The multilingual naming test in Alzheimer's disease: clues to the origin of naming impairments.

PubMed

Ivanova, Iva; Salmon, David P; Gollan, Tamar H

2013-03-01

The current study explored the picture naming performance of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). First, we evaluated the utility of the multilingual naming test (MINT; Gollan et al., 2011), which was designed to assess naming skills in speakers of multiple languages, for detecting naming impairments in monolingual AD and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). If the MINT were sensitive to linguistic impairment in AD, using it in clinical practice might have advantages over using tests exclusively designed for English monolinguals. We found that the MINT can be used with both monolinguals and bilinguals: A 32-item subset of the MINT is best for distinguishing monolingual patients from controls, while the full MINT is best for assessing degree of bilingualism and language dominance in bilinguals. We then investigated the cognitive mechanisms underlying naming impairment in AD. To this end, we explored which MINT item characteristics best predicted performance differences between monolingual patients and controls. We found that contextual diversity and imageability, but not word frequency (nor words’ number of senses), contributed unique variance to explaining naming impairments in AD. These findings suggest a semantic component to the naming impairment in AD (modulated by names’ semantic richness and network size).

Archaeometric study on minting dies produced under papal rule in Ferrara

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monticelli, Cecilia; Balbo, Andrea; Vaccaro, Carmela; Gulinelli, Maria Teresa; Garagnani, Gian Luca

2013-12-01

In the Civic Museum of Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara, a collection of 1104 coin striking tools is stored. Among these, eight steel dies produced from the 2nd decade of the seventeenth to the half of the eighteenth century, representative of the whole period of activity of the papal mint in Ferrara, have been chosen and studied. In that period, while important innovations in the coin minting technique were introduced in Europe, Ferrara declined from the rank of ducal mint to that of peripheral minting center of the highly centralized Papal States. The dies have been characterized by metallographic, chemical, and microhardness investigations. The results suggest that the dies were obtained by a manual smithing technique consisting in hammer hot forging. The die quality improved with time. In fact, in the period 1619-1622, a hardening treatment for the engraved die end consisting in a simple local carburization coexisted with a more efficient production method, based on the application of a proper final heat treatment. This treatment induced a graded microstructure from the engraved end, with a hard martensitic or bainitic structure, to the opposite end, with a tough ferritic/pearlitic structure. From 1675 onward, the latter production method was applied on all the studied dies. The chemical analysis of the alloys suggest that they were likely obtained from iron ores with a common provenance, while the analysis of the slag inclusions suggests the adoption of a direct method of ironmaking throughout the activity period of the mint.

31 CFR 92.4 - Uncirculated Mint Sets.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Uncirculated Mint Sets. 92.4 Section 92.4 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance UNITED STATES MINT...., specially packaged coin sets containing one coin of each denomination struck at the Mints at Philadelphia...

Effect of aqueous extracts of Mentha arvensis (mint) and Piper betle (betel) on growth and citrinin production from toxigenic Penicillium citrinum.

PubMed

Panda, Pragyanshree; Aiko, Visenuo; Mehta, Alka

2015-06-01

Due to growing concern of consumers about chemical residues in food products, the demand for safe and natural food is increasing greatly. The use of natural additives such as spices and herbal oil as seasoning agents for their antimicrobial activity has been extensively investigated. This paper discusses the efficacy of the aqueous extract of mint (Mentha arvensis) and betel (Piper betle) on the mycelial growth and citrinin production of Penicillium citrinum. The present investigation revealed that mint extract inhibited citrinin production up to 73 % without inhibiting the mycelium growth. The citrinin production decreased with increase in the concentration of mint extract as observed from the data obtained from High pressure liquid chromatography. The samples also showed reduced cytotoxicity on HeLa cells. On the other hand betel extract resulted in stimulatory effect on citrinin production and mycelial growth. The study showed that mint extract has the potential to be used safely for restraining citrinin contamination.

31 CFR Appendix H to Subpart A of... - United States Mint

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Act Officer, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th floor, 633 3rd Street, NW., Washington... Request, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Officer, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th... Information Appeal, Director, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th Floor, 633 3rd Street, NW...

31 CFR Appendix H to Subpart A of... - United States Mint

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Act Officer, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th floor, 633 3rd Street, NW., Washington... Request, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Officer, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th... Information Appeal, Director, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th Floor, 633 3rd Street, NW...

31 CFR Appendix H to Subpart A of... - United States Mint

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Act Officer, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th floor, 633 3rd Street, NW., Washington... Request, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Officer, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th... Information Appeal, Director, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th Floor, 633 3rd Street, NW...

