Search

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the role of international quality assurance and accreditation on higher education quality improvement and competitiveness, as well as assessing the associated benefits and challenges in the Asian context with reference to Taiwan. Design/methodology/approach: The paper used a qualitative approach to examine the case study of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (STUST) accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The paper collected survey responses from service providers (i.e. STUST faculty and AACSB) and focus group discussions with students to bridge the perception-expectation gap. Findings: The qualitative results highlighted 10 key success factors and performance indicators which were later used to build a balanced scorecard (BSC) strategy for STUST quality improvement and competitiveness. Findings show that education quality assurance (via AACSB process) can directly influence the competitive advantage (i.e. for AACSB, STUST and Students) or indirectly via education quality enhancement. The results from faculty and students are consistent with the value co-creation trend to achieve continuous quality improvement more effectively and efficiently. Originality/value: This research paper is unique as the first qualitative in-depth study to discuss assurance related factors that positively or negatively affect competitiveness and quality improvement for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Asia and Taiwan. The paper also contributed by designing a BSC framework and strategy-map applicable to HEIs.

Advanced reproductive technologies are utilized to identify the genetic mutations that lead to spermatogenic impairment, and allow informed genetic counseling to patients to prevent the transmission of genetic defects to offspring. The purpose of this study was to identify potential single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with male infertility. Genetic variants that may cause infertility are identified by combining the targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel and whole exome sequencing (WES). The validation step of Sanger sequencing adds confidence to the identified variants. Our analysis revealed five distinct affected genes covering seven SNPs based on the targeted NGS panel and WES data: SPATA16 (rs16846616, 1515442, 1515441), CFTR (rs213950), KIF6 (rs2273063), STPG2 (r2903150), and DRC7 (rs3809611). Infertile men have a higher mutation rate than fertile men, especially those with azoospermia. These findings strongly support the hypothesis that the dysfunction of microtubule-related and spermatogenesis-specific genes contributes to idiopathic male infertility. The SPATA16, CFTR, KIF6, STPG2, and DRC7 mutations are associated with male infertility, specifically azoospermia, and a further examination of this genetic function is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gliomas, prevalent and lethal brain tumors, present limited treatment options despite advancements in understanding their molecular features. SLC4A7, an SLC4 family member and potential biomarker, is involved in acid-base regulation, affecting cancer cell growth. Targeting this mechanism may offer new therapeutic strategies. Aim: This study examines SLC4A7's role in gliomas and its potential as a therapeutic target. Methods: Genomic, whole exon sequencing, and single-cell sequencing datasets from glioma patients were processed and analyzed, followed by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Cellular components and immune cell populations were investigated using 12-cell state and CIBERSORT analyses. Tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry were employed, with an automated semi-quantitative system scoring staining. ANOVA determined the significance of immunostaining scores related to clinical parameters. Results: Our data found increased SLC4A7 in tumor components correlated with higher tumor grading and poorer prognosis. Immunohistochemistry confirmed a relationship between SLC4A7 protein expression with tumor grade and the proliferation index. GSEA linked high SLC4A7 to cell proliferation and inflammation signaling. PIK3CAs were identified as a potential upstream in IDH mutant glioma but not in IDH wildtype. A positive correlation between heightened SLC4A7 expression and tumor mutation burden suggested genomic instability's role in SLC4A7 upregulation. Cellular heterogeneity analysis highlighted the importance of inflammatory cells, particularly macrophage M0. Conclusion: This study emphasizes SLC4A7's significance in adult gliomas, associating increased expression with high tumor grade, poor prognosis, enhanced proliferation, and inflammation. Investigating SLC4A7 may provide insights into cancer biology and contribute to developing innovative therapeutic targets for improved brain tumor treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Composite Autonomic Scoring Scale (CASS) is a quantitative scoring system that integrates the sudomotor, the cardiovagal, and the adrenergic subscores, and the Composite Autonomic Symptom Scale 31 (COMPASS 31) is based on a well-established comprehensive questionnaire designed to assess the autonomic symptoms across multiple domains. We tested the hypothesis that electrochemical skin conductance (Sudoscan) can be a substitute for the quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART) in