Exercise training is critical for the early prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes mellitus.However,the mechanism with gut microbiota and fecal metabolites underlying the effects of voluntary wheel running o...Exercise training is critical for the early prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes mellitus.However,the mechanism with gut microbiota and fecal metabolites underlying the effects of voluntary wheel running on high-fat diet induced abnormal glucose metabolism has not been fully elaborated.C57BL/6 male mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups according to diets(fed with normal chow diet or high-fat diet)and running paradigm(housed in static cage or with voluntary running wheel).An integrative 16S rDNA sequencing and metabolites profiling was synchronously performed to characterize the effects of voluntary wheel running on gut microbiota and metabolites.It showed that voluntary wheel running prevented the detrimental effects of high-fat feeding on glucose metabolism 16S rDNA sequencing showed remarkable changes in Rikenella and Marvinbryantia genera.Metabolic profiling indicated multiple altered metabolites,which were enriched in secondary bile acid biosynthesis signaling.In conclusion,our study indicated that voluntary wheel running significantly improved glucose metabolism and counteracted the deleterious effects of high-fat feeding on body weight and glucose intolerance.We further found that voluntary wheel running could integratively program gut microbiota composition and fecal metabolites changes,and may regulate muricholic acid metabolism and secondary bile acid biosynthesis in high-fat fed mice.展开更多
The legal and moral permissibility of clinical research entails that researchers must secure the voluntary,informed consent of prospective research participants before enrolling them in studies.In seeking the consent ...The legal and moral permissibility of clinical research entails that researchers must secure the voluntary,informed consent of prospective research participants before enrolling them in studies.In seeking the consent of potential participants,researchers are also allowed to incentivise the recruitment process because many studies would fail to meet enrollment goals without a financial incentive for participation.Some philosophers and bioethicists contend that the use of incentives to secure consent from research subjects is problematic because it constitutes undue inducement and a coercive offer.Some proponents of this view are Ruth Macklin(1981,1989)and Joan McGregor(2005).Macklin claims that it is ethically inappropriate to pay research subjects.The payment is likely to coerce the research subject,thereby violating the ethical requirement on the voluntariness of research participation.Also,such offers can prompt subjects to lie,deceive or conceal information that,if known,would disqualify them as participants.For McGregor,incentives could be undue and coercive because they make offerees better off relative to their baseline as well as constrain them to accept the offer of incentives as the only eligible choice or option.I argue that coercive offers are distinct from undue inducement.Coercive offers are essentially morally objectionable because by making people accept an offer through threats for the sake of some interests or ends,the offeror vitiates the offeree’s capacity to make informed,voluntary,and rational decisions and choices.I further claim that the quantity of an incentive does not render an inducement undue.I contend that the only condition under which incentives are regarded as an undue inducement and as such vitiates an agent’s voluntary consent is if they are offered through deceptive or manipulative means.展开更多
China Volunteer Service Federation is a nationalfederated social organization composed ofvoluntary service organizations and volunteers.Since its founding in more than two years ago,by strengthening cooperation with d...China Volunteer Service Federation is a nationalfederated social organization composed ofvoluntary service organizations and volunteers.Since its founding in more than two years ago,by strengthening cooperation with diversifiedvoluntary service organizations at all levels,promoting the working methods innovationof voluntary service in all sectors and regions,展开更多
The control of balance is crucial for efficiently performing most of our daily motor tasks, such as those involving goal-directed arm movements or whole body displacement. The purpose of this article is twofold. First...The control of balance is crucial for efficiently performing most of our daily motor tasks, such as those involving goal-directed arm movements or whole body displacement. The purpose of this article is twofold. Firstly, it is to recall how balance can be maintained despite the different sources of postural perturbation arising during voluntary movement. The importance of the so-called "anticipatory postural adjustments"(APA), taken as a "line of defence" against the destabilizing effect induced by a predicted perturbation, is emphasized. Secondly, it is to report the results of recent studies that questioned the adaptability of APA to various constraints imposed on the postural system. The postural constraints envisaged here are classified into biomechanical(postural stability, superimposition of motor tasks),(neuro) physiological(fatigue), temporal(time pressure) and psychological(fear of falling, emotion). Overall, the results of these studies point out the capacity of the central nervous system(CNS) to adapt the spatio-temporal features of APA to each of theseconstraints. However, it seems that, depending on the constraint, the "priority" of the CNS was focused on postural stability maintenance, on body protection and/or on maintenance of focal movement performance.展开更多
Running is believed to be beneficial for human health. Many studies have focused on the neuroprotective effects of voluntary running on animal models. There were both primary and secondary degeneration in neurodegener...Running is believed to be beneficial for human health. Many studies have focused on the neuroprotective effects of voluntary running on animal models. There were both primary and secondary degeneration in neurodegenerative diseases, including glaucoma. However, whether running can delay primary or secondary degeneration or both of them was not clear. Partial optic nerve transection model is a valuable glaucoma model for studying both primary and secondary degeneration because it can separate primary(mainly in the superior retina) from secondary(mainly in the inferior retina) degeneration. Therefore, we compared the survival of retinal ganglion cells between Sprague-Dawley rat runners and non-runners both in the superior and inferior retinas. Excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and apoptosis are involved in the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells in glaucoma. So we also used western immunoblotting to compare the expression of some proteins involved in apoptosis(phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinases, p-JNKs), oxidative stress(manganese superoxide dismutase, MnSOD) and excitotoxicity(glutamine synthetase) between runners and non-runners after partial optic nerve transection. Results showed that voluntary running delayed the death of retinal ganglion cells vulnerable to primary degeneration but not those to secondary degeneration. In addition, voluntary running decreased the expression of glutamine synthetase, but not the expression of p-JNKs and MnSOD in the superior retina after partial optic nerve transection. These results illustrated that primary degeneration of retinal ganglion cells might be mainly related with excitotoxicity rather than oxidative stress; and the voluntary running could down-regulate excitotoxicity to delay the primary degeneration of retinal ganglion cells after partial optic nerve transection.展开更多