31 CFR Appendix H to Subpart A of... - United States Mint

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Act Officer, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th floor, 633 3rd Street, NW., Washington... Request, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Officer, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th... Information Appeal, Director, United States Mint, Judiciary Square Building, 7th Floor, 633 3rd Street, NW...

77 FR 3035 - Pricing for 2012 Annual Sets and America the Beautiful Quarters® Bags & Rolls

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-20

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for 2012 Annual Sets and America the...: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing 2012 pricing for annual sets and the America the... States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set[supreg] 27.95 2012 United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters...

Effect of the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus fasciculatum on the essential oil yield related characters and nutrient acquisition in the crops of different cultivars of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis) under field conditions.

PubMed

Gupta, M L; Prasad, Arun; Ram, Muni; Kumar, Sushil

2002-01-01

The effects of inoculation with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomusfasciculatum on the root colonization, growth, essential oil yield and nutrient acquisition of three cultivars of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis); Kalka, Shivalik and Gomti, were studied under field conditions. The VAM inoculation significantly increased the root colonization, plant height, fresh herbage and dry matter yield. oil content and oil yield as compared to non-inoculated cultivars. The effect of VAM inoculation on the root colonization, growth and yield of mint was more pronounced with the cv Shivalik than the cvs Kalka and Gomati, indicating Shivalik as a highly mycorrhizal dependent genotype. VAM inoculation significantly increased the uptake of N, P and K by shoot tissues of mint, but most markedly increased the uptake of P. The VAM-inoculated mint plants depleted the available N, P and K in the rhizosphere soil as compared to non-inoculated control plants, however the extent of nutrient depletion was greater for P than N and K. We conclude that the VAM inoculation could significantly increase the root colonization, growth, essential oil yield and nutrient acquisition of mint for obtaining economic production under field conditions.

31 CFR Appendix H to Subpart C of... - United States Mint

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false United States Mint H Appendix H to... RECORDS Privacy Act Pt. 1, Subpt. C, App. H Appendix H to Subpart C of Part 1—United States Mint 1. In general. This appendix applies to the United States Mint. It sets forth specific notification and access...

31 CFR Appendix H to Subpart C of... - United States Mint

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false United States Mint H Appendix H to... RECORDS Privacy Act Pt. 1, Subpt. C, App. H Appendix H to Subpart C of Part 1—United States Mint 1. In general. This appendix applies to the United States Mint. It sets forth specific notification and access...

31 CFR Appendix H to Subpart C of... - United States Mint

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false United States Mint H Appendix H to... RECORDS Privacy Act Pt. 1, Subpt. C, App. H Appendix H to Subpart C of Part 1—United States Mint 1. In general. This appendix applies to the United States Mint. It sets forth specific notification and access...

31 CFR Appendix H to Subpart C of... - United States Mint

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false United States Mint H Appendix H to... RECORDS Privacy Act Pt. 1, Subpt. C, App. H Appendix H to Subpart C of Part 1—United States Mint 1. In general. This appendix applies to the United States Mint. It sets forth specific notification and access...

31 CFR 92.5 - Procedure governing availability of Bureau of the Mint records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... offices of the Department issued under 5 U.S.C. 301 and 552 and published as part 1 of this title, 32 FR... availability of Bureau of the Mint records. (b) Determination of availability. The Director of the Mint...: The Deputy Director of the Mint, Division Heads in the Office of the Director, and the Superintendent...

Solar drying of whole mint plant under natural and forced convection

PubMed Central

Sallam, Y.I.; Aly, M.H.; Nassar, A.F.; Mohamed, E.A.

2013-01-01

Two identical prototype solar dryers (direct and indirect) having the same dimensions were used to dry whole mint. Both prototypes were operated under natural and forced convection modes. In the case of the later one the ambient air was entered the dryer with the velocity of 4.2 m s−1. The effect of flow mode and the type of solar dryers on the drying kinetics of whole mint were investigated. Ten empirical models were used to fit the drying curves; nine of them represented well the solar drying behavior of mint. The results indicated that drying of mint under different operating conditions occurred in the falling rate period, where no constant rate period of drying was observed. Also, the obtained data revealed that the drying rate of mint under forced convection was higher than that of mint under natural convection, especially during first hours of drying (first day). The values of the effective diffusivity coefficient for the mint drying ranged between 1.2 × 10−11 and 1.33 × 10−11 m2 s−1. PMID:25750751

Interactions between PBEF and oxidative stress proteins-a potential new mechanism underlying PBEF in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury

PubMed Central

Zhang, Li Qin; Adyshev, Djanybek M.; Singleton, Patrick; Li, Hailong; Cepeda, Javier; Huang, Sheng-You; Zou, Xiaoqin; Verin, Alexander D.; Tu, Jiancheng; Garcia, Joe G.N.; Ye, Shui Qing

2008-01-01

Identification of pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor (PBEF) interacting partners may reveal new molecular mechanisms of PBEF in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury (ALI). The interactions between PBEF and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1(ND1), ferritin light chain and interferon induced transmembrane 3 (IFITM3) in human pulmonary vascular endothelial cells were identified and validated. ND1, ferritin and IFITM3 are involved in oxidative stress and inflammation. Overexpression of PBEF increased its interactions and intracellular oxidative stress, which can be attenuated by rotenone. The interaction modeling between PBEF and ND1 is consistent with the corresponding experimental finding. These interactions may underlie a novel role of PBEF in the pathogenesis of ALI. Structured summary MINT-6538697: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with NADH1 (uniprotkb:P03886) by two hybrid (MI:0018) MINT-6538811, MINT-6538868: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with interferon-induced transmembra (uniprotkb:Q01628) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006) MINT-6538787, MINT-6538841: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with NADH1 (uniprotkb:P03886) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006) MINT-6538755: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with gamma-glutamil-transferase (uniprotkb:P19440) by two hybrid (MI:0018) MINT-6538799, MINT-6538862: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with Ferritin light chain (uniprotkb:P02792) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006) MINT-6538769: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with E2L6 (uniprotkb:O14933) by two hybrid (MI:0018) MINT-6538741: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with Adenosine A2aR (uniprotkb:P29274) by two hybrid (MI:0018) MINT-6538727: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with interferon-induced transmembra (uniprotkb:Q01628) by two hybrid (MI:0018) MINT-6538712: PBEF (uniprotkb:P43490) physically interacts (MI:0218) with Ferritin light chain (uniprotkb:P02792) by two hybrid (MI:0018) PMID:18486613

Study of the Effect of Mint Oil on Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Pasha, Hajar; Behmanesh, Fereshteh; Mohsenzadeh, Farideh; Hajahmadi, Mahmood; Moghadamnia, Ali Akbar

2012-01-01

Background Approximately 80 percent of pregnant women suffer by some degree of nausea and vomiting. But the treatment of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy is rarely successful. Objectives The aim of this study was evaluation the effect of mint on nausea and vomiting during pregnancy that its treatment in some recent research has been effective. Materials and Methods In this double blind RCT, 60 pregnant women with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy were sampled and divided into two groups with Block-randomized method. mint group, in addition to giving the routine training, for four consecutive nights, before sleeping, a bowel of water whit four drops of pure mint essential oil placed on the floor near their beds and in control groups were used four drops of normal saline . The severity of nausea by using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and severity of vomiting by counting the number of its in 7 days prior, 4 days during, and 7 days after intervention were assessed. Results The results showed that the severity of nausea and vomiting did not differ between the two groups in 7days before and after intervention by using repeated measurement test. But during intervention, the severity of nausea showed a decreasing trend (especially in 4th night) in the mint and an increasing trend in the control group. The severity of nausea within 7 days after the intervention had a decreasing trend in both groups; however, the intensity was lower in the mint than saline group but not statically significant. No meaningful relationship has been detected during and after intervention for the intensity of vomiting. Conclusions The results of study showed that peppermint essential oil hasn't the effect on nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. PMID:23396673

Study of the effect of mint oil on nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

PubMed

Pasha, Hajar; Behmanesh, Fereshteh; Mohsenzadeh, Farideh; Hajahmadi, Mahmood; Moghadamnia, Ali Akbar

2012-11-01

Approximately 80 percent of pregnant women suffer by some degree of nausea and vomiting. But the treatment of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy is rarely successful. The aim of this study was evaluation the effect of mint on nausea and vomiting during pregnancy that its treatment in some recent research has been effective. In this double blind RCT, 60 pregnant women with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy were sampled and divided into two groups with Block-randomized method. mint group, in addition to giving the routine training, for four consecutive nights, before sleeping, a bowel of water whit four drops of pure mint essential oil placed on the floor near their beds and in control groups were used four drops of normal saline . The severity of nausea by using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and severity of vomiting by counting the number of its in 7 days prior, 4 days during, and 7 days after intervention were assessed. The results showed that the severity of nausea and vomiting did not differ between the two groups in 7days before and after intervention by using repeated measurement test. But during intervention, the severity of nausea showed a decreasing trend (especially in 4th night) in the mint and an increasing trend in the control group. The severity of nausea within 7 days after the intervention had a decreasing trend in both groups; however, the intensity was lower in the mint than saline group but not statically significant. No meaningful relationship has been detected during and after intervention for the intensity of vomiting. The results of study showed that peppermint essential oil hasn't the effect on nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

Growth performance and antioxidant enzyme activities in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) juveniles fed diets supplemented with sage, mint and thyme oils.

