10,665 research outputs found
Prioritizing a global research and policy agenda for Betel Quid (BQ) and Areca Nut (AN)
No full textBackground and challenges to implementation
BQ/AN use is prevalent among approximately 600 million
people globally and, is a risk factor for oral and esophageal cancers. It has
also shown effects on the cardiovascular, nervous, GI and metabolic,
respiratory, and reproductive systems. Research is needed to understand and
implement effective prevention and control of BQ/AN, screening and treatment
for related cancers, policy, and economic impacts.
Intervention or response
In 2016, the US National Cancer Institute and US National Institute of
Dental and Craniofacial Research in collaboration with academic and government
institutions based in U.S, Malaysia, Taiwan convened a group of experts to gain
a greater understanding of the impact of BQ/AN use, both with and without
tobacco. Consequently, a literature review is being conducted to further inform
global research initiatives around BQ/AN policies and implementation strategies.
Results and lessons learnt
The specific recommendations from the meeting are: 1) Expand global
epidemiology of BQ/AN use (incl. understanding of the cultural and social
norms) 2) Establish prevention and cessation programs for BQ/AN users 3) Create
evidence-based screening and early diagnosis oral cancer programs 4) Carry out
policy interventions around Trade, Bans including use, manufacture, sales and
agriculture, Health service provision, Crop substitution, and Public Awareness
Outreach. There are also lessons learned from tobacco control evidence that can
inform interventions in prevention and policy to address the burden. The review will build on these findings by
systemically emphasizing both research strengths and gaps to provide
recommendations for future research and policy agendas.
Conclusions and key recommendations
The evidence shows that BQ/AN are widely used globally. There are major
differences between tobacco and BQ/AN use which impede governments and
communities from taking actions. To reduce the use of BQ/AN and associated adverse
health effects, it is imperative to address the research gaps, with a focus on
the translation of that evidence to effective policy and programs
Developing a spreadsheet application for BQ production.
No full textThe demand for information technology is continuously increasing. In the Quantity Surveying field, specific software for BQ production and estimating is widely available. However, there are still a lot of companies using the Microsoft Excel for doing calculation, scheduling and most imporlantly production of Bills of Quantities. However, these spreadsheet solutions does not offer total automation compared to the specific software as the BQ cannot be produced automatically. However, using the Visual Basic for Application (VBA) features in Microsoft Excel, this problem has been resolved. This paper presents the development of METa (Microsoft Excel For Taking-Off) which match the BQ production capabilities of the specific software. Each step in the development process was explained and the system architecture of this application is being highlighted. As a conclusion, a highly capable and user-friendly application for BQ production was developed using Microsoft Excel
BQ-AurIPr: A Redox-Active Anticancer Au(I) Complex that Induces Immunogenic Cell Death in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
No full textImmunogenic Cell Death (ICD) is a unique cell death mechanism that kills cancer cells while rejuvenating the anti-cancer immunosurveillance, thereby benefiting the clinical outcomes of various chemo-immunotherapeutic regimens. Herein, we report development of a library of Benzo[a]quinolizinium-based Au(I) complexes through an intramolecular amino-auration reaction of pyridino-alkynes. We tested 40 candidates and successfully identified BQ-AurIPr as a novel redox-active Au(I) complex with potent anticancer properties. BQ-AurIPr efficiently triggered generation of DAMPs-the hallmarks of ICD, and was superior in terms of efficiency compared to FDA-approved drugs known to in-duce ICD. BQ-AurIPr significantly increased immunogenicity of cancer cells enhancing their phagocytosis when co-cultured with immune cells. Our investigation reveals that BQ-AurIPr induces oxidative stress inside mitochondria leading to mitophagy, as the mechanism for ICD induction
Bills of Quantities (BQ) decrypted: uncovering research findings on BQ information requirements and the way forward
No full textThere have been concerns identified on the inadequacy of the BQ for utilisation by the contractors. These as contractors are constantly baffling to relate the BQ to the project development process thus resulting to the great loss of its utility during the construction process. In the midst of these concerns, information has been perceived to characterise issues concerning its use to the contracting organisations. This prompted a research to be conducted with the ultimate aim to develop a conceptual framework that indicates the important BQ information requirements and significant issues to be considered as the basis to improve the uses of the BQ. In relation to the research that has been carried out, this paper reports an excerpt from the research and is focused to highlight findings on determining the BQ information requirements to the identified usage of the BQ. Accordingly, nine information has been considered important to the uses of BQ. These are ranked as: (1) Quantities; (2) Time/duration; (3) Work descriptions; (4) Quantity units; (5) Unit rates; (6) Material specifications; (7) Working methods; (8) Preliminaries and (9) Provisional sums. The results suggest that ‘quantities’ has an important position to the overall uses of the BQ. This implies that more effort should be expanded to study about ‘quantities’ given its substantial contribution to the management of construction works