BACKGROUND Preoperative pulmonary function plays an important role in selecting surgical candidates and assessing postoperative complications.Reduced pulmonary function is associated with poor survival in several canc...BACKGROUND Preoperative pulmonary function plays an important role in selecting surgical candidates and assessing postoperative complications.Reduced pulmonary function is associated with poor survival in several cancers,but the prognostic value of preoperative pulmonary function in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)is unclear.Nutritional and systemic inflammation parameters are vital to cancer survival,and the combination of these parameters improves the prognostic value.The hemoglobin,albumin,lymphocytes and platelets(HALP)score is a novel prognostic indicator to reflect the nutritional and inflammation status,but the clinical effects of the HALP score combined with maximal voluntary ventilation(MVV),an important parameter of pulmonary function,have not been well studied in ESCC.AIM To investigate the prognostic value of MVV and HALP score for assessing postoperative survival of ESCC patients.METHODS Data form 834 ESCC patients who underwent radical esophagectomy with R0 resection were collected and retrospectively analyzed.Preoperative MVV and HALP data were retrieved from medical archives.The HALP score was calculated by the formula:Hemoglobin(g/L)×albumin(g/L)×lymphocytes(/L)/platelets(/L).The optimal cut-off values of MVV and HALP score were calculated by the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.The Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test was used to draw the survival curves for the variables tested.Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyze the independent prognostic factors for overall survival.RESULTS MVV was significantly associated with gender(P<0.001),age at diagnosis(P<0.001),smoking history(P<0.001),drinking history(P<0.001),tumor length(P=0.013),tumor location(P=0.037)and treatment type(P=0.001).The HALP score was notably associated with gender(P<0.001),age at diagnosis(P=0.035),tumor length(P<0.001)and invasion depth(P=0.001).Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that low MVV and low HALP score were associated with worse overall survival(all P<0.001).Multivariate analysis showed that low MVV and the HALP score were both independent risk factors for overall survival(all P<0.001).The combination of MVV and HALP score improved the prediction performance for overall survival than tumor-node-metastasis.Also,low combination of MVV and HALP score was an independent risk factor for poor overall survival(P<0.001).CONCLUSION MVV,HALP score and their combination are simple and promising clinical markers to predict overall survival of ESCC patients.展开更多
Regular exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease(AD).Our previous study showed that the protein aquaporin 4(AQP4),which is specifically expressed on the paravascular processes of astrocytes,i...Regular exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease(AD).Our previous study showed that the protein aquaporin 4(AQP4),which is specifically expressed on the paravascular processes of astrocytes,is necessary for glymphatic clearance of extracellular amyloid beta(Aβ)from the brain,which can delay the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.However,it is not known whether AQP4-regulated glymphatic clearance of extracellular Aβis involved in beneficial effects of exercise in AD patients.Our results showed that after 2 months of voluntary wheel exercise,APP/PS1 mice that were 3 months old at the start of the intervention exhibited a decrease in Aβburden,glial activation,perivascular AQP4 mislocalization,impaired glymphatic transport,synapse protein loss,and learning and memory defects compared with mice not subjected to the exercise intervention.In contrast,APP/PS1 mice that were 7 months old at the start of the intervention exhibited impaired AQP4 polarity and reduced glymphatic clearance of extracellular Aβ,and the above-mentioned impairments were not alleviated after the 2-month exercise intervention.Compared with age-matched APP/PS1 mice,AQP4 knockout APP/PS1 mice had more serious defects in glymphatic function,Aβplaque deposition,and cognitive impairment,which could not be alleviated after the exercise intervention.These findings suggest that AQP4-dependent glymphatic transport is the neurobiological basis for the beneficial effects of voluntary exercises that protect against the onset of AD.展开更多
Background:The steady-state increase in muscle force generating potential following a lengthening contraction is called residual force enhancement(RFE).In this study,we aimed to test for differences in torque,electrom...Background:The steady-state increase in muscle force generating potential following a lengthening contraction is called residual force enhancement(RFE).In this study,we aimed to test for differences in torque,electromyographic activity(EMG),and the associated neuromuscular efficiency(NME)between isometric voluntary contractions of elbow flexors preceded and not preceded by a lengthening contraction.The dependence of such differences on(i)stretch amplitude,(ii)the region of the force-length(FxL)relationship where contraction occurs,and(iii)the individual's ability to produce(negative)work during the stretch was investigated.Methods:Sixteen healthy adults participated in the study.Elbow flexor torque,angle,and biceps brachii EMG for purely isometric contractions(reference contractions)and for isometric contractions preceded by active stretches of 20°and 40°were measured at the ascending,plateau,and descending regions of subject-specific FxL curves.All contractions were performed in an isokinetic dynamometer.Two-factor(stretch×FxL region)repeated measures analysis of variance ANOVAs was used to analyze the effect of active stretch on EMG,torque,and NME across conditions.The relationships between mechanical work during stretch-calculated as the torque-angular displacement integral-and the changes in EMG,torque,and NME were analyzed using Pearson correlation.Results:In general,torque,EMG,and NME following active stretches differed from the values observed for the purely isometric reference contractions.While although the detailed effects of active stretch on torque and EMG differed between regions of the FxL relationship,NME increased by about 19%for all muscle lengths.Up to 30%of the interindividual variability in torque generating potential change in response to active stretching was accounted for by differences in(negative)work capacity between subjects.Conclusion:Our results suggest that(i)RFE contributes to"flatten"the elbow flexor torque-angle relationship,favoring torque production at lengths where the purely isometric torques are reduced substantially,and(ii)RFE contributes to a reduction in energy cost of torque production during isometric contractions for the entire operating range.展开更多