the sudomotor domain and assessed its correlation with COMPASS 31 in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Fifty-five patients with PD underwent clinical assessment and cardiovascular autonomic function tests and completed the COMPASS 31 questionnaire. We compared the modified CASS (integrating the Sudoscan-based sudomotor, adrenergic, and cardiovagal subscores) and CASS subscores (the sum of the adrenergic and cardiovagal subscores). The total weighted score of COMPASS 31 was significantly correlated with both the modified CASS and the CASS subscore (p = 0.007 and p = 0.019). The correlation of the total weighted score of COMPASS 31 increased from 0.316 (CASS subscores) to 0.361 (modified CASS). When we added the Sudoscan-based sudomotor subscore, the case numbers for autonomic neuropathy (AN) increased from 22 (40%, CASS subscores) to 40 (72.7%, modified CASS). The modified CASS not only better reflects the exact autonomic function, but also improves the characterization and quantification of AN in patients with PD. In areas in which a QSART facility is not easily available, Sudoscan could be a time-saving substitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erythropoietin (EPO) is known as a hormone for erythropoiesis in response to anemia and hypoxia. However, the effect of EPO is not only limited to hematopoietic tissue. Several studies have highlighted the neuroprotective function of EPO in extra-hematopoietic tissues, especially the retina. EPO could interact with its heterodimer receptor (EPOR/βcR) to exert its anti-apoptosis, anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation effects in preventing retinal ganglion cells death through different intracellular signaling pathways. In this review, we summarized the available pre-clinical studies of EPO in treating glaucomatous optic neuropathy, optic neuritis, non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and traumatic optic neuropathy. In addition, we explore the future strategies of EPO for optic nerve protection and repair, including advances in EPO derivates, and EPO deliveries. These strategies will lead to a new chapter in the treatment of optic neuropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5957.2007.02038.x Byline: Yu Chuan Huang (1), Jian-Hsin Chou (1) Keywords: order imbalance; bid-ask spread; order-driven; quote-driven Abstract: Abstract: The behavior of order imbalance and its impact on market performance at the two Taiwan stock index futures markets, the TAIFEX and the SGX-DT, is investigated. The TAIFEX is an order-driven call market, while the SGX-DT uses a quote-driven continuous trading system. Our empirical results show that for the TAIFEX order-driven market, the spread is minimized when order imbalance is high. In contrast, for the SGX-DT quote-driven market, the spread is highest when order imbalance is high. For both markets, order imbalance has an impact on market liquidity and volatility. The impact is larger and more significant for SGX-DT futures. This suggests that the order-driven market mechanism of TAIFEX futures is superior in absorbing order imbalance and in reducing the resulting price impact. Author Affiliation: (1)The authors are from the National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology. Article History: (Paper received February 2005, revised version accepted February 2007) Article note: (*) Address for correspondence: Yu Chuan Huang, Department of Risk Management and Insurance, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 2 Juoyue Road, Nantsu, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan, ROC. e-mail: ychuang@ccms.nkfust.edu.tw

The aim of this study was to investigate whether exogenous erythropoietin (EPO) administration attenuates N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-mediated excitotoxic retinal damage in Wistar rats. The survival rate of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) were investigated by flat mount analysis and flow cytometry. A total of 125 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups: negative control, NMDA80 (i.e., 80 nmoles NMDA intravitreally injected), NMDA80 + 10ng EPO, NMDA80 + 50ng EPO, and NMDA80 + 250ng EPO. The NMDA80 + 50ng EPO treatment group was used to evaluate various administrated points (pre-/co-/post- administration of NMDA80). Meanwhile, the transferase dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) assay of RGCs, the inner plexiform layer (IPL) thickness and the apoptotic signal transduction pathways of μ-calpain, Bax, and caspase 9 were assessed simultaneously using an immunohistochemical method (IHC). When EPO was co-administered with NMDA80, attenuated cell death occurred through the downregulation of the apoptotic indicators: μ-calpain was activated first (peak at ~18hrs), followed by Bax and caspase 9 (peak at ~40hrs). Furthermore, the images of retinal cross sections have clearly demonstrated that thickness of the inner plexiform layer (IPL) was significantly recovered at 40 hours after receiving intravitreal injection with NMDA80 and 50ng EPO. Exogenous EPO may protect RGCs and bipolar cell axon terminals in IPL by downregulating apoptotic factors to attenuate NMDA-mediated excitotoxic retinal damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT DNAs and RNAs that fold via the formation of guanine quartets form G-quadruplexes that are often highly