Stakeholders, Green Manufacturing, and Practice Performance: Empirical Evidence from Chinese Fashion Businesses

This study explores the relationship among stakeholders, green manufacturing, and practice performance in the fashion business in China and focuses on assisting companies to enhance environmental awareness and green manufacturing practices. We collect research data by developing questionnaires for various Chinese enterprises. A five-point Likert scale is adopted to enable respondents to indicate the extent to which they agree with the items. Through tests and analyses, the questionnaire is validated as reliable, the structural equation model has a good fitting degree, and hypotheses are proved true. Specifically, corporate stakeholders have a significant positive impact on green manufacturing and practice performance, and green manufacturing has a significant positive impact on practice performance in the context of Chinese fashion businesses. Moreover, corporate stakeholders can have a positive impact on practice performance through green manufacturing. We also propose some policy implications, including implementing compulsive policies and regulations and encouraging and establishing preferential policies, such as tax concessions. Moreover, enterprises should actively strive to improve green manufacturing technology and management level to ensure the smooth implementation of green manufacturing practices. To retain sustained earnings and development, green manufacturing should be the bottom line of involved firms. We also emphasize that the importance of corporate stakeholders should be promoted in consideration of enterprises’ practice performance and future development

Expression of neurotrophin receptors in vestibular nuclei during the postnatal development of the rat

Neurotrophins and their receptors are known to play an important role in neuronal development. Postnatal development of neurons immunoreactive for three neurotrophin receptor tyrosine kinases (TrkA, TrkB, and TrkC) was examined in the rat vestibular nuclei and subnuclei. TrkA immunoreactivity was not observed in these areas during the first two postnatal weeks, though some TrkA-positive neurons were present in other vestibular-related brainstem regions (e.g. prepositus hypoglossal nucleus). In older rats (>P21), a strong immunostaining of TrkA was observed on both neuronal somata and nerve fibers within the lateral and spinal vestibular nuclei while no immunostaining was detected in the medial and superior vestibular nuclei and subnuclei. In the first few postnatal days, immunoreactivity for TrkB was virtually absent from the vestibular nuclei. At P4, a diffuse and very weak TrkB immunoreactivity was found restricted to cell bodies in the lateral and spinal vestibular nuclei as well as group y subnucleus. During the second postnatal week, the TrkB immunostaining became prominent throughout the vestibular nuclear complex. Extremely strong labelling was observed in the large-sized neurons. The intensity of TrkB immunostaining decreased to a moderate level at P21 and persisted until the adult stage. In contrast, immunoreactivity for TrkC within the vestibular nuclei was weak and diffuse during each of the postnatal ages studied. The differential expression pattern of these three neurotrophin receptors during development suggests a crucial role in the modulation of postnatal vestibular function

Maturation of otolith-related brainstem neurons in the detection of vertical linear acceleration in rats

To investigate the critical maturation time of otolith-related neurons in processing vertical orientations, rats (postnatal day 4 to adults) were studied for functional activation of c-fos expression in brainstem neurons by immuno-/hybridization histochemistry. Conscious rats were subjected to sinusoidal linear acceleration along the vertical plane. Labyrinthectomized and/or stationary controls showed only sporadically scattered Fos-labeled neurons in the vestibular nuclei, confirming an otolithic origin of c-fos expression. Functionally activated Fos expression in neurons of the medial and spinal vestibular nuclei and group x were identifiable by P7 and those in group y by P9. A small number of Fos-labeled neurons characterized by small soma size were found in the ventral part of lateral vestibular nucleus by P9. Other vestibular-related areas such as prepostitus hypoglossal nucleus, gigantocellular reticular nucleus and locus coeruleus of normal experimental rats showed functionally activated c-fos expression at P7. Neurons in dorsal medial cell column and beta subnucleus of the inferior olive only showed functionally activated c-fos expression by the second postnatal week. These findings revealed a unique critical maturation time for each of the vestibular-related brainstem areas in the recognition of gravity-related vertical head orientations. By mapping the three-dimensional distribution of Fos-immunoreactive neurons, we found an even distribution of otolith-related neurons within the spinal vestibular nucleus in groups x and y but a clustered distribution in the middle-lateral-ventral part of the medial vestibular nucleus. Taken together, our findings reveal the developmental profile of neuronal subpopulations within the vertical otolith system, thereby providing an anatomical basis for postnatal coding of gravity-related vertical head movements. © The Authors (2006).link_to_subscribed_fulltex

The interleukin-5 messenger RNA expression in a patient with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome

Interleukin-5 has a specific role in various eosinophilic activities. It is the predominant cytokine produces by activated T-lymphocytes isolated from patients with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome. We studied a young patient suffering from idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome who presented with Horner's syndrome, peripheral neuropathy and skin ulcers. The IL-5 gene expression by CD4+ T-lymphocytes and the peripheral eosinophil count were raised. The skin ulcers continued to deteriorate despite a swift reduction of the IL-5 gene expression and peripheral eosinophil count following systemic corticosteroid treatment. We suggest that peripheral eosinophilia may not be responsible for the damage in skin lesions and more aggressive treatment may be required.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Developmental expression of NMDA receptor subunits in rat vestibular nuclear neurons responsive to off-vertical axis rotation

