The University of Manchester, PhD by Published Work, 2018 For several reasons, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are an important group of firms. In most market economies SMEs contribute significantly to wealth and job creation, economic growth, and product and service innovation. At the same time, SMEs are said to produce environmental impacts that are significant and that need managing and regulating. Their importance, from an economic and environmental perspective, is reflected in the fact that SMEs have become an established subject for research, with a distinct area of analysis focusing on how they manage their environmental impacts. Despite considerable interest in this area, aspects of their behaviour are in need of further examination, for there are still misunderstandings and gaps in knowledge. An area where gaps exist is how SMEs respond to different forms of environmental regulation (e.g., command-based or market-based approaches) and different forms of regulatory pressure (e.g., such as those pressures from civil society that might induce compliance-related activities or market forces that might flow through, and affect, the value chain). Why the gaps? On the one hand, and generally speaking, a common claim among those who have considered issues affecting smaller firms is that regulation is an important driver of environmental behaviour. There is a well-documented set of linked claims and empirical findings that smaller firms tend to be motivated by compliance with regulatory standards, yet owing to their scarce resources can find themselves hovering on the edge of compliance. Typically, SMEs will attempt to do no more than the law requires of them. They tend not, as it were, to go beyond compliance. Of course, this is an important observation - one that might say much, even if indirectly, about the motivations and intentions of smaller firms. It might indicate that SMEs, rather than addressing environmental issues, are more concerned with making cost savings and efficiency gains, or with satisfying the requirements of customers over such matters as product or service quality and delivery. While significant, there are at least three reasons why this view remains incomplete as an explanation for the interaction between SMEs, regulation and the environment. Firstly, this view tends to over-homogenise smaller firms. By treating them as a standardized group, the inference is that SMEs view and respond to regulation - i.e., they are all driven by regulation - in a broadly similar way. Secondly, it says little about how and why regulation drives behaviour. Claiming that regulation drives behaviour is helpful, but the claim is unduly narrow and leaves several important questions. In what ways does regulation drive behaviour? Does regulation drive all smaller firms in the same way? Thirdly, and finally, it suggests that different forms of regulation drive SME behaviour and that different forms of regulation drive this behaviour in broadly similar ways. That is, it is incomplete as it lacks appreciation of the widening scope of regulation and governance, and the nature of smart mixes of regulation. It fails to properly consider whether and how SMEs might respond differently to command-based regulation, market- or information-based measures, or self- or so-called civil regulatory pressures. On the other hand, and again in general terms, while those who have examined regulation have looked at how it can influence firms, they have tended to pay too little regard to how firms of different size may respond to different approaches or to how the factors and characteristics relating to size may shape the effectiveness of regulation. SMEs particularly are often discussed as an unusual sideshow that might raise different issues in relation, say, to the impacts of regulation on performance or innovation. That we often pay too little regard to how firms of different size may respond raises difficulties, particularly given our increasing understanding that there is no guarantee that a particular instrument will work in all situations. In other words, we are becoming more aware of the fact that the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of regulation is likely to be context-sensitive, and that the size of the enterprise is likely to be an important determinant of context. This thesis does take, and provides evidence for, the view that the organisational context is crucial to understanding how regulation functions. The thesis does not claim to provide all answers, but it does adopt the position that, in aggregate terms, a firm's size, or the factors that can be associated with size (e.g., resources, skills, knowledge, visibility, profile, stakeholder relations), and related factors concerning a firm's mind-set, can affect two things; first, the types of regulatory influences that may affect organizational behaviour and, second, how firms will respond to those influences. By focusing on SMEs, the thesis in some ways reinforces the dominant view that regulation is a driver of behaviour. Nevertheless, it goes much farther than this by showing, both theoretically and empirically, that there are important differences across SMEs and that these differences determine how and why they respond to regulation. It extends the common view by showing how SMEs differ not only in terms of the types of regulatory influences that shape their behaviour, but also in terms of how they react to these different influences. The emerging picture thus shows that the responses of firms are determined by their particular characteristics. The term used in this thesis is 'receptive capacity', which is shown to be a composite measure that includes the capabilities (e.g., resources, skills, knowledge) and orientations (e.g., views) of firms. It is suggested here that the range of receptive capacities across firms is enormous, since no two firms will be identical. Yet, it is argued - and demonstrated - that firms can be grouped according to certain identifiable characteristics, and that these groups of firms will respond to regulatory pressures in broadly similar ways; that is, there are groups of firms that have broadly similar resources and broadly similar worldviews. Thus, as well as suggesting that differences can be found at the micro level, it is demonstrated that there are sufficient commonalities across some firms that we can understand them as groups - groups of individual firms with some common characteristics. In conclusion, it is the differences across firms that provide us with a more sophisticated view of how SMEs are influenced by, and respond to, regulation. It is the nature of differences that is the main contribution of this research to both the fields of regulation and organisational and management studies. It is suggested finally that these differences have implications for how we design regulation, for how we may expect regulation to work or indeed not work, and for issues such as regulatory complexity and smart mixes.