Nutev anomaly & strange-antistrange asymmetry
No full textThe NuTeV Collaboration reported a value of sin(2)theta(w) measured in neutrino-nucleon deep inelastic scattering, and found that the value is three standard deviations from the world average value of other electroweak measurements. If this result cannot be explained within conventional physics, it must imply some novel physics beyond the standard model. We report the correction from the asymmetric strange-antistrange sea by using both the light-cone meson-baryon model and the chiral quark model, and show that a significant part of the NuTeV anomaly can be explained by the strange-antistrange asymmetry.Physics, Particles & FieldsCPCI-S(ISTP)
Hepatobiliary transport mechanism for the cyclopentapeptide endothelin antagonist BQ-123
No full text The hepatobiliary transport of an anionic cyclopentapeptide endothelin antagonist, BQ-123, was studied in rats. Biliary excretion of [3H]BQ-123 was extensive in vivo (approximately 75% of intravenous infusion rates). Liver-to-plasma and bile-to-liver concentration ratios at steady state were approximately 3 and 200, respectively, suggesting that hepatic uptake and biliary excretion are concentrative processes. The biliary excretion clearance exhibited a saturation at a hepatic concentration of > 100 nmol/g liver and was markedly reduced in Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rats, which have a hereditary defect of canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter. An ATP-dependent and saturable uptake of BQ-123 by isolated canalicular membrane vesicles was observed in vitro. Impaired transport of BQ-123 was also confirmed in canalicular membrane vesicles prepared from Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rats. These results demonstrate that the biliary excretion process is ATP-driven primary active transport. It is proposed that a canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter is mainly responsible for the biliary excretion of BQ-123. </jats:p
Measurement 1 - BQ and Work Package Documentation
No full textBQ and Work Package Documentation
Points for Discussio
Key issues affecting contractor's uses of Bills of Quantities (BQ)
No full textThere have been numerous studies which reported issues over the uses of Bills of Quantities (BQ) by contracting organisations. The issues have caused a baffling effect to the contractors thus vitiated BQ reputation as a valuable instrument for the construction industry. Though, concerns over the uses of BQ have been well documented abroad, there seemed to be limited data captured that corresponded to the Malaysian context. Hence, this study seeks to report findings made from a study that aimed to determine significant issues affecting the uses of BQ to the contracting organisations in the Malaysian construction industry. The study outlined three objectives which include identifying the uses of BQ to the contracting organisations identifying issues affecting the uses of BQ and determining the significant issues affecting the uses of BQ. Through the survey, questionnaires were distributed to 500 active G7 contractors selected at random of which 112 (22.4%) responded. Data was first tested for its reliability using Cronbach's Alpha while the Relative Significance Index (RSI) and the analysis of significance were used for data analysis. The results showed that 'Inaccurate/wrong quantities' 'insufficient information on quantities, i.e., location' and 'inaccurate descriptions' were the most significant issues affecting the uses of BQ. The findings were significant as it offered data that corresponded to the local context and input that the industry could consider for improvements
Design and Implementation of a Student Biographical Questionnaire (BQ) Online Platform for Effective Student Success
No full textKnowing relevant information about students entering the higher education (HE) system is becoming increasingly important, thus enabling higher education institutions (HEIs) to design effective studentcentred support programmes. Therefore, HEIs should ascertain all relevant information about their students before the commencement of the academic year. Doing so means that institutions have a head start in understanding the types of support that will be required for different students throughout the year. This article describes the design, implementation and application of a student biographical questionnaire (BQ) online platform at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), as well as some of the lessons learned in this regard. The BQ online platform was fully implemented for the first time in January 2016 during the student registration process and has now become an integral part of the university student registration process. Once data collection and analysis is done, a BQ report is compiled and presented to various high-level decision-making structures of the university. The Faculty Student Advisers are the most critical users of the BQ data, as they utilise the data to inform and improve the various student support interventions that each faculty is providing. The planning process for BQ data collection includes questionnaire review; updates on the BQ online platform; testing of the BQ online platform; stakeholder meetings and BQ training of involved stakeholders. Some of the lessons learned when implementing this online platform include buy‑in and support from University Management; understanding of the BQ online platform by those dealing directly with students during the registration process; and continuous review and improvements of the BQ online platform. The BQ online platform has proven to be a valuable tool in providing Wits with a head start in understanding the needs of the students and the support they might require to succeed in their first year of study.
Keywords: biographical questionnaire; first‑year students; student success; student support; South Afric
- …
