Women in banking: A comparative perspective on the integration myth

This article reports on the results of two similar surveys conducted with professional women bankers, one in the USA and the other in Turkey, to explore socio-economic backgrounds, attitudes towards work, and the nature of the support they receive as such. It also describes the views of women bankers in both cultures with reference to sexual discrimination in the workplace and also their varying levels of job satisfaction and frustration. In the last decade, the number of professional women has increased substantially in the workplace. In particular, women have made significant advancements in the banking industry[l], where 190 of them serve as Presidents at the 14,000 banks in the US, and where the number of them serving as executives has tripled over the last decade. A similar trend also exists in Turkey[2]. The number of women bankers has increased since 1971, and these women have high potential for promotion to executive positions. Because banks are major employers of women, women bankers represent an important case study. Studying women and their professional advancement in banks will provide guidelines for other women professionals striving to achieve professional advancement. A comparative study will help to expand the boundaries of knowledgeability about the advancement of professional women bankers to an international level

Long term hemodialysis aggravates lipolytic activity reduction and very low density, low density lipoproteins composition in chronic renal failure patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dyslipidemia, particularly hypertriglyceridemia is common in uremia, and represents an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To investigate the effects of hemodialysis (HD) duration on very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) compositions and lipopolytic activities, 20 patients on 5 to 7 years hemodialysis were followed-up during 9 years. Blood samples were drawn at T0 (beginning of the study), T1 (3 years after initiating study), T2 (6 years after initiating study) and T3 (9 years after initiating study). T0 was taken as reference.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Triacylglycerols (TG) values were correlated with HD duration (r = 0.70, P < 0.05). An increase of total cholesterol was noted at T2 and T3. Lowered activity was observed for lipoprotein lipase (LPL) (-44%) at T3 and hepatic lipase (HL) (-29%) at T1, (-64%) at T2 and (-73%) at T3. Inverse relationships were found between HD duration and LPL activity (r = -0.63, P < 0.05), and HL activity (r = -0.71, P < 0.01). At T1, T2 and T3, high VLDL-amounts and VLDL-TG and decreased VLDL-phospholipids values were noted. Increased LDL-cholesteryl esters values were noted at T1 and T2 and in LDL-unesterified cholesterol at T2 and T3.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Despite hemodialysis duration, VLDL-LDL metabolism alterations are aggravated submitting patients to a greater risk of atherosclerosis.</p

Clinical Use and Therapeutic Potential of IVIG/SCIG, Plasma-Derived IgA or IgM, and Other Alternative Immunoglobulin Preparations

Intravenous and subcutaneous immunoglobulin preparations, consisting of IgG class antibodies, are increasingly used to treat a broad range of pathological conditions, including humoral immune deficiencies, as well as acute and chronic inflammatory or autoimmune disorders. A plethora of Fab- or Fc-mediated immune regulatory mechanisms has been described that might act separately or in concert, depending on pathogenesis or stage of clinical condition. Attempts have been undertaken to improve the efficacy of polyclonal IgG preparations, including the identification of relevant subfractions, mild chemical modification of molecules, or modification of carbohydrate side chains. Furthermore, plasma-derived IgA or IgM preparations may exhibit characteristics that might be exploited therapeutically. The need for improved treatment strategies without increase in plasma demand is a goal and might be achieved by more optimal use of plasma-derived proteins, including the IgA and the IgM fractions. This article provides an overview on the current knowledge and future strategies to improve the efficacy of regular IgG preparations and discusses the potential of human plasma-derived IgA, IgM, and preparations composed of mixtures of IgG, IgA, and IgM

Enhancement of productivity and fibre quality by defining ideal defoliation and harvesting timing in cotton

Timing of defoliation and harvest can affect cotton yield and quality. Careful consideration of defoliating is necessary, because too early or too late defoliation may have a negative impact on yield potential and fibre quality. Therefore, field experiments were conducted during 2011 and 2012 to determine the effects of defoliation and harvesting timing of an early maturing and a medium-late maturing cotton cultivar for identifying ideal time of application to realize high productivity and fibre quality. The experiment was conducted in the split-split plot arrangement with three replications. Cultivars were the main plots (DP 499, and SG-125), defoliation times were the sub-plots (50 (early), 70 (mid), and 90 (late) percent open boll), and harvest times were the sub-sub plots (pickings at two and four weeks after defoliation treatments). The result revealed that yields of the early harvest at late defoliation timing and late harvest at mid defoliation timing were significantly higher than the yields of all other treatments both in 2011 and 2012. When the cotton crop was defoliated at 70% open boll, early harvest produced the longest fibre in 2011. Early harvest at early defoliation and late harvest at mid defoliation treatments produced the finest fibres. The largest strength value was observed for cotton defoliated at 70% open boll. On the basis of these results it is suggested that defoliation at 90% open boll for early maturing cultivar and defoliation at 70% open boll for medium-late maturing cultivar could be recommended for higher yields without undesirable changes in fibre quality. © 2017, National Agricultural Research and Development Institute. All rights reserved

