Direct Contraction Research Articles

Testing in the workplace: finding a path through a pandemic.

Testing in the workplace: finding a path through a pandemic.

Updated review on Extraction, Isolation and Quantitative estimation of Ergot Alkaloids

Ergot Alkaloids are potent α-blockers that cause direct smooth muscle contraction. They are products of fungi in the genus Claviceps. The most prominent member of this group is Claviceps purpurea (rye ergot fungus). Their common sources include Rye, bread as well as other grains. These are nitrogen derived- natural substances which are grouped under indole alkaloids. These ergot alkaloids are a diverse category of secondary metabolites that have been classified into 3 groups as Clavines, Amides of lysergic acid, Ergopeptines and Lactum ergot alkaloids based on their bond arrangement. They contaminate a large variety of cereals such as rye triticale, wheat and barley. In this present review, basic information regarding the ergots along with their chemistry, extraction, purification and isolation procedures for ergot alkaloids were focused, that helps to produce a purified crude extract that is taken for chromatographic analysis. This review also provides detailed informations on the chromatographic approaches for the ergot alkaloids estimations such as TLC, HPLC, HPTLC, UPLC /UHPLC, LCMS, GCMS with different detection techniques like Mass spectrometry and Fluorescence detection which was done in the past decade and also provides information regarding the pharmacological activity of ergot alkaloids like its application in the treatment of severe, throbbing headaches such as migraine, cluster headaches and also other therapeutic applications.

Employee Health Plans Powered by Analytics

A promising new business model for the employee health plans of large firms bypasses insurers and instead uses direct contracts with hospitals which have been designated as centers of excellence. Wallace Hopp, Jun Li, Soroush Saghafian, and Guihua Wang describe how combining this model with cutting edge analytics could revolutionize the delivery of high quality, cost-efficient health care.

IMPLEMENTATION OF NNEGC “ENERGOATOM” COMPLIANCE-POLICY AS THE BASIS OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

The article focuses on the analysis of the compliance policy implementation in Ukraine's nuclear energy. The experience of implementing the compliance function abroad and at domestic enterprises is considered, the main problems of policy functioning are analyzed, and the reserves of improvement are revealed. In recent years, more and more companies in developed countries have begun to implement the compliance function. It has undergone a particular path of evolution, from formal compliance advice to broad integration of compliance into the social responsibility system. In Ukraine, particularly in the energy sector, compliance policy remains a narrow area to minimize legal and reputational risks. Compliance policy ensures that the company complies not only with internal rules but also with legal norms. Thus, compliance is the basis of social responsibility. However, insufficient attention is paid to this area. The low level of robotization of business processes in which the compliance function is involved, the lack of specialists in compliance, the lack of methodological support confirm this. Despite the improvement of compliance policy at NNEGC "Energoatom", the promotion of ethical and responsible business, the company identified severe problems in legal responsibility. There are many facts of corruption violations and abuses, which are confirmed by law enforcement agencies and anonymous surveys of nuclear power workers. Based on the reports on the implementation of anti-corruption programs, a risk assessment matrix of NNEGC Energoatom has been constructed. The most significant risks are associated with procurement procedures for goods and services and conflicts of interest. There are several solutions to reduce corruption risks, remarkably: ensuring full automation of the procurement process in the SAR ERP system, reducing the number of intermediaries, increasing the percentage of direct contracts.

Electromyographic Analysis of a Selective Exercise for the Serratus Anterior Muscle Among Patients With Frozen Shoulder and Subacromial Impingement Syndrome.

Patients with shoulder disorders show altered periscapular muscle activity (e.g., decreased serratus anterior and increased upper trapezius activities). We herein devised a novel method for strengthening serratus anterior without excessive upper trapezius activation, named squeezing ball exercise in which patients squeezed a ball between both elbows with maximum voluntary isometric contraction in the horizontal adduction direction with the arms elevated at a 45-degree angle. The present study aimed to investigate whether the squeezing ball exercise could produce high muscle activity in the serratus anterior in patients with frozen shoulder and subacromial impingement syndrome before the rehabilitation intervention. This is a proof-of-concept study. Serratus anterior and upper trapezius activities during squeezing ball exercise were evaluated using electromyography in 16 patients with frozen shoulders and subacromial impingement syndrome. Electromyography signals were normalized using maximal voluntary isometric contraction, and the muscle balance ratios (upper trapezius/serratus anterior) were calculated. The average serratus anterior and upper trapezius activity was 69.9% ± 30.8% and 10.2% ± 6.3% maximal voluntary isometric contraction during the squeezing ball exercise, respectively, whereas the upper trapezius-serratus anterior ratio of the affected side was 0.15 ± 0.07. The high serratus anterior activation and low upper trapezius-serratus anterior ratio during squeezing ball exercise could be attributed to the limb position where shortened serratus anterior exerts itself without painful subacromial impingement. Squeezing ball exercise could be a novel rehabilitation tool for patients with frozen shoulders and subacromial impingement syndrome.