Estimating the carbon storage of forests is essential to support climate change mitigation and promote the transition into a low-carbon emission economy.To achieve this goal,voluntary carbon markets(VCMs)are essential...Estimating the carbon storage of forests is essential to support climate change mitigation and promote the transition into a low-carbon emission economy.To achieve this goal,voluntary carbon markets(VCMs)are essential.VCMs are promoted by a spontaneous demand,not imposed by binding targets,as the regulated ones.In Italy,only in Veneto and Piedmont Regions(Northern Italy),VCMs through forestry activities were carried out.Valle Camonica District(Northern Italy,Lombardy Region)is ready for a local VCM,but carbon storage of its forests was never estimated.The aim of this work was to estimate the total carbon storage(TCS;t C ha^−1)of forest biomass of Valle Camonica District,at the stand level,taking into account:(1)aboveground biomass,(2)belowground biomass,(3)deadwood,and(4)litter.We developed a user-friendly model,based on site-specifi c primary(measured)data,and we applied it to a dataset of 2019 stands extracted from 45 Forest Management Plans.Preliminary results showed that,in 2016,the TCS achieved 76.02 t C ha^−1.The aboveground biomass was the most relevant carbon pool(48.86 t C ha^−1;64.27%of TCS).From 2017 to 2029,through multifunctional forest management,the TCS could increase of 2.48 t C ha^−1(+3.26%).In the same period,assuming to convert coppices stands to high forests,an additional TCS of 0.78 t C ha^−1(equal to 2.85 t CO 2 ha^−1)in the aboveground biomass could be achieved without increasing forest areas.The additional carbon could be certifi ed and exchanged on a VCM,contributing to climate change mitigation at a local level.展开更多
Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV), one of the components of Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT), has multiple uses. Various factors including the inspiratory muscle strength (IMS) influence its magnitude. Our aim was t...Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV), one of the components of Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT), has multiple uses. Various factors including the inspiratory muscle strength (IMS) influence its magnitude. Our aim was to quantify the IMS indirectly using an economical and non invasive bedside assessment tool, determine its association with MVV and then develop a predictive equation for MVV. 41 healthy non-athletic physical therapy students participated in the study. IMS measurement was performed with a sphygmomanometer. Average of the three net deflections in sphygmomanometer following deepest possible breaths was taken as indirect measurement of IMS in mm of Hg. MVV was measured according to ATS guidelines using a spirometer. Results from the data analysis revealed a significant correlation between IMS and MVV(r = 0.83, p < 0.001) and the coefficient of determination = 0.68. So, we developed a regression equation: Y = 1.9669(X) + 49.838 with SEE: 13.02L/min and ANOVA for the equation was (F=68.9, p < 0.001). Hence, it can be concluded that a strong correlation between the indirect IMS and MVV was established and a predictive equation to estimate MVV was developed. This equation proved to have a high predictive value with a small error of estimation. This indicates that the value of the indirect IMS measurement obtained using the sphygmomanometer can be used to estimate MVV in normal healthy individuals without the use of a conventional spirometer.展开更多
Governments settle their financial obligations and pay for the public expenditures largely through finances generated from taxes.For many developing countries like Pakistan,the state authorities are still having diffi...Governments settle their financial obligations and pay for the public expenditures largely through finances generated from taxes.For many developing countries like Pakistan,the state authorities are still having difficulty to achieve tax compliance.Existing literature has yet to traverse individual’s tax compliance behavior on developing countries.The current study,however,explores the relationships among voluntary tax compliance behavior of individual taxpayers with selected economic,social,behavioral and institutional factors.This individual tax compliance behavior is studied through the multi-perspective lenses of the theory of attribution,equity theory,expected utility theory,and social exchange theory.Quantitative design using the survey method was employed to collect data from 435 individual taxpayers through questionnaire.For testing linkage between constructs,through mediation and moderation tests,structural equation modeling technique was used.The results suggest that tax compliance simplicity has a larger impact on tax filing than perception about Government Spending and tax morale.Furthermore,perception of fairness significantly mediates the strengths between morale,simplicity,government spending and compliance behavior.展开更多
The information disclosed by the companies in their annual reports reveals much about company’s performance and prospects. Investors take the information as base for decision for investment. Under such circumstance, ...The information disclosed by the companies in their annual reports reveals much about company’s performance and prospects. Investors take the information as base for decision for investment. Under such circumstance, companies choose to disclose beyond what is mandatorily required. Theories like agency theory, capital need theory and signaling theory support the need of voluntary disclosure. This study is about the relationship between voluntary disclosure and value of Indian pharmaceutical companies listed on World’s oldest stock exchange, Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Objectives: Twofold : First, to investigate the extent of voluntary disclosure practices prevailing in pharma sector of India, Second, to study the impact of voluntary disclosure on Value of companies (value as measured by Weighted Average Cost of Capital, Stock Volatility and Price to Book Ratio) for the year 2010-2011 to 2017-2018. Research Methodology: To understand the extent of disclosure, a disclosure checklist is constructed and descriptive statistics are carved to reach the results. To understand the impact, Panel data regression (Fixed effect model, Random effect model, Hausman test) are run. Observation: Voluntary disclosure does not affect WACC but are negatively related to stock volatility and Price to Book Ratio in Indian scenario.展开更多
