A Qualitative Approach to Trade Credit in Business Organisations

The aim of the paper is to present, in the cognitive aspect, the opinions, judgements and notions of entrepreneurs regarding financing of the current activity of enterprises with trade credit. The nature of the research problem determines the adoption of qualitative research as a research basis, in which direct interview with entrepreneurs has been used. These entrepreneurs, in transaction processes, represent both credit recipients as well as credit donors. Interviews were conducted in 2015, on a sample of 147 manufacturing companies of different nature and different business domain. The paper presents both positive, as well as negative aspects related to the use of trade credit. The possibility to purchase without having financial means, improving financial liquidity and production productivity; increase in revenue and competitive position and general use, open access and cheapness are particularly important in the first approach. Payment gridlock and high risk of activity, as well as increase in the cost in business activity were indicated in negative terms. Value - the authors try, through the prism of empirical research, to show and estimate positive and negative aspects of trade credit. This knowledge has a practical value as it could be used by other firms that implement or develop their trade credit policy

Alternative splicing of CD200 is regulated by an exonic splicing enhancer and SF2/ASF

CD200, a type I membrane glycoprotein, plays an important role in prevention of inflammatory disorders, graft rejection, autoimmune diseases and spontaneous fetal loss. It also regulates tumor immunity. A truncated CD200 (CD200tr) resulting from alternative splicing has been identified and characterized as a functional antagonist to full-length CD200. Thus, it is important to explore the mechanism(s) controlling alternative splicing of CD200. In this study, we identified an exonic splicing enhancer (ESE) located in exon 2, which is a putative binding site for a splicing regulatory protein SF2/ASF. Deletion or mutation of the ESE site decreased expression of the full-length CD200. Direct binding of SF2/ASF to the ESE site was confirmed by RNA electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Knockdown of expression of SF2/ASF resulted in the same splicing pattern as seen after deletion or mutation of the ESE, whereas overexpression of SF2/ASF increased expression of the full-length CD200. In vivo studies showed that viral infection reversed the alternative splicing pattern of CD200 with increased expression of SF2/ASF and the full-length CD200. Taken together, our data suggest for the first time that SF2/ASF regulates the function of CD200 by controlling CD200 alternative splicing, through direct binding to an ESE located in exon 2 of CD200

Evaluating mental health literacy amongst US college students: A cross sectional study

Objective: This study examined levels of mental health literacy amongst US university students, as well as relationships between mental health literacy, help-seeking behaviors, and mental health outcomes. Participants: Three hundred and twenty-six (326) US university students participated in this study online. Methods: Participants filled out questionnaires that assessed their mental health literacy, intentions to seek support, psychological distress, wellbeing, and self-compassion. Results: The mean mental health literacy score was 123.96 (SD = 16.01). Women scored significantly higher than men (p < .01) on mental health literacy. Individuals who had a previous mental disorder diagnosis had significantly higher scores than those with no previous diagnosis (p < .01). A significant positive relationship was found between mental health literacy and self-compassion (p < .01). Conclusions: Our research highlights significant differences between women and men in relation to mental health literacy, psychological distress, and help-seeking behavior. There is a need to design culturally competent interventions that involve diverse students

Inhibition of cell proliferation rather than of cell lysis as a measure of immune reactivity in embryo-antigen-challenged mice.

An assay system is described in which effector cells added along with suitable target cells inhibit, in a quantitative fashion, the subsequent uptake of 3H-thymidine by those target cells. Effector cells active in this assay, using embryonic fibroblast cells as targets, develop spontaneously in cultures of mouse lymphoid cells, but are apparently different from those described earlier by investigators of activity in cytotoxic assays. Further evidence is presented to show the development of spleen-derived effector cells with cytostatic activity (for embryonic fibroblast target cells) in mice during the course of normal pregnancy, or growth of spontaneously appearing mammary adenocarcinomas. Indeed, such effector cells can also be found within the growing solid mass itself. Different populations of tumour cells isolated from a solid tumour apparently differ in their susceptibility to growth inhibition by tumour-bearer-derived cytostatic effector cells, a phenomenon which may be related to metastatic spread of tumour cells

Tumour-cell susceptibility to cytotoxic or cytostatic effector cells in vitro and the regulation of tumour-cell growth in vivo.

