Place of salivary β glucuronidase activity in head & neck cancers

Salivary β-glucuronidase activity was studied in 20 healthy subjects without habits and 10 with habits, 38 untreated patients of advanced head and neck cancer and 21 patients after treatment either after surgery or radiation. Salivary β-glucuronidase activity was elevated in untreated cases of head and neck cancer (p<0.001), with a fall in the activity after treatment. The post operative fall in the activity of salivary β-glucuronidase activity was highly significant (p<0.001) as compared to post radiation. This test can be utilized in the diagnosis and also for monitoring the course of the disease.     

Hepatoprotective and Nephroprotective Effect of Curcumin Against Copper Toxicity in Rats

Curcumin is a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant with several potential health benefits. Although it has been examined in several metals toxicity studies, but its role in the protection against copper toxicity has not been investigated. In this study; the detoxification and antioxidant effect of curcumin were examined to determine its prophylactic/therapeutic role experimentally in rats. Forty albino rats were divided into five groups; control, CuSO₄ (4 mg/kg body weight), curcumin (80 mg/kg body weight), curcumin post-treatment (CuSO₄ for 15 days followed by curcumin for the next 15 days) and curcumin co-treatment (CuSO₄ plus curcumin for 30 days). All rats were treated orally by stomach tube for 30 days/once a day. Changes were observed in hepatic marker enzymes such as: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase-(ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), besides the serum total protein, urea and creatinine. Concentration of liver and kidney antioxidants such as: catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione-(GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. An increased in the activities of liver marker enzymes, urea, creatinine and the MDA contents were detected after exposure to CuSO₄. Meanwhile, the activities of serum total protein, hepatic and renal antioxidants were decreased. Changes in all biochemical parameters were alleviated by the post-treatment and co-treatment of curcumin. Our finding suggests that the curcumin showed protective effects on CuSO₄-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.     

Isolation and enrichment of low abundant particles with insulator-based dielectrophoresis

Isolation and enrichment of low-abundant particles are essential steps in many bio-analytical and clinical applications. In this work, the capability of an insulator-based dielectrophoresis (iDEP) device for the detection and stable capture of low abundant polystyrene particles and yeast cells was evaluated. Binary and tertiary mixtures of particles and cells were tested, where the low-abundant particles had concentration ratios on the order of 1:10 000 000 compared to the other particles present in the mixture. The results demonstrated successful and stable capture and enrichment of rare particles and cells (trapping efficiencies over 99%), where particles remained trapped in a stable manner for up to 4 min. A device with four reservoirs was employed for the separation and enrichment of rare particles, where the particles of interest were first selectively concentrated and then effectively directed to a side port for future collection and analysis. The present study demonstrates that simple iDEP devices have appropriate screening capacity and can be used for handling samples containing rare particles; achieving both enrichment and isolation of low-abundant particles and cells.     

Evaluating R&D investment efficiency in China's high-tech industry

Research and development (R&D) investment activity plays a crucial role in developing high-tech industries. In recent decades, China has made sustained investments in its domestic high-tech industries, with the goal of increasing their productivity. This paper investigates the effect of this investment on relative R&D efficiency across China's high-tech sectors. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to generate quantitative indices for sector comparisons. The analysis of this study indicates that overall R&D investment efficiency did not increase from 1998 to 2009, despite R&D expenditure increasing by 2188%. Over the same period, most sectors suffered from decreasing returns to scale (DRS), presumably also reflecting the inefficient R&D investment. Most of the sectors showed significant fluctuation on R&D investment efficiency. This research result indicates that the problem of China's high-tech industry may be from the inefficiency of its technology commercialization processes, and therefore represents a critical parameter for policy makers and managers.     

Family patterns and child abuse in a nationally representative American sample

Data on 1, 146 families with a child age 3 through 17 at home are presented. Child abuse information was obtained for a randomly selected child in each family. Child abuse was defined as an attack by a parent involving punching, kicking, biting, hitting with an object, “beating up,” or using a knife or gun. Over 14 out of every 100 American children 3–17 are subjected to abusive violence each year. These figures are at least 26 times greater than those of the National Center For Child Abuse and Neglect. Even so, for reasons outlined in the paper, they are underestimates. Families in which child abuse occurred are compared with other families. The results suggest that child abuse is brought about by the very nature of the society and its family system. This has profound implications for the prevention and treatment of child abuse. Although psychotherapy may be appropriate in some cases, a more fundamental approach lies in such things as a more equal sharing of the burdens of child care, replacement of physical punishment with non-violent methods of child care and training, eliminating the stresses and insecurity which now characterize our economic system, and strengthening the ties of individual families to the extended family and the community.     

Intrinsic Factors for Continued ERP Learning: A Precursor to Interdisciplinary ERP Curriculum Design

Unilateral enterprise resource planning (ERP) curriculum improvements from the instructor's perspective are likely to generate only limited success. Understanding student motivations and beliefs with ERP systems is the missing link to effective ERP education. Relatively little attention in the ERP literature has been given to student learning associated with ERP experience, and almost none to factors influencing current and expected student beliefs and behaviors relative to ERP. The complexity of ERP systems demands that beliefs and behaviors be considered when planning ERP curricula. In the present study, the Theory of Planned Behavior was extended to examine students’ intentions to explore additional aspects of ERP after their class exercises. When considering all students, attitude and subjective norm had positive and significant effects on intentions to continue ERP learning. Subjective norm also affected attitude, and availability of support materials had a positive effect on subjective norm. Distinctive patterns are found for the construct relationships between student groups who valued ERP education (the engaged) and those who placed little or no value on ERP education (the undecided). Results from competing model analyses indicate that support materials influenced the engaged and undecided groups differently. Strategies for ERP curriculum design are provided.     

The impact of participation in sports on educational attainment—New evidence from Germany

We analyze the impact of exercising sports during childhood and adolescence on educational attainment. The theoretical framework is based on models of allocation of time and educational productivity. Using the rich information from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), we apply generalized ordered probit models to estimate the effect of participation in sport activities on secondary school degrees and professional degrees. Even after controlling for important variables and selection into sport, we find strong evidence that the effect of sport on educational attainment is statistically significant and positive.     

Formation of the scientific concepts about the documental forms of information. The legal and source-study concepts of a document

The active use of documental information in various fields of activity has resulted in the formation of four main concepts of a document: the legal, source-study, gnoseological, and management concepts. The history of the origin and development of the legal and source-study concepts is considered. The significant influence that is exerted by the positivistic philosophy on the formation of these concepts is noted.