International strategic alliances: stock market responses from Dutch firms partnering with EU, US and Japanese firms.

International; Strategic alliances; Alliances; Market; Responses; Firms; Management; School;

A comparison between the efficacy of dydrogesterone and calcium plus vitamin D in improving women’s general health

Objective: The aim of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of dydrogesterone and calcium plus vitamin D on young women's general health. Method: One hundred and eighty students studying at Shiraz University were recruited. Students completed the General Health Questionnaires (GHQ-28) prior to participation. They were then randomly assigned to take a tablet containing either 5 mg of dydrogesterone, 500 mg of calcium plus 200 mg of vitamin D, or a placebo twice daily from the 15th to the 24th day of their menstrual cycle for 2 consecutive cycles, and to complete the same questionnaires during both the intervention cycles. Results: The effects of dydrogesterone and calcium plus vitamin D on general health scores were similar during the first month of intervention (11.41±4.28, 12.23±3.76, respectively) (p>0.05) and both of them were more effective than placebo (16.69±3.28) (

TCP Performance Enhancement over UMTS Network with RNC Feedback

TCP optimization for wireless networks to deal with packet losses due to fading, shadowing and contention should preferably maintain TCP end-to-end semantics with minimal dependence on intermediate nodes. The development of advanced 3G networks and services makes it necessary to find a way of improving TCP's efficiency and resource utilization. Previous research on this issue suggests that TCP needs radio network feedback to distinguish wireless related losses from congestion related losses. This paper presents such a mechanism that notifies the TCP sender of any noncongestion related losses by introducing a proxy at the RNC node of the UMTS network. Only a minimal change to the standard TCP is required to achieve this. OPNET is used in this study and the simulation results show that the proposed scheme significantly improves the TCP performanc

Alkaline protease production on date waste by an alkalophilic Bacillus sp. 2-5 isolated from soil

This research focused on isolation and characterization of a new strain of Bacillus sp. from alkaline soil, which was able to producing extracellular alkaline protease and amylase from date waste at pHranging from 8 to 11 and temperatures of 20 to 50°C. Purification was conducted by fractionation, concentration, and cation exchange chromatography. The yield and fold of enzyme purification was24% and 50 times, respectively. Molecular weight of purified enzyme was measured by SDS-PAGE as 24.7 kDa. Produced alkaline protease by Bacillus sp. 2 - 5 showed the most caseinolytic activity(without any gelatinolytic activity) at pH > 10. The highest protease activity was achieved in the following conditions: starch concentration (as carbon source) 0.5 g/L, yeast extract and casamino acid(as mixed nitrogen source) 0.5 and 0.3% (w/w), temperature of 45°C at pH 10.7 after 36 h. Based on the optimization studies of production and purification stages, specific and protease activity 143550APU/mg and 57420 APU/mL were achieve

Food and feeding habits of grey Mullets (Pisces: Mugilidae) in two estuaries in Ghana

Food and feeding habits of grey mullets (Mugilidae) in the River Volta and River Pra estuaries in Ghana were studied between February 1997 and July 1998 as part of efforts to encourage their culture. Stomach contents of fish samples, obtained with a cast net and a drag net, were analysed using the ‘points’ and frequency of occurrence method. Diatoms, detrital material and sand particles were the major items in the stomachs of all the species from the two estuaries. Their diet did not show any substantial seasonality, neither did it change with size. The various species ingested sand particles of selected range with Liza dumerilii ingesting the widest range in both estuaries, 41.2-1195.8 ìm in the Volta estuary, and 33.0-1649.0 ìm in the Pra estuary. Species that ingested the same modal size of sand particles showed preferences for different food items. The shortest mean relative gut length (gut length to body length ratio) of 1.82 and 1.72 were calculated for L. dumerilii in the Volta and Pra estuaries, respectively, while the longest mean relative gut length of 4.56 was calculated for Mugil cephalus in the Volta estuary and 4.33 for Liza grandisquamis in the Pra estuary. All the species showed a diurnal feeding habit, with the main feeding period occurring between 08.00 and 12.00 h. The peak feeding time, however, differed among the species

Bioinformatic analysis of ciliary transition zone proteins reveals insights into the evolution of ciliopathy networks

