × 8.11 cm sized, mobile, hyperechoic mass in the left atrium and severe pulmonary hypertension with tricuspid insufficiency. After surgical therapy, tricuspid regurgitation and pulmonary hypertension was decreased and the patient was stabilized and had an uneventful clinical course

Factors to Predict Positive Results of Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Stimulation Test in Girls with Suspected Precocious Puberty

Sometimes, the clinical findings and the results of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test are inconsistent in girls with early breast development and bone age advancement. We aimed to investigate the factors predicting positive results of the GnRH stimulation test in girls with suspected central precocious puberty (CPP). We reviewed the records of 574 girls who developed breast budding before the age of 8 yr and underwent the GnRH stimulation test under the age of 9 yr. Positive results of the GnRH stimulated peak luteinizing hormone (LH) level were defined as 5 IU/L and over. Girls with the initial positive results (n = 375) showed accelerated growth, advanced bone age and higher serum basal LH, follicle-stimulating hormone, and estradiol levels, compared to those with the initial negative results (n = 199). Girls with the follow-up positive results (n = 64) showed accelerated growth and advanced bone age, compared to those with the follow-up negative results. In the binary logistic regression, the growth velocity ratio was the most significant predictive factor of positive results. We suggest that the rapid growth velocity is the most useful predictive factor for positive results in the GnRH stimulation test in girls with suspected precocious puberty