Why do people buy hybrid cars?

This article reports on the underlying dimensions used by petrol-electric hybrid and conventional car buyers when evaluating a vehicle with the intent to purchase. Buyers of conventionally fuelled vehicles reported that they considered quality and performance as the most important determinants of choice. They rated as least important, the image they derive from driving a particular car and social influence. On the other hand, petrol-electric hybrid car buyers reported that social influence and projecting a &ldquo;green&rdquo; image were most important considerations and quality and appeal were least important. These findings provide social marketers with a crucial understanding that helps in the selection of an appropriate model to promote the diffusion of eco-friendly vehicles. <br /

Long-Term Disease-Free Survival of a Patient with Oligometastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treated with Radiotherapy Alone

Distant metastases in nasopharyngeal carcinoma are fairly common. While the mainstay of treatment for metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma remains chemotherapy, it is now increasingly recognised that metastatic cases are a heterogenous group and can be stratified into oligometastatic cases versus those with widespread metastases, the former potentially benefiting more from local therapy. In this report, we describe a case of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with a solitary vertebral metastasis successfully treated with high-dose palliative radiotherapy alone, resulting in a long-term disease-free interval of more than 8 years at the time of writing. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a long-term survivor of metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma with oligometastatic bone disease who had received no chemotherapy. In view of this case, there may be potential for other patients with oligometastases from nasopharyngeal carcinoma to be treated solely with local therapy, thereby sparing them the toxicities of chemotherapy

Effect of MDM2 SNP309 and p53 codon 72 polymorphisms on lung cancer risk and survival among non-smoking Chinese women in Singapore

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) 309 resulting in a T or G allele in the promoter of <it>MDM2</it>, the negative regulator of p53, has been suggested to affect cancer predisposition and age of onset, primarily in females. However, findings have been inconsistent in various cancers, and ethnicity appears to be a critical factor influencing the effects of the SNP on cancer risk. An increasing trend has been observed in the prevalence of lung cancers in non-smokers, especially females, though the underlying genetic basis is unclear.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We therefore examined the role of the SNPs in the p53 pathway (<it>p53 </it>codon 72 and <it>MDM2 </it>SNP309) on lung cancer risk and prognosis of a life-time non-smoking female Chinese population, in a hospital-based case-control study of 123 cases and 159 age-matched controls, by PCR analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our findings reveal that the risk of lung cancer among individuals with the <it>MDM2 </it>SNP309 TT genotype was 2.1 (95% CI 1.01-4.36) relative to the GG genotype, contrary to initial expectations that the GG genotype with elevated MDM2 levels will increase cancer risk. Those who had this genotype in combination with the <it>p53 </it>Pro allele had a risk of 2.5 (95% CI 1.2-5.0). There was however no effect of either polymorphism on age at diagnosis of lung cancer or on overall survival.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results thus demonstrate that the MDM2 SNP309 TT rather than the GG genotype is associated with increased risk of lung cancer in this population, suggesting that other mechanisms independent of increased MDM2 levels can influence cancer susceptibility.</p

Selection of suitable aquaponics system for empurau (Tor tambroides) fries nursery in polyculture method

Long-term use of the recirculated water for fish and crop production in the aquaponics system that is the major concern in sustainable aquaculture for reduction of the water quality led to explore the alternative way of short-time use of recirculated water in the aquaponics system that can be in nursery management. Three individual aquaponics (nutrient film “NFT,” deep water “DWC,” media bed “MBD”) along with a new combined aquaponics system (CAS) were used to explore the most suitable aquaponics system for empurau fries nursery. It was done by determining the comparison of growth performance and survivability of fish fries and plants along with the cost–benefit analysis among 4 aquaponics systems. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 comprised of determining the effectiveness test of filters in newly designed CAS and the selection of suitable plant for the second phase. The suitability test for the selection of an aquaponics system for empurau fries nursery was done in the second phase. The polyculture method was adopted in both phases. The newly designed CAS with filter and the leafy vegetables (Apium graveolens var. secalinum) were selected from the first phase for further study in phase 2. The suitability results in the second phase exhibited that the NFT aquaponics system was significantly (P DWC ≥ CAS > MDB. Therefore, the study suggests using the NFT aquaponics system for empurau (Tor tambroides) fries’ nursery in short term

Genetic diversity of circumsporozoite protein in Plasmodium knowlesi isolates from Malaysian Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia

