Sustainable tourism is the idea of managing the negative impacts or potential for serious harm to the economic, environmental, or social elements of a destination, and thus reaching the goals of ...sustainable development. This research benchmarks the sustainability of 111 tourist destinations throughout the world, using an advanced integration of a two-stage network DEA under the meta-frontier concept, directional distance function, and network-based ranking methods. The empirical outcomes of these analyses clarify that the sources of sustainable inefficiencies are the self-production process and the technology gap among the tourism regions, rather than the capacity of utilizing the input resources or maintaining the production outcomes. The network-based ranking emphasizes the sufficiency and deficiency of each place, and provides a map of reference among destinations. Based on these, the article reports some managerial suggestions, theoretical implications, and future research directions.
Vascular calcification (VC) is an important complication among patients of advanced age, those with chronic kidney disease, and those with diabetes mellitus. The pathophysiology of VC encompasses ...passive occurrence of physico-chemical calcium deposition, active cellular secretion of osteoid matrix upon exposure to metabolically noxious stimuli, or a variable combination of both processes. Epigenetic alterations have been shown to participate in this complex environment, through mechanisms including DNA methylation, non-coding RNAs, histone modifications, and chromatin changes. Despite such importance, existing reviews fail to provide a comprehensive view of all relevant reports addressing epigenetic processes in VC, and cross-talk between different epigenetic machineries is rarely examined. We conducted a systematic review based on PUBMED and MEDLINE databases up to 30 September 2019, to identify clinical, translational, and experimental reports addressing epigenetic processes in VC; we retrieved 66 original studies, among which 60.6% looked into the pathogenic role of non-coding RNA, followed by DNA methylation (12.1%), histone modification (9.1%), and chromatin changes (4.5%). Nine (13.6%) reports examined the discrepancy of epigenetic signatures between subjects or tissues with and without VC, supporting their applicability as biomarkers. Assisted by bioinformatic analyses blending in each epigenetic component, we discovered prominent interactions between microRNAs, DNA methylation, and histone modification regarding potential influences on VC risk.
During the 2008 financial crisis, central banks (such as the Fed) adopted a quantitative easing (QE) policy to stimulate their countries’ economies and overcome severe economic and financial ...recessions. However, apart from stimulating the economy by issuing a substantial amount of currency to purchase long-term bonds and suppress interest rates, QE policy also contributed to a boom in the real estate and construction sectors. Therefore, this study employs data envelopment analysis to measure the business performance (BP) of construction companies, and explore the impact of QE policy on the BP of construction companies, between 2004 and 2015, using hierarchical regression. We also examine the moderating role of the debt ratio on the relationship. Focused on publicly listed construction companies in Taiwan, this research reveals three encouraging findings. Firstly, QE policy indeed enhanced the BP of Taiwanese construction companies. Secondly, performance improvements in construction companies due to QE policy show a time-diminishing trend, suggesting the importance of seizing the initial policy benefits of QE implementation. Lastly, construction companies with appropriate financial leverage may exhibit better BP. These findings can provide valuable insights for relevant government entities and decision-makers in the industry for policy and investment decisions.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is a new, highly pathogenic virus that has recently elicited a global pandemic called the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). COVID-19 is ...characterized by significant immune dysfunction, which is caused by strong but unregulated innate immunity with depressed adaptive immunity. Reduced and delayed responses to interferons (IFN-I/IFN-III) can increase the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines and extensive immune cell infiltration into the airways, leading to pulmonary disease. The development of effective treatments for severe COVID-19 patients relies on our knowledge of the pathophysiological components of this imbalanced innate immune response. Strategies to address innate response factors will be essential. Significant efforts are currently underway to develop vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 vaccines, such as inactivated DNA, mRNA, and protein subunit vaccines, have already been applied in clinical use. Various vaccines display different levels of effectiveness, and it is important to continue to optimize and update their composition in order to increase their effectiveness. However, due to the continuous emergence of variant viruses, improving the immunity of the general public may also increase the effectiveness of the vaccines. Many observational studies have demonstrated that serum levels of vitamin D are inversely correlated with the incidence or severity of COVID-19. Extensive evidence has shown that vitamin D supplementation could be vital in mitigating the progression of COVID-19 to reduce its severity. Vitamin D defends against SARS-CoV-2 through a complex mechanism through interactions between the modulation of innate and adaptive immune reactions, ACE2 expression, and inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). However, it remains unclear whether Vit-D also plays an important role in the effectiveness of different COVID-19 vaccines. Based on analysis of the molecular mechanism involved, we speculated that vit-D, via various immune signaling pathways, plays a complementary role in the development of vaccine efficacy.