Power purchase agreements with incremental tariffs in local currency: An innovative green finance tool

Investment volume in green projects, specifically in the green electricity market, suffers from limitations such as inadequate long-term financing, various risks, and a low rate of return on investment. Renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs), as a direct legal contract between a power provider and a power buyer, are one of the most popular instruments to increase investment. In this study, we model an adjusted PPA in the local currency framework to lower exchange rate risk and incremental tariffs by having the government pay part of the spillover tax revenues to the PPA, leading to a higher return on investment. The major conclusion of this study is that the use of tax revenue through the spillover effect of green electricity supply is a suitable source of financing for PPAs. As one policy implication, we recommend that developing countries allocate 50% of the tax revenue originating from power supply and adopt incremental PPAs to encourage private investment in green projects.

WORK–LIFE BALANCE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS IN GERMANY CONSIDERING RECENT REGULATIONS

Background: In the light of demographic changes in the population and among the doctors, the German government has in the last two decades taken several regulatory steps to address work–life balance and related issues.
 Objective: This article seeks to identify crucial pieces of legislation that may increase the attractiveness for the GP profession in Germany.
 Method: The article summarizes important regulatory steps and their results in terms of increasing the attractiveness of the GP profession.
 Results: Some regulations in Germany including the “Vertragsarztrechtsänderungsgesetz” led to more flexibilization in terms of the location and the internal structure of GP practices, while others addressed the further digitalization. A central element for creating attractive working conditions for GPs is the possibility of selective and direct contracting between the insurance companies and the GPs, parallel to the more general collective contracting.
 Discussion: While some of these regulations helped to make the GP profession more attractive, they have failed to increase the number of GPs especially in rural socially deprived areas.
 Conclusion: The government will need to invest more resources in scientific studies (e.g. international comparison) to identifying regulatory measures that help address the growing gap between the amount of GP care needed by the aging population and the level of care provided with the current human resources.

عقد النكاح بوسائل الاتصال الحديثة – دراسة مقارنة بين النظريات الفقهية وقانون الأحوال الشخصية الإيراني –

النكاح بوسائل الاتصال الحديثة هو عبارة عن النكاح الذي يتم التواصل فيه بين أطراف العقد عبر الشبكة العنكبوتية، وتنحصر وسائله بين الاتصال بالكتابة أو بالمشافهة أو بالمشاهدة، وهذا العقد من النوازل المستجدة في باب الأحوال الشخصية، وقد اتبع البحث في سبيل الوصول إلى حكم عقد النكاح بهذه الوسائل منهج التكييف الفقهي بعرض أقوال المذاهب الفقهية الأربعة ومذهب الإمامية، والمنهج الوصفي التحليلي المقارن بذكر الأقوال وتحليلها والمقارنة بينها ومناقشتها ثم الترجيح، ثم ذكر المواد ذات الصلة في قانون الأحوال الشخصية الإيراني، وقد انتهى البحث إلى مجموعة من النتائج أهمها أن النكاح عن طريق وسائل الاتصال المكتوبة أو المسموعة أو المرئية جائز لا يختلف في صحته عن عقد النكاح المباشر والتقليدي، وأن جميع شروط عقد الزواج المنصوص عليها في القانون الإيراني ليست معارضة لعقد النكاح عبر وسائل الاتصال الحديثة، لأن الاختلاف فقط في استخدام وسائل الاتصال الحديثة التي يمكن استيفاء جميع أركان وشروط النكاح عن طريقها، وعليه يمكن تعديل المواد القانونية المتعلقة بهذه المسألة في قانون الأحوال الشخصية الإيرانية، وقد أوصى البحث بتعديل المادة 1062 من القانون المدني الإيراني لتشمل على النكاح بوسائل الاتصال الحديثة، وأن يتم استحداث تطبيق إلكتروني لهذا الغرض، وقد وضع البحث الأساسيات التي يقوم عليها التطبيق كبيان نطاق استخدامه ومواصفاته وغيرها من الأمور المتعلقة به.