response of the left ventricle to stress: Re-evaluation of an old method

Introduction: We aimed to assess whether the vasodilator effect of oral dipyridamole on the left ventricular systolic function in patients with suspected CAD is different from that of intravenous (IV) dipyridamole using Tc-99m MIBI myocardial perfusion gated SPECT.Methods: Eighty-nine patients (17 male, 72 female; 61 +/- 10 years) were enrolled in this study. The patients underwent a dipyridamole stress test for the gating study. Forty-one patients were given oral dipyridamole (OD), and 48 patients were given intravenous dipyridamole (ID). Each group was divided into two subgroups according to whether they had normal or abnormal myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) findings (reversible perfusion defect). A two-day dipyridamole pharmacologic stress-rest Tc-99m MIBI myocardial perfusion gated SPECT protocol was performed in all patients. The LV ejection fraction (EF), end diastolic volume (EDV) and end systolic volume (ESV) were calculated from the gated data.Results: In the ID group, LV myocardial perfusion was normal in 28 cases and abnormal in 20 cases. In abnormal ID cases, a significant difference between rest and stress EDV was detected (P = 0.017). In the OD group, the LV myocardial perfusion was normal in 20 and abnormal in 21 cases. In the OD normal cases, the rest EF (P = 0.012) and EDV (P = 0.029) were significantly different from the stress cases.Conclusion: The effect of ID test continues during gated SPECT and results in LV diastolic dysfunction in patients with abnormal myocardial perfusion. Oral administration is also highly effective for detecting real myocardial ischemia that causes LV systolic and diastolic dysfunction

Achondrogenesis type 2 in a newborn with a novel mutation on the COL2A1 gene

Achondrogenesis is a group of rare and fatal disorders occurring in approximately one in every 40,000-60,000 newborns. Achondrogenesis is classified in three groups, as Achondrogenesis type 1A (Houston-Harris type or AC-G1A), Achondrogenesis type 1B (Parenti-Fraccaro type or ACG1B) and Achondrogenesis type 2 (Langer-Saldino type or ACG2), depending on clinical and radiological findings. Achondrogenesis Type 2 is a lethal skeletal dysplasia that is typically characterized by short arms and legs, a small chest with short ribs, lung hypoplasia, a prominent forehead, a small chin, and an enlarged abdomen that may accompanied by polydramnios and hydrops. This study contributes to the literature by presenting a patient who was admitted to the Level ΙΙΙ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Bursa, Turkey), with extremely short extremities, a small chest, abdominal distention and respiratory distress, who was diagnosed with ACG2. On the COL2A1 gene, genetic analysis with next generation sequencing (NGS), was revealed to have a heterozygous missense variation, c.2546G>A, p.Gly849Asp mutation, which is a different genetic variant that has not been previously described in the literature

The relationships between udder traits and milk yield, milk composition, and subclinical mastitis in Jersey cows

This study was carried out to determine the effects of lactation number and period on udder traits in Jersey cows, and also the relationship between udder traits, milk yield and its composition, and subclinical mastitis. For that purpose, 53 Jersey cows with different numbers of lactations and lactation periods were selected. The udder traits of the Jersey cows, as well as their milk fat, protein, lactose and dry matter contents, and milk freezing-point, were measured. Subclinical mastitis was also assessed by using the California Mastitis Test (CMT) and somatic cell count (SCC). The effects of lactation number and period on teat height above ground (THAG) (P < 0.01) and right rear teat length (RRTL) (P < 0.05) were significant. Furthermore, the effects of RRTL on daily milk yield, and the effects of rear udder height (RUH) on milk fat, lactose ratio and freezing point (P < 0.05), were significant. There was a negative phenotypic correlation between THAG and lactation number (P < 0.01), and also lactation period, milk fat content and milk dry matter content (P < 0.05). Right front teat length (RFTL) was positively correlated with lactation number but negatively correlated with the milk lactose content and freezing point (P < 0.05). There was also a positive correlation between RRTL and lactation number and period, milk yield per day and 305-day milk yield (P < 0.05). Front udder attachment (FUA) and udder circumference (UC) were negatively, phenotypically correlated with the milk lactose content (P < 0.05). According to the CMT criteria, the differences between cows with mastitis and healthy cows for THAG, RFTL and UC were significant (P < 0.05). Increases in both lactation number and period were associated with a decrease in THAG and an increase in RRTL. An increase of RRTL was also associated with increases in daily and 305-day milk yield. In conclusion, particular emphasis should be placed on RRTL and THAG when dairy cows are selected on the basis of linear type assessment. Furthermore, an increased risk of mastitis in dairy cows as the udder gets closer to the ground, long front teats and large UC, should be taken into consideration in breeding programs

Comparison of the efficacy of tigecycline and teicoplanin in an experimental methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis model

WOS: 000254066100008PubMed: 18343744We evaluated the efficacy of tigecycline and teicoplanin in a rat model of MRSA osteomyelitis. Osteomyelitis was induced with an intramedullary injection of 10(8) colony-forming units (cfu) of MRSA. After osteomyelitis formation was confirmed on Day 14, infected rats were randomly divided into three groups: tigecycline (n=13), teicoplanin (n=13), and no-treatment control (n=14). A 28-day antibiotic therapy with a subcutaneous injection of tigecycline (14 mg/kg twice daily) or intramuscular administration of teicoplanin (20 mg/kg daily) was administered. Rats were then sacrificed, and the tibias were harvested. The bones were weighed and then cultured. Our results indicated that bacterial growth was significantly reduced in teicoplanin and tigecycline groups, compared to the control group (p=0.019 and p=0.006, respectively). However, no difference was detected between the two antibiotic groups (p=1.000). No bacterial growth was detected in 7 out of 13 and 9 out of 13 specimens of the teicoplanin and tigecycline treated groups, respectively. Although this result was numerically in favor of tigecycline, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.427). In conclusion, tigecycline, a novel antibiotic, appears as an effective alternative to teicoplanin in the treatment of osteomyelitis caused by MRSA