The Roman high(RHA) and low-Avoidance (RLA) rats were selectively bred for rapid vs poor acquisition of two-way active avoidance behavior. These lines differ in numerous behavioral traits, with RLA rats being more fea...The Roman high(RHA) and low-Avoidance (RLA) rats were selectively bred for rapid vs poor acquisition of two-way active avoidance behavior. These lines differ in numerous behavioral traits, with RLA rats being more fearful/anxious than RHA rats, and the latter being novelty-seekers and showing larger intake of, and preference for, addictive substances including ethanol (ETH). Moreover, several differences in central dopaminergic, serotonergic, and GABAergic functions have been reported in these two lines. Since those neural systems are involved in the regulation of ETH consumption, it was considered of interest to investigate: 1) the differences in ETH intake and preference between RHA and RLA rats, 2) the effects of ETH on DA release in the shell of the nucleus accumbens (AcbSh) using brain microdialysis. ETH solutions of increasing concentrations (2% - 10%) were presented on alternate days in a free choice with water. To examine ETH intake and preference stability, animals were subsequently switched to daily presentations of 10% ETH for 10 consecutive days. RHA rats consumed significantly larger amounts of ETH and displayed higher ETH preference than did RLA rats throughout the acquisition and maintenance phases. Following chronic exposure to ETH the animals were habituated to a restricted access to ETH schedule (2% ETH, 2 h per day × 4 days) before surgical implantation of a dialysis probe in the AcbSh. Under these experimental conditions, voluntary ETH intake (2%, 1 h, p.o.) produced a significant increase in accumbal DA output in RHA rats but not in their RLA counterparts. Finally, the i.p. administration of ETH (0.25 g/kg) to na?ve Roman rats produced a significant increment in accumbal DA output only in RHA rats. These results indicate that the mesolimbic dopaminergic system of RHA rats is more responsive to the effects of ETH than that of RLA rats.展开更多
In Cameroon, induced abortion is permitted when a woman’s life is at risk, to preserve her physical and mental health and on the grounds of rape or incest. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the preva...In Cameroon, induced abortion is permitted when a woman’s life is at risk, to preserve her physical and mental health and on the grounds of rape or incest. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, reasons and complications of voluntary induced abortion among women attending the obstetrics and gynecology services in an urban area, Yaoundé and in a rural area, Wum in Cameroon. Methods: We carried out a cross sectional study, with 509 women recruited between August 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 in three health facilities in Cameroon. We appreciated the frequency, complications and reasons for Voluntary induced abortions. Results: The prevalence of voluntary induced abortion was 26.3% (134/509) globally;25.6% (65/254) in urban area and 27.1% (69/255) in rural area. One hundred and eleven (83%) cases of induced abortions were carried out in a health structure and 23 (17%) cases in private homes. Medical doctors and nurses were the most frequent abortion providers in both urban (84.7%) as well as rural setting (77.2%). The three main reasons for induced abortion were to pursue their studies (34.3%), not yet married (22.6%) and fear of parents (13.9%). Complications were reported by 20% (27/134) of respondents who had carried out voluntary induced abortion. Excessive bleeding was the most reported complication (70.4%). Conclusion: Despite its illegality in Cameroon, the prevalence of voluntary induced abortion was high in this study.展开更多
Tax payers’level of compliance behaviour is a major concern to government and tax authorities.Constant losses of tax revenue through bribery,corruption,and abuse of power for personal advantage are perceived to have ...Tax payers’level of compliance behaviour is a major concern to government and tax authorities.Constant losses of tax revenue through bribery,corruption,and abuse of power for personal advantage are perceived to have adversely affected nation’s economic growth and infrastructural development.Many researches have been conducted on taxpayers’compliance,but not many considered the effect of Control of Corruption(COC)in their study.This study looked at the probable influence of COC on individual taxpayers’voluntary tax compliance behaviour in South-West,Nigeria.Survey research design was adopted for the study.Population for the study was 5,216,422 individual taxpayers in three selected states.A validated questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents by means of Stratified and random sampling techniques with a sample size of 1,200 and this gives a response rate of 87.6%.The reliability test using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranged from 0.79 to 0.86.The study adopts descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the data at 0.05 level of significance.The study shows that COC positively influenced voluntary tax compliance among individual taxpayers in the study states(Adj.R2=0.063,F(6,1050)=12.68,p=0.000).There was evidence that trust in government,COC,and employment status have significant relationship with voluntary tax compliance behaviour in the study states(β=0.139,t(1044)=6.125,p=0.000,β=0.154,t(1044)=5.025,p=0.000,β=-0.237,t(1044)=-3.562,p=0.00)while gender,age,and educational level do not have significant relationship with voluntary tax compliance(β=0.036,t(1044)=0.664,p=0.664,β=-0.002,t(1044)=-0.080,p=0.936,β=0.035,t(1044)=1.081,p=0.280),respectively.The study concluded that control of corruption influenced individual voluntary tax compliance.Government should put better stiff strategies in controlling corruption on tax matters,overhaul the internal control mechanism,establish state anti-graft agencies,and put stiff punishment for any fraudulent activity on tax revenue generation while zero tolerance to corruption should be seen and practice.展开更多
基金sponsored by National Natural Science Foundation of China (81800703 and 81970701)Beijing Nova Program (Z201100006820117 and 20220484181)+7 种基金Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation (7184252 and 7214258)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universitiesthe Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (BMU2021MX013)Peking University Clinical Scientist Training Program (BMU2023PYJH022)China Endocrine and Metabolism Young Scientific Talent Research Project (2022-N-02-01)Peking University Medicine Seed Fund for Interdisciplinary ResearchChina Diabetes Young Scientific Talent Research ProjectBethune-Merck Diabetes Research Fund of Bethune Charitable Foundation (G2018030)。