Lee Ka Wai Sharon. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 227-260). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.I / ABBREVIATIONS --- p.III / ABSTRACT --- p.VI / 摘要 --- p.XI / CONFERENCE PUBLICATIONS --- p.XVII / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.XVIII / Chapter Part I - --- General Introduction / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1. --- The Search of Immunomodulatory Agents --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2. --- Cordyceps sinensis (Dong Cong Xia Cao) as an Immunomodulatory Agent --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.1. --- General Aspects --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.2. --- Evidence from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Concepts --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.3. --- Evidence from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Classics --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.4. --- Evidence from the Modern Research Literature --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.4.1. --- lmmunomodulation --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.4.2. --- Anti-tumor Effects --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.4.3. --- Other Activities Related to the Immune System --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.4.4. --- Potential Active Ingredients: Cordycepin and Polysaccharides --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.5. --- Prescription and Usage: Single Vs Concocted --- p.11 / Chapter 1.2.5.1. --- Single Form as an Immunoactivating Agent --- p.11 / Chapter 1.2.5.2. --- Concocted as an Anti-asthmatic Agent --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3. --- Our Hypothesis and Rationale --- p.13 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Experimental Design --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1. --- General Aspects of the Human Immune System --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2. --- Designing the In vitro Study on Cell-mediated Immunity --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.1. --- T Cells --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2.2. --- Macrophages --- p.26 / Chapter 2.3. --- Designing the In vitro and In vivo Study of Anti-tumor Activities --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3.1. --- Tumor Biology --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3.2. --- Tumor and Immunity --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3.2.1. --- T-Cell-Mediated Cytolysis (Tc Cells) --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.2.2. --- Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity (TDth Cells) --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.2.3. --- Natural Killer (NK) Cells --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.2.4. --- Lymphokine-Activated Killer (LAK) Cells --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.2.5. --- Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxic (ADCC) Cells --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.2.6. --- Activated Macrophages (AMΦ) --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.3. --- Mechanism of Tumor Engulfment --- p.32 / Chapter 2.3.4. --- The Experimental Plan --- p.33 / Chapter 2.4. --- Designing the In vitro Study and Clinical Trials on Anti-asthmatic Activities --- p.36 / Chapter Part II - --- Methodology / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Materials and Methods / Chapter 3.1. --- List of Materials and Their Origin --- p.39 / Chapter 3.1.1. --- Traditional Chinese Medicine --- p.39 / Chapter 3.1.2. --- Cells for In vitro Experiments --- p.39 / Chapter 3.1.3. --- Mice for In vivo Experiments --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1.4. --- "Medium, Buffer, Supplements and Reagents for Cell Culture" --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1.5. --- Dye for Cellular Staining --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1.6. --- Cell Mitogens and Activator --- p.41 / Chapter 3.1.7. --- Reagents for Flow Cytometric Analysis --- p.41 / Chapter 3.1.8. --- Reagent Kits --- p.41 / Chapter 3.1.9. --- ELISA Kits --- p.42 / Chapter 3.1.10. --- Antibodies --- p.43 / Chapter 3.1.11. --- Reagents for RNA Extraction --- p.44 / Chapter 3.1.12. --- Reagents for Gel Electrophoresis --- p.44 / Chapter 3.1.13. --- Reagents for cDNA Expression Array --- p.44 / Chapter 3.1.14. --- Other Reagents --- p.45 / Chapter 3.1.15. --- Special Equipment and Apparatus --- p.45 / Chapter 3.2. --- Details of Materials --- p.46 / Chapter 3.2.1. --- Traditional Chinese Medicine --- p.46 / Chapter 3.2.1.1. --- Natural Cordyceps sinensis --- p.46 / Chapter 3.2.1.2. --- HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps --- p.46 / Chapter 3.2.1.3. --- Wheeze-Relief Formula --- p.46 / Chapter 3.2.2. --- "Media, Supplements and Reagents for Cell Culture" --- p.47 / Chapter 3.2.2.1. --- Cell Culture Media --- p.47 / Chapter 3.2.2.2. --- Serum Supplements --- p.47 / Chapter 3.2.2.3. --- Anti-CD16 Magnetic Microbeads --- p.47 / Chapter 3.2.2.4. --- Fico´HёØ-Paque Plus Solution --- p.47 / Chapter 3.2.2.5. --- PercolĺёØ Solution --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2.2.6. --- Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2.2.7. --- Water --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2.3. --- Dye for Cellular Staining --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2.3.1. --- HemacoloŕёØ for Microscopy --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2.3.2. --- Trypan Blue Dye --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2.4. --- Reagents for Flow Cytometry --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2.4.1. --- FACS Flow Sheath Fluid --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2.4.2. --- FACS Wash Medium --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2.4.3. --- Paraformaldehyde --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2.5. --- Special Equipments and Apparatus --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2.5.1. --- Magnetic Cell Sorting System (MACS) --- p.49 / Chapter 3.3. --- Human Subjects --- p.51 / Chapter 3.3.1. --- Inclusion Criteria --- p.51 / Chapter 3.3.2. --- Exclusion Crtieria --- p.51 / Chapter 3.3.3. --- Medication --- p.52 / Chapter 3.3.4. --- Informed Consent and Patient Information --- p.52 / Chapter 3.4. --- Animals --- p.53 / Chapter 3.4.1. --- Maintenance --- p.53 / Chapter 3.4.2. --- Survival Experiment Using Erhlich Ascites Tumor Bearing ICR Mice --- p.53 / Chapter 3.4.3. --- Experiments of Immunomodulatory activity in Sarcoma 180 Bearing BALB/c Mice --- p.54 / Chapter 3.5. --- Methodology --- p.55 / Chapter 3.5.1. --- Preparation of the Traditional Chinese Medicine --- p.55 / Chapter 3.5.1.1. --- Hot Water Extraction of Water Soluble Fraction of Natural Cordyceps sinensis --- p.55 / Chapter 3.5.1.2. --- Hot Water Extraction of Water Soluble Fraction of HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Corydceps and the Wheeze-relief Formula for In vitro Experiments --- p.55 / Chapter 3.5.1.3. --- HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Corydceps for the In Vivo Experiments --- p.56 / Chapter 3.5.1.4. --- Extraction Efficiency of the Hot Water Extracts --- p.56 / Chapter 3.5.2. --- Limulus Ameobocyte Lysate Test --- p.56 / Chapter 3.5.3. --- Cell Preparation --- p.57 / Chapter 3.5.3.1. --- "Isolation of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells, Lymphocytes and Monocytes" --- p.57 / Chapter 3.5.3.2. --- Isolation of Eosinophils --- p.58 / Chapter 3.5.3.3. --- Isolation of Spleen Cells from BALB/c Mice --- p.58 / Chapter 3.5.3.4. --- "Murine Ehrlich Ascites Tumor (EAT), PU5-18, and Sarcoma 180 (SC-180) Cell Lines" --- p.59 / Chapter 3.5.3.5. --- Human Eosinophilic Leukemic Cell Line (EoL-1) --- p.59 / Chapter 3.5.3.6. --- Human Hepatocarcinoma Hep-3B Cell Line --- p.59 / Chapter 3.5.3.7. --- Human Leukemic Cell Line (HL-60) --- p.59 / Chapter 3.5.3.8. --- Human Mast Cell Line (HMC-1) --- p.60 / Chapter 3.5.4. --- Collection of Mouse Serum and Human Plasma --- p.60 / Chapter 3.5.5. --- Collection of Culture Supernatant --- p.60 / Chapter 3.5.6. --- The Trypan Blue Exclusion Assay --- p.61 / Chapter 3.5.7. --- Colorimetric 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) Cell Proliferation Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) --- p.61 / Chapter 3.5.8. --- Immunophenotyping --- p.62 / Chapter 3.5.9. --- The Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) Kits --- p.62 / Chapter 3.5.10. --- Intracellular Florescence Staining for Reactive Oxygen Species --- p.63 / Chapter 3.5.11. --- The Intracellular Zymosan Florescence Assay --- p.64 / Chapter 3.5.12. --- Total Cellular RNA Extraction --- p.64 / Chapter 3.5.13. --- Gel Electrophoresis of RNA Integrity --- p.65 / Chapter 3.5.14. --- cDNA Expression Array --- p.65 / Chapter 3.5.15. --- Cell Staining Using Cytospin --- p.66 / Chapter 3.5.16. --- Annexin V-FITC/Propidium Iodide Apoptosis Detection --- p.66 / Chapter 3.5.17. --- Weighing the Spleen and Tumor --- p.67 / Chapter 3.5.18. --- Preparing Samples for the Eosinophilic Cationic Protein Fluoroenzymeimmunoassay --- p.67 / Chapter 3.5.19. --- Statistical Analysis --- p.67 / Chapter Part III - --- Results: Pre-functional Assays / Chapter Chapter 4: --- "Extraction, Endotoxin Measurement, In vitro Cytotoxicity Testing, and the Selection of Optimal Concentration" / Chapter 4.1. --- Extraction efficiency --- p.68 / Chapter 4.1.1. --- Introduction --- p.68 / Chapter 4.1.2. --- Results --- p.68 / Chapter 4.2. --- Endotoxin Level --- p.69 / Chapter 4.2.1. --- Introduction --- p.69 / Chapter 4.2.2. --- Results and Interpretation --- p.69 / Chapter 4.3. --- Cytotoxicity --- p.70 / Chapter 4.3.1. --- Introduction --- p.70 / Chapter 4.3.2. --- Results and Interpretation --- p.71 / Chapter 4.3.2.1. --- Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC) --- p.71 / Chapter 4.3.2.2. --- Eosinophils --- p.72 / Chapter 4.4. --- The Optimal Concentration (OC) --- p.76 / Chapter 4.4.1. --- Introduction --- p.76 / Chapter 4.4.2. --- Results and Interpretation --- p.76 / Chapter Part IV- --- Results: Immunomodulatory Activities of Cordyceps sinensis as a Single Herb / Chapter Chapter 5: --- Mitogenic Activity --- p.80 / Chapter 5.1. --- Introduction --- p.80 / Chapter 5.2. --- Results --- p.80 / Chapter 5.3. --- Discussion --- p.81 / Chapter Chapter 6: --- Cytokines and Cytokine Receptors --- p.84 / Chapter 6.1. --- Introduction --- p.84 / Chapter 6.2. --- Results --- p.84 / Chapter 6.2.1. --- Effects of Natural Cordyceps sinensis and HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on the Induction of Cytokines from Lymphocytes --- p.84 / Chapter 6.2.1.1. --- TNFa --- p.84 / Chapter 6.2.1.2. --- IL-6 --- p.85 / Chapter 6.2.1.3. --- IL-10 --- p.85 / Chapter 6.2.2. --- Effects of Natural Cordyceps sinensis and HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on the Induction of Cytokines from Monocytes --- p.92 / Chapter 6.2.2.1. --- IL-1β --- p.92 / Chapter 6.2.2.2. --- IL-6 --- p.92 / Chapter 6.2.2.3. --- IL-10 --- p.97 / Chapter 6.2.2.4. --- TNFα --- p.97 / Chapter 6.2.3. --- Effects of Natural Cordyceps sinensis and HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on the Expression of Cytokine Receptor --- p.102 / Chapter 6.2.4. --- Effects of Natural Cordyceps sinensis and HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on the Gene Expression of Cytokines and Cytokine Receptors in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells --- p.105 / Chapter 6.3. --- Discussion --- p.112 / Chapter Chapter 7: --- Macrophage Functions: Phagocytosis and Release of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) --- p.116 / Chapter 7.1 --- Introduction --- p.116 / Chapter 7.2. --- Results --- p.117 / Chapter 7.2.1. --- Phagocytosis --- p.117 / Chapter 7.2.2. --- Release of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) --- p.117 / Chapter 7.3. --- Discussion --- p.124 / Chapter Chapter 8: --- Apoptosis of Selected Cancer Cell Lines --- p.126 / Chapter 8.1. --- Introduction --- p.126 / Chapter 8.2. --- Results --- p.127 / Chapter 8.2.1. --- Differential Cytotoxic Effects of natural Cordyceps sinensis and HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on Various Cancer Cell Lines In vitro --- p.127 / Chapter 8.2.2. --- Differential Anti-Proliferative Effects of natural Cordyceps sinensis and HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on Various Cancer Cell Lines In vitro --- p.129 / Chapter 8.2.3. --- Differential Apoptotic Effects of Natural Cordyceps sinensis and HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on Various Cancer Cell Lines In vitro --- p.131 / Chapter 8.2.3.1. --- Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells --- p.131 / Chapter 8.2.3.2. --- Hepatocarcinoma Hep-3B --- p.131 / Chapter 8.2.3.3. --- Human Eosinophilic Leukemic Cell Line --- p.134 / Chapter 8.2.3.4. --- Human Mast Cell Line --- p.134 / Chapter 8.2.3.5. --- Human Leukemic Cell Line (HL-60) --- p.138 / Chapter 8.2.3.6. --- Murine Macrophages/Monocytes Cell Line PU5-18 --- p.138 / Chapter 8.2.3.7. --- Murine Erhlich Ascites Tumor (EAT) --- p.142 / Chapter 8.2.3.8. --- Murine Sarcoma 180 (SC-180) --- p.142 / Chapter 8.3. --- Discussion --- p.145 / Chapter Part V- --- Results: Immunomodulatory Activities of Cordyceps sinensis in Concoction / Chapter Chapter 9: --- The In vivo Animal Model --- p.147 / Chapter 9.1. --- introduction --- p.147 / Chapter 9.2. --- Results --- p.148 / Chapter 9.2.1. --- The ICR Mice Model --- p.148 / Chapter 9.2.1.1. --- In vivo Effects of Natural C. sinensis and HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on the Ascitic Fluid Production of ICR Mice --- p.148 / Chapter 9.2.1.2. --- Effects of Natural C. sinensis and HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on the Survival of Tumor-bearing ICR Mice --- p.149 / Chapter 9.3. --- The BALB/c Mice Model --- p.153 / Chapter 9.3.1. --- In vivo Effects of HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on Spleen and Tumor Weight --- p.153 / Chapter 9.3.2. --- Effects of HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on the Mitogenic Activities of Spleen Cells --- p.154 / Chapter 9.3.3. --- "In vivo Effects of HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on the Cell Surface Expression of CD3, CD4, and CD8" --- p.157 / Chapter 9.3.4. --- Effects of HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on the Cytokine Release from Cultured Spleen Cells --- p.161 / Chapter 9.3.4.1. --- TNFα --- p.161 / Chapter 9.3.4.2. --- IFNγ --- p.163 / Chapter 9.3.4.3. --- IL-2 --- p.163 / Chapter 9.3.4.4. --- IL-4 --- p.163 / Chapter 9.3.4.5. --- IL-6 --- p.167 / Chapter 9.3.4.6. --- IL-10 --- p.167 / Chapter 9.3.4.7. --- IL-12p70 --- p.167 / Chapter 9.3.4.8. --- Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein(MCP)-1 --- p.167 / Chapter 9.3.5. --- In vivo Effects of HERBSnSENSEŚёØ Cordyceps on the Cytokine Synthesis --- p.172 / Chapter 9.4. --- Discussion --- p.174 / Chapter Chapter 10: --- In vitro Studies on Eosinophils and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells --- p.178 / Chapter 10.1. --- Introduction --- p.178 / Chapter 10.2. --- Results --- p.180 / Chapter 10.2.1. --- In vitro Effects of Wheeze-Relief Formula on the Survival of IL-5 Enhanced Eosinophils --- p.180 / Chapter 10.2.2. --- In vitro Effects of Wheeze-Relief Formula on the Degranulation of Eosinophils --- p.180 / Chapter 10.2.3. --- In vitro Effects of Wheeze-Relief Formula on the Surface Expression of Adhesion Molecules