The aim of the present study is to determine the developmental profile of NMDA receptor subunits in otolith-related vestibular nuclear neurons. Combined immuno- and in situ hybridization histochemistry experiments were performed in conscious Sprague-Dawely rats (P5 to adult) that were subjected to off-vertical axis rotation (OVAR). Neuronal activation within the vestibular nuclei was defined by the expression of Fos protein. Control animals, viz. labyrinthectomized rats subjected to OVAR and normal rats that remained stationary, showed only a few sporadically scattered Fos-positive neurons. Functionally activated Fos-positive neurons were first found in the vestibular nuclei at P7. During postnatal development, the number of Fos-positive neuron in the vestibular nuclei and its subnuclei increased with age and reached the maximum level in adult. Further, the expression of NMDA receptor subunits in Fos-positive neurons was assessed by immunocytochemistry. Nearly all Fos-positive neurons were found to co-express NR1 or NR2A/B subunits. The expression of mRNAs of NMDA receptor subunits in Fos-positive neurons was also evaluated by in situ hybridization technique using 35S-labeled mRNA probes. From P7 to adult, the granule density of both NR1 and NR2B mRNAs was found to decrease, while that of NR2A mRNA was found to increase. Our findings suggest that dynamic change of the expression of NMDA receptor subunits during development may affect the maturation of central otolith neurons in the coding of horizontal head movements. . Supported by HK RG

Developmental maturation of ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits in rat vestibular nuclear neurons responsive to vertical linear acceleration

We investigated the maturation profile of subunits of ionotropic glutamate receptors in vestibular nuclear neurons that were activated by sinusoidal linear acceleration along the vertical plane. The otolithic origin of Fos expression in these neurons was confirmed as a marker of functional activation when labyrinthectomized and/or stationary control rats contrasted by showing sporadically scattered Fos-labeled neurons in the vestibular nuclei. By double immunohistochemistry for Fos and one of the receptor subunits, otolith-related neurons that expressed either α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole- propionate or N-methyl-d-aspartate subunits were first identified in the medial vestibular nucleus, spinal vestibular nucleus and Group x by postnatal day (P)7, and in the lateral vestibular nucleus and Group y by P9. No double-labeled neurons were found in the superior vestibular nucleus. Within each vestibular subnucleus, these double-labeled neurons constituted ∼90% of the total Fos-labeled neurons. The percentage of Fos-labeled neurons expressing the GluR1 or NR2A subunit showed developmental invariance in all subnuclei. For Fos-labeled neurons expressing the NR1 subunit, similar invariance was observed except that, in Group y, these neurons decreased from P14 onwards. For Fos-labeled neurons expressing the GluR2, GluR2/3, GluR4 or NR2B subunit, a significant decrease was found by the adult stage. In particular, those expressing the GluR4 subunit showed a two- to threefold decrease in the medial vestibular nucleus, spinal vestibular nucleus and Group y. Also, those expressing the NR2B subunit showed a twofold decrease in Group y. Taken together, the postsynaptic expression of ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits in different vestibular subnuclei suggests that glutamatergic transmission within subregions plays differential developmental roles in the coding of gravity-related vertical spatial information. © The Authors (2008).link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Neurotrophin receptor immunostaining in the vestibular nuclei of rats

The distribution of high-affinity neurotrophin receptors in cells of the vestibular nuclear complex and its subnuclei of adult rats was examined. We noted a high density of tyrosine kinase (Trk) A- and B- and a lower density of TrkC-immunostained cells. In particular, long, intensely labelled immunostained-TrkB fibres formed networks in the neuropil. BothTrkA- and TrkB-immunostained cells were widely distributed in the lateral, medial and spinal vestibular nuclei, and were less frequently seen in the superior vestibular nucleus, x and y subnuclei. However, immunostaining for TrkC was weak in many cells within the vestibular nuclei. The widespread and abundant neuronal distribution of Trk receptors predicts that their associated neurotrophins exert significant effects on individual cells within the vestibular nuclei. © 2003 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Coexpression of GABA BR1 and GABA BR2 receptor subunits in the rat vestibular nucleus

The expression patterns of the two subunits of the metabotropic GABA B receptor, GABA BR1 and GABA BR2, vary among various neural regions and their relative expression in the rat central vestibular system remains unknown. To identify the expression patterns of these two subunits of the metabotropic GABA B receptor in the vestibular nucleus of adult rats, double immunofluorescence experiments were performed. GABA BR1 or GABA BR2 immunoreactivity was observed in neurons and neuropilar elements of the vestibular nuclear complex and its subgroups x and y. These neurons were oval, multipolar, fusiform or triangular in shape. In contrast to other brain regions, individual neurons or neuropil within the various vestibular subnuclei and subgroups displayed comparable levels of GABA BR1 and GABA BR2 immunoreactivity. Double immunofluorescence experiments further demonstrated the coexpression of GABA BR1 and GABA BR2 receptor subunits in individual central vestibular neurons. The present findings provide histological evidence of the heterodimeric nature of GABA B receptors that mediate inhibitory neurotransmission in the rat vestibular nuclei. Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.link_to_subscribed_fulltex