文摘Exercise training is critical for the early prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes mellitus.However,the mechanism with gut microbiota and fecal metabolites underlying the effects of voluntary wheel running on high-fat diet induced abnormal glucose metabolism has not been fully elaborated.C57BL/6 male mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups according to diets(fed with normal chow diet or high-fat diet)and running paradigm(housed in static cage or with voluntary running wheel).An integrative 16S rDNA sequencing and metabolites profiling was synchronously performed to characterize the effects of voluntary wheel running on gut microbiota and metabolites.It showed that voluntary wheel running prevented the detrimental effects of high-fat feeding on glucose metabolism 16S rDNA sequencing showed remarkable changes in Rikenella and Marvinbryantia genera.Metabolic profiling indicated multiple altered metabolites,which were enriched in secondary bile acid biosynthesis signaling.In conclusion,our study indicated that voluntary wheel running significantly improved glucose metabolism and counteracted the deleterious effects of high-fat feeding on body weight and glucose intolerance.We further found that voluntary wheel running could integratively program gut microbiota composition and fecal metabolites changes,and may regulate muricholic acid metabolism and secondary bile acid biosynthesis in high-fat fed mice.
文摘The legal and moral permissibility of clinical research entails that researchers must secure the voluntary,informed consent of prospective research participants before enrolling them in studies.In seeking the consent of potential participants,researchers are also allowed to incentivise the recruitment process because many studies would fail to meet enrollment goals without a financial incentive for participation.Some philosophers and bioethicists contend that the use of incentives to secure consent from research subjects is problematic because it constitutes undue inducement and a coercive offer.Some proponents of this view are Ruth Macklin(1981,1989)and Joan McGregor(2005).Macklin claims that it is ethically inappropriate to pay research subjects.The payment is likely to coerce the research subject,thereby violating the ethical requirement on the voluntariness of research participation.Also,such offers can prompt subjects to lie,deceive or conceal information that,if known,would disqualify them as participants.For McGregor,incentives could be undue and coercive because they make offerees better off relative to their baseline as well as constrain them to accept the offer of incentives as the only eligible choice or option.I argue that coercive offers are distinct from undue inducement.Coercive offers are essentially morally objectionable because by making people accept an offer through threats for the sake of some interests or ends,the offeror vitiates the offeree’s capacity to make informed,voluntary,and rational decisions and choices.I further claim that the quantity of an incentive does not render an inducement undue.I contend that the only condition under which incentives are regarded as an undue inducement and as such vitiates an agent’s voluntary consent is if they are offered through deceptive or manipulative means.
文摘China Volunteer Service Federation is a nationalfederated social organization composed ofvoluntary service organizations and volunteers.Since its founding in more than two years ago,by strengthening cooperation with diversifiedvoluntary service organizations at all levels,promoting the working methods innovationof voluntary service in all sectors and regions,
基金Supported by UFR STAPS of the University of Paris 11,France
文摘The control of balance is crucial for efficiently performing most of our daily motor tasks, such as those involving goal-directed arm movements or whole body displacement. The purpose of this article is twofold. Firstly, it is to recall how balance can be maintained despite the different sources of postural perturbation arising during voluntary movement. The importance of the so-called "anticipatory postural adjustments"(APA), taken as a "line of defence" against the destabilizing effect induced by a predicted perturbation, is emphasized. Secondly, it is to report the results of recent studies that questioned the adaptability of APA to various constraints imposed on the postural system. The postural constraints envisaged here are classified into biomechanical(postural stability, superimposition of motor tasks),(neuro) physiological(fatigue), temporal(time pressure) and psychological(fear of falling, emotion). Overall, the results of these studies point out the capacity of the central nervous system(CNS) to adapt the spatio-temporal features of APA to each of theseconstraints. However, it seems that, depending on the constraint, the "priority" of the CNS was focused on postural stability maintenance, on body protection and/or on maintenance of focal movement performance.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81501091(to HYL)Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province of China,No.2015A030310201(to HYL)+4 种基金Medical Scientific Research Foundation of Guangdong Province of China,No.A2015393(to HYL)funds of Leading Talents of Guangdong Province of China,No.2013(to KFS)Programme of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities,No.B14036(to KFS)National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program),No.2015CB351800(to KFS)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,No.21609101(to KFS)
文摘Running is believed to be beneficial for human health. Many studies have focused on the neuroprotective effects of voluntary running on animal models. There were both primary and secondary degeneration in neurodegenerative diseases, including glaucoma. However, whether running can delay primary or secondary degeneration or both of them was not clear. Partial optic nerve transection model is a valuable glaucoma model for studying both primary and secondary degeneration because it can separate primary(mainly in the superior retina) from secondary(mainly in the inferior retina) degeneration. Therefore, we compared the survival of retinal ganglion cells between Sprague-Dawley rat runners and non-runners both in the superior and inferior retinas. Excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and apoptosis are involved in the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells in glaucoma. So we also used western immunoblotting to compare the expression of some proteins involved in apoptosis(phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinases, p-JNKs), oxidative stress(manganese superoxide dismutase, MnSOD) and excitotoxicity(glutamine synthetase) between runners and non-runners after partial optic nerve transection. Results showed that voluntary running delayed the death of retinal ganglion cells vulnerable to primary degeneration but not those to secondary degeneration. In addition, voluntary running decreased the expression of glutamine synthetase, but not the expression of p-JNKs and MnSOD in the superior retina after partial optic nerve transection. These results illustrated that primary degeneration of retinal ganglion cells might be mainly related with excitotoxicity rather than oxidative stress; and the voluntary running could down-regulate excitotoxicity to delay the primary degeneration of retinal ganglion cells after partial optic nerve transection.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.U1301227,No.81872032 and No.U1804262Doctoral Team Foundation of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University,No.2016-BSTDJJ-03.