and Chemokine Receptors on Eosinophils --- p.183 / Chapter 10.2.4. --- In vitro Effects of Wheeze-Relief Formula on the Surface Expression of Adhesion Molecules on Eosinophils --- p.183 / Chapter 10.2.5. --- In vitro Effects of Wheeze-Relief Formula on the Cytokine Release from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells --- p.187 / Chapter 10.2.6. --- In vitro Effects of Wheeze-Relief Formula on the Gene Expression Profile of Cytokines and Cytokine Receptors of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells --- p.187 / Chapter 10.3. --- Discussion --- p.196 / Chapter Chapter 11: --- The Clinical Trial: Analysis of Serological Markers --- p.200 / Chapter 11.1. --- Introduction --- p.200 / Chapter 11.2. --- Results --- p.202 / Chapter 11.2.1. --- Demographic Data and Drop-out Cases --- p.202 / Chapter 11.2.2. --- Lung Function Test --- p.202 / Chapter 11.2.3. --- Steroid Dosage --- p.202 / Chapter 11.2.4. --- Serological Markers --- p.205 / Chapter 11.3. --- Discussion --- p.215 / Chapter Part VI - --- Conclusion / Chapter Chapter 12: --- Concluding Remarks and Future Perspectives --- p.217 / Chapter Part VII- --- Appendix / Parent Information Sheet --- p.222 / 家長資訊 --- p.223 / Consent Form --- p.224 / Licence to Conduct Animal Experiments --- p.225 / Bibliography --- p.227

Every living organism possesses a genome that contains within it a unique set of genes, a substantial number of which encode proteins. Over the last 20 years, it has become apparent that organismal complexity arises not from the specific complement of genes per se, but rather from interactions between the gene products - in particular, interactions between proteins. As an inevitable consequence of the crowded cellular interior, most protein-protein interactions are fleeting. However, many are significantly more long-lived and result in stable protein complexes, in which the constituent subunits are obligately dependent on their binding partners. Despite the abundance of protein complexes and their critical importance to the cell, we currently have an incomplete understanding of the mechanisms by which the cell ensures their correct assembly. In the chapters that follow, I have attempted to improve our understanding of the regulatory systems underlying assembly of protein complexes, and the way in which assembly as a whole affects the behaviour of the cell. The thesis opens with an extended literature review covering the currently available methods for characterising protein complexes. After this introduction, chapters 2-4 are concerned with regulatory mechanisms and biological implications common to the assembly of all protein complexes. Chapter 5 diverges from this work, and describes a family of evolutionarily related proteins that regulate the behaviour of condensins and cohesins. Bacterial and archaeal genomes contain far less non-coding DNA than eukaryotes, and coding genes are often packaged into discrete units known as operons. The proteins encoded within operons are usually functionally related, either through participation in metabolic pathways or as subunits of heteromeric protein complexes. Since protein complexes assemble via ordered pathways, we reasoned that there might be a signature of assembly order present in operons, the genes of which are translated in sequential order. By comparing computationally predicted assembly pathways with gene order in operons, we demonstrated this to be the case for the large majority of operon-encoded complexes. Within operons, gene order follows assembly order, and adjacent genes are substantially more likely to share a physical interface than those further apart. This work demonstrates that efficient assembly of complexes is of sufficient importance as to have placed major constraints on the evolution of operon gene order. Following this study of bacterial operons, I present results from research investigating how patterns of protein degradation in eukaryotes are influenced by the formation of protein complexes. This showed that, whilst most proteins display exponential degradation kinetics, a sizeable minority deviate considerably from this pattern, instead being more consistent with a two-step degradation process. These proteins are predominantly members of heteromeric complexes, and their two-step decay profiles can be explained using a model under which bound and unbound subunits are degraded at different rates. Within individual complexes, we find that non-exponentially decaying proteins tend to form larger interfaces, assemble earlier, and show a higher degree of coexpression, consistent with the idea that bound subunits are degraded at a slower rate than unbound or peripheral subunits. This model also explains the behaviour of proteins in aneuploid cells where one or more chromosomes have been duplicated. In general, protein abundance scales with gene copy number, so that the immediate effect of duplicating a chromosome is to double the abundance of the proteins encoded on it. However, previous analyses of mass spectrometry data, as well as my own, have shown that the abundance of many proteins on duplicated chromosomes is significantly attenuated compared to what one would expect. These