Understanding the genetic diversity of candidate genes for malaria vaccines such as circumsporozoite protein (csp) may enhance the development of vaccines for treating Plasmodium knowlesi. Hence, the aim of this study is to investigate the genetic diversity of non-repeat regions of csp in P. knowlesi from Malaysian Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 46 csp genes were subjected to polymerase chain reaction amplification. The genes were obtained from P. knowlesi isolates collected from different divisions of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, and Peninsular Malaysia. The targeted gene fragments were cloned into a commercial vector and sequenced, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed while incorporating 168 csp sequences retrieved from the GenBank database. The genetic diversity and natural evolution of the csp sequences were analysed using MEGA6 and DnaSP ver. 5.10.01. A genealogical network of the csp haplotypes was generated using NETWORK ver. 4.6.1.3. The phylogenetic analysis revealed indistinguishable clusters of P. knowlesi isolates across different geographic regions, including Malaysian Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia. Nucleotide analysis showed that the csp nonrepeat regions of zoonotic P. knowlesi isolates obtained in this study underwent purifying selection with population expansion, which was supported by extensive haplotype sharing observed between humans and macaques. Novel variations were observed in the C-terminal non-repeat region of csp. The csp non-repeat regions are relatively conserved and there is no distinct cluster of P. knowlesi isolates from Malaysian Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia. Distinctive variation data obtained in the C-terminal non-repeat region of csp could be beneficial for the design and development of vaccines to treat P. knowlesi

An investigation into customer perception and behaviour through social media research – an empirical study of the United Airline overbooking crisis

Airlines have been adopting yield management to optimise the perishable seat control problem and overbooking is a common strategy. This study outlines the connections between yield management, crises, and crisis communication. Using big data captured on a social media platform, this study aims to combine traditional yield management with emerging social big data analytics. As part of this, we use the twitter data on the 2017 United Airline (UA) to analyse the overbooking crisis. Our findings shed light on the importance of a more effective orchestration of yield management to avoid the escalation of crises during crisis communication phases

Professional identity formation amongst peer-mentors in a research-based mentoring programme.

BackgroundMentoring plays a pivotal yet poorly understood role in shaping a physician's professional identity formation (PIF) or how they see, feel and act as professionals. New theories posit that mentoring nurtures PIF by functioning as a community of practice through its structured approach and its support of a socialisation process made possible by its assessment-directed personalized support. To test this theory and reshape the design, employ and support of mentoring programs, we evaluate peer-mentor experiences within the Palliative Medicine Initiative's structured research mentoring program.MethodsSemi-structured interviews with peer mentors under the Palliative Medicine Initiative (PMI) at National Cancer Centre Singapore were conducted and triangulated against mentoring diaries to capture longitudinal data of their PMI experiences. The Systematic Evidence-Based Approach (SEBA) was adopted to enhance the trustworthiness of the data. SEBA employed concurrent content and thematic analysis of the data to ensure a comprehensive review. The Jigsaw Perspective merged complementary themes and categories identified to create themes/categories. The themes/categories were compared with prevailing studies on mentoring in the Funnelling Process to reaffirm their accuracy.ResultsTwelve peer-mentors participated in the interviews and eight peer-mentors completed the mentoring diaries. The domains identified were community of practice and identity work.ConclusionsThe PMI's structured mentoring program functions as a community of practice supporting the socialisation process which shapes the peer-mentor's belief system. Guided by a structured mentoring approach, stage-based assessments, and longitudinal mentoring and peer support, peer-mentors enhance their detection and evaluation of threats to their regnant belief system and adapt their self-concepts of identity and personhood to suit their context. These insights will help structure and support mentoring programs as they nurture PIF beyond Palliative Medicine

Assessing the effects of a mentoring program on professional identity formation.

BackgroundMedical education has enjoyed mixed fortunes nurturing professional identity formation (PIF), or how medical students think, feel and act as physicians. New data suggests that structured mentoring programs like the Palliative Medicine Initiative (PMI) may offer a means of developing PIF in a consistent manner. To better understand how a well-established structured research mentoring program shapes PIF, a study of the experiences of PMI mentees is proposed.MethodologyAcknowledging PIF as a sociocultural construct, a Constructivist approach and Relativist lens were adopted for this study. In the absence of an effective tool, the Ring Theory of Personhood (RToP) and Krishna-Pisupati Model (KPM) model were used to direct this dual Systematic Evidence-Based Approach (Dual-SEBA) study in designing, employing and analysing semi-structured interviews with PMI mentees and mentoring diaries. These served to capture changes in PIF over the course of the PMI's mentoring stages. Transcripts of the interviews and mentoring diaries were concurrently analysed using content and thematic analysis. Complementary themes and categories identified from the Split Approach were combined using the Jigsaw Approach and subsequently compared with mentoring diaries in the Funnelling Process. The domains created framed the discussion.ResultsA total of 12 mentee interviews and 17 mentoring diaries were analysed, revealing two domains-PMI as a Community of Practice (CoP) and Identity Formation. The domains confirmed the centrality of a structured CoP capable of facilitating longitudinal mentoring support and supporting the Socialisation Process along the mentoring trajectory whilst cultivating personalised and enduring mentoring relationships.ConclusionThe provision of a consistent mentoring approach and personalised, longitudinal mentoring support guided along the mentoring trajectory by structured mentoring assessments lay the foundations for more effective mentoring programs. The onus must now be on developing assessment tools, such as a KPM-based tool, to guide support and oversight of mentoring relationships

