New product development in an emerging economy: analysing the role of supplier involvement practices by using Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo technique

The research question is whether the positive relationship found between supplier involvement practices and new product development performances in developed economies also holds in emerging economies. The role of supplier involvement practices in new product development performance is yet to be substantially investigated in the emerging economies (other than China). This premise was examined by distributing a survey instrument (Jayaram’s (2008) published survey instrument that has been utilised in developed economies) to Malaysian manufacturing companies. To gauge the relationship between the supplier involvement practices and new product development (NPD) project performance of 146 companies, structural equation modelling was adopted. Our findings prove that supplier involvement practices have a significant positive impact on NPD project performance in an emerging economy with respect to quality objectives, design objectives, cost objectives, and “time-to-market” objectives. Further analysis using the Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm, yielding a more credible and feasible differentiation, confirmed these results (even in the case of an emerging economy) and indicated that these practices have a 28% impact on variance of NPD project performance. This considerable effect implies that supplier involvement is a must have, although further research is needed to identify the contingencies for its practices

Resident phenotypically modulated vascular smooth muscle cells in healthy human arteries.

Vascular interstitial cells (VICs) are non-contractile cells with filopodia previously described in healthy blood vessels of rodents and their function remains unknown. The objective of this study was to identify VICs in human arteries and to ascertain their role. VICs were identified in the wall of human gastro-omental arteries using transmission electron microscopy. Isolated VICs showed ability to form new and elongate existing filopodia and actively change body shape. Most importantly sprouting VICs were also observed in cell dispersal. RT-PCR performed on separately collected contractile vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and VICs showed that both cell types expressed the gene for smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SM-MHC). Immunofluorescent labelling showed that both VSMCs and VICs had similar fluorescence for SM-MHC and αSM-actin, VICs, however, had significantly lower fluorescence for smoothelin, myosin light chain kinase, h-calponin and SM22α. It was also found that VICs do not have cytoskeleton as rigid as in contractile VSMCs. VICs express number of VSMC-specific proteins and display features of phenotypically modulated VSMCs with increased migratory abilities. VICs, therefore represent resident phenotypically modulated VSMCs that are present in human arteries under normal physiological conditions

Mild hypoxic-ischemic injury in the neonatal rat brain: longitudinal evaluation of the white matter using diffusion tensor MR imaging

Session 75: Perfusion & Diffusion: Animal Models - Oral presentationWe evaluated longitudinally mild hypoxic-ischemic (HI) induced white matter (WM) damage in a neonatal rat model using DTI and correlated the DTI indices with histological evaluations. Results showed significantly decreased FA and increased ¦Ë¡Í in the injured WM reflected dysmyelination. The longitudinal changes of increasing FA, decreasing ¦Ë¡Í, and no change in ¦Ë// in both injured and control WM suggests continued myelination. Furthermore, differences in FA and ¦Ë¡Í between injured and control WM decreased longitudinally. Our results demonstrated that mild HI induced WM damage continues to mature with partial recovery post-HI, and this could be reflected by DTI in vivo.published_or_final_versionThe 17th Scientific Meeting & Exhibition of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), Honolulu, HI., 18-24 April 2009. In Proceedings of ISMRM 17th Scientific Meeting & Exhibition, 2009, p. 74

Mild hypoxic-ischemic injury in the neonatal rat brain: longitudinal evaluation of the white matter using diffusion tensor MR imaging

Session 75: Perfusion & Diffusion: Animal Models - Oral presentationWe evaluated longitudinally mild hypoxic-ischemic (HI) induced white matter (WM) damage in a neonatal rat model using DTI and correlated the DTI indices with histological evaluations. Results showed significantly decreased FA and increased ¦Ë¡Í in the injured WM reflected dysmyelination. The longitudinal changes of increasing FA, decreasing ¦Ë¡Í, and no change in ¦Ë// in both injured and control WM suggests continued myelination. Furthermore, differences in FA and ¦Ë¡Í between injured and control WM decreased longitudinally. Our results demonstrated that mild HI induced WM damage continues to mature with partial recovery post-HI, and this could be reflected by DTI in vivo.published_or_final_versionThe 17th Scientific Meeting & Exhibition of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), Honolulu, HI., 18-24 April 2009. In Proceedings of ISMRM 17th Scientific Meeting & Exhibition, 2009, p. 74

Predictive Modelling Using Unstructured Data From Online Forums: A Case Study on E-cigarette Users

In the age of the digital economy, social media, forums and other online platforms have played active parts in our daily activities. The amount of data digitized and recorded in these platforms have surged exponentially. Many believed that this underexplored unstructured data sources have huge potential in offering insights to policy makers and companies. This paper aims to propose a hybrid approach using inductive and deductive reasoning to identify motivational factors to use e-cigarettes for predictive modelling. A total of 790 comments and discussions relevant to e-cigarette use and motivations to use e-cigarette were scraped and stored from online forums like Reddit, Vapingunderground and e-cigarette-forum. A series of text analytics were conducted on the text corpus and the cluster analysis enabled us to build a predictive model. Using Bayesian Structural Equation Modelling, we concluded that the constructs derived by clustering, i.e. Cost and Convenience and Enjoyment, have significant associations with smokers trying to quit smoking. While health-related issues were inherent to the notion of quitting smoking, enjoyment, cost and convenience were motivational factors which will generate favourable response towards quitting smoking. The findings showed encouraging results from a methodological standpoint and offered insights to policy makers and companies on health-related issues pertaining to the use of e-cigarettes