proteins, like those with non-exponential degradation patterns, are very often members of larger complexes. Since the overall concentration of a protein complex is constrained by that of its least abundant members, duplicating a single subunit will predominantly increase the unbound, unstable fraction of that subunit. The results from this work strongly suggest that the apparent attenuation of many proteins observed in aneuploid cells is indeed a consequence of the failure of these proteins to assemble into complexes. Finally, I present a study concerning an important, universally conserved family of protein complexes, namely the SMC-kleisins. Two members of this family, condensin and cohesin, are responsible for two hallmarks of eukaryotic chromatin organisation: the formation of condensed, linear chromosomes, and sister chromatid cohesion during cell division. Unlike other SMC-kleisins, condensin and cohesin possess a number of regulators containing HEAT repeats. By developing a computational pipeline for searching and clustering paralogous repeat proteins, I was able to demonstrate that these regulators form a distinct sub-family within the larger class of HEAT repeat proteins. Furthermore, these regulators arose very early in eukaryotic history, hinting at a possible role in the origin of modern condensins and cohesins.

Leptin is an adipocyte-derived hormone which circulates in concentrations that are closely correlated with amounts of body fat. It provides a chronic signal to the central nervous system (CNS) regarding quantity of stored body fat and as such it is involved in the regulation of long term energy homeostasis. Leptin also declines abruptly when negative energy is imposed, providing a signal of incipient threats to the adequacy of fat stores. Humans and mice maintain body weight (fat) at remarkably stable levels without conscious effort to adjust food intake or energy expenditure. Changes in body weight induced by either overfeeding or dietary restriction are rapidly reversed when free feeding is resumed, indicating that altered body weight is accompanied by physiological adjustments that oppose this change. The “set-point” that is being defended depends on individuals’ genetic makeup and developmental environment during the perinatal period. Several aspects of leptin physiology were investigated in the work presented in this dissertation including:  the effects of transient hyperleptinemia at specific developmental periods on subsequent body weight set point in mice;  regulation of body weight in the absence of leptin in mice;  genetic contributors to circulating leptin concentrations in human and mice, and;  the efficacy of an MC4R agonist – a downstream target of leptin – on maintenance of reduced body weight in mice. Chapter 2 and 3. The effects of transient hyperleptinemia at specific developmental periods on subsequent body weight set point in mice To assess whether leptin per se influences the body weight set point and whether there is a critical time window for such effects, we generated a transgenic mouse in which non-invasive induction of transient hyperleptinemia is dissociated from adiposity. This transgenic mouse uses a TET-ON system in which transgenic (CMV-driven) leptin expression is regulated by exposure to doxycycline (dox) in a dose-responsive manner that can be rapidly turned on and off. Circulating leptin concentrations can be elevated to those in a high fat-fed obese mouse within one day and either sustained indefinitely or restored to baseline concentrations within 24 hours. Acute overexpression of leptin in the adult transgenic mice reduces food intake and causes transient weight loss – confirming that the transgenic leptin is bioactive and capable of triggering anticipated physiological responses. This leptin transgenic mouse enables reversible increases in circulating leptin to virtually any level at any point in development. Using this system we investigated the physiological consequences of developmentally timed transient hyperleptinemia on subsequent apparent set point for adiposity. Specifically, we evaluated the physiological effects of elevated leptin during adulthood, “adolescence” and the immediate postnatal period on the defense of body weight (adiposity) later in life and on the susceptibility to gain weight when offered a highly palatable diet ad libitum. We showed that inducing chronic hyperleptinemia in adult or “adolescent” mice does not increase the set point of defended body weight when excess leptin is removed; however, transient elevation of circulating leptin in the immediate postnatal period increases the hyperphagic response of the offspring to a highly palatable diet 7 weeks later, and renders animals more susceptible to obesity as adults. We demonstrated that leptin per se is capable of influencing the susceptibility of mice to gain weight on high fat diet; however, these effects are restricted to a critical time window which we identified to be the immediate postnatal period. Chapter 4. Regulation of body weight in the absence of leptin in mice Leptin-deficient Lepob/ob mice show metabolic compensation for lost weight and they appear to defend body fat by