文摘BACKGROUND Preoperative pulmonary function plays an important role in selecting surgical candidates and assessing postoperative complications.Reduced pulmonary function is associated with poor survival in several cancers,but the prognostic value of preoperative pulmonary function in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)is unclear.Nutritional and systemic inflammation parameters are vital to cancer survival,and the combination of these parameters improves the prognostic value.The hemoglobin,albumin,lymphocytes and platelets(HALP)score is a novel prognostic indicator to reflect the nutritional and inflammation status,but the clinical effects of the HALP score combined with maximal voluntary ventilation(MVV),an important parameter of pulmonary function,have not been well studied in ESCC.AIM To investigate the prognostic value of MVV and HALP score for assessing postoperative survival of ESCC patients.METHODS Data form 834 ESCC patients who underwent radical esophagectomy with R0 resection were collected and retrospectively analyzed.Preoperative MVV and HALP data were retrieved from medical archives.The HALP score was calculated by the formula:Hemoglobin(g/L)×albumin(g/L)×lymphocytes(/L)/platelets(/L).The optimal cut-off values of MVV and HALP score were calculated by the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.The Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test was used to draw the survival curves for the variables tested.Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyze the independent prognostic factors for overall survival.RESULTS MVV was significantly associated with gender(P<0.001),age at diagnosis(P<0.001),smoking history(P<0.001),drinking history(P<0.001),tumor length(P=0.013),tumor location(P=0.037)and treatment type(P=0.001).The HALP score was notably associated with gender(P<0.001),age at diagnosis(P=0.035),tumor length(P<0.001)and invasion depth(P=0.001).Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that low MVV and low HALP score were associated with worse overall survival(all P<0.001).Multivariate analysis showed that low MVV and the HALP score were both independent risk factors for overall survival(all P<0.001).The combination of MVV and HALP score improved the prediction performance for overall survival than tumor-node-metastasis.Also,low combination of MVV and HALP score was an independent risk factor for poor overall survival(P<0.001).CONCLUSION MVV,HALP score and their combination are simple and promising clinical markers to predict overall survival of ESCC patients.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81772454(to TW)Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu,China,No.BK20190655(to QL).
文摘Regular exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease(AD).Our previous study showed that the protein aquaporin 4(AQP4),which is specifically expressed on the paravascular processes of astrocytes,is necessary for glymphatic clearance of extracellular amyloid beta(Aβ)from the brain,which can delay the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.However,it is not known whether AQP4-regulated glymphatic clearance of extracellular Aβis involved in beneficial effects of exercise in AD patients.Our results showed that after 2 months of voluntary wheel exercise,APP/PS1 mice that were 3 months old at the start of the intervention exhibited a decrease in Aβburden,glial activation,perivascular AQP4 mislocalization,impaired glymphatic transport,synapse protein loss,and learning and memory defects compared with mice not subjected to the exercise intervention.In contrast,APP/PS1 mice that were 7 months old at the start of the intervention exhibited impaired AQP4 polarity and reduced glymphatic clearance of extracellular Aβ,and the above-mentioned impairments were not alleviated after the 2-month exercise intervention.Compared with age-matched APP/PS1 mice,AQP4 knockout APP/PS1 mice had more serious defects in glymphatic function,Aβplaque deposition,and cognitive impairment,which could not be alleviated after the exercise intervention.These findings suggest that AQP4-dependent glymphatic transport is the neurobiological basis for the beneficial effects of voluntary exercises that protect against the onset of AD.