Diagnosis and treatment of urticaria and angioedema: a worldwide perspective

Urticaria and angioedema are common clinical conditions representing a major concern for physicians and patients alike. The World Allergy Organization (WAO), recognizing the importance of these diseases, has contributed to previous guidelines for the diagnosis and management of urticaria. The Scientific and Clinical Issues Council of WAO proposed the development of this global Position Paper to further enhance the clinical management of these disorders through the participation of renowned experts from all WAO regions of the world. Sections on definition and classification, prevalence, etiology and pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis are based on the best scientific evidence presently available. Additional sections devoted to urticaria and angioedema in children and pregnant women, quality of life and patient-reported outcomes, and physical urticarias have been incorporated into this document. It is expected that this article will supplement recent international guidelines with the contribution of an expert panel designated by the WAO, increasing awareness of the importance of urticaria and angioedema in medical practice and will become a useful source of information for optimum patient management worldwide

The role of IGFBP-3 in breast cancer cell response to DNA-damaging therapy

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of breast cancer, not treatable by current targeted therapies and with a tendency to acquire resistance to conventional therapies. It is therefore crucial to negate the drivers of these malignancies in order to improve therapeutic sensitivity. A major cause of resistance to radiotherapy and some chemotherapy is the ability of breast cancer cells to aberrantly repair DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), fueling tumour progression. Irreparable cancer cells may either die or develop pro-survival pathways. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) was previously shown to translocate into the nucleus following DNA damage, where it forms complexes with the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). This finding, demonstrated in triple-negative breast cancer cells, was the first connection drawn between IGFBP-3 and DNA repair. Aims: The first aim of this study was to ascertain the point at which IGFBP-3 becomes involved in the DNA damage response. The second aim concerned IGFBP-3 as a determinant of cell fate following the initial DNA repair. Methods: The Hs578T human breast cancer cell line was used in this study as these cells express high endogenous levels of IGFBP-3 and phenotypically represent triple-negative breast cancer. The role of endogenous IGFBP-3 was determined using a stable loss-of-function approach, in which IGFBP-3 expression was silenced using short-hairpin RNA (shRNA). Neocarzinostatin (a radiomimetic agent) and etoposide (a topoisomerase II inhibitor) were used to induce DNA DSBs. Results: Etoposide and neocarzinostatin activated the ATM-p53-H2AX axis early following drug exposure, as measured by immunoblotting. This was followed by the phosphorylation of EGFR at Tyr1068. Autophosphorylation of DNA-PKcs at Ser2056 occurred at a later stage of DNA damage, whereas its phosphorylation at Thr2609 varied depending on the DNA-damaging agent used. Using stable knockdown of IGFBP-3, no evidence was found for the regulation of DNA damage and repair signalling by endogenous IGFBP-3. However, transient IGFBP-3 knockdown significantly inhibited DNA-PKcs phosphorylation four hours after etoposide treatment, consistent with previous findings. IGFBP-3 appeared to have no role in the activation of ATM or its substrates p53 and H2AX, suggesting that its involvement in DNA damage repair does not occur upstream of EGFR-DNA-PK activation. IGFBP-3 stable knockdown potentiated the etoposide- and neocarzinostatin-induced loss of cell viability, measured by the MTS assay. However, cell colony formation did not appear to be regulated by endogenous IGFBP-3. With prolonged exposure to etoposide, IGFBP-3 knockdown potentiated PARP-1 cleavage while, surprisingly, it inhibited caspase-3 cleavage. Autophagic flux, measured as LC3-II, increased with etoposide treatment, the increase being attenuated in IGFBP-3 knockdown cells concomitantly with increased PARP-1 cleavage. Conclusions: The data presented in this thesis suggest that chronic IGFBP-3 downregulation is not inhibitory to DNA damage and repair signalling, implying that a compensatory mechanism occurs to negate the effect seen with short-term IGFBP-3 knockdown. They also indicate that the involvement of IGFBP-3 in DNA damage repair does not occur earlier than DNA-PK activation. It is concluded that under some conditions IGFBP-3 may inhibit the pro-apoptotic effects of chemo- and radiotherapeutic agents, culminating in cell survival, consistent with the poor prognosis of women with ER-negative breast cancers with high IGFBP-3 expression