Terms Of General Behavior Research Articles

Gastroprotective and safety effects of WIN-34B, a novel treatment for osteoarthritis, compared to NSAIDs

Ethnopharmacological relevance The dried flowers of Lonicera japonica, also known as Japanese honeysuckle, and the dried root of Anemarrhena asphodeloides, the component herbs of WIN-34B, are traditionally used in Eastern medicine to treat various inflammatory conditions including arthritis. Objective To study the acute and chronic toxicities of WIN-34B and to compare its effects on gastric mucosa with those of diclofenac, a widely used NSAID, and celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor. Materials and methods To investigate acute toxicity, we orally administered a single dose of 5000 mg/kg WIN-34B to rats. To investigate chronic toxicity, we orally administered 500, 1000 or 2000 mg/kg WIN-34B to rats daily for 13 weeks. To assess its effects on gastric mucosa, rats received either a single dose or repeated doses of WIN-34B (400, 1000, or 2000 mg/kg), diclofenac (10, 40, or 80 mg/kg), celecoxib (100 or 1000 mg/kg), or vehicle, after which samples of gastric mucosa were assessed grossly and histologically. We also measured tissue activity of myeloperoxidase and synthesis of eicosanoids, including prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2) and leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4). To further assess its effects, we administered WIN-34B to rats either intraperitoneally or orally, measured gastric injury scores using a rat model of diclofenac-induced gastric injury, and measured eicosanoid synthesis. Results WIN-34B showed no signs of acute or chronic toxicity in terms of general behavior, gross appearance of the internal organs, blood chemistry, or mortality. WIN-34B did not cause significant gastric mucosal damage after single or repeated doses. In contrast, diclofenac and celecoxib both caused gastric damage. In terms of eicosanoid synthesis, WIN-34B significantly suppressed LTB 4 synthesis while both diclofenac and celecoxib increased LTB 4 synthesis. WIN-34B slightly reduced PGE 2 production, while both diclofenac and celecoxib significantly reduced PGE 2 production. In a rat model of diclofenac-induced gastric injury, WIN-34B significantly suppressed LTB 4 synthesis and restored PGE 2 release. Conclusions These results demonstrate that WIN-34B did not cause acute or chronic toxicity in male or female rats. In addition, WIN-34B did not cause significant gastric mucosal damage, instead appearing to protect the mucosa from diclofenac-induced gastric damage through the regulation of PGE 2 and LTB 4.

Seismic Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Interior Wide-Beam Column Joints

In this article, experimental and finite element (FE) numerical investigations on interior wide-beam column joints are presented. The experimental research consisting of three full-scale interior wide-beam column specimens was carried out at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore to study the seismic behavior. Details of the test results are discussed to understand the specimens' seismic performance in terms of general behavior, hysteresis loops response, and strain profiles of longitudinal reinforcement. In the FE numerical study, the three-dimensional (3D) model developed is validated by comparing the analysis results with the experimental test results, which has shown a good agreement. A parametric study is performed to elucidate more information and to understand the influence of critical parameters affecting the joint behavior such as column axial load, beam anchorage ratio, and wide beam participation.

Chinese medicine formula DSQRL versus glucocorticoids for the treatment of experimental pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a devastating interstitial lung disease that may develop idiopathically or as a complication of many other diseases. The outcome of the current main treatment by glucocorticoids is by no means satisfactory. This study has tested a new Chinese medicine Decoction for Strengthening Qi and Replenishing Lung (DSQRL) for the treatment of experimental PF in comparison with prednisolone. Eighty-five rats with PF induced by CCl 4 were randomly divided into 4 groups to undertake treatment either by (a) high dose of prednisolone; (b) Chinese medicine formula DSQRL; (c) combined treatment of the above two; or (d) sham feeding of water in equal volume. At the end of 60 days treatment, the DSQRL treatment achieved a significantly better outcome than prednisolone in terms of general behavior, histological examination, hydroxyproline content of the lung and inflammatory cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Thus, the newly proposed Chinese medicinal formula DSQRL appears to be a better and promising option for PF than glucocorticoids for the treatment of PF.

Appetite for information in the hobby of cooking

AbstractThis project examines the role that information plays in the hobby of gourmet cooking in the United States. While still in the groundwork stages of what will be an extended investigation, the ultimate aim is to address the question: How does information play a role in cooking, and ultimately, in the everyday pleasures of life? As a first step, a pilot study will be conducted in summer 2002 to establish defining characteristics of hobbyist cooks in terms of general behaviors, with attention to their information use. This will be followed by interviews with 15‐20 cooks over the course of the next year. The inquiry is innovative due to its: (1) commitment to view information as it is submerged in an enjoyable aspect of day‐to‐day life; (2) consideration of text and non‐traditional information sources such as human relationships and hands‐on experiences; and (3) interdisciplinary approach that borrows models from other social sciences.