EFFICACY OF SIMPLE BLEACH DIGESTION OF SPUTUM IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS BY MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION

  Objective: Rapid diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) depends on microscopic examination of sputum smear for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). The direct microscopy examination lacks sensitivity. It needs at least 10,000 AFB/ml of sputum to observe in the smear. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of three different short-term bleach digestions and concentration of sputum in the diagnosis of PTB.Methods: A total of 171 sputum samples collected from patients suspected of having pulmonary TB were used. Direct smear was prepared using each sample and then divided into three parts to which equal volume of 5% bleach was added. The first part was kept at room temperature for 45 minutes with intermittent shaking. The second part was allowed to stand at room temperature for 45 minutes for sedimentation, and the third part was kept at room temperature for 45 minutes and then centrifuged at 3000 g for 15 minutes for deposit formation. Smears were prepared and stained with Ziehl-Neelsen method and observed for AFB using Revised National TB Control Programme Guidelines.Results: Out of 171 sputum samples, 45 (26.32%), 48 (28.07%), 49 (28.65%), and 55 (32.16%) of specimens were positive by direct, bleach digested mixed method, bleach digested sedimented method, and centrifugation method, respectively. The background of the bleach digested sputum smears was clear.Conclusion: Short-term bleach digestion of sputum improves the sensitivity of microscopic examination and the number of AFB observed in the smear. Bleach being a disinfectant kills AFB and makes handling of sputum safer

The misogyny of iron deficiency

Anaemia is common, particularly in women and the commonest underlying cause, iron deficiency, is often overlooked. Anaemia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing anaesthesia; however, women are defined as being anaemic at a lower haemoglobin level than men. In this narrative review, we present the history of iron deficiency anaemia and how women’s health has often been overlooked. Iron deficiency was first described as ‘chlorosis’ and a cause of ‘hysteria’ in women and initial treatment was by iron filings in cold wine. We present data of population screening demonstrating how common iron deficiency is, affecting 12–18% of apparently ‘fit and healthy’ women, with the most common cause being heavy menstrual bleeding; both conditions being often unrecognised. We describe a range of symptoms reported by women, that vary from fatigue to brain fog, hair loss and eating ice. We also describe experiments exploring the physical impact of iron deficiency, showing that reduced exercise performance is related to iron deficiency independent of haemoglobin concentration, as well as the impact of iron supplementation in women improving oxygen consumption and fitness. Overall, we demonstrate the need to single out women and investigate iron deficiency rather than accept the dogma of normality and differential treatment; this is to say, the need to change the current standard of care for women undergoing anaesthesia

Lymph node density in silicosis: its relationship with lung function and clinical parameters

published_or_final_versio

3',4'-Dihydroxyflavonol antioxidant attenuates aiastolic dysfunction and cardiac remodeling in streptozotocin-induced diabetic m(Ren2)27 rats

Background Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is an increasingly recognized cause of chronic heart failure amongst diabetic patients. Both increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and impaired ROS scavenging have been implicated in the pathogenesis of hyperglycemia-induced left ventricular dysfunction, cardiac fibrosis, apoptosis and hypertrophy. We hypothesized that 3',4'-dihydroxyflavonol (DiOHF), a small highly lipid soluble synthetic flavonol, may prevent DCM by scavenging ROS, thus preventing ROS-induced cardiac damage. Methodology/Principal Findings Six week old homozygous Ren-2 rats were randomized to receive either streptozotocin or citrate buffer, then further randomized to receive either DiOHF (1 mg/kg/day) by oral gavage or vehicle for six weeks. Cardiac function was assessed via echocardiography and left ventricular cardiac catheterization before the animals were sacrificed and hearts removed for histological and molecular analyses. Diabetic Ren-2 rats showed evidence of diastolic dysfunction with prolonged deceleration time, reduced E/A ratio, and increased slope of end-diastolic pressure volume relationship (EDPVR) in association with marked interstitial fibrosis and oxidative stress (all P<0.05 vs control Ren-2). Treatment with DiOHF prevented the development of diastolic dysfunction and was associated with reduced oxidative stress and interstitial fibrosis (all P<0.05 vs untreated diabetic Ren-2 rats). In contrast, few changes were seen in non-diabetic treated animals compared to untreated counterparts. Conclusions Inhibition of ROS production and action by DiOHF improved diastolic function and reduced myocyte hypertrophy as well as collagen deposition. These findings suggest the potential clinical utility of antioxidative compounds such as flavonols in the prevention of diabetes-associated cardiac dysfunction