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• Investigation of the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and Tobin's q. • Contrasting market reaction to the changes in GHG emissions by B2B and B2C firms. • The B2B firm's environmental efforts are regarded just as costs by the market. • The B2C firms' efforts to reduce GHG emissions are rewarded by the market. • More stringent regulatory pressure is required in B2B firms to reduce GHG emissions. This paper analyzes the relationship between greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the financial performance of business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) organizations. We find that Tobin's q is positively associated with higher GHG emissions for B2B firms, implying that GHG emissions reduction is regarded as a necessary cost. Meanwhile, a negative relationship is found for B2C firms, which may be due to consumers responding to climate change issues. These findings contribute to our understanding of the heterogeneous relationship in the existing literature. The evidence also implies on the policy level that more stringent regulatory pressure may be required for B2B firms to reduce their GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A water-soluble zinc phthalocyanine (Pc), ZnPc (3), bearing 12 dimethylamino groups, which enhance the solubility of the macrocycle was synthesized and characterized. Photobleaching of the compound was examined both in vivo and in vitro. Laser irradiation causes photo-oxidation of the newly synthesized ZnPc. A photobleachable phthalocyanine can be an alternative in imaging; phthalocyanine dyes are used in imaging the cardiovascular system. Besides, it can be used in fluorescein angiography in some cases. When compared to stable ones, a photobleaching ZnPc (3) might be an attractive compound for imaging in medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess plasma and/or tissue levels of adhesion and apoptotic molecules, cytokines, nitric oxide metabolites, levels of lipid peroxidation, myeloperoxidase and superoxide dismutase in patients with glioblastoma multiforme and controls. Methods: All the molecules were evaluated in 25 tumors and 30 controls: 15 were normal healthy subjects for plasma and 15 were normal brain tissues that were collected during autopsy. Commercially available kits for measurements were used. Results: Superoxide dismutase was significantly lower in tumors, while all other molecules were significantly elevated compared to the controls (p=0·0001). Superoxide dismutase negatively correlated with plasma interleukin-1beta (p=0·04) and plasma Fas (p=0·016). Plasma intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 correlated positively with plasma 3-nitrotyrosine (p=0·019) and nitrite/nitrate (p=0·019), respectively. Furthermore, plasma interleukin-1beta also positively correlated with plasma nitrite/nitrate (p=0·003). Discussion: These results suggest that there is a complex relationship between pro- and anti-apoptotic molecules in glioblastoma multiforme pathogenesis. Thus, targeting multiple pathways with advanced chemotherapeutic agents or radiotheraupetic regimens following total resections might be helpful in patients with glioblastoma multiforme since preventing a single pathway does not seem to be reasonable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1α) is the major transcriptional factor involved in the adaptive response to hypoxia. The aim of this study was to assess HIF-1α in 22 patients with transitional meningioma (TM) and 26 patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). HIF-1α was assessed using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based HIF-1 transcription factor assay. Levels of HIF-1α in TM and GBM were measured using optical density at 450nm, and median values were found to be 0.35 for TM and 0.37 OD for GBM, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two types of tumor (p =0.264). These findings indicate that HIF-1α is elevated in both TM and GBM, suggesting that although hypoxia is one of the most important and powerful stimuli for HIF-1α elevation and consequently angiogenesis, other mechanisms may play roles in HIF-1α stimulation in benign brain tumors such as TM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Physical barriers and instilled solutions have been studied to prevent intra-abdominal adhesions. However, undesirable side effects of these substances on the healing of intestinal anastomoses may limit their use. This study was designed to compare the effects of antiadhesives on the healing of colonic anastomosis in rats. Methods: Sixty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups of 20. The animals received isotonic saline and 7.5% icodextrin, intraperitoneally after standard left colonic anastomosis. In group 3, Seprafilm® was wrapped around the anastomosis and also laid over the abdominal viscera. Half of the animals from each group were killed on postoperative day (POD) 4 and the remaining half on POD 21. Adhesion scoring, bursting pressure and tissue hydroxyproline measurements and histopathological assessment were performed. Results: Mean hydroxyproline levels were significantly higher in groups receiving icodextrin and Seprafilm compared with the control group, whereas mean bursting pressures were significantly higher in the group that received icodextrin (p < 0.05). Intraperitoneal administration of icodextrin resulted in significant reduction of adhesion formation on POD 21 (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Seprafilm does not prevent formation of adhesions as much as icodextrin does, but its effect on the healing of colonic anastomoses is similar. Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Experimental studies provide evidence that oxidative damage plays a role in the development of vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) but data from human studies is still limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the time course of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) superoxide dismutase (SOD) and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) changes in patients with aneurysmal SAH. Methods: SOD in CSF and MDA in the serum were detected on days 1–3, 5 and 7 after aneurysmal SAH in 21 patients, and the results were compared with 15 patients with hydrocephalus. The results were also compared with those of clinical parameters including the patient's outcome at 6 months. Results: The mean CSF SOD levels were lower and serum MDA levels were higher than the controls. Patients with a high amount of blood within the cisterns had a trend to decreased SOD while increasing MDA levels. Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that the levels of antioxidants are decreased after the onset of SAH in the early period, possibly because of increased oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen-mediated oxidative damage may play an important role in inflammation after SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate toothbrushing management and ability of children in relation to age and gender. The study population consisted of 75 children and were divided into three equal groups as 3-5, 6-8 and 9-11 years of age.The grip type during toothbrushing was recorded on videotape. The most preferred grip types were distal (73%) followed by power (43%) and oblique grips (29%). There were a statistically significant differences between age groups and the grip types (p<0.001) but no significant difference was seen between boys and girls in grip preferences (p>0.05).The mean duration of toothbrushing was shorter in 3-5 years of age group (28 seconds) than the 6-8 and 9-11 age groups (35 and 47 seconds respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We investigate the causality patterns in volatility spillovers between WTI and Brent crude oil prices. • We allow for structural breaks in the series and employ rolling Granger-causality-in-variance tests. • We find that the nature and the direction of Granger-causality patterns between WTI and Brent prices changed over time. • WTI daily price volatility are found to Granger-cause Brent daily price volatility between 2015 and 2019. • Under the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 environment, a causal feedback relationship in volatility reappears in 2020. There has been an increase in price volatility in oil prices during and since the global financial crisis (GFC). This study investigates the Granger causality patterns in volatility spillovers between West Texas International (WTI) and Brent crude oil spot prices using daily data. We use Hafner and Herwartz's (2006) test and employ a rolling sample approach to investigate the changes in the dynamics of volatility spillovers between WTI and Brent oil prices over time. Volatility spillovers from Brent to WTI prices are found to be more pronounced at the beginning of the analysis period, around the GFC, and more recently in 2020. Between 2015 and 2019, the direction of volatility spillovers runs unidirectionally from WTI to Brent oil prices. In 2020, however, a Granger-causal feedback relation between the volatility of WTI and Brent crude oil prices is again detected. This is due to the uncertainty surrounding how the COVID-19 pandemic will evolve and how long the economies and financial markets will be affected. In this uncertain environment, commodities markets participants could be reacting to prices and volatility signals on both WTI and Brent, leading to the detection of a feedback relation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]