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.BACKGROUND: Cilia are critical for diverse functions, from motility to signal transduction, and ciliary dysfunction causes inherited diseases termed ciliopathies. Several ciliopathy proteins influence developmental signalling and aberrant signalling explains many ciliopathy phenotypes. Ciliary compartmentalisation is essential for function, and the transition zone (TZ), found at the proximal end of the cilium, has recently emerged as a key player in regulating this process. Ciliary compartmentalisation is linked to two protein complexes, the MKS and NPHP complexes, at the TZ that consist largely of ciliopathy proteins, leading to the hypothesis that ciliopathy proteins affect signalling by regulating ciliary content. However, there is no consensus on complex composition, formation, or the contribution of each component. RESULTS: Using bioinformatics, we examined the evolutionary patterns of TZ complex proteins across the extant eukaryotic supergroups, in both ciliated and non-ciliated organisms. We show that TZ complex proteins are restricted to the proteomes of ciliated organisms and identify a core conserved group (TMEM67, CC2D2A, B9D1, B9D2, AHI1 and a single TCTN, plus perhaps MKS1) which are present in >50% of all ciliate/flagellate organisms analysed in each supergroup. The smaller NPHP complex apparently evolved later than the larger MKS complex; this result may explain why RPGRIP1L, which forms the linker between the two complexes, is not one of the core conserved proteins. We also uncovered a striking correlation between lack of TZ proteins in non-seed land plants and loss of TZ-specific ciliary Y-links that link microtubule doublets to the membrane, consistent with the interpretation that these proteins are structural components of Y-links, or regulators of their formation. CONCLUSIONS: This bioinformatic analysis represents the first systematic analysis of the cohort of TZ complex proteins across eukaryotic evolution. Given the near-ubiquity of only 6 proteins across ciliated eukaryotes, we propose that the MKS complex represents a dynamic complex built around these 6 proteins and implicated in Y-link formation and ciliary permeability.We would like to thank Jordan Raff and Teunis J.P. van Dam for helpful discussions. This work was supported by the Medical Research Council (grant number #G1001644 to HRD, support for AB)

Physiotherapy scoliosis-specific exercises: a comprehensive review of seven major schools

In recent decades, there has been a call for change among all stakeholders involved in scoliosis management. Parents of children with scoliosis have complained about the so-called “wait and see” approach that far too many doctors use when evaluating children’s scoliosis curves between 10° and 25°. Observation, Physiotherapy Scoliosis Specific Exercises (PSSE) and bracing for idiopathic scoliosis during growth are all therapeutic interventions accepted by the 2011 International Society on Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT). The standard features of these interventions are: 1) 3-dimension self-correction; 2) Training activities of daily living (ADL); and 3) Stabilization of the corrected posture. PSSE is part of a scoliosis care model that includes scoliosis specific education, scoliosis specific physical therapy exercises, observation or surveillance, psychological support and intervention, bracing and surgery. The model is oriented to the patient. Diagnosis and patient evaluation is essential in this model looking at a patient-oriented decision according to clinical experience, scientific evidence and patient’s preference. Thus, specific exercises are not considered as an alternative to bracing or surgery but as a therapeutic intervention, which can be used alone or in combination with bracing or surgery according to individual indication. In the PSSE model it is recommended that the physical therapist work as part of a multidisciplinary team including the orthopeadic doctor, the orthotist, and the mental health care provider - all are according to the SOSORT guidelines and Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) philosophy. From clinical experiences, PSSE can temporarily stabilize progressive scoliosis curves during the secondary period of progression, more than a year after passing the peak of growth. In non-progressive scoliosis, the regular practice of PSSE could produce a temporary and significant reduction of the Cobb angle. PSSE can also produce benefits in subjects with scoliosis other than reducing the Cobb angle, like improving back asymmetry, based on 3D self-correction and stabilization of a stable 3D corrected posture, as well as the secondary muscle imbalance and related pain. In more severe cases of thoracic scoliosis, it can also improve breathing function. This paper will discuss in detail seven major scoliosis schools and their approaches to PSSE, including their bracing techniques and scientific evidence. The aim of this paper is to understand and learn about the different international treatment methods so that physical therapists can incorporate the best from each into their own practices, and in that way attempt to improve the conservative management of patients with idiopathic scoliosis. These schools are presented in the historical order in which they were developed. They include the Lyon approach from France, the Katharina Schroth Asklepios approach from Germany, the Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS) from Italy, the Barcelona Scoliosis Physical Therapy School approach (BSPTS) from Spain, the Dobomed approach from Poland, the Side Shift approach from the United Kingdom, and the Functional Individual Therapy of Scoliosis approach (FITS) from Poland