Assessing Electronic Prescription: A Cross-sectional Study of Pharmacists in Germany

ZusammenfassungHintergrund Mit dem Modellprojekt GERDA („Geschützter e-Rezept-Dienst der Apotheken“) wurde von der Landesapothekerkammer (LAK) und dem Landesapothekerverband (LAV) in Baden-Württemberg die Möglichkeit geschaffen, Rezepte im Rahmen von Online-Sprechstunden über das von der Kassenärztlichen Vereinigung Baden-Württemberg betriebene telemedizinische Portal „docdirekt“, zu verordnen. Vor diesem Hintergrund war das Ziel der Studie, Barrieren und fördernde Faktoren aufseiten der Apotheken für die Beteiligung an einer Versorgung, die eine elektronische Verordnung von Rezepten beinhaltet, zu explorieren und zu priorisieren. Auf Basis dieser Determinanten wurden Empfehlungen zur Optimierung einer erfolgreichen Implementierung ähnlicher Versorgungsangebote abgeleitet. Methode Es wurde ein Mixed-Methods-Design gewählt, um die Determinanten zu explorieren und zu priorisieren. Im ersten Schritt wurden Determinanten für die Beteiligung an einem System, welches die elektronische Verordnung von Rezepten ermöglicht mithilfe von Einzelinterviews mit an docdirekt beteiligten Teleärzten, niedergelassenen Hausärzten und Apothekern exploriert. Anschließend wurden diese Determinanten in einem zweiten Schritt durch eine quantitative Befragung von Apothekern priorisiert. Ergebnisse Von den 523 an der Umfrage teilgenommenen Apothekern war mehr als die Hälfte bereit sich an einem E-Rezept-System zu beteiligen, 8,5% schließen eine zukünftige Beteiligung aus. Insgesamt konnten 18 Determinanten für die Beteiligung an einem System, welches die elektronische Verordnung von Rezepten ermöglicht, exploriert werden. Der Schutz der freien Apothekenwahl wurde als wichtigster Aspekt für eine Beteiligung identifiziert. Gefolgt von der Möglichkeit einer Korrekturfunktion bei E-Rezepten (um z. B. Retaxierungen oder Medikationsfehlern zu vermeiden), der Integration des E-Rezepts in die bestehende Apotheken-EDV sowie dem gesetzlichen Ausschluss von direkten Verträgen mit Versandapotheken. Zeitersparnisse und eine ggf. höhere Vergütung wurden dagegen als weniger relevant bewertet. Schlussfolgerung Insgesamt gab über die Hälfte der befragten Apotheken an, sich an einem E-Rezept-System beteiligen zu wollen. Für die ab Januar 2022 geplante flächendeckende Einführung von E-Rezepte kann der Einbezug der identifizierten fördernden Faktoren vonseiten der Politik, Softwareentwickler und Verbände eine wichtige Rolle bei der Implementierung spielen.

Surface modification of Li-rich layered Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2 oxide with Fe2O3 as cathode material for Li-ion batteries

Li-rich layered cathode is successfully prepared by the co-precipitation method, and subsequent surface modification of amorphous Fe2O3 coating is conducted to promote the cycling durability. The results reveal that amorphous Fe2O3 is well distributed on the secondary particles and does not change the intrinsic layered structure of the cathode material accordingly. Surface modification of Fe2O3 improves the initial coulomb efficiency, cycle stability, and rate capacity of the layered cathode. Especially, the 2 wt% Fe2O3 coated cathode material exhibits the highest initial discharge capacity of 267.5 mAh g−1 at 0.1C and still remains 139.3 mAh g−1 at 5C. Moreover, a capacity retention of 87.7% could be delivered even after 300 cycles at 1C on the 2 wt% Fe2O3 coated cathode, displaying distinctly high structural integrity and cycling stability, while the value of the pristine sample reaches only 70.8%. Meanwhile, the Fe2O3 coating stabilizes the electrode/electrolyte interface and lowers the charge transfer resistance. The above features after the introduction of the Fe2O3 protective layer could be ascribed to the suppression of the direct contract and corrosion of the cathode with the electrolyte, which effectively accelerates the Li+ diffusion and inhibits the transition from layered to spinel structure.

Direct Brow Lift and Skin Contraction in Facial Nerve Palsy: A Switch Technique.

