295 research outputs found
School reform, school size, and student achievement
An estimation of the effect of school size on student achievement, with the results suggesting that market-based school reform could enhance student performance if the reform reduced school size.Education
A unique bacteriohopanetetrol stereoisomer of marine anammox
Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is a major process of bioavailable nitrogen removal from marine systems. Previously, a bacteriohopanetetrol (BHT) isomer, with unknown stereochemistry, eluting later than BHT using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), was detected in ‘Ca. Scalindua profunda’ and proposed as a biomarker for anammox in marine paleo-environments. However, the utility of this BHT isomer as an anammox biomarker is hindered by the fact that four other, non-anammox bacteria are also known to produce a late-eluting BHT stereoisomer. The stereochemistry in Acetobacter pasteurianus, Komagataeibacter xylinus and Frankia sp. was known to be 17β, 21β(H), 22R, 32R, 33R, 34R (BHT-34R). The stereochemistry of the late-eluting BHT in Methylocella palustris was unknown. To determine if marine anammox bacteria produce a unique BHT isomer, we studied the BHT distributions and stereochemistry of known BHT isomer producers and of previously unscreened marine (‘Ca. Scalindua brodeae’) and freshwater (‘Ca. Brocadia sp.’) anammox bacteria using HPLC and gas chromatographic (GC) analysis of acetylated BHTs and ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)-high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) analysis of non-acetylated BHTs. The 34R stereochemistry was confirmed for the BHT isomers in Ca. Brocadia sp. and Methylocella palustris. However, ‘Ca. Scalindua sp.’ synthesise a stereochemically distinct BHT isomer, with still unconfirmed stereochemistry (BHT-x). Only GC analysis of acetylated BHT and UHPLC analysis of non-acetylated BHT distinguished between late-eluting BHT isomers. Acetylated BHT-x and BHT-34R co-elute by HPLC. As BHT-x is currently only known to be produced by ‘Ca. Scalindua spp.’, it may be a biomarker for marine anammox
Sun, Moon, Stars, Rain, Vol. 7 No. 11
Official publication of the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, Alpha Zet Chapter, Stephen F. Austin State University.
Published one a year in the Fall Semester, in cooperation with the English Department of Stephen F. Austin State University.https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/smsr/1000/thumbnail.jp
Selumetinib in combination with dacarbazine in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma: a phase III, multicentre, randomised trial (SUMIT)
Purpose:
Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults with no effective
systemic treatment option in the metastatic setting. Selumetinib (AZD6244, ARRY-142886) is an
oral, potent, and selective MEK1/2 inhibitor with a short half-life, which demonstrated single-agent
activity in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma in a randomized phase II trial.
Methods:
The Selumetinib (AZD6244: ARRY-142886) (Hyd-Sulfate) in Metastatic Uveal Melanoma (SUMIT)
study was a phase III, double-blind trial (ClinicalTrial.gov identifier: NCT01974752) in which patients
with metastatic uveal melanoma and no prior systemic therapy were randomly assigned (3:1) to
selumetinib (75 mg twice daily) plus dacarbazine (1,000 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1 of every 21-
day cycle) or placebo plus dacarbazine. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) by
blinded independent central radiologic review. Secondary end points included overall survival and
objective response rate.
Results:
A total of 129 patients were randomly assigned to receive selumetinib plus dacarbazine (n = 97) or
placebo plus dacarbazine (n = 32). In the selumetinib plus dacarbazine group, 82 patients (85%)
experienced a PFS event, compared with 24 (75%) in the placebo plus dacarbazine group (median,
2.8 v 1.8 months); the hazard ratio for PFS was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.48 to 1.27; two-sided P = .32). The
objective response rate was 3% with selumetinib plus dacarbazine and 0% with placebo plus
dacarbazine (two-sided P = .36). At 37% maturity (n = 48 deaths), analysis of overall survival gave
a hazard ratio of 0.75 (95% CI, 0.39 to 1.46; two-sided P = .40). The most frequently reported adverse
events (selumetinib plus dacarbazine v placebo plus dacarbazine) were nausea (62% v 19%), rash
(57% v 6%), fatigue (44% v 47%), diarrhea (44% v 22%), and peripheral edema (43% v 6%).
Conclusion:
In patients with metastatic uveal melanoma, the combination of selumetinib plus dacarbazine had
a tolerable safety profile but did not significantly improve PFS compared with placebo plus dacarbazine
Green consumer segmentation: managerial and environmental implications from the perspective of business strategies and practices
With the new millennium, environmental concern entered a new phase,
with stricter governmental regulations and incentives. Currently, within environmental
issues, there is a broader challenge to commitment with economic and social
goals. This is motivating companies and organizations to participate in transformation
processes with the aim of minimizing the negative impacts of their activities.
Within this context, new business philosophies, emerged empowering organizations
to consider sustainability issues that have come to be viewed as an innovative and
differentiating factor, providing competitive advantages (Fraj-Andres, MartinezSalinas,
& Matute-Vallejo. Journal of Business Ethics, 88,263-286, 2009; Leipziger.
The corporate responsibility code book. Greenleaf Publishing Limited, 2016;
Leipziger. The corporate responsibility code book. Greenleaf Publishing Limited,
2016). Therefore, organizations have begun incorporating these concerns in their
processes, adopting green management policies, and including green marketing
strategies in order to remain competitive (Straughan & Roberts. Journal of Consumer
Marketing, 16(6), 558-575, 1999; Rivera-Camino. European Journal of Marketing,
41, 1328-1358, 2007). From the marketing perspective, the importance of understanding
green consumer behaviour in order to develop better segmentation and
targeting strategies is highlighted. Green consumers are changing significantly.
Consumers, although with some reluctance, are moving to greener products. The
Mintel organization reported that the number of consumers buying green has tripled in recent years. Furthermore, it found that the number of consumers that never
bought green products have decreased. These results show that widespread environmental
awareness had an important role in purchasing behaviour, with more consumers
considering the environmental impact of their buying decisions and looking
for a greener alternative to their conventional purchasing options. The existing literature suggests that previous research regarding the green consumer profile has
different perspectives. The first group of researchers attempted to characterize green
consumer profile using sociodemographic variables such as age, gender, education,
income and occupation. In tum, the second group of researchers used psychographic
variables instead of sociodemographic ones (Mainieri, Barnett, Valdero, Unipan, &
Oskamp. Journal of Social Psychology, 137(2), 189-204, 1997). This chapter aims
to better explore the importance of green consumer segmentation and its implications
from a management point of view. More specifically, the aim is to analyze
which variables better characterize green consumers (sociodemographic and psychographic).
At the end, a theoretical framework is proposed to enable and support
organizations to better understand green consumer profile. It also enables managers
and marketers to target and develop better marketing strategies for these segments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Sun, Moon, Stars, Rain, Vol. 7 No. 11
Official publication of the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, Alpha Zet Chapter, Stephen F. Austin State University.
Published one a year in the Fall Semester, in cooperation with the English Department of Stephen F. Austin State University
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