文摘Background:The steady-state increase in muscle force generating potential following a lengthening contraction is called residual force enhancement(RFE).In this study,we aimed to test for differences in torque,electromyographic activity(EMG),and the associated neuromuscular efficiency(NME)between isometric voluntary contractions of elbow flexors preceded and not preceded by a lengthening contraction.The dependence of such differences on(i)stretch amplitude,(ii)the region of the force-length(FxL)relationship where contraction occurs,and(iii)the individual's ability to produce(negative)work during the stretch was investigated.Methods:Sixteen healthy adults participated in the study.Elbow flexor torque,angle,and biceps brachii EMG for purely isometric contractions(reference contractions)and for isometric contractions preceded by active stretches of 20°and 40°were measured at the ascending,plateau,and descending regions of subject-specific FxL curves.All contractions were performed in an isokinetic dynamometer.Two-factor(stretch×FxL region)repeated measures analysis of variance ANOVAs was used to analyze the effect of active stretch on EMG,torque,and NME across conditions.The relationships between mechanical work during stretch-calculated as the torque-angular displacement integral-and the changes in EMG,torque,and NME were analyzed using Pearson correlation.Results:In general,torque,EMG,and NME following active stretches differed from the values observed for the purely isometric reference contractions.While although the detailed effects of active stretch on torque and EMG differed between regions of the FxL relationship,NME increased by about 19%for all muscle lengths.Up to 30%of the interindividual variability in torque generating potential change in response to active stretching was accounted for by differences in(negative)work capacity between subjects.Conclusion:Our results suggest that(i)RFE contributes to"flatten"the elbow flexor torque-angle relationship,favoring torque production at lengths where the purely isometric torques are reduced substantially,and(ii)RFE contributes to a reduction in energy cost of torque production during isometric contractions for the entire operating range.
基金The study is part of a PhD Research Project funded by the Italian Ministry of Education,University and Research(MIUR).
文摘Estimating the carbon storage of forests is essential to support climate change mitigation and promote the transition into a low-carbon emission economy.To achieve this goal,voluntary carbon markets(VCMs)are essential.VCMs are promoted by a spontaneous demand,not imposed by binding targets,as the regulated ones.In Italy,only in Veneto and Piedmont Regions(Northern Italy),VCMs through forestry activities were carried out.Valle Camonica District(Northern Italy,Lombardy Region)is ready for a local VCM,but carbon storage of its forests was never estimated.The aim of this work was to estimate the total carbon storage(TCS;t C ha^−1)of forest biomass of Valle Camonica District,at the stand level,taking into account:(1)aboveground biomass,(2)belowground biomass,(3)deadwood,and(4)litter.We developed a user-friendly model,based on site-specifi c primary(measured)data,and we applied it to a dataset of 2019 stands extracted from 45 Forest Management Plans.Preliminary results showed that,in 2016,the TCS achieved 76.02 t C ha^−1.The aboveground biomass was the most relevant carbon pool(48.86 t C ha^−1;64.27%of TCS).From 2017 to 2029,through multifunctional forest management,the TCS could increase of 2.48 t C ha^−1(+3.26%).In the same period,assuming to convert coppices stands to high forests,an additional TCS of 0.78 t C ha^−1(equal to 2.85 t CO 2 ha^−1)in the aboveground biomass could be achieved without increasing forest areas.The additional carbon could be certifi ed and exchanged on a VCM,contributing to climate change mitigation at a local level.
文摘Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV), one of the components of Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT), has multiple uses. Various factors including the inspiratory muscle strength (IMS) influence its magnitude. Our aim was to quantify the IMS indirectly using an economical and non invasive bedside assessment tool, determine its association with MVV and then develop a predictive equation for MVV. 41 healthy non-athletic physical therapy students participated in the study. IMS measurement was performed with a sphygmomanometer. Average of the three net deflections in sphygmomanometer following deepest possible breaths was taken as indirect measurement of IMS in mm of Hg. MVV was measured according to ATS guidelines using a spirometer. Results from the data analysis revealed a significant correlation between IMS and MVV(r = 0.83, p < 0.001) and the coefficient of determination = 0.68. So, we developed a regression equation: Y = 1.9669(X) + 49.838 with SEE: 13.02L/min and ANOVA for the equation was (F=68.9, p < 0.001). Hence, it can be concluded that a strong correlation between the indirect IMS and MVV was established and a predictive equation to estimate MVV was developed. This equation proved to have a high predictive value with a small error of estimation. This indicates that the value of the indirect IMS measurement obtained using the sphygmomanometer can be used to estimate MVV in normal healthy individuals without the use of a conventional spirometer.
文摘Governments settle their financial obligations and pay for the public expenditures largely through finances generated from taxes.For many developing countries like Pakistan,the state authorities are still having difficulty to achieve tax compliance.Existing literature has yet to traverse individual’s tax compliance behavior on developing countries.The current study,however,explores the relationships among voluntary tax compliance behavior of individual taxpayers with selected economic,social,behavioral and institutional factors.This individual tax compliance behavior is studied through the multi-perspective lenses of the theory of attribution,equity theory,expected utility theory,and social exchange theory.Quantitative design using the survey method was employed to collect data from 435 individual taxpayers through questionnaire.For testing linkage between constructs,through mediation and moderation tests,structural equation modeling technique was used.The results suggest that tax compliance simplicity has a larger impact on tax filing than perception about Government Spending and tax morale.Furthermore,perception of fairness significantly mediates the strengths between morale,simplicity,government spending and compliance behavior.
