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• This study examines the relationship between board diversity and firm performance in the U.S. tourism sector. • The moderating effect of institutional ownership is explored as a contingency that might affect the proposed relationship. • Models are estimated via two-way fixed-effects regression analysis using a panel data set of 279 firm-year observations. • A positive association is found between board diversity and firm performance as proxied by Tobin's Q. • The positive effect of board diversity on tourism firms' performance is stronger when institutional ownership is weak. This study examines the relationship between board diversity and firm performance in the U.S. tourism sector by using institutional ownership as a contingency that moderates this relationship. The study's sample includes publicly-traded companies from the U.S. restaurant, hotel and airline industries. The hypotheses are tested via two-way fixed-effects regression, and the findings of the study indicate that board diversity is positively associated with financial performance (Tobin's Q), and the effect of board diversity on performance is contingent on the degree of institutional ownership. More precisely, the study finds that board diversity has a larger effect on financial performance when institutional ownership is low on a tourism firm's ownership structure. Overall, the findings suggest that boards' internal control and monitoring on management is important to derive higher financial performance, and even yet it is more important when external monitoring by institutional owners, proxied by percentage of institutional ownership, is weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study aims to uncover the persistently confounding question of why shareholders perceive some acquisitions to be value-increasing and other acquisitions to be value-decreasing investments. • This study estimates the effects of the availability of free cash flows, growth opportunities, and franchising on abnormal returns that are associated with acquisition announcements. • Franchising firms with high free cash flows experienced negative abnormal returns from acquisitions and restaurant firms with higher free cash flows gained significantly lower returns compared to restaurant firms with low free cash flows. • This study attempts to contribute to the extant corporate finance and franchising literature by analyzing the implications of free cash flows, growth opportunities, and franchising in acquisitions within the context of the restaurant industry. Restaurant firms extensively expand through acquisitions. While acquisitions can be an efficient business strategy, the extant literature presented evidence showing that acquisitions can be value–increasing or –decreasing investments. However, why acquisitions increase or decrease firm value is not clear. Corporate finance and franchising theories collectively suggest that the value of acquisitions may depend on firms' free cash flow capacities, growth opportunities, and organizational forms. The purpose of this study is to examine the concurrent effects of free cash flows, growth opportunities, and franchising on restaurant firms' returns from acquisitions. The results showed that firms with high-free cash flows gain lower returns compared to firms with low-free cash flows, suggesting that acquisitions reduce underinvestment problems but also increase overinvestment problems. Franchising firms also gain lower returns compared to non-franchising firms; however, the availability of free cash flows exacerbates overinvestment problems in franchising firms. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Possible protective and therapeutic effects of nobiletin on kidney in a cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity rat model were investigated. Forty male albino rats were divided into four groups: control, cisplatin (CIS), cisplatin+nobiletin (CIS+NOB), and nobiletin+cisplatin (NOB+CIS). At the end of the study, the rats were subjected to biochemical, histological and immunohistochemical analyzes. Compared to the control group, tGSH (p < 0.05) levels, and G6PD (p < 0.05) and GPx (p < 0.001) activities, were increased in the CIS group; while significant (p < 0.05) decreases occurred in the MDA and TOC levels. Histopathologically, the kidneys of the groups administered nobiletin (CIS+NOB, NOB+CIS) were significantly different from the CIS group, being closer to control group in terms of degeneration and hyaline cylinder formation in the tubules (p < 0.05). While dilatation in the tubules, protein-rich fluid and hyaline cylinder formation in the lumen were most common in the CIS group, a significant decrease (p < 0.05) of these parameters was seen in the nobiletin groups (CIS+NOB, NOB+CIS). This study suggests that nobiletin can be effective in preventing and ameliorating toxic effects of cisplatin on the kidney. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gentamicin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, is nowadays widely used in the treatment of gram-negative microorganisms. The antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities of eucalyptol, a type of saturated monoterpene, have been reported in many studies. The aim of this study was to examine the possible effects of eucalyptol on gentamicin-induced renal toxicity. A total of 32 rats were divided into 4 groups; Control (C), Eucalyptol (EUC), Gentamicin (GEN), and Gentamicin + Eucalyptol (GEN + EUC). In order to induce renal toxicity, 100 mg/kg gentamicin was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 10 consecutive days in the GEN and GEN + EUC groups. EUC and GEN + EUC groups were given 100 mg/kg orally of eucalyptol for 10 consecutive days. Afterwards, rats were euthanized and samples were taken and subjected to histopathological, biochemical, immunohistochemical, and real-time PCR examinations. The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (CRE) levels were significantly decreased in the GEN + EUC group (0.76 and 0.69-fold, respectively) compared to the GEN group. The glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) activities were significantly increased in the GEN + EUC group (1.35 and 2.67-fold, respectively) compared to the GEN group. In GEN group, Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), Interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β), Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Caspase-3, 8-Hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and Nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor (Nrf2) expression levels were found to be quite irregular. GEN + EUC group decreased the expressions of NF-kB, IL-1β, iNOS, TNF-α, Caspase-3, and 8-OHdG (0.55, 0.67, 0.54, 0.54, 0.63 and 0.67-fold, respectively), while it caused increased expression of Nrf2 (3.1 fold). In addition, eucalyptol treatment ameliorated the histopathological changes that occurred with gentamicin. The results of our study show that eucalyptol has anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antiapoptotic, nephroprotective, and curative effects on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of a combination of Tarantula cubensis alcohol extract (TCAE) and capecitabine (CAP) in the treatment of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: Forty-two Wistar albino rats were divided into 7 groups with 6 rats in each group. The groups consisted of Control (C), Control+TCAE (C-TCAE), Control+CAP (C-CAP), Cancer control (CC), Cancer+TCAE (CC-TCAE), Cancer+CAP (CC-CAP) and Cancer+CAP+TCAE (CC-CAP+TCAE). To induce CRC, AOM (15 mg/kg) was administered to rats subcutaneously (sc) twice at a one-week interval to all the groups except control. From the 15th week, TCAE (0.2 mL/rat sc) was administered to CC-TCAE group every 3 days for 4 weeks, and CAP (40 mg/kg/day) was administered by gavage to CC-CAP group for 4 weeks. In CC-CAP+TCAE group, TCAE (0.2 mL/rat sc) was administered every 3 days for 4 weeks, and CAP (40 mg/kg/day) was administered gavage for 4 weeks. Animals were treated for 18 weeks. Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) were evaluated histopathologically among CC, CC-TCAE, CCCAP, and CC-CAP+TCAE groups. ß-catenin, CD15, Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA), and Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB) expression levels were immunohistochemically compared among all groups. Results: Histopathologically, ACF scores were significantly increased in CC group, while a significant decrease in the relevant scores (p < 0.001) was observed in CC-CAP and CC-CAP+TCAE treatment groups, and the lowest scores were in CC-CAP+TCAE group. Immunohistochemically, in CC group, ß-catenin, Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB), Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) and CD15 expressions were highly irregular. CC-CAP and CC-CAP+TCAE groups had significantly reduced expressions (p < 0.001), and the lowest expressions were in CC-CAP+TCAE group. Conclusion: The combined use of TCAE and CAP in treatment of CRC has a synergistic effect and increases the anticancer efficacy of TCAE, and CAP. More studies at the molecular level are needed in the future to demonstrate the clinical benefit of TCAE supplementation during the treatment of CRC with CAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Fetal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging plays a number of roles in the evaluation and management of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Fetal MR imaging has proved valuable for anatomic assessment, determination of the specific type of CDH on the basis of which organs are involved and the effect of the hernia contents on adjacent structures, evaluation and exclusion of hernia-related complications and associated malformations. In addition, fetal MR imaging plays a role in guiding experimental fetal therapy (eg, tracheal balloon occlusion). Method: We present a case of CDH that was diagnosed in the 30 week of pregnancy by two-dimensional ultrasonography (USG) in association with fetal MR. Case: A 31-year-old nulliparous woman with unremarkable past medical history and no significant prenatal risk factor