GAEC1 and colorectal cancer : a study of the relationships between a novel oncogene and clinicopathologic features

GAEC1 is a novel gene located at 7q22.1 that was detected in our previous work in esophageal cancer. The aims of the present study are to identify the copy number of GAEC1 in different colorectal tissues including carcinomas, adenomas, and nonneoplastic tissues and characterize any links to pathologic factors. The copy number of GAEC1 was studied by evaluating the quantitative amplification of GAEC1 DNA in 259 colorectal tissues (144 adenocarcinomas, 31 adenomas, and 84 nonneoplastic tissues) using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Copy number of GAEC1 DNA in colorectal adenocarcinomas was higher in comparison with nonneoplastic colorectum. Seventy-nine percent of the colorectal adenocarcinomas showed amplification and 15% showed deletion of GAEC1 (P < .0001). Of the adenomas, 90% showed deletion of GAEC1, with the remaining 10% showing normal copy number. The differences in GAEC1 copy number between colorectal adenocarcinoma, colorectal adenoma, and nonneoplastic colorectal tissue are significant (P < .0001). GAEC1 copy number was significantly higher in adenocarcinomas located in distal colorectum compared with proximal colon (P = .03). In conclusion, GAEC1 copy number was significantly different between colorectal adenocarcinomas, adenomas, and nonneoplastic colorectal tissues. The copy number was also related to the site of the cancer. These findings along with previous work in esophageal cancer imply that GAEC1 is commonly involved in the pathogenesis of colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Desalination with a solar-assisted heat pump : an economic optimization

The solar-assisted heat pump (SAHP) desalination, based on the Rankin cycle, operates in low temperature and utilizes both solar and ambient energy. An experimental SAHP desalination system has been constructed at the National University of Singapore, Singapore. The system consisted of two main sections: an SAHP and a water distillation section. Experiments were carried out under the different meteorological condition of Singapore and results showed that the system had a performance ratio close to 1.3. The heat pump has a coefficient of performance of about 8, with solar collector efficiencies of 80% and 60% for evaporator and liquid collectors, respectively. Economic analysis showed that at a production rate of 900 L/day and an evaporator collector area of around 70m2 will have a payback period of about 3.5 years.

Improving the transparency, openness and efficiency of e-government in Qatar in the era of Open Government Data, and beyond

This thesis investigates how Open Government Data (OGD) concepts and practices might be implemented in the State of Qatar to achieve more transparent, effective and accountable government. The thesis concludes with recommendations as to how Qatar, as a developing country, might enhance the accessibility and usability of its OGD and implement successful and sustainable OGD systems and practices.

Demographic faultlines in boards : impact of diversity and board size

Negative board diversity-organizational outcomes research findings have highlighted the importance of studying board demographic faultlines. Based on research gaps, this study focuses on gender diversity, age diversity, board size and faultlines formation in corporate boards. It proposes a positive linear diversity-faultlines relationship based on self-categorization and social identity theories, interaction effects of gender diversity and age diversity on faultlines based on contingency theories, and a U-shaped board size-faultlines strength relationship. The hypotheses were tested in 288 large companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange using archival data. The results provided partial support for the interaction effects relationships and support to the U-shaped board size-faultlines strength relationship. The findings indicate that boards with low levels of age diversity experience a negative linear relationship between gender diversity and faultlines such that higher representation of women leads to weaker faultlines. The results also suggest that small- and large-sized boards experience stronger faultlines strength than medium-sized board. These results inform practice and underline implications of board demographic diversity and board size.

Too cool for homeschool? Accessing underground unschoolers with Web 2.0

There is a new type of home education parent challenging long-held assumptions about homeschooling (cf. Morton 2012). These parents are well educated (cf. Beck 2010) but have chosen to eschew the social and cultural capital (Bourdieu & Wacquant 1992) of school in favour of some- thing completely different. They are unschoolers, which involves ‘allow- ing children as much freedom to learn in the world as their parents can possibly bear’ (cf. Holt & Farenga 2003: 238). This chapter presents the approach taken by one researcher to explore the reasons families choose unschooling. These families can be difficult to access, because they often fail to register with home education units and thus remain outside the education system (cf. Townsend 2012). Their lack of registration makes them largely invisible, affecting their ability to make an important contribution to debates around education. In spite of this invisibility, many unschoolers are keen to talk to researchers to increase wider understanding of unschooling.

