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We present a simple framework that allows us to examine the cross‐country exporter productivity gap without accessing confidential firm‐level data. This gap depends on the three readily available statistics: the productivity gap between two countries; the export participation rates; and export premia. This gap holds irrespective of the distribution underlying firm productivity and irrespective of the presence of fixed costs. Under specific conditions, allocative efficiency may affect the exporter productivity gap. The empirical analysis globally validates this exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the change in retinal thickness after vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling and/or silicone oil (SO) endotamponade in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Methods: The actual amount and ratio of changes in the retinal thickness were calculated. Results: Compared to control eyes in the ILM peeling (-)/SO (-) group, the central, superior inner and temporal inner retina in the ILM peeling (+)/SO (-) group, the central and superior inner retina in the ILM peeling (-)/SO (+) group and the central, inferior inner, temporal inner and nasal inner retina in the ILM peeling (+)/ SO (+) group showed a significant reduction of the retinal thickness. The central, superior inner and temporal inner retina in the ILM peeling (+)/SO (-) group, the central and superior inner retina in the ILM peeling (-)/SO (+) group and the central, superior inner, inferior inner and temporal inner retina in the ILM peeling (+)/SO (+) group showed a significantly increased reduction rate of the retinal thickness compared to the control group. Conclusions: Macular retinal thinning in PDR was observed after ILM peeling and SO endotamponade and it was increased by the combination of these 2 factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper examines the determinants of the backward vertical linkages of Japanese foreign affiliates in manufacturing for the period 1994–2000, focusing on the local backward linkages, or local procurement in the host country. Our major findings are twofold. First, the unobserved affiliate-specific characteristics explain the large part of the variation of the backward linkages among foreign affiliates. Second, the experience of the affiliate has positive and sometimes nonlinear effects on local procurement for the affiliates, especially in Southeast Asia and China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper explores the location choice of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in China, shedding special light on the role of agglomeration of same-nationality firms. We examine how this role differs according to firms' productivity. Furthermore, we compare the location choice of Japanese and Taiwanese MNEs in China, taking into consideration that Taiwanese MNEs experience less uncertainty in investing in China due to Taiwan's linguistic and cultural advantages. When considering firms' productivity, we find that less productive Japanese firms prefer to locate close to larger same-nationality agglomerations while there are no differences in location choices in the case of Taiwanese firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. We had earlier reported positive hsa-miR-148a-3p expression in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and its involvement in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of retinal pigment epithelium in vitro. Here we investigated the association of hsa-miR-148a-3p expression levels in the vitreous fluid of patients with RRD with severity of RRD. Methods. The hsa-miR-148a-3p expression levels in the vitreous fluid, range (degree) of retinal detachment (RD), and pixels of retinal break were measured in 27 eyes with RRD. The association of hsa-miR-148a-3p expression levels with other factors was evaluated by multiple regression analysis. Results. The hsa-miR-148a-3p expression levels, time from onset of RRD to vitrectomy, range of RD, and pixels of retinal breaks were 23.68±43.00, 12.07±15.36 days, 155.85±86.67 degrees, and 37000±67100 pixels, respectively. Five eyes with RRD had vitreous hemorrhage preoperatively. The hsa-miR-148a-3p expression levels were significantly associated with pixels of retinal breaks (β=0.699) and the time from onset of RRD to vitrectomy (β=0.358) but not with the range of RD or presence of vitreous hemorrhage. Conclusion. The hsa-miR-148a-3p expression levels in the vitreous fluid were significantly associated with the size of retinal break and disease duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocular trauma is one of the leading causes of visual impairment worldwide. Because of the popularity of cataract surgeries, aged individuals with ocular trauma commonly have a surgical wound in their eyes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the visual outcome of cases that were coincident with intraocular lens (IOL) ejection