Several studies employ data envelopment analysis (DEA) in the area of portfolio optimization or stock market efficiency evaluation, however, they have not extended two-stage network DEA to further ...decompose the efficiency of firms on the stock market and understand the origin of performance. Because of China's rising role in global stock market, the current research utilizes the sample of 140 firms extracted from China CSI 300 Index from 2012 to 2016 and proposes an additive two-stage network DEA model to evaluate the performance of China listed firms derived from production and financial production process with fundamental and technical analysis approaches. Analytic hierarchy process and second order cone programming are developed to determine the weights and to solve the nonlinear problem in the additive efficiency decomposition model. In addition to, future data estimated from regression analysis is applied in the DEA model to predict the performance. The main findings are as follows: The production process is more important in defining the overall efficiency of a firm on the stock market; There are significant differences in the distribution of efficiencies among various group industries; The health care, information technology or energy industry has a predicted outstanding performance in general.
This study aims to evaluate the cargo and eco‐efficiencies of international container shipping companies (CSCs) for the period 2013–2017 for benchmarking purposes. An integration of two‐stage network ...directional distance function and network‐based approach in data envelopment analysis is utilized to distinguish the efficient operators. Results show that most CSCs are highly ranked in the cargo efficiency stage but lowly ranked in the eco‐efficiency stage and vice versa. This study emphasizes the strengths and weaknesses of each factor of every CSC. Results can help the inefficient CSCs find the areas for improvement by learning from their peers.
Vascular calcification (VC) is highly associated with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. Dysregulation of endothelial cells and vascular smooth ...muscle cells (VSMCs) is related to VC. Sirtuin-1 (Sirt1) deacetylase encompasses a broad range of transcription factors that are linked to an extended lifespan. Sirt1 enhances endothelial NO synthase and upregulates FoxOs to activate its antioxidant properties and delay cell senescence. Sirt1 reverses osteogenic phenotypic transdifferentiation by influencing RUNX2 expression in VSMCs. Low Sirt1 hardly prevents acetylation by p300 and phosphorylation of β-catenin that, following the facilitation of β-catenin translocation, drives osteogenic phenotypic transdifferentiation. Hyperphosphatemia induces VC by osteogenic conversion, apoptosis, and senescence of VSMCs through the Pit-1 cotransporter, which can be retarded by the sirt1 activator resveratrol. Proinflammatory adipocytokines released from dysfunctional perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) mediate medial calcification and arterial stiffness. Sirt1 ameliorates release of PVAT adipokines and increases adiponectin secretion, which interact with FoxO 1 against oxidative stress and inflammatory arterial insult. Conclusively, Sirt1 decelerates VC by means of influencing endothelial NO bioavailability, senescence of ECs and VSMCs, osteogenic phenotypic transdifferentiation, apoptosis of VSMCs, ECM deposition, and the inflammatory response of PVAT. Factors that aggravate VC include vitamin D deficiency-related macrophage recruitment and further inflammation responses. Supplementation with vitamin D to adequate levels is beneficial in improving PVAT macrophage infiltration and local inflammation, which further prevents VC.
Assessing university resource allocation or misallocation is necessary to understand its impact on research and teaching productivity. To achieve this insight, this study conducts a two-stage data ...envelopment analysis to judge the “teaching and research efficiency” and “revenue efficiency” of 61 universities in Vietnam. We analyze what variables have the most effect on the efficiencies of the universities through improving results. Moreover, this research applies scale elasticity to distinguish the benchmark performance leader among Vietnam universities. Results indicate that universities are more efficient in terms of “revenue efficiency” than “teaching and research efficiency.” The scale elasticity decomposition findings show that multidisciplinary universities perform better than those specializing in science and technology and social science and economics. Finally, the competitive map to performance advancement strategies is exhibited. This map helps the university management to enhance their efficiencies.
Role of Vitamin D in Insulin Resistance Sung, Chih-Chien; Liao, Min-Tser; Lu, Kuo-Cheng ...
