831 research outputs found
Lobbying and the International Accounting Standards Committee
Systems theory and agency theory were employed as the theoretical bases for a study of
lobbying and the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) during the years
of the Core Standards Programme, 1993-98. External parties made use of formal and
informal channels to lobby the IASC. The IASC itself lobbied external parties in efforts
to gain support for its activities and proposed standards. Thus, lobbying was
multidirectional. The IASC has collaborated with both international and national
organisations, such as the International Organisation of Securities Commissions
(IOSCO), the Accounting Standards Board (ASB), the Canadian Institute of Chartered
Accountants (CICA), and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), in the
development of international accounting standards that can be utilised in cross-border
offerings and listings of securities. Thus, a principal / agent model appears too simplistic.
Rather, a mutual agency model of collaborative behavior and action appears appropriate
Tissue Cytokine Responses in Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis
To elucidate the local tissue cytokine response of dogs infected with Leishmania chagasi, cytokine mRNA levels were measured in bone marrow aspirates from 27 naturally infected dogs from Brazil and were compared with those from 5 uninfected control animals. Interferon-Îł mRNA accumulation was enhanced in infected dogs and was positively correlated with humoral (IgG1) but not with lymphoproliferative responses to Leishmania antigen in infected dogs. Increased accumulation of mRNA for interleukin (IL)4, IL-10, and IL-18 was not observed in infected dogs, and mRNA for these cytokines did not correlate with antibody or proliferative responses. However, infected dogs with detectable IL-4 mRNA had significantly more severe symptoms. IL-13 mRNA was not detectable in either control or infected dogs. These data suggest that clinical symptoms are not due to a deficiency in interferon-Îł production. However, in contrast to its role in human visceral leishmaniasis, IL-10 may not play a key immunosuppressive role in dogs
Tooling materials compatible with carbon fibre composites in a microwave environment
Although metals are the most commonly used tooling materials to cure composites, they do not provide optimal results in a microwave environment. Following a selection process based on the properties of the materials, an alternative tooling material in carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) was successfully utilised to cure CFRP panels in laboratory and industrial microwaves. The conductive carbon fibres in the tool facilitated the fast heat transfer across the part. Other tooling materials including a glass fibre cyanate ester prepreg and tooling board were trialled, although the latter exhibited damage during cure. These advantages demonstrate that the CFRP tool is a compatible material that can be used when microwave curing composites
Sequence conservation in the 3â˛-untranslated regions of neurone-specific enolase, lymphokine and protooncogene mRNAs
AbstractThe C-terminal protein-coding and the entire 3â˛-untranslated regions of a cDNA corresponding to human neurone-specific enolase mRNA have been sequenced. The 3â˛-untranslated region is 892 bases long and shows a high degree of homology with the 3â˛-untranslated region of rat neurone-specific enolase mRNA. This sequence conservation is not seen in non-neuronal enolase mRNAs. Features of the conserved sequence include an A-rich region approx. 250 bases from the stop codon at a point corresponding to the polyadenylation signal site in non-neuronal enolase mRNA, and a repeating ATTT sequence. This unusual motif in eukaryotic mRNAs has previously been reported in the 3â˛-untranslated regions of lymphokine and protooncogene mRNAs
Assessment of eosinophils in gastrointestinal inflammatory disease of dogs
Background
Accurate identification of eosinophils in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of dogs with eosinophilic GI disease (EGID) by histological evaluation is challenging. The currently used hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining method detects intact eosinophils but does not detect degranulated eosinophils, thus potentially underrepresenting the number of infiltrating eosinophils.
Objective
To develop a more sensitive method for identifying and quantifying both intact and degranulated eosinophils to diagnose EGID more accurately.
Methods
Endoscopically obtained paraffinâembedded intestinal biopsy specimens from dogs with GI signs were examined. The study groups were dogs with eosinophilic enteritis (EE), lymphoplasmacytic and mixed enteritis, and control dogs with GI signs but no histologic changes on tissue sections. Consecutive sections were immunolabeled with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the eosinophil granule protein eosinophil peroxidase (Epx) and stained by H&E, respectively. The number of eosinophils was manually quantified and classified as intact or degranulated.
Results
The number of intact eosinophils detected in Epx mAbâlabeled duodenal sections was significantly higher compared with that in H&Eâstained sections, with a similar relationship noted in the colon and stomach. The Epx mAb allowed the unique assessment of eosinophil degranulation. The number of intact and degranulated eosinophils was significantly higher in duodenal lamina propria of the EE and mixed group compared to the control group.
Conclusion
Immunohistochemical detection of Epx provides a more precise method to detect GI tract eosinophils compared to H&E staining and could be used as an alternative and reliable diagnostic tool for assessment of biopsy tissues from dogs with EGID
Combining electromyography and Raman spectroscopy: optical EMG
Introduction/Aims: Electromyography (EMG) remains a key component of the diagnostic work-up for suspected neuromuscular disease, but it does not provide insight into the molecular composition of muscle which can provide diagnostic information. Raman spectroscopy is an emerging neuromuscular biomarker capable of generating highly specific, molecular fingerprints of tissue. Here, we present âoptical EMG,â a combination of EMG and Raman spectroscopy, achieved using a single needle. Methods: An optical EMG needle was created to collect electrophysiological and Raman spectroscopic data during a single insertion. We tested functionality with in vivo recordings in the SOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), using both transgenic (n = 10) and non-transgenic (NTg, n = 7) mice. Under anesthesia, compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs), spontaneous EMG activity and Raman spectra were recorded from both gastrocnemius muscles with the optical EMG needle. Standard concentric EMG needle recordings were also undertaken. Electrophysiological data were analyzed with standard univariate statistics, Raman data with both univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: A significant difference in CMAP amplitude was observed between SOD1G93A and NTg mice with optical EMG and standard concentric needles (p =.015 and p =.011, respectively). Spontaneous EMG activity (positive sharp waves) was detected in transgenic SOD1G93A mice only. Raman spectra demonstrated peaks associated with key muscle components. Significant differences in molecular composition between SOD1G93A and NTg muscle were identified through the Raman spectra. Discussion: Optical EMG can provide standard electrophysiological data and molecular Raman data during a single needle insertion and represents a potential biomarker for neuromuscular disease
Computational Nuclear Physics and Post Hartree-Fock Methods
We present a computational approach to infinite nuclear matter employing
Hartree-Fock theory, many-body perturbation theory and coupled cluster theory.
These lectures are closely linked with those of chapters 9, 10 and 11 and serve
as input for the correlation functions employed in Monte Carlo calculations in
chapter 9, the in-medium similarity renormalization group theory of dense
fermionic systems of chapter 10 and the Green's function approach in chapter
11. We provide extensive code examples and benchmark calculations, allowing
thereby an eventual reader to start writing her/his own codes. We start with an
object-oriented serial code and end with discussions on strategies for porting
the code to present and planned high-performance computing facilities.Comment: 82 pages, to appear in Lecture Notes in Physics (Springer), "An
advanced course in computational nuclear physics: Bridging the scales from
quarks to neutron stars", M. Hjorth-Jensen, M. P. Lombardo, U. van Kolck,
Editor
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