ASEAN's unchanged melody? The theory and practice of 'non-interference' in Southeast Asia

This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article published as Jones, Lee. (2010). ASEAN's unchanged melody? The theory and practice of 'non-interference' in Southeast Asia. Pacific Review 23:4, 479-502 as published in PACIFIC REVIEW 2010 © Taylor & Francis, available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/09512748.2010.49599

Properties that influence business process management maturity and its effect on organizational performance

Abstract BPM maturity is a measure to evaluate how professionally an organization manages its business processes. Previous research provides evidence that higher BPM maturity leads to better performance of processes and of the organization as a whole. It also claims that different organizations should strive for different levels of maturity, depending on their properties. This paper presents an empirical investigation of these claims, based on a sample of 120 organizations and looking at a selection of organizational properties. Our results reveal that higher BPM maturity contributes to better performance, but only up to a point. Interestingly, it contradicts the popular belief that higher innovativeness is associated with lower BPM maturity, rather showing that higher innovativeness is associated with higher BPM maturity. In addition, the paper shows that companies in different regions have a different level of BPM maturity. These findings can be used as a benchmark and a motivation for organizations to increase their BPM maturity

The role of microRNA-126 in vascular homeostasis

This thesis details our studies assessing the role of the endothelial-enriched miRNA-126 in the regulation of vascular homeostasis. In Chapter 2 the current insight in the role of miRNA-126 in vascular homeostasis is reviewed. Chapter 3 focuses on the role of miRNA-126 in ischemia induced angiogenesis, followed by Chapter 4 which describes the potential role of miRNA-126 the mobilization of vasculogenic progenitor cells upon ischemia. Both chapters utilize antagomir-technology to specifically silence miRNA-126 in vivo. This approach to silence miRNA-126 was also used in Chapter 5 to elucidate the regulatory role of miRNA-126 in vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression in the kidney vasculature. Chapter 6 details our findings that circulating miRNA-126 in the periphery is not exclusively derived from endothelial cells but can also originate from platelets. Consequently, the use of aspirin has to be taken into account when relating circulating miRNA-126 levels to the progression of cardiovascular disease. Chapter 7 demonstrates that the angiogenic potential of miRNA-126 as described in Chapter 3 might reach beyond the presence of this pro-angiogenic miRNA in endothelium, but that neovascularization can also be supported by miRNA-126 expressed in circulating cells. Finally, Chapter 8 provides a summary of research presented in this thesis, presents the major conclusions that could be drawn and further discusses the role of miRNA-126 in vascular homeostasis

The Role of microRNA-126 in Vascular Homeostasis

Nephrolog

Therapeutic potential of modulating microRNAs in atherosclerotic vascular disease

Atherosclerosis (also known as arteriosclerotic vascular disease) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall, characterized by the formation of lipid-laden lesions. The activation of endothelial cells at atherosclerotic lesion–prone sites in the arterial tree results in the up-regulation of cell adhesion molecules and chemokines, which mediate the recruitment of circulating monocytes. Accumulation of monocytes and monocyte-derived phagocytes in the wall of large arteries leads to chronic inflammation and the development and progression of atherosclerosis. The lesion experiences the following steps: foam cell formation, fatty streak accumulation, migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, and fibrous cap formation. Finally, the rupture of the unstable fibrous cap causes thrombosis in complications of advanced lesions that leads to unstable coronary syndromes, myocardial infarction and stroke. MicroRNAs have recently emerged as a novel class of gene regulators at the post-transcriptional level. Several functions of vascular cells, such as cell differentiation, contraction, migration, proliferation and inflammation that are involved in angiogenesis, neointimal formation and lipid metabolism underlying various vascular diseases, have been found to be regulated by microRNAs and are described in the present review as well as their potential therapeutic application

Improved repair of dermal wounds in mice lacking microRNA-155

Wound healing is a well-regulated but complex process that involves haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and maturation. Recent reports suggest that microRNAs (miRs) play important roles in dermal wound healing. In fact, miR deregulation has been linked with impaired wound repair. miR-155 has been shown to be induced by inflammatory mediators and plays a central regulatory role in immune responses. We have investigated the potential role of miR-155 in wound healing. By creating punch wounds in the skin of mice, we found an increased expression of miR-155 in wound tissue when compared with healthy skin. Interestingly, analysis of wounds of mice lacking the expression of miR-155 (miR-155(-/-)) revealed an increased wound closure when compared with wild-type animals. Also, the accelerated wound closing correlated with elevated numbers of macrophages in wounded tissue. Gene expression analysis of wounds tissue and macrophages isolated from miR-155(-/-) mice that were treated with interleukin-4 demonstrated an increased expression of miR-155 targets (BCL6, RhoA and SHIP1) as well as, the finding in inflammatory zone-1 (FIZZ1) gene, when compared with WT mice. Moreover, the up-regulated levels of FIZZ1 in the wound tissue of miR-155(-/-) mice correlated with an increased deposition of type-1 collagens, a phenomenon known to be beneficial in wound closure. Our data indicate that the absence of miR-155 has beneficial effects in the wound healing process

Aspirin treatment hampers the use of plasma microRNA-126 as a biomarker for the progression of vascular disease

Nephrolog