The authors present a case series of 4 patients with facial nerve palsy who underwent a direct brow lift to correct brow ptosis, using the excised brow skin as a full-thickness skin graft to correct lower eyelid skin contracture, ectropion, and retraction. Functional outcomes were measured using the validated cornea, static asymmetry, dynamic function, synkinesis (CADS) grading system and by photographic assessment of lower eyelid height via margin reflex distance. Aesthetic outcomes were measured using a published grading scale specific to eyelid skin grafts.

Large-Size Honeycomb-Shaped and Iris-Like Liquid Crystal Elastomer Actuators

Large-Size Honeycomb-Shaped and Iris-Like Liquid Crystal Elastomer Actuators

Assessing European Union standardization: a descriptive analysis of voluntary ex ante transparency notices

PurposeThis study aims to empirically assess the standardization of using voluntary ex ante transparency notices to announce the awards of noncompetitive large-value contracts.Design/methodology/approachBased on open data published in theOfficial Journal of the European Union, a pooled cross-sectional research design is used to determine the level of standardized use of noncompetitive contracting by member states.FindingsFindings suggest little evidence of standardization when publicizing direct contract awards, which might warrant remedial measures for promoting standardization by the EU. Moreover, France was found to be a major outlier in the prevalence of using non-competitive direct contract awards procedures.Social implicationsMaintenance of the European Union is predicated on free, transparent and open competition among member states, and this can only be maintained if each member state transposes EU standards into their national laws.Originality/valueFindings suggest little evidence of standardization when publicizing direct contract awards, which might warrant additional remedial measures promoting consistency across the EU. Moreover, France was found to be a major outlier in the prevalence of using non-competitive direct contract awards procedures.

Governance of Eswatini Apparel Regional Value Chains and the Implications of Covid-19

There is a growing literature on the impact of Covid-19 on commercial and labour conditions at suppliers in apparel global value chains (GVCs). Yet much less is known about the implications for suppliers operating in regional value chains (RVCs) in the global South. In this article, we focus on Eswatini, which has grown to become the largest African manufacturer and exporter of apparel to the region. We draw on a combination of firm-level export data and interviews with stakeholders before and after the Covid-19 lockdown to shed light on the influence of private and public governance on suppliers’ economic and social upgrading and downgrading. We point to the coexistence of two separate private governance structures: the first characterised by direct contracts between South African retailers and large manufacturers (direct suppliers); the second operating through indirect purchasing via intermediaries from relatively smaller producers (indirect suppliers). While direct suppliers enjoyed higher levels of economic and social upgrading than indirect suppliers before Covid-19, the pandemic reinforced this division, with severe price cuts for indirect suppliers. Furthermore, while retailers provided some direct suppliers with support throughout the crisis, this was not the case for indirect suppliers, who remain comparatively more vulnerable. In terms of public governance, the negative consequences of the lockdown on firms’ income and workers’ livelihoods have been compounded by the state’s ineffective response. Our paper contributes to the research on RVCs in the global South, enhancing our understanding of how different governance structures and external shocks affect firms’ and workers’ upgrading and downgrading prospects.

Understanding the limits to the hydraulic leg mechanism: the effects of speed and size on limb kinematics in vagrant arachnids.

Among invertebrates, spiders (order Araneae) may be unique in their relationship between speed and mass as they use a combination of direct muscular contractions to flex their appendages, and internally controlled hydraulic pressure to extend them. To explore this, we measured maximal running speeds in 128 individual lycosids and sparassids, which varied in mass between 0.0054 and 3.01g. We show maximum speed scaled with M0.353, while mean running speed scaled much lower as M0.197. We show no strong limitation of the hydraulic mechanism, with leg extension speed being equal to or greater than leg flexion speed. The reduction in leg flexion speed, only apparent in the distal most joint of the limb, might be a result of the requirement for flexor muscles to act against the hydraulic system. We explored the role of the limbs and found an alternating pattern of joint use among limbs, which may represent a strategy to avoid interference with adjacent limbs during running. Furthermore, we observed a reduced movement speed (increased leg dragging) in the rearward facing fourth limb with size. This may be linked to the increased size of the abdomen in larger spiders and may suggest a speed limitation in larger individuals.