PubMed

Sönmez, Adem Yavuz; Bilen, Soner; Alak, Gonca; Hisar, Olcay; Yanık, Talat; Biswas, Gouranga

2015-02-01

This study evaluated effects of dietary supplementation of sage (Salvia officinalis), mint (Mentha spicata) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris) oils on growth performance, lipid peroxidation level (melondialdehyde, MDA) and liver antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, G6PD; glutathione reductase, GR; glutathione-S-transferase, GST and glutathione peroxidase, GPx) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) juveniles. For this purpose, triplicate groups of rainbow trout were fed daily ad libitum with diets containing sage, mint and thyme oils at 500, 1,000 and 1,500 mg kg(-1) for 60 days. While weight gain percentage of fish fed the diets containing sage and thyme oils was significantly higher than the control group, that of fish fed mint oil was the lowest. Similarly, specific growth rate was found to be the highest in all groups of the sage and thyme oil feeding and the lowest in the mint groups. Moreover, feed conversion ratio was significantly higher in the mint oil administered groups. Survival rate was also significantly reduced in the fish fed the diet containing mint oil. It was observed that SOD, G6PD and GPx activities were significantly increased in liver tissues of all the treated fish groups compared to that of control diet-fed group. However, CAT, GST and GR activities were significantly decreased in experimental diet-fed fish groups at the end of the experiment. On the other hand, a significant reduction was found in MDA levels in the fish fed the diets with sage and thyme oils compared to control and mint diets on the 30th and 60th days of experiment. Overall, dietary inclusion of sage and thyme oils is effective in enhancing rainbow trout growth, reduction in MDA and least changing antioxidant enzyme activities at a low level of 500 mg kg(-1) diet, and they can be used as important feed supplements for rainbow trout production.

75 FR 25925 - United States Mint

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-10

..., United States Mint, 801 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20220. Subject: Review and discuss obverse and..., United States Mint Liaison to the CCAC; 801 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20220; or call 202-354-7200...

Effects of dietary chromium picolinate and peppermint essential oil on growth performance and blood biochemical parameters of broiler chicks reared under heat stress conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akbari, Mohsen; Torki, Mehran

2014-08-01

A study was conducted using 240 female day-old broiler chicks to evaluate the effects of dietary chromium picolinate (CrPic), peppermint essential oil (P.mint), or their combination on growth performance and blood biochemical parameters of female broiler chicks raised under heat stress conditions (HS, 23.9 to 38 °C cycling). Average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were obtained from 1 to 42 days of age. Furthermore, at the end of the experiment (day 42), birds were bled to determine some blood biochemical parameters and weighed for final body weight (BW). ADFI, ADG, and BW were not influenced significantly by dietary CrPic and P.mint ( P > 0.05). A significant interaction between dietary CrPic and P.mint on FCR ( P = 0.012) was detected. FCR significantly decreased in chicks fed the diet including both CrPic and P.mint compared with the CrPic group. Significant interaction between dietary P.mint and CrPic on serum concentrations of triglycerides, glucose, and albumin were observed ( P < 0.05), but the other measured blood biochemical parameters were not statistically affected by dietary treatments ( P > 0.05). The serum concentrations of glucose, triglycerides were decreased ( P < 0.05) in broilers fed the diet including both CrPic and P.mint. Plasma chromium (Cr) content increased significantly ( P < 0.05) in birds fed the CrPic-included diet compared with the control group ( P < 0.05). From the results of the present experiment it can be concluded that dietary supplementation with combined P.mint and CrPic could have beneficial effects on some blood biochemical parameters of female chicks reared under heat stress conditions.

Effects of dietary chromium picolinate and peppermint essential oil on growth performance and blood biochemical parameters of broiler chicks reared under heat stress conditions.

PubMed

Akbari, Mohsen; Torki, Mehran

2014-08-01

A study was conducted using 240 female day-old broiler chicks to evaluate the effects of dietary chromium picolinate (CrPic), peppermint essential oil (P.mint), or their combination on growth performance and blood biochemical parameters of female broiler chicks