Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa: Absence of the Rhodopsin Proline- Histidine Substitution (codon 23) in Pedigrees from Europe

In exon 1 at codon 23 of the rhodopsin gene, a mutation resulting in a proline-to-histidine substitution has previously been observed in approximately 12% of American autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP) patients. The region around the site of this mutation in the rhodopsin gene has been amplified and analyzed in affected individuals from 91 European ADRP pedigrees. The codon 23 mutation has been found to be absent in all cases, including a large Irish pedigree in which the disease gene has previously been shown to be closely linked to the rhodopsin locus. This indicates the presence of either allelic or nonallelic heterogeneity in ADRP

Genetic Analysis Method for Staphylococcus chromogenes Associated with Goat Mastitis

Nekada su tvrtke svoje zaposlenike o novostima u poduzeću informirale putem oglasnih ploča, no u današnje vrijeme to se čini putem e-maila ili interneta, a interno komuniciranje čini sve važniji dio odnosa sa javnošću poduzeća. Ono je prisutno u svim organizacijama, bez obzira na veličinu ili predmet poslovanja poduzeća. Međutim, ono se često zanemaruje jer se ne prepoznaje njegova važnost za poduzeće. Osnovni cilj ovoga rada je prikazati značaj interne komunikacije za poduzeća, kao i utjecaj menadžera i rukovoditelja u obavljanju poslova poduzeća. Dolazi se do zaključka da komunikacija između zaposlenika (horizontalna komunikacija) i komunikacija između podređenih i nadređenih (vertikalna komunikacija) u poduzeću utječe na zadovoljstvo i sami rad zaposlenika. Razlog tome je nedostatak informacija koji rezultira u neefikasnom radu zaposlenika, a tim i njihovim nezadovoljstvom. Najznačnije informacije koje se komuniciraju uključuju razna znanja, iskustva te razmjenu podataka značajnih za poslovanje tvrtki i rad njenih djelatnika. U samom radu pojasnit će se djelovanje internog komuniciranja u poduzećima; značaj internog komuniciranja, imidža i strategije za poslovanje poduzeća; problemi internog komuniciranja u poduzećima, a samim tim i dobre strane internog komuniciranja

Genetic Analysis Method for Staphylococcus chromogenes Associated with Goat Mastitis

Mastitis in goats is mainly caused by coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS). The identification methods for this group are based on evaluating the expression of phenotypic characteristics such as the ability to metabolize various substrates; however, this is disadvantageous as these methods are dependent on gene expression. In recent years, genotyping methods such as the Multiple Locus Variable-Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA) and gene identification have been useful for epidemiological study of several bacterial species. To develop a genotyping method, the genome sequence of Staphylococcus chromogenes MU970 was analysed. The analysis showed nine virulence genes described in Staphylococcus aureus. The MLVA was developed using four loci identified in the genome of S. chromogenes MU970. This genotyping method was examined in 23 strains of CNS isolated from goat mastitis. The rate of discrimination for MLVA was 0.8893, and the highest rates of discrimination per the index of Simpson and Hunter-Gaston were 0.926 and 0.968 for the locus 346_06, respectively. The virulence genes were present in all strains of S. chromogenes but not in other CNS. The genotyping method presented in this paper is a viable and easy method for typifying CNS isolates from mastitis cases in different regions and is an ideal mean of tracking this disease

The rationale of opportunistic bilateral salpingectomies (OBS) during benign gynaecological and obstetric surgery : a consensus text of the Flemish Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (VVOG)

Ovarian cancer (OC), is a disease difficult to diagnose in an early stage implicating a poor prognosis. The 5-year overall survival in Belgium has not changed in the last 18 years and remains 44 %. There is no effective screening method (secondary prevention) to detect ovarian cancer at an early stage. Primary prevention of ovarian cancer came in the picture through the paradigm shift that the fallopian tube is often the origin of ovarian cancer and not the ovary itself. Opportunistic bilateral salpingectomy (OBS) during benign gynaecological and obstetric surgery might have the potential to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 65 %. Bilateral risk-reducing salpingectomy during a benign procedure is feasible, safe, appears to have no impact on the ovarian function and seems to be cost effective. The key question is whether we should wait for a RCT or implement OBS directly in our daily practice. Guidelines regarding OBS within our societies are therefore urgently needed. Our recommendation is to inform all women without a child wish, undergoing a benign gynaecological or obstetrical surgical procedure about the pro’s and the con’s of OBS and advise a bilateral salpingectomy. Furthermore, there is an urgent need for a prospective registry of OBS. The present article is the consensus text of the Flemish Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (VVOG) regarding OBS