in the eyes with ruptured open-globe ocular injuries. Consecutive patients with open-globe ocular injuries were first reviewed. Patients’ characteristics, corrected distance visual acuities (CDVAs) over 3 years after the trauma, causes of injuries, traumatic wound patterns, and coexistence of retinal detachment were examined. The relationships between poor CDVA and the other factors, including the complications of crystalline lens and IOL ejection, were examined. A total of 105 eyes/patients [43 eyes with rupture, 33 with penetrating, 28 with intraocular foreign body (IOFB), and 1 with perforating injuries] were included. Rupture injuries were common in aged patients and were mostly caused by falls, whereas penetrating and IOFB injuries were common in young male patients. CDVAs of the eyes with rupture injuries were significantly worse than those of the eyes with penetrating or IOFB injuries. CDVA from more than 50% of the ruptured eyes resulted in no light perception or light perception to 20/500. CDVA of the ruptured eyes complicated by crystalline lens ejection was significantly worse than that of those complicated by IOL ejection. The wounds of the ruptured eyes complicated by IOL ejection were mainly located at the superior corneoscleral limbus, whereas those of the eyes complicated by crystalline lens ejection were located at the posterior sclera. There were significant correlations between poor CDVA and retinal detachment and crystalline lens ejection. These results proposed a new trend in the ocular injuries that commonly occur in aged patients; history of cataract surgery might affect the final visual outcome after open-globe ocular injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major cause of blindness in developed countries and is closely related to oxidative stress, which leads to lipid peroxidation. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a major byproduct of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) peroxidation. Increased levels of MDA have been reported in eyes of AMD patients. However, little is known about the direct relationship between MDA and AMD. Here we show the biological importance of MDA in AMD pathogenesis. We first confirmed that MDA levels were significantly increased in eyes of AMD patients. In ARPE-19 cells, a human retinal pigment epithelial cell line, MDA treatment induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression alternation, cell junction disruption, and autophagy dysfunction that was also observed in eyes of AMD patients. The MDA-induced VEGF increase was inhibited by autophagy–lysosomal inhibitors. Intravitreal MDA injection in mice increased laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (laser-CNV) volumes. In a mouse model fed a high-linoleic acid diet for 3 months, we found a significant increase in MDA levels, autophagic activity, and laser-CNV volumes. Our study revealed an important role of MDA, which acts not only as a marker but also as a causative factor of AMD pathogenesis-related autophagy dysfunction. Furthermore, higher dietary intake of linoleic acid promoted CNV progression in mice with increased MDA levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional classification of hypertensive retinopathy was based on the Keith-Wagener-Barker (KWB) grading, which is a subjective scaling system, and it is difficult to distinguish between the first and second grades. Retinal and choroidal vasculatures are affected by systemic hypertension, although retinal vasculature changes with age, axial length, intraocular pressure, and retinal diseases. It is necessary to establish a new objective method to assess hypertensive vascular changes. In the present study, we have examined the vasculature of the macular choriocapillaris in order to establish a new objective method to assess hypertensive vascular changes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Choriocapillaris vessel density (VD), vessel length, and vessel diameter index in a 3 × 3 mm macular area were measured by OTCA in a total of 567 volunteers (361 healthy subjects and 206 subjects with systemic hypertension) who attended a basic health check-up. Ocular factors, systemic factors, and medications were evaluated. We detected significant differences in normative choriocapillaris vasculature between the left and right eyes in 53 healthy subjects and revealed correlations between age, intraocular pressure, axial length, and choriocapillaris vasculature in 308 healthy subjects. Normative foveal VD was correlated with age only and the efficiency was weak. The analysis of 206 right eyes (KWB grade 0, 159 eyes; grade 1, 35 eyes; and grade 2, 12 eyes) revealed that foveal VD was strongly correlated with KWB grade only (P < 0.001). This is the first report suggesting that OCTA for foveal choriocapillaris measurement by OCTA would might provide the advantage of evaluating be objective method for evaluating the progression of systemic hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]