The Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCF), which was developed by Rey in 1941 and standardized by Osterrieth in 1944, is a widely used neuropsychological test for the evaluation of visuospatial constructional ability and visual memory. Recently, the ROCF has been a useful tool for measuring executive function that is mediated by the prefrontal lobe. The ROCF consists of three test conditions: Copy, Immediate Recall and Delayed Recall. At the first step, subjects are given the ROCF stimulus card, and then asked to draw the same figure. Subsequently, they are instructed to draw what they remembered. Then, after a delay of 30 min, they are required to draw the same figure once again. The anticipated results vary according to the scoring system used, but commonly include scores related to location, accuracy and organization. Each condition of the ROCF takes 10 min to complete and the overall time of completion is about 30 min.

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The pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is unclear, despite epidemiological data implicating FFAs. We studied the pathogenesis of NASH using lipoapoptosis models. Palmitic acid (PA) induced classical apoptosis of hepatocytes. PA-induced lipoapoptosis was inhibited by acyl-CoA synthetase inhibitor but not by ceramide synthesis inhibitors, suggesting that conversion products other than ceramide are involved. Phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) inhibitors blocked PA-induced hepatocyte death, suggesting an important role for PLA 2 and its product lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). Small interfering RNA for Ca 21 -independent phospholipase A 2 (iPLA 2 ) inhibited the lipoapoptosis of hepatocytes. PA increased LPC content, which was reversed by iPLA 2 inhibitors. Pertussis toxin or dominant-negative Ga i mutant inhibited hepatocyte death by PA or LPC acting through G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)/Ga i . PA decreased cardiolipin content and induced mitochondrial potential loss and cytochrome c translocation. Oleic acid inhibited PA-induced hepatocyte death by diverting PA to triglyceride and decreasing LPC content, suggesting that FFAs lead to steatosis or lipoapoptosis according to the abundance of saturated/unsaturated FFAs. LPC administration induced hepatitis in vivo. LPC content was increased in the liver specimens from NASH patients. These results demonstrate that LPC is a death effector in the lipoapoptosis of hepatocytes and suggest potential therapeutic values of PLA 2 inhibitors or GPCR/ Ga i inhibitors in

An effective cancer control strategy requires improved early detection methods, patient-specific drug selection, and the ability to assess response to targeted therapeutics. Recently, plasmon resonance coupling between closely spaced metal nanoparticles has been used to develop ultrasensitive bioanalytical assays in vitro. We demonstrate the first in vivo application of plasmon coupling for molecular imaging of carcinogenesis. We describe molecular-specific gold bioconjugates to image epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR); these conjugates can be delivered topically and imaged noninvasively in real time. We show that labeling with gold bioconjugates gives information on the overexpression and nanoscale spatial relationship of EGF receptors in cell membranes, both of which are altered in neoplasia. EGFR-mediated aggregation of gold nanoparticles in neoplastic cells results in more than a 100-nm color shift and a contrast ratio of more than tenfold in images of normal and precancerous epithelium in vivo, dramatically increasing contrast beyond values reported previously for antibody-targeted fluorescent dyes.

Whereas prototypical Al(2)O(3) is not a glass former, amorphous Al(2)O(3) can be formed as thin films through vapor deposition and can serve as a structural model for the Al(2)O(3) glass. The first two-dimensional solid-state NMR experiments for amorphous Al(2)O(3) thin film reveal that four- and five-coordinated species are predominant (95%), while six-coordinated species are minor. Such a species distribution is remarkably similar to what has been predicted theoretically for Al(2)O(3) melts. Upon annealing to 800 degrees C the five-coordinated species becomes negligible, indicating the onset of crystallization of Al(2)O(3).

IgAN was the most common primary GN, and MCD was the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome. In the 5-year quartile comparison, the relative frequency of IgAN increased, while the relative frequency of MCD and MPGN decreased significantly during the past 20 years.

This study examines hotel frontline employees' perceptions of Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) activities at the hotel they currently work, and how their perceptions influence their level of Organizational Identification, an indicator of their relationship quality with the hotel. • Design/methodology/approach: This study uses 575 responses of hotel frontline employees in the U.S., collected through a national online survey. • Findings: Results show that hotel employees' perceptions of CSR activities encompass the host community, colleagues, and customers, beyond green practices. Moreover, their perceptions of CSR activities positively and significantly influence the level of Organizational Identification. • Research limitations/implications: The results of this exploratory study should not be generalized to all frontline employees in the U.S. hotel industry. Future studies should extend this study to examine potential relationships among other variables relevant to Organizational Identification, and in other hospitality industry contexts. Also, this study does not seek to question the merits of CSR per se, as it takes a managerial perspective to assist hoteliers' understanding of and decision-making on CSR. • Practical implications: As CSR activities often represent company values and norms, frontline employees' perceptions of them can influence how they identify with the company, which is an impetus for their attitudinal and behavioral support to help achieve the company's goals. Accordingly, CSR activities can be a critical tool in engaging frontline employees to achieve better performance and derive more meaning in their careers, and in attracting good quality employees. • Originality/value: This study is a first attempt to empirically examine how CSR activities can benefit hotel employees, based on various literatures on service-profitchain, CSR, and social identity theory.

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