文摘The information disclosed by the companies in their annual reports reveals much about company’s performance and prospects. Investors take the information as base for decision for investment. Under such circumstance, companies choose to disclose beyond what is mandatorily required. Theories like agency theory, capital need theory and signaling theory support the need of voluntary disclosure. This study is about the relationship between voluntary disclosure and value of Indian pharmaceutical companies listed on World’s oldest stock exchange, Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Objectives: Twofold : First, to investigate the extent of voluntary disclosure practices prevailing in pharma sector of India, Second, to study the impact of voluntary disclosure on Value of companies (value as measured by Weighted Average Cost of Capital, Stock Volatility and Price to Book Ratio) for the year 2010-2011 to 2017-2018. Research Methodology: To understand the extent of disclosure, a disclosure checklist is constructed and descriptive statistics are carved to reach the results. To understand the impact, Panel data regression (Fixed effect model, Random effect model, Hausman test) are run. Observation: Voluntary disclosure does not affect WACC but are negatively related to stock volatility and Price to Book Ratio in Indian scenario.
文摘The Roman high(RHA) and low-Avoidance (RLA) rats were selectively bred for rapid vs poor acquisition of two-way active avoidance behavior. These lines differ in numerous behavioral traits, with RLA rats being more fearful/anxious than RHA rats, and the latter being novelty-seekers and showing larger intake of, and preference for, addictive substances including ethanol (ETH). Moreover, several differences in central dopaminergic, serotonergic, and GABAergic functions have been reported in these two lines. Since those neural systems are involved in the regulation of ETH consumption, it was considered of interest to investigate: 1) the differences in ETH intake and preference between RHA and RLA rats, 2) the effects of ETH on DA release in the shell of the nucleus accumbens (AcbSh) using brain microdialysis. ETH solutions of increasing concentrations (2% - 10%) were presented on alternate days in a free choice with water. To examine ETH intake and preference stability, animals were subsequently switched to daily presentations of 10% ETH for 10 consecutive days. RHA rats consumed significantly larger amounts of ETH and displayed higher ETH preference than did RLA rats throughout the acquisition and maintenance phases. Following chronic exposure to ETH the animals were habituated to a restricted access to ETH schedule (2% ETH, 2 h per day × 4 days) before surgical implantation of a dialysis probe in the AcbSh. Under these experimental conditions, voluntary ETH intake (2%, 1 h, p.o.) produced a significant increase in accumbal DA output in RHA rats but not in their RLA counterparts. Finally, the i.p. administration of ETH (0.25 g/kg) to na?ve Roman rats produced a significant increment in accumbal DA output only in RHA rats. These results indicate that the mesolimbic dopaminergic system of RHA rats is more responsive to the effects of ETH than that of RLA rats.
文摘In Cameroon, induced abortion is permitted when a woman’s life is at risk, to preserve her physical and mental health and on the grounds of rape or incest. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, reasons and complications of voluntary induced abortion among women attending the obstetrics and gynecology services in an urban area, Yaoundé and in a rural area, Wum in Cameroon. Methods: We carried out a cross sectional study, with 509 women recruited between August 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 in three health facilities in Cameroon. We appreciated the frequency, complications and reasons for Voluntary induced abortions. Results: The prevalence of voluntary induced abortion was 26.3% (134/509) globally;25.6% (65/254) in urban area and 27.1% (69/255) in rural area. One hundred and eleven (83%) cases of induced abortions were carried out in a health structure and 23 (17%) cases in private homes. Medical doctors and nurses were the most frequent abortion providers in both urban (84.7%) as well as rural setting (77.2%). The three main reasons for induced abortion were to pursue their studies (34.3%), not yet married (22.6%) and fear of parents (13.9%). Complications were reported by 20% (27/134) of respondents who had carried out voluntary induced abortion. Excessive bleeding was the most reported complication (70.4%). Conclusion: Despite its illegality in Cameroon, the prevalence of voluntary induced abortion was high in this study.
文摘Tax payers’level of compliance behaviour is a major concern to government and tax authorities.Constant losses of tax revenue through bribery,corruption,and abuse of power for personal advantage are perceived to have adversely affected nation’s economic growth and infrastructural development.Many researches have been conducted on taxpayers’compliance,but not many considered the effect of Control of Corruption(COC)in their study.This study looked at the probable influence of COC on individual taxpayers’voluntary tax compliance behaviour in South-West,Nigeria.Survey research design was adopted for the study.Population for the study was 5,216,422 individual taxpayers in three selected states.A validated questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents by means of Stratified and random sampling techniques with a sample size of 1,200 and this gives a response rate of 87.6%.The reliability test using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranged from 0.79 to 0.86.The study adopts descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the data at 0.05 level of significance.The study shows that COC positively influenced voluntary tax compliance among individual taxpayers in the study states(Adj.R2=0.063,F(6,1050)=12.68,p=0.000).There was evidence that trust in government,COC,and employment status have significant relationship with voluntary tax compliance behaviour in the study states(β=0.139,t(1044)=6.125,p=0.000,β=0.154,t(1044)=5.025,p=0.000,β=-0.237,t(1044)=-3.562,p=0.00)while gender,age,and educational level do not have significant relationship with voluntary tax compliance(β=0.036,t(1044)=0.664,p=0.664,β=-0.002,t(1044)=-0.080,p=0.936,β=0.035,t(1044)=1.081,p=0.280),respectively.The study concluded that control of corruption influenced individual voluntary tax compliance.Government should put better stiff strategies in controlling corruption on tax matters,overhaul the internal control mechanism,establish state anti-graft agencies,and put stiff punishment for any fraudulent activity on tax revenue generation while zero tolerance to corruption should be seen and practice.