was referred to our department at 30 weeks' gestation for detailed ultrasound examination, which revealed a fluid-filled structure in the thoracic cavity. Ultrasonographic examination showed a fluid-filled stomach and intestinal peristalsis in the left thorax with the heart displaced to the right in the axial scan. Fetal MR confirmed the ultrasonographic findings, and herniated organs and mediastinal shift were clearly visible. There was no associated anomaly in central nervous system, heart, both kidneys and extremities in ultrasonography. The couple was informed of the diagnosis and patient was followed-up fortnightly. At 36 weeks of gestation, planned cesarean section was performed. The newborn girl had signs of severe respiratory distress and required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. The CDH was successfully repaired at 3 days of life. Surgical results confirmed the prenatal diagnosis. Conclusion: Prenatal sonographic detection of this rare anomaly may allow planned delivery at a tertiary center and early correction. Prenatal MR imaging can confirm the diagnosis of a CDH when sonographic findings are equivocal or atypical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, improvement in biogas production and its total energy equivalence were evaluated in the case of kitchen waste (KW) integration, and results were compared with the current situation (without KW integration) at a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) located in one of the metropolitan cities in Turkey. Moreover, the effect of different sludge disposal alternatives (e.g. co-combustion, composting, etc.) was discussed from the aspects including energy consumption/production and the greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission, while comparing the results with the current sludge disposal via uncontrolled landfilling. In the current situation, about 18% of the annual electricity requirement of the WWTP could be provided from the produced biogas by mesophilic digestion, whereas more than half of the annual electricity requirement could be provided with KW integration when the operational temperature of the anaerobic digestion is shifted to thermophilic condition. At the same time, all heat requirements could be supplied with the produced biogas for each case. Moreover, substantial excess heat (i.e. 3 times more in the case of thermophilic digestion and KW integration) is obtained which can be utilized elsewhere in the premises of the WWTP. When global warming potential (GWP) of the WWTP is evaluated in terms of current sludge disposal method; results indicated ca. 416, 604 and 509 kg CO2-eq/person/year emission factors without and with KW integration at mesophilic and with KW integration at thermophilic digestion, respectively. Moreover, in terms of composting (for both land use and peat substitution) and co-combustion alternatives for each option, minimum GWP is found when sludge is disposed of via co-combustion after mesophilic digestion with ca. -267 kg CO2-eq/person/year. Hence, the WWTPs should be operated and/or upgraded regarding not only energy saving but also GHGs emission decrease that is worldwide concern from the point of global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATT/RhTs of the central nervous system have been wrongly diagnosed in the past as medulloblastoma due to some similarity between these tumors. The differentiation between ATT/RhT and medulloblastoma is important owing to their different treatment regimes. Medulloblastomas have recently been separated into 2 subgroups regarding INI 1 positivity and negativity, which contrasts with ATT/RhT cases that have always been associated with INI 1 negativity. INI 1 negative medulloblastoma and ATT/RhT require different treatment regimes; INI 1 negative medulloblastomas also have a worse prognosis than INI 1 positive medulloblastomas. It is important to be conservative and preserve the current clinical condition of the patients during surgical excision of these tumors due to the short survival period of INI 1 negative medulloblastoma and ATT/RhT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground-to-air (GA) communication using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has gained popularity in recent years and is expected to be part of 5G networks and beyond. However, the GA links are susceptible to frequent blockages at millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies. During a link blockage, the channel information cannot be obtained reliably. In this work, we provide a novel method of channel prediction during the GA link blockage at 28 GHz. In our approach, the multipath components (MPCs) along a UAV flight trajectory are arranged into independent path bins based on the minimum Euclidean distance among the channel parameters of the MPCs. After the arrangement, the channel parameters of the MPCs in individual path bins are forecasted during the blockage. An autoregressive model is used for forecasting. The results obtained from ray tracing simulations indicate a close match between the actual and the predicted mmWave channel.