Shaping the future of accounting in business education in Australia

This multi-stakeholder investigation with a prospective focus and conducted 25 years after the Mathews Committee Inquiry has three aims: ? assess the current state of play of accounting in business education in Australia; ? focus on the key challenges, issues and opportunities faced by the accounting education sector; and ? develop feasible, innovative and productive ways forward to meet the many challenges faced by accounting education and to take full advantage of the opportunities identified. The key themes embraced in the investigation are as follows: professional knowledge and professional skills of accounting graduates; the inculcation of professional values, ethics and attitudes into graduates; scholarly research and its role in accounting education, creating knowledge and informing practice; and technology and innovation in learning environments. This study presents the findings drawn from interviews with individuals who are engaged actively in graduate recruitment and the ongoing professional development of accountants. These interviewees were drawn from four key stakeholder groups comprising small, medium and large professional services firms, other employers of accounting graduates, regulators, including the major professional accounting bodies, and accounting academics. The key findings indicate that the future of accounting, like other facets of society, is being transformed by technology and the future of accounting work will advance into new areas while retaining broadly its fundamental core knowledge areas. New entrants into this field will need to possess well developed professional skills on their entry into the profession and, in combination with evolving professional knowledge and a solid core of professional values, ethics and attitudes. In addition, they need to have an ability to create value as business and wealth advisors, interpreters and communicators of financial and non-financial information, and contribute to the strategic direction of organisations, in particular, and society, in general. The findings of this investigation have resulted in the development of 17 recommendations designed to provide proactive strategies to meet the challenges presented and these are provided for higher education providers and accounting schools, employers, professional accounting bodies, and accounting students. While the main recommendations relate to accounting curricula and connections between academe and the profession, it is proposed that an Accounting Education and Curriculum Change Network be established to oversee any reforms, administered by the major professional accounting bodies with AFAANZ, and having membership drawn from higher education providers around Australia. For accounting education this presents new and exciting challenges as curricula are transformed by key enabling technologies and the new realities of the profession in an increasingly globalised world. Programs and degrees will incorporate more real world experience and academics, by engaging more directly with professional practice through both teaching and research, will become cognisant of their instrumental formative role in the initial professional development of accountants. Studying accounting in the contexts in which it operates as technical and social practice will assist in facilitating improved educational experiences and outcomes

Does calibration reduce variability in the assessment of accounting learning outcomes?

© 2015 Taylor & Francis Reliable, consistent assessment process that produces comparable assessment grades between assessors and institutions is a core activity and an ongoing challenge with which universities have failed to come to terms. In this paper, we report results from an experiment that tests the impact of an intervention designed to reduce grader variability and develop a shared understanding of national threshold learning standards by a cohort of reviewers. The intervention involved consensus moderation of samples of accounting students’ work, with a focus on three research questions. First, what is the quantifiable difference in grader variability on the assessment of learning outcomes in ‘application skills’ and ‘judgement’? Second, does participation in the workshops lead to reduced disparity in the assessment of the students’ learning outcomes in ‘application skills’ and ‘judgement’? Third, does participation in the workshops lead to greater confidence by reviewers in their ability to assess students’ skills in application skills and judgement? Our findings suggest consensus moderation does reduce variability across graders and also builds grader confidence

Shaping the future of accounting in business education in Australia

This multi-stakeholder investigation with a prospective focus and conducted 25 years after the Mathews Committee Inquiry has three aims:  assess the current state of play of accounting in business education in Australia;  focus on the key challenges, issues and opportunities faced by the accounting education sector; and  develop feasible, innovative and productive ways forward to meet the many challenges faced by accounting education and to take full advantage of the opportunities identified. The key themes embraced in the investigation are as follows: professional knowledge and professional skills of accounting graduates; the inculcation of professional values, ethics and attitudes into graduates; scholarly research and its role in accounting education, creating knowledge and informing practice; and technology and innovation in learning environments. This study presents the findings drawn from interviews with individuals who are engaged actively in graduate recruitment and the ongoing professional development of accountants