Fine-mapping the HOXB region detects common variants tagging a rare coding allele : evidence for synthetic association in prostate cancer

The HOXB13 gene has been implicated in prostate cancer (PrCa) susceptibility. We performed a high resolution fine-mapping analysis to comprehensively evaluate the association between common genetic variation across the HOXB genetic locus at 17q21 and PrCa risk. This involved genotyping 700 SNPs using a custom Illumina iSelect array (iCOGS) followed by imputation of 3195 SNPs in 20,440 PrCa cases and 21,469 controls in The PRACTICAL consortium. We identified a cluster of highly correlated common variants situated within or closely upstream of HOXB13 that were significantly associated with PrCa risk, described by rs117576373 (OR 1.30, P = 2.62×10(-14)). Additional genotyping, conditional regression and haplotype analyses indicated that the newly identified common variants tag a rare, partially correlated coding variant in the HOXB13 gene (G84E, rs138213197), which has been identified recently as a moderate penetrance PrCa susceptibility allele. The potential for GWAS associations detected through common SNPs to be driven by rare causal variants with higher relative risks has long been proposed; however, to our knowledge this is the first experimental evidence for this phenomenon of synthetic association contributing to cancer susceptibility.

The impact of work-family programs on the relationship between gender diversity and performance

Work–family programs signal an employer's perspective on gender diversity to employees, and can influence whether the effects of diversity on performance are positive or negative. This article tests the interactive effects of nonmanagement gender diversity and work–family programs on productivity, and management gender diversity and work–family programs on financial performance. The predictions were tested in 198 Australian publicly listed organizations using primary (survey) and secondary (publicly available) data based on a two-year time lag between diversity and performance. The findings indicate that nonmanagement gender diversity leads to higher productivity in organizations with many work–family programs, and management gender diversity leads to lower financial performance in organizations with few work–family programs. The results suggest different business cases at nonmanagement and management levels for the adoption of work–family programs in gender-diverse organizations.

The defence of hardship to specific performance actions

The decision of Evans v Robcorp Pty Ltd[2014] QSC 26 is of interest as being an instance where the defence of hardship, in this case, financial hardship, was successfully pleaded in defence to a summary application for specific performance of a contract for the sale of land. Equity has always recognised the defence of hardship in response to an action for specific performance which, as an equitable remedy, might be refused in the discretion of the Court (Hewett v Court (1983) 149 CLR 639 at 664). However, whilst the remedy is discretionary, there are certain accepted principles which have guided the courts in their application of this defence to particular facts. It is not a blanket defence to a claim for specific performance where the buyer simply does not have the funds to complete the contract at the time when settlement is called for. Occasionally, a radical change in, say for instance, the health of the defendant between contract and completion, perhaps coupled with a long delay by a seller in calling for completion not being the fault of the buyer might enliven the defence (Patel v Ali [1984]1 Ch 283)

Aggregating energy supply and demand

Energy usage in general, and electricity usage in particular, are major concerns internationally due to the increased cost of providing energy supplies and the environmental impacts of electricity generation using carbon-based fuels. If a "systems" approach is taken to understanding energy issues then both supply and demand need to be considered holistically. This paper examines two research projects in the energy area with IT tools as key deliverables, one examining supply issues and the other studying demand side issues. The supply side project used hard engineering methods to build the models and software, while the demand side project used a social science approach. While the projects are distinct, there was an overlap in personnel. Comparing the knowledge extraction, model building, implementation and interface issues of these two deliverables identifies both interesting contrasts and commonalities.