diverse in terms of architecture and topology. G-quadruplexes are specifically stabilized by metal cations such as K+ and Sr2+, but not Li+. DNA duplexes that incorporate two separated clusters of G•G mismatches ('P-duplexes') can function as electronic switches, capable of toggling reversibly from a poorly conductive conformer (E) with only Li+ in the solution to a G-quadruplex incorporating conformer of higher conductivity (C) in the presence of K+. Herein, we report results from fluorescence energy transfer, circular dichroism, charge conduction, and chemical footprinting experiments, which cumulatively demonstrate that P-duplex E↔C transitions are genuinely mechatronic, with causally coupled mechanical and electronic states. We show, further, that the K+- and the Sr2+-fuelled E↔C switching of a given P-duplex are structurally, topologically, and electronically distinct from each other. A single DNA P-duplex can thus exist in at least three distinguishable mechatronic states in aqueous solution. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 103: 460-468, 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-stranded DNAs and RNAs that are rich in the nucleobase guanine form four-stranded G-quadruplexes, which are held together by hydrogen-bonded guanine quartets. In aqueous solution, both DNA duplexes and G-quadruplexes are modest conductors of electrical charge. A tight, topologically constrained DNA construct called twDNA is now reported, in which a core of four guanine-rich single strands structurally and electronically links together four DNA double helices. The addition and removal of K+ or Sr2+ cations promote alternative conformers of twDNA, which have strikingly distinct electronic properties. Unlike DNA mechano-electronic switches that require large conformational changes, twDNA requires only modest twisting/untwisting structural attenuations to achieve electronic switching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 1 July, 2002, the Taiwan Stock Exchange changed its closing mechanism to a five-minute call auction to limit market manipulation at day's end and enhance the fairness of the closing price. This paper examines the effect of the new closing mechanism on the behavior of attention securities and analyzes the role of each trader type in attention securities' behavior. After the new mechanism, market volatility improved, trading activity and order aggressiveness reduced, while liquidity deteriorated. The closing prices of attention securities are mainly influenced by large individual investors and by domestic institutions, with the large individual investors showing the most intention to influence prices upward during the closing interval both before and after implementation of the five-minute call auction. However, introduction of the five-minute call auction made it more difficult and costly to influence closing prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The processes of policy innovation and diffusion involve policy information networks related to decision-making and knowledge utilization. This article seeks to ascertain the role of these processes in the diffusion of the Bookstart programme in Taiwan, which was initially implemented in Taichung County in 2003. The results of a questionnaire survey conducted in Taichung City show that policy innovation and diffusion decisions involved the information and knowledge utilization processes of policy members. However, the information network among members exhibited a vertical dissemination mechanism focused around formal and legal organizations. The implications for the future study of information networks and knowledge utilization in innovation diffusion studies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To examine the associations of two polymorphisms in excision repair cross-complementing rodent repair deficiency complementation group 1 ( ERCC1) gene, C8092A (rs3212986) and T19007C (rs11615), with the risk of adult glioma, we performed a hospital-based case-control study with 257 new cases of glioma and 278 controls in Wenzhou, China. Results showed that polymorphisms C8092A and T19007C in ERCC1 gene were not associated with the risk of glioma in a Chinese population. Further studies in Chinese populations with larger sample sizes are still warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to look at the duration of the four-month period before the window dressing of Power Quotient International Co., LTD. (PQI) annual report between 2004 and 2005 was disclosed. The vultures sold 6,373,000 shares of PQI's stock based on the illegally obtained insider information. The empirical results indicate that the vultures' selling did not make PQI's stock price go down during insider period, but PQI's stock price did appear to rise and significantly exceeded the non-insider period. However, the proportion of vultures' selling is negatively correlated with the changes in PQI's stock price. The effect of vultures' selling is indifferent from the effect of non-vultures' selling during insider period. Market liquidity is also affected unfavorably in the presence of vultures' trading. Additionally, the newspaper's reports on PQI's positive or negative news significantly influence the investment decision of investors in Taiwan, and significantly influence the PQI's price changes and market liquidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]