The Effect Of Disclosure Patterns Of Risk Factors In Prospectus On The Relation Between Strategic Alliances And Underpricing Of Biotechnology IPOs

This study observes a significantly negative moderating effect of the disclosing patterns of risk factors in initial public offerings (IPOs) prospectus on the association between strategic alliances and underpricing of biotechnology IPOs. Our findings suggest that strategic alliances mitigate information uncertainties when risk factor disclosures are less helpful, which alleviates the underpricing

Predictors of motivation for type 2 diabetes mellitus self management of patients in primary care in Singapore

Background: Diabetes is among the top 10 causes of death in Singapore, which has the second-highest proportion of diabetics among all developed nations. Diabetic patients’ self-management is often driven by their perceptions about their own chronic condition. This study explored specific aspects of patients’ (1) cognitive appraisal, (2) emotional distress and (3) a motivational measure in relation to their diabetic condition and attitude toward self-management. Methods: Seventy adult participants (41 female and 29 male) with type-2 diabetes were recruited in this cross-sectional study from patients who sought psychological consultation at polyclinics. The questionnaires administered were (1) Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, (2) Diabetes Distress Scale, (3) Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7, (4) Insomnia Severity Index, (5) Patient Health Questionnaire-9, (6) Readiness-to-Change Ruler and (7) Sheehan Disability Scale. Results: Multiple regression analysis showed that severity of insomnia symptoms (β = -.26 , p < .05), emotional distress of diabetes (β = -.48 , p < .05), interpersonal distress of diabetes (β = -.35 , p < .05), total distress of diabetes (β = .58 , p < .05), and perception of personal control over diabetes (β = .-.30, p < .05) were significantly associated with reported motivation for engaging in diabetes self-management (R2 = .26, F(5, 62) = 4.26, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Insomnia, emotional distress and perception of personal control over diabetes significantly predicted patients’ reported motivation for diabetes self-management. It may be more productive for clinicians to focus their interventions on these particular aspects of diabetic patients’ experience in promoting self-management behaviour. Future studies may involve (1) the measurement of actual self-management behaviour beyond participants’ report of their motivation to engage in such desirable behavior and (2) qualitative approaches for understanding subjective dimensions of “insomnia,” “distress” and “personal control” in relation to diabetes self-management

Mutations in KEOPS-Complex Genes Cause Nephrotic Syndrome with Primary Microcephaly

Galloway-Mowat syndrome (GAMOS) is an autosomal-recessive disease characterized by the combination of early-onset nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) and microcephaly with brain anomalies. Here we identified recessive mutations in OSGEP, TP53RK, TPRKB, and LAGE3, genes encoding the four subunits of the KEOPS complex, in 37 individuals from 32 families with GAMOS. CRISPR-Cas9 knockout in zebrafish and mice recapitulated the human phenotype of primary microcephaly and resulted in early lethality. Knockdown of OSGEP, TP53RK, or TPRKB inhibited cell proliferation, which human mutations did not rescue. Furthermore, knockdown of these genes impaired protein translation, caused endoplasmic reticulum stress, activated DNA-damage-response signaling, and ultimately induced apoptosis. Knockdown of OSGEP or TP53RK induced defects in the actin cytoskeleton and decreased the migration rate of human podocytes, an established intermediate phenotype of SRNS. We thus identified four new monogenic causes of GAMOS, describe a link between KEOPS function and human disease, and delineate potential pathogenic mechanisms

Study on Phyllosphere Microbial Community of Nettle Leaf during Different Seasons

Nettle (Urtica cannabina) is an excellent feed resource widely distributed worldwide. Phyllosphere microbes are important as they have living conditions similar to those of the above-ground parts of host plants. Exploring amino acids (AA) and microorganisms can further understand the growth of plants in different seasons. The present study investigated the content of AA and phyllosphere microbes’ structure of nettle plants in different seasons. The results found that AA contents varied significantly with the season, such as alanine, aspartate, cysteine, glutamate, glycine, and methionine contents decreased significantly from spring to winter (p p U. cannabina mainly participated in metabolism. Pathogenic fungi were relatively high in autumn. The present study reveals the influence of seasonal change on the phyllosphere microbial community in U. cannabina

Anticorrosive performance of waterborne epoxy coatings containing water-dispersible hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets

Homogenous dispersion of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets in solvents or in the polymer matrix is crucial to initiate their many applications. Here, homogeneous dispersion of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) in epoxy matrix was achieved with a water-soluble carboxylated aniline trimer derivative (CAT(-)) as a dispersant, which was attributed to the strong pi-pi interaction between h-BN and CAT(-), as proved by Raman and UV-vis spectra. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis confirmed a random dispersion of h-BN nanosheets in the waterborne epoxy coatings. The deterioration process of water -borne epoxy coating with and without h-BN nanosheets during the long-term immersion in 3.5 wt% NaCI solution was investigated by electrochemical measurements and water absorption test. Results implied that the introduction of well dispersed h-BN nanosheets into waterborne epoxy system remarkably improved the corrosion protection performance to substrate. Moreover, 1 wt% BN/EP composite coated substrate exhibited higher impedance modulus (1.3 x 10(6) Omega cm(2)) and lower water absorption (4%) than those of pure waterborne epoxy coating coated electrode after long-term immersion in 3.5 wt% NaCI solution, demonstrating its superior anticorrosive performance. This enhanced anticorrosive performance was mainly ascribed to the improved water barrier property of epoxy coating via incorporating homogeneously dispersed h-BN nanosheets. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved