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This study investigates the determinants of integrated reporting quality in the context of basic materials and industrial companies. The motivation stems from the need to enhance reporting quality and provide guidance to companies and academia. Specific hypotheses were formulated, including the influence of profitability, company size, age, and board size on integrated reporting quality. The research aims to offer insights into these factors' impact. The study employs a mixed-method approach involving quantitative regression analysis and qualitative content analysis. Findings reveal that profitability is not a significant determinant of integrated reporting quality, while larger companies exhibit higher-quality reports. Younger firms tend to present more elaborate reports. The study validates the role of board size in enhancing reporting quality. These results contribute to refining integrated reporting standards, enhancing transparency, and guiding strategic decisions for sustainable development.

The molecular mechanisms by which general anesthetics act on postsynaptic membranes can only be worked out in a highly purified, homogeneous system. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-rich membranes from the electric tissue of Torpedo californica are currently the only postsynaptic membranes that fulfill this condition. Is this peripheral synapse acted on with a pharmacologic specificity similar to that for general anesthesia, and how much less sensitive is it to anesthetic action than the unknown central site? To answer these questions, the authors studied the effects of 13 anesthetic compounds, including volatile general anesthetics, alkanols, and urethane, on the equilibrium binding of 3H-acetylcholine to these nicotinic receptors. As the anesthetic concentration was raised, all the agents first increased acetylcholine binding steeply and then, with few exceptions, decreased it again at higher concentrations. Anesthetics increased acetylcholine binding by decreasing acetylcholine's dissociation constant without changing the Hill coefficient or the number of sites. To a first approximation, the relative ability of these agents to increase 3H-acetylcholine binding parallels that of anesthesia in vivo as predicted by the Meyer-Overton lipid solubility rule. On average, they produced half maximal increases in acetylcholine binding (EC50) at about four times the concentration that causes loss of righting reflex in one-half of a group of animals (ED50). However, a few agents deviated from this relationship. They were the agents with greatest general anesthetic potency in both the volatile anesthetic series (thiomethoxyflurane) and the normal alcohol series (octanol), and required up to 17 times their ED50s to achieve a half effect on acetylcholine binding. Although the concentrations required were high, these effects were reversible.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Calculation of the biological effective dose (BED) of a fractionated course of hadron particle radiation (e.g., protons or carbon ions) administered via a spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) to a population of cells with heterogeneous radiosensitivity is described. The calculated BED has the important property that, if equal to that of a course of photon radiation, the particle course will result in the same fraction of cells of the exposed population that survive and can be expected to have the same clinical effect. The calculated BED provides a way to relate the effect of a planned treatment course with particle radiation to clinical experience of the effects of treatment with low-LET photon radiation.

AbstractThe efficacy of thyroid (FNAB) processed by liquid‐based cytology (LBC) in Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (HT) in two reference periods, is evaluated. The morphologic features of 820 cases with both methods and the cyto‐histological comparison are analyzed. The diagnosis of hyperplastic nodules (HN) in HT, its mimickers especially in presence of oxyphilic cells and the role of immunocytochemistry (IHC) are studied.150 cases of HT processed by conventional smear (CS) in 1996–98 and 670 with LBC in 2005–2007,were included. The majority of FNAB were carried out under USguidance and fixed with ethyl alcohol for the CS. LBC material was rinsed in the Cytolit solution, processed according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Among the 150 CS, 83 were HT while 67 were HN in HT; in the second triennium 245 LBC were HT and 425 were HN in HT. In the first period a follow‐up (including a second FNA or surgery) was done in 92 cases, in the second period in 116.In the surgical group 97.1% in the first period were benign (all HT and 34/36 HN) and 2.8% malignant(all HN). In 2005–2007, 94% were benign (15 HT and 45/49 HN) and 6%malignant. Thirty HN from the second triennium had ICC for HBME‐1 and Galectin‐3 resulting negative in 93.5%. Among these cases, 10 had a benign histology and a concordant negative ICC.LBC can be used as a valid method for HT, especially for the possible application of ICC to HN, and it allows a correct preoperative selection of lesions Diagn. Cytopathol. 2011; © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Prenatal alcohol use is a threat to healthy pregnancy outcomes for many U.S. women. During 1999, approximately 500,000 pregnant women reported having one or more drinks during the preceding month, and approximately 130,000 reported having seven or more alcohol drinks per week or engaging in binge drinking (i.e., five or more drinks in a day). These heavier drinking patterns have been associated with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders (ARND). Lower levels of alcohol consumption (i.e., fewer than seven drinks per week) also have been associated with measurable effects on children's development and behavior. Although the majority of women reduce their alcohol use substantially when they realize they are pregnant, a large proportion do not realize they are pregnant until well into the first trimester and, therefore, might continue to drink alcohol during this critical period of fetal development. To reduce alcohol-exposed pregnancies, CDC initiated a multisite pilot study (phase I clinical trial) in 1997 to investigate the use of a dual intervention focused on both alcohol-use reduction and effective contraception among childbearing-aged women at high risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy (Project CHOICES). This report describes the association between baseline drinking measures and the success women have achieved in reducing their risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy. The analysis compares the impact of the motivational intervention at 6-month follow-up on women drinking at high-, medium-, and low-risk drinking levels. The findings indicate that although 69% of the women in the study reduced their risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy, women with the lowest baseline drinking measures achieved the highest rates of outcome success, primarily by choosing effective contraception and, secondarily, by reducing alcohol use. Women with higher baseline drinking measures chose both approaches equally but achieved lower success rates for reducing their risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy. A randomized controlled trial of the motivational intervention is under way to further investigate outcomes of the phase I study.

Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) was applied to 162 lesions in 133 patients with hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) 3 cm or less in diameter (small HCC) between Aug. 1983 and Apr. 1992. Histological findings in resected specimen for which PEI had previously been performed before surgery showed that PEI could completely necrotize an HCC of 32 mm in diameter. The antitumoral effect by PEI could correctly be evaluated by enhanced CT. The 1-, 3-, 5- and 7-year survival rates after PEI calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method were 95.9%, 60.5%, 36.9% and 21.7%, respectively. The survival rate of post-PEI patients with I or II grade in clinical stage was better than that of those with III. Recurrence occurred in hepatic areas different from the original lesion in 27.8% in one year and 63.6% in three years after PEI, rates quite similar to those of recurrence after surgical resection for HCCs of 3 cm or less in diameter. For such recurrence, PEI alone was then repeated in half of the 76 patients. Complications caused by PEI were not serious and did not necessitate intensive care. Because of its anti-tumor therapeutic effect and minimal damage to the liver, PEI might be considered a viable alternative to surgery for most patients with small HCC.

There is a need to study the main and interactive bonding effects of differences in solvent and curing mode used for adhesive monomers in dentin bonding systems.Two solvents (acetone and ethanol) and curing methods (light cure, dual cure) were evaluated on their effects on bond strength and interfacial morphology.The adhesives studied were based on two monomers, pyromellitate of glyceryl dimethacrylate (PMGDM) and 2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate (HEMA). Four groups of eight teeth each were cut to expose planar dentin sections and treated with (a) light-cure system with acetone as solvent (LCA group); (b) light-cure system with ethanol as solvent (LCE group); (c) dual-cure system with acetone as solvent (DCA group); and (d) dual-cure system with ethanol as solvent (DCE group). The treated sections were tested for shear bond strength to composite discs and interfacial morphology.The mean (standard deviation) of shear bond strength values (MPa) for the different groups were: LCA: 11.8 (2.3); LCE: 12.7 (2.7); DCA: 24.9 (9.3); and DCE: 21.6 (9.6). All bonded sections were characterized by a similar hybrid layer, resin tags, and overall interfacial morphology.There was a significant difference in shear bond strength as a function of cure mode, but not of solvent. The mean bond strength was higher for dual-cure systems studied. Oxygen inhibition effects may account for the difference between light-cure and dual-cure types.

Heatwaves have potential health and safety implications for many workers, and heatwaves are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity with climate change. There is currently a lack of comparative evidence for the effects of heatwaves on workers' health and safety in different climates (sub-tropical and temperate). This study examined the relationship between heatwave severity (as defined by the Excess Heat Factor) and workers' compensation claims, to define impacts and identify workers at higher risk.Workers' compensation claims data from Australian cities with temperate (Melbourne and Perth) and subtropical (Brisbane) climates for the years 2006-2016 were analysed in relation to heatwave severity categories (low and moderate/high severity) using time-stratified case-crossover models.Consistent impacts of heatwaves were observed in each city with either a protective or null effect during heatwaves of low-intensity while claims increased during moderate/high-severity heatwaves compared with non-heatwave days. The highest effect during moderate/high-severity heatwaves was in Brisbane (RR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.42-1.48). Vulnerable worker subgroups identified across the three cities included: males, workers aged under 34 years, apprentice/trainee workers, labour hire workers, those employed in medium and heavy strength occupations, and workers from outdoor and indoor industrial sectors.These findings show that work-related injuries and illnesses increase during moderate/high-severity heatwaves in both sub-tropical and temperate climates. Heatwave forecasts should signal the need for heightened heat awareness and preventive measures to minimise the risks to workers.

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to follow glucose metabolism in Crithidia luciliae. Parasites were grown aerobically and anaerobically in culture, with glucose as the major carbon source and 1H NMR spectra were acquired for the cell free medium. The 1H NMR resonances of metabolites utilised and produced during cell growth were identified by difference spectroscopy, and quantitated from standard curves using 3-trimethylsilyl propionate-2,2,3,3-d4 sodium salt as an internal standard. The major metabolites produced by C. luciliae grown aerobically on 8 mM glucose were succinate, pyruvate, acetate and ethanol, in final concentrations in the media when the cells entered stationary phase of 8.5 +/- 0.5, 5.0 +/- 0.3, 2.1 +/- 0.2 and 2.5 +/- 0.6 mM, respectively. The production of succinate and pyruvate, but not acetate and ethanol, followed closely the growth curve of the parasites. Succinate was also measured enzymically and glucose using an autoanalyser. In both cases the results correlated well with the NMR data. The amounts of end products formed were greater than could be accounted for by the utilisation of glucose or any other metabolite observable in the 1H NMR spectra. There was approximately one extra atom of carbon for each molecule of succinate formed, supporting the view that succinate is produced via phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and carbon dioxide fixation. Anaerobically the same major metabolites were produced, but with a decreased ratio of succinate to acetate and ethanol. The formation of glycerol from glucose was not observed under these conditions.