Adventures in getting paid

Adventures in getting paid

Quantifying Coordination and Variability in the Lower Extremities after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Patients experience various biomechanical changes following reconstruction for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. However, previous studies have focused on lower extremity joints as a single joint rather than simultaneous lower extremity movements. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the movement changes in the lower limb coordination patterns according to movement type following ACL reconstruction. Twenty-one post ACL reconstruction patients (AG) and an equal number of healthy adults (CG) participated in this study. They were asked to perform walking, running, and cutting maneuvers. The continuous relative phase and variability were calculated to examine the coordination pattern. During running and cutting at 30 and 60°, the AG demonstrated a lower in-phase hip–knee coordination pattern in the sagittal plane. The AG demonstrated low hip–knee variability in the sagittal plane during cutting at 60°. The low in-phase coordination pattern can burden the knee by generating unnatural movements following muscle contraction in the opposite direction. Based on the results, it would be useful to identify the problem and provide the fundamental evidence for the optimal timing of return-to-sport after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) rehabilitation, if the coordination variable is measured with various sensors promptly in the sports field to evaluate the coordination of human movement.

5-HT2A, 5-HT1B/D, 5HT3 and 5-HT7 receptors as mediators of serotonin-induced direct contractile response of bovine airway smooth muscle.

Background: Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) performs a variety of functions in the body including the modulation of muscle tone in respiratory airways. Several studies indicate a possible role of 5-HT in the pathophysiology of bronchial hyperresponsiveness. However, the receptors and the molecular mechanisms by which 5-HT acts on airway smooth muscle (ASM) continue to be controversial. Most of the evidence suggests the participation of different subtypes of receptors in an indirect response. This study supports the proposal that 5-HT directly contracts ASM and characterizes pharmacologically the subtypes of serotonergic receptors involved. The characterization was carried out by using selective antagonists in an organ bath model allowing study of the smooth muscle of segments of bovine trachea. Results: The results obtained show that 5-HT2A receptors are the main mediators of the direct contractile response of bovine ASM, with the cooperation of the 5-HT7, 5-HT3 and 5-HT1B/D receptors. Also, it was observed that the muscle response to serotonin is developed more slowly and to a lesser extent in comparison with the response to cholinergic stimulation. Conclusion: Overall, the receptors that mediate the direct serotonergic contraction of the smooth muscle of the bovine trachea are 5-HT2A, 5-HT7, 5-HT3 and 5-HT1B/D receptors.

Light-deformable dynamic surface fabricated by ink-jet printing.

Dynamic surfaces which can change their topography with external stimuli have wide application prospects. Liquid crystal network (LCN) is an ideal material for making dynamic surfaces, but traditional methods for LCN dynamic surface manufacturing are difficult to scale up, which limits its applications. This research proposes a new method to fabricate a responsive surface using ink-jet printing technology. Using a liquid crystal monomer mixture as the ink, we printed arrays of droplets onto a glass substrate with a homeotropic alignment layer and polymerized the droplets into deformable LCN hemispheres. An azobenzene diacrylate was copolymerized into the hemispheres to make them photo-responsive to UV light. Because the ink-jet printing method can potentially be used to print countless hemispheres on a large area substrate, large area dynamic surfaces consisting of a multitude of separate dynamic structures can be manufactured. Since the deformation of the entire surface is a periodic repetition of the deformation of a single hemisphere, we characterized the deformation of individual hemispheres, and found that the optical image of hemispheres between crossed polarizers shows a "maltese cross" texture, and 3D surface profiling shows the top surface depresses into a valley after UV-irradiation. This is caused by an order parameter decrease of the homeotropically aligned LC molecules, which leads to a contraction in the alignment direction. The deformation amplitude can be modulated by UV intensity and temperature. This kind of dynamic surface fabricated by ink-jet printing technology can easily be scaled up and is promising for applications such as adjustable micro-lenses or surface wettability.

Analysis of Hilton Worldwide Hotel Group’s Transnational Operation Strategy

The success of Hilton Group’s transnational operations is not only due to its correct international entry mode, through direct export, management contracts, franchising, mergers and acquisitions, it has achieved rapid expansion at low cost worldwide. At the same time, Hilton Group has implemented a variety of transnational business strategies in its entire international operation, including the growth strategies of brand diversification, M & A, and strategic alliances, product differentiation, low cost, competitive strategy for business development and the globalization of talent and other international business strategies, have laid the foundation for the success of the internationalization of the Hilton Group. Therefore, Hilton Group’s mature transnational operation mode is worthy to be studied and used for reference by Multinational Hotel Enterprises, and has important enlightenment significance to the development of hotel industry groups in China.