Aim: The brain venous drainage dominance is generally divided into three groups; right or left dominance and co-dominance. There is no study in the literature examining the link between brain venous drainage and aneurysm formation or rupture. Our aim was to evaluate the association between venous dominancy, aneurysm formation and rupture., Material and Methods: Eighty-six patients, who underwent cerebral digital subtraction angiography and who had cerebral aneurysms, were included in the study. The angiographic images, patient charts, and tomography images were scanned retrospectively. We recorded the aneurysm"s location, size, dome to neck ratio (D/N); the patient"s gender, age, whether there was a ruptured aneurysm, smoking history, and/or hypertension; dominance of venous drainage, aneurysm side, Fisher scores and the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) Grading System for Subarachnoid Hemorrhage scores for patients who had a ruptured aneurysm. We assessed whether or not venous drainage was associated with rupture of the aneurysm and if venous dominance was a predisposing factor for aneurysm formation like location, size, and hypertension., Results: There was a statistically significant association between venous dominance and side of aneurysm; and also a statistically significant association between venous dominance and rupture. There was a positive correlation between hypertension and rupture. The most common aneurysm location was the anterior communicating artery, followed by the middle cerebral artery., Conclusion: Brain venous drainage dominance may be a predisposing factor for aneurysm formation and it can be predictive for rupture.

Unlabelled: Wound dressing materials such as asiaticoside, collagenase, and alpha-chymotrypsin are often used for effective wound healing activity., Objectives: In this study, the effects of asiaticoside, collagenase, and alpha-chymotrypsin were studied in rabbit models with open wounds with tissue loss and with full-thickness flank excisions for a period of 21 days., Materials and Methods: Three groups of 4 rabbits were examined during trial periods of 7, 14, and 21 days. Four circular wounds measuring 1.5 cm in diameter were made on the dorsal sides of the animals: 2 on the right and 2 the left. Asiaticoside, collagenase, and alpha-chymotrypsin were applied to wounds daily for a period of 7, 14, and 21 days, while 1 gauzed wound served as the control. All biopsy specimens were histopathologically evaluated for recovery. On day 7, microscopic review showed no differences in wound healing between groups., Results: By day 14, alpha-chymotrypsin showed the quickest reepithelialization (P < 0.05); and by day 21 asiaticoside and collagenase (P < 0.01) showed effective recovery, due to the completion of wound healing for all animals in both groups., Conclusion: Alpha-chymotrypsin is more effective than the other 2 groups for only 14 days. The effectiveness of asiaticoside and collagenase displayed a more rapid improvement in comparison to alpha-chymotrypsin for healing open wounds with tissue loss for a period of 21 days.

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a pregnant mare immunization of a Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) vaccine candidate containing a water-based nanoparticle mineral oil adjuvanted (Montanide IMS 3012) inactive bacterin and virulence-associated protein A (VapA), as well as the administration of anti-R. equi hyperimmune (HI) plasma against R. equi challenge in the mares' foals. The efficacy of passive immunizations (colostral passive immunity by mare vaccination and artificial passive immunity by HI plasma administration) was evaluated based on clinical signs, complete blood count, blood gas analysis, serological response (ELISA), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon gamma (IFN- γ ), total cell count of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) samples, reisolation rate of R. equi from BALF samples (CFU/mL), lung samples (CFU/gr), and lesion scores of the organs and tissue according to pathological findings after necropsy in the foals. The vaccination of pregnant mares and HI plasma administration in the foals reduced the severity of R. equi pneumonia and lesion scores of the organs and tissue by 3.54-fold compared to the control foals. This study thus indicates that immunization of pregnant mares with R. equi vaccine candidate and administration of HI plasma in mares' foals effectively protect foals against R. equi challenge.

In this study, the effects of the wound-covering materials, Acticoat(®) and Cutinova Hydro(®) , on wound healing have been studied in rabbit models with open and tissue-lost wounds with full-thickness flank excisions. Rabbits were used as subjects with three groups of four rabbits each, and trial periods of 7, 14 and 21{\uns}days. Four circular wounds, of 1.5 cm diameter were made two on the right (one of them control) and two on the left (one of them control) of the dorsal sides of the abdomen. Acticoat(®) and Cutinova Hydro(®) were applied on the wounds with suture for a period of 21 days and one each placed on the right and left sides as control with gauze. Biopsy specimens were taken from the animals at the end of the research period to check the length of the epithelium, epithelial thickness, size of wounds, wound granulation tissue formation and histopathological evaluation for clarity. The Acticoat(®) group showed better healing and scar formation compared to the Cutinova Hydro(®) group by macroscopic examination. Epithelial wound length and clarity in terms of statistical difference occurred on day 21 (P <0.05); while the length of the wound epithelium decreased patency, epithelial thickness on days~7, 14 and 21, showed no statistical differences (P >0.05). As a result, the Acticoat(®) wound dressing was determined as a more reliable for the early wound healing. This study has shown the short-term clinical benefits of hydroactive, polyurethane dressings in the management of acute wounds. However, longer periods of wound healing procedure should be planned for reliable and safe results of wound dressing. It has also been concluded that microbiological analyses should be included for more robust and reliable comparisons., (© 2012 The Authors. International Wound Journal © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Medicalhelplines.com Inc.)

The involvement of spinal column in cyst hydatid disease is rare and hard to treat. The gold standard treatment is total removal of the cysts without rupture. However, recurrence after surgery is almost inevitable and reoperations carries technical difficulties and higher morbidity. We present a 69-year-old woman with two cystic masses at the T12 level, which compress the spinal cord causing severe paresis in her left leg. Under local anestesia, the cysts were aspirated and irrigated with 20% hypertonic saline solution via bilateral T12 transpedicular route. We aimed to report that percutaneous CT guided treatment should be considered as an alternative therapeutic option in case of recurrent spinal cyst hydatid.

The purpose of the present study was to describe a new minimally invasive surgical technique for decompression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow for treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome. Four patients underwent surgical treatment for cubital tunnel syndrome. Preoperative clinical states were classified by using the McGowan grading system and the postoperative states were recorded by using the Wilson and Krout grading system. Preoperative and last follow-up electromyographic results were also recorded. At the last follow-up, three patients were recorded as excellent and one patient was recorded as good according to Wilson and Krout grading system. One patient showed improvement in sensory nerve conduction velocity another showed improvement in motor nerve conduction velocity at the last follow-up. We conclude that simple decompression of the ulnar nerve at elbow via proximal and distal mini skin incisions is an effective, technically simple and safe surgical method in the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome.

Guyon's canal syndrome is a compression neuropathy of the ulnar nerve entrapment at the wrist. Compression of the ulnar nerve at the wrist by a ganglion, lipomas, diseases of the ulnar artery, fractures of the hamate and trauma are common etiologcal factors. Unlike Guyon's canal syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common nerve entrapment of the upper extremity. Although, open (OCTR) or endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) is highly effective in relieving pain, failure with carpal tunnel release is seldom seen. In this paper, we presented a patient with ulnar nerve entrapment associated with recurrent CTS and discussed the possible pathomechanism with a review of current literature.

Aim: A rat model of spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion was conducted and the serum cytokine levels and histopathological changes were assessed., Material and Methods: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned into four experimental groups. Group-A (the sham operated rats) and group-B (the spinal ischemia/reperfusion group) were sacrificed at 24 hours postoperatively while group-C (the sham operated rats) and group-D (the spinal ischemia/reperfusion group) were sacrificed at 48 hours. Histopathological changes in the spinal cords and serum cytokine levels were analysed., Results: All three proinflammatory cytokine levels reached significantly higher levels compared to the sham operated groups in both the 24-hour and 48-hour spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion groups., Conclusion: Inflammation is a plausible pathway in spinal cord ishemia/reperfusion injury. However clinical treatment of the damage does not currently include antiinflammatory therapy. The results of our study supported the hypothesis that inflammatory responses could play a possible role in the ischemia/reperfusion injury of the spinal cord. Characterization of the role of inflammation in the etiopathogenesis of ischemia/reperfusion injury to the spinal cord is important to facilitate the development of novel therapeutic approaches for prevention and/or treatment of this severe condition.