Tumour-cell growth in lung nodules after i.v. transfer to sublethally irradiated mice has been followed after adoptive transfer of different populations of lymphoid cells. Spleen cells deliberately immunized in vitro and in vivo against stimulator cells bearing embryo-associated antigens and which are cytostatic in vitro for targets bearing such antigens, can diminish the number of lung nodules found after i.v. transfer. In contrast, cytotoxic (in vitro) spleen cells, while capable of diminishing local (s.c.) growth of tumour cells, cannot control systemic tumour growth. Within a given solid tumour mass, the subpopulations resistant to cytostatic effector cells in vitro are the ones most likely to produce lung colonies after adoptive transfer in vivo, though they show no more local (s.c.) growth than to cytostatic-sensitive cells in vivo

Immunity to Murine Sarcoma Virus Induced Tumors. III. Analysis of the Cell Populations Involved in Protection from Lethal Tumour Progression of Sublethally Irradiated, MSV Inoculated, Mice

A comparison was made between the cells responsible for demonstrable activity against MSV antigens, using both in vivo and in vitro assays. Similar cells (in terms of size and sensitivity to anti-theta serum) were detected in both assays. However, while lymphoid cells from animals at all stages post-MSV infection were active in protecting irradiated mice from the lethal effect of induction of MSV sarcomata, cells from animals at early stages post-MSV infection (when the tumour was in a progressive phase of growth) were not active in the in vitro assay. By manipulation of the in vivo assay conditions a situation was observed in which cells from “progressor animals” were able to suppress both the in vitro and in vivo activity of regressor lymphoid cells. The potential physiological role of this cell type is disussed

Enhancing physical activity knowledge exchange strategies for Canadian long-haul truck drivers

Purpose: Canadian long-haul truck drivers lead sedentary lives, but are receptive to receiving physical activity information to address health risks. This study examined how Canadian long-haul truck drivers would like to receive physical activity information in order to improve their overall health. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) explore barriers Canadian long-haul truck drivers have to receiving and using physical activity information and 2) understand how physical activity information should be structured and delivered to these drivers to overcome these barriers. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 Canadian long-haul truck drivers. Drivers had, on average, 14.3 years of professional long-haul driving experience. Findings: Few drivers had received any physical activity information. Drivers discussed a culture where they perceived both employers and drivers to be lacking awareness of the importance of physical activity and its impact on health. Drivers explained they were too busy, stressed or tired to be active or to learn about physical activity. Information received by some drivers on this topic was too general to be helpful in changing physical activity behaviours. Drivers mentioned that personalized and accessible physical activity information should be provided to them through multiple methods by their employers, as an aspect of occupational health and safety. Practical implications: Future physical activity information strategies should use both passive and interactive mediums to promote physical activity to Canadian long-haul truck drivers. Originality/value: This is the first study to assess how Canadian long-haul truck drivers would like to receive trustworthy information that can lead to healthful improvements in physical activity behaviour

Immunity to murine sarcoma virus induced tumours. IV. Direct cellular cytolysis of 51Cr labelled target cells in vitro and analysis of blocking factors which modulate cytotoxicity.

The antigen specific cell mediated cytotoxicity of MSV immune spleen lymphocytes to 51Cr labelled murine lymphoma cells was wholly abolished by pretreatment of the spleen cells with anti-theta antibody and complement. Early during the immune response to MSV the cytotoxic acitivity was inhibited by incubation of immune lymphocytes with "late progressor" or "early regressor" serum. Immune lymphocytes at later times were more refractory to such inhibition by serum blocking factors. Although unfractionated cytotoxic lymphocytes, irrespective of the time after MSV infection at which they were tested, were inhibited by soluble tumour associated antigen (TAA), a subpopulation of cytotoxic T cells was identified which was inhibited neither by antigen nor serum