leptin-independent mechanisms. We attempted to identify mechanisms involved in leptin-independent regulation of body weight. Lepob/ob mice were either fed ad libitum or calorie restricted to lose 20% of body weight. Calorie-restricted mice reduced energy expenditure and, when released to ad libitum feeding, regained fat and lean mass (to the levels of ad libitum controls) within 5 weeks. Calorie-restricted mice did so while their ad libitum caloric intake was equal to that of the control animals. These results confirm that, in congenitally leptin deficient animals, leptin is not required for compensatory reduction in energy expenditure accompanying weight loss, but suggest that the hyperphagia of the weight-reduced state is leptin-dependent. Chapter 5. Genetic contributors to circulating leptin concentrations in human and mice While circulating leptin concentrations correlate closely with body fat, at any given level of adiposity, there is substantial variation in circulating leptin. We collaborated with Dr. Ruth Loos – professor of Environmental Medicine & Public Health at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai – and her associates who carried out a genome-wide association study of circulating leptin concentrations adjusted for body mass and composition, and identified five loci associated with reduced circulating leptin concentrations [1]. The aim of the study was to identify and functionally assess potentially causal gene(s) within each implicated region. Our aim was to identify genes that modify leptin production/release in a manner that might account for reduced circulating leptin concentrations and hence predisposition to obesity. We developed an assay to directly measure effects of the candidate genes in ex vivo adipose tissue explants on production and secretion of leptin. Using siRNAs, we knocked down expression of these genes in perigonadal adipose tissue explants from mice fed high fat diet and demonstrated that Adig, located in the SLC32A1 locus, modulates leptin production and secretion [1]. These studies provide a prototype for the functional deconvolution of groups of genes identified by genome-wide association studies in which a specific cell type can be implicated. Chapter 6. The efficacy of an MC4R agonist – a downstream target of leptin – on maintenance of reduced body weight in mice Finally, we investigated the efficacy of an MC4R agonist in maintenance of reduced body weight in mice [2]. Weight loss is difficult to maintain due to physiological adaptations in energy expenditure and drive to eat that accompany this state. Exogenous leptin sufficient to restore circulating levels to those preceding weight (fat) loss reverses many of the relevant phenotypes. MC4R is a downstream target of leptin signaling and is central in energy homeostasis. In collaboration with scientists at AstraZeneca, we studied the effectiveness of a novel peptide MC4R agonist in maintenance of reduced body weight compared to its use in inducing weight loss. In the weight reduced state, 5x lower doses of the same molecule were comparably efficacious to a higher dose in the ad libitum state [2]. This protocol provides a model for evaluating the mechanisms and quantitative efficacy of weight-maintenance strategies and agents. These data support the concept that the pharmacology of the weight reduced state may be more tractable than that designed to induce weight loss. Overall, the major conclusions from these studies are that:  transient hyperleptinemia during the postnatal period can influence the susceptibility of mice to diet-induced obesity in adulthood;  factors other than leptin contribute to body weight regulation in leptin deficient mice;  functional, biological assays can be used to identify causal genes in genome-wide association study identified loci, and;  pharmacological agents to maintain reduced weight may be a tractable target for treatment of obesity.

The aim of this paper which is called "Competition in Regulation: Implementation of BASEL II in Canada" is to analyze the introduction of Basel Rules in the banking sector in Canada. The goal is to prove that the economical stability, high concentration of the banking sector and a simple system of regulation and supervision can be a competitive advantage for a banking market. The analysis is based on the comparison of the implementation of BASEL II in Canada, the USA and the European Union.

The purpose of my diploma thesis is to determine whether regulation of fixed access electronic communications networks, as defined by the European regulatory framework, leads in Czech market to its objectives to be reached and possibly discuss the reasons for failure. For this purpose diploma thesis analyzed the development of two relevant markets focusing on competition in fixed telecommunications services. The work shows that the purpose of regulation is not completely filled, because there is no reduction in market share of incumbent at both markets. However, it is only because of settings of regulation. However, from the perspective of the end customer, competitive market exists. Author in the end proposes own solution to the problem in the form of deregulation of access obligation.