System dynamics model of the knowledge management process

To effectively manage the challenges being faced by construction organisations in a fast changing business environment, many organisations are attempting to integrate knowledge management (KM) into their business operations. KM activities interact with each other and form a process which receives input from its internal business environment and produces outputs that should be justified by its business performance. This paper aims to provide further understanding on the dynamic nature of the KM process. Through a combination of path analysis and system dynamic simulation, this study found that: 1) an improved business performance enables active KM activities and provide feedback and guidance for formulating learning-based policies; and 2) effective human resource recruitment policies can enlarge the pool of individual knowledge, which lead to a more conducive internal business environment, as well as a higher KM activity level. Consequently, the desired business performance level can be reached within a shorter time frame.

A new study on binder performance and formulation modification of anti-corrosive primer based on ethyl silicate resin

Zinc-rich ethyl silicate coatings are quite successful in protecting steel against corrosion under severe exposing conditions. In spite of providing excellent cathodic protection to steel structure after film curing, two-component zinc-rich ethyl silicate coatings have some limitations, one of which is inadequate shelf life as a result of in-can binder gelation. In this work, the preparation steps of ethyl silicate such as pre-hydrolysis, dehydration and organometallic reactions were surveyed and herein an approach towards understanding the cause and effect relationship of the use of ingredients is presented. The effects of water and catalytic acid dosages on gel time under accelerated conditions and the effect of alcoholic solvent order on the rate of the hydrolysis and dehydration reactions were studied via Karl-Fischer test determining the water content of hydrolysate. A thriving optimization in shelf life without any loss in physical–mechanical characteristics of the final film (e.g. hardness, adhesion, solvent and salt spray resistance) was obtained.

Flammability and thermal properties of novel semi aromatic polyamide/organoclay nanocomposite

The development of semi aromatic polyamide/organoclays nanocomposites (PANC) is reported in this communication. New polyamide (PA) was successfully synthesized through direct polycondensation reaction between bio-based diacid and aromatic diamine. PA exhibited strong UV vis absorption band at 412 nm. Its photoluminescence spectrum showed maximum band at 511 nm in the green region. The surface modification of montmorillonite was carried out through ion-exchange reaction using 1,4-bis[4-aminophenoxy]butane (APB) as a modifier. Then PANCs containing 3 and 6 wt.% of the modified montmorillonite (MMT-APB) were prepared. Flammability and thermal properties of PA and the nanocomposites were studied by microscale combustion calorimeter (MCC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). TGA results in both air and nitrogen atmospheres indicated improving in thermal properties of PANCs compared to the neat PA. According to MCC analysis, a 31.6% reduction in pHRR value has been achieved by introducing 6 wt.% of the organoclay in PA matrix.

Improving safety communication of ethnic minorities in the construction industry of Hong Kong

The construction workforce in Hong Kong is experiencing a severe ageing problem and labour shortage. One initiative to enhance the supply of manpower is to assist ethnic minorities joining the industry. It is foreseeable that the percentage of ethnic minorities in the construction workforce will keep increasing. Statistics show that ethnic minorities were nearly 30% more likely to have work-related injuries than local workers in some developed countries. However, official statistics on the safety of ethnic minorities are not available in Hong Kong. A search in newspaper archive revealed that ethnic minorities in the construction industry of Hong Kong are subjected to higher fatality rate than local workers, just as is the case in many developed countries. This reflects that the safety of ethnic minorities has not received the attention it rightly deserves. Safety communication has been one of the key factors leading to accidents. Safety communication barriers of ethnic minorities impede them from receiving safety training and acquiring safety information effectively. Research towards improving the safety communication of ethnic minorities in the construction industry of Hong Kong becomes more urgent. This paper will provides an initial report on a research project which focuses on improving the safety communication of ethnic minorities in the construction industry of Hong Kong. Quantitative and qualitative research methods including Social Network Analysis (SNA) applied in conducting the research are first discussed. Preliminary statistics of construction accidents related to ethnic minorities in Hong Kong are then presented.