BioMed research international,
01/2012, Volume:
2012
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Vitamin D is characterized as a regulator of homeostasis of bone and mineral metabolism, but it can also provide nonskeletal actions because vitamin D receptors have been found in various tissues ...including the brain, prostate, breast, colon, pancreas, and immune cells. Bone metabolism, modulation of the immune response, and regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation are all biological functions of vitamin D. Vitamin D may play an important role in modifying the risk of cardiometabolic outcomes, including diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. The incidence of type 2 DM is increasing worldwide and results from a lack of insulin or inadequate insulin secretion following increases in insulin resistance. Therefore, it has been proposed that vitamin D deficiency plays an important role in insulin resistance resulting in diabetes. The potential role of vitamin D deficiency in insulin resistance has been proposed to be associated with inherited gene polymorphisms including vitamin D-binding protein, vitamin D receptor, and vitamin D 1alpha-hydroxylase gene. Other roles have been proposed to involve immunoregulatory function by activating innate and adaptive immunity and cytokine release, activating inflammation by upregulation of nuclear factor κB and inducing tumor necrosis factor α, and other molecular actions to maintain glucose homeostasis and mediate insulin sensitivity by a low calcium status, obesity, or by elevating serum levels of parathyroid hormone. These effects of vitamin D deficiency, either acting in concert or alone, all serve to increase insulin resistance. Although there is evidence to support a relationship between vitamin D status and insulin resistance, the underlying mechanism requires further exploration. The purpose of this paper was to review the current information available concerning the role of vitamin D in insulin resistance.
The human host immune responses to parasitic infections are complex. They can be categorized into four immunological pathways mounted against four types of parasitic infections. For intracellular ...protozoa, the eradicable host immunological pathway is TH1 immunity involving macrophages (M1), interferon gamma (IFNγ) CD4 T cells, innate lymphoid cells 1 (NKp44+ ILC1), CD8 T cells (Effector-Memory4, EM4), invariant natural killer T cells 1 (iNKT1) cells, and immunoglobulin G3 (IgG3) B cells. For intracellular protozoa, the tolerable host immunological pathway is TH1-like immunity involving macrophages (M2), interferon gamma (IFNγ)/TGFβ CD4 T cells, innate lymphoid cells 1 (NKp44- ILC1), CD8 T cells (EM3), invariant natural killer T 1 (iNKT1) cells, and immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) B cells. For free-living extracellular protozoa, the eradicable host immunological pathway is TH22 immunity involving neutrophils (N1), interleukin-22 CD4 T cells, innate lymphoid cells 3 (NCR+ ILC3), iNKT17 cells, and IgG2 B cells. For free-living extracellular protozoa, the tolerable host immunological pathway is TH17 immunity involving neutrophils (N2), interleukin-17 CD4 T cells, innate lymphoid cells 3 (NCR- ILC3), iNKT17 cells, and IgA2 B cells. For endoparasites (helminths), the eradicable host immunological pathway is TH2a immunity with inflammatory eosinophils (iEOS), interleukin-5/interleukin-4 CD4 T cells, interleukin-25 induced inflammatory innate lymphoid cells 2 (iILC2), tryptase-positive mast cells (MCt), iNKT2 cells, and IgG4 B cells. For ectoparasites (parasitic insects and arachnids), the eradicable host immunological pathway is TH2b immunity with inflammatory basophils, chymase- and tryptase-positive mast cells (MCct), interleukin-3/interleukin-4 CD4 T cells, interleukin-33 induced nature innate lymphoid cells 2 (nILC2), iNKT2 cells, and immunoglobulin E (IgE) B cells. The tolerable host immunity against ectoparasites and endoparasites is TH9 immunity with regulatory eosinophils, regulatory basophils, interleukin-9 mast cells (MMC9), thymic stromal lymphopoietin induced innate lymphoid cells 2, interleukin-9 CD4 T cells, iNKT2 cells, and IgA2 B cells. In addition, specific transcription factors important for specific immune responses were listed. This JAK/STAT signaling is key to controlling or inducing different immunological pathways. In sum, Tfh is related to STAT5β, and BCL6 expression. Treg is related to STAT5α, STAT5β, and FOXP3. TH1 immunity is related to STAT1α, STAT4, and T-bet. TH2a immunity is related to STAT6, STAT1α, GATA1, and GATA3. TH2b immunity is related to STAT6, STAT3, GATA2, and GATA3. TH22 immunity is associated with both STAT3α and AHR. THαβ immunity is related to STAT1α, STAT1β, STAT2, STAT3β, and ISGF. TH1-like immunity is related to STAT1α, STAT4, STAT5α, and STAT5β. TH9 immunity is related to STAT6, STAT5α, STAT5β, and PU.1. TH17 immunity is related to STAT3α, STAT5α, STAT5β, and RORG. TH3 immunity is related to STAT1α, STAT1β, STAT2, STAT3β, STAT5α, STAT5β, and ISGF. This categorization provides a complete framework of immunological pathways against four types of parasitic infections. This framework as well as relevant JAK/STAT signaling can provide useful knowledge to control allergic hypersensitivities and parasitic infections via development of vaccines or drugs in the near future.
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