Background: Negative forms of self-relating such as self-criticism and self-judgement are known to contribute to poor mental health across diagnoses including eating disorders. Negative self-relating can lead to avoidance or suppression of emotions, and poor attachment relationships can lead to deficits in self-reassuring abilities. Self-compassion is a construct which is gaining attention in clinical research as a potentially important and healthy way of relating to the self in the face of painful or difficult experiences. Systematic review: A systematic review of the literature eating disorders and self-compassion suggested that lower levels of self-compassion are related to worse eating disorder pathology, particularly emotional eating, and body image dissatisfaction. Findings suggest that self-compassion training may have a role in multimodal prevention and treatment approaches for eating disorders, disordered eating and body image problems, particularly bulimia or binge eating disorders. The role in restrictive eating behaviour is less clear and warrants further research. Aims: This study was a cross-sectional study design with a purpose of conducting Confirmatory factor analysis on the Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form, and correlational analysis of the relationship between self-compassion, (as measured on SCS-SF) with emotion regulation difficulties, alexithymia and distress. Participants and procedure: 297 people referred to an adult clinical psychology service in Scotland completed the SCS-SF and measures of emotion regulation, alexithymia and distress. Results: CFAs did not support six factor or hierarchical models for SCS-SF. Instead a two-factor model was supported. Correlation analysis indicated that self-compassion is inversely associated with difficulties in emotion regulation, alexithymia and distress. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that self-compassion was a unique predictor of distress. Implications: Further clarification of the construct of self-compassion, its role in psychopathology and how it should be measured is required. It is important that as research involving self-compassion and its role in mental health services progresses, that psychometrically valid measures are employed. Furthermore, correlation and regression analyses suggest convergent validity for the construct of self-compassion, and support theoretical links with emotion regulation. Conclusions: Self-compassion appears to be an important variable in eating disorders pathology and appears to be linked with adaptive emotion regulation in clinical populations. However results suggest longitudinal research and a more robust measure is required for use in clinical populations, especially if information about facets of the construct are to be understood.

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / In the South African employment context, temporary employment service (hereinafter referred as TES), also known as labour broking, is regulated by the Labour Relations Act.1 Under the previous LRA (prior 2014 legislative amendments), employees of TES have been challenged in respect of exercising their labour law rights and that subjected them to exploitation. Such exploitation called for the government of South Africa to effect some amendments on the LRA with a view to protect TES employees. This was done through Labour Relations amendment Act no 06 of 2014, which came into force in August 2014. The relationship in TES involved three parties, such as, client, labour broker and an employee. A labour broker entered into a commercial contract with a client, in terms of which the former would provide employees to the client. An employment contract will then be entered into between labour broker and an employee. The duration of employment contract would mostly be determined by as long as the client requires services of a placed employee. No employment contract was entered into between an employee and the client. This is despite the fact that a client had directly enjoyed services of the employee.

No description available.

The study of self within psychology has been limited in a number of ways. Two sets of empirical studies extended the study of self beyond traditional trait-based self-perception. In the first set of studies, seven hundred and eighty-nine adults listed their multiple “self-aspects” that represent meaningful elements of their lives and completed trait ratings for each of their self-aspects. The similarity between trait responses for the different self-aspects indicated the degree of “self-complexity” for a participant, as well as the degree of “self-integration.” Results replicated previous findings indicating that lower self-complexity is associated with higher well-being, and that network-based approaches for measuring self-complexity were more strongly with well-being. Finally, participants who completed the same task 3 weeks later demonstrated an increase in self-integration. Broadly, the results demonstrate that network-based approaches are an effective metric for studying the structure of the self and that future work may have success using networks to inform identity-based interventions. In the second set of studies, five hundred and ninety-four adults completed studies about personal identity and morality. Participants imagined that some trait about someone had changed and were asked to indicate the degree to which the trait change would change the person’s identity. Comparisons of interest examined the degree to which moral trait changes led to more perceived identity change than non-moral trait changes and the degree to which imagining changes to oneself versus to another person yielded differences in perceived identity change. Results replicated previous work indicating that morals lead to most perceived identity change and find that changes to self yielded large perceived identity change than changes to a friend. Moreover, neuroimaging work revealed that thinking about identity change for both targets recruits regions of the cortical midline and that thinking about moral trait words does not recruit any regions compared to thinking about non-moral trait words, challenging previous assumptions about the nature of self-perception and personal identity. Results from both sets of studies were integrated with philosophical and translational perspectives to consider the overall contributions to real-world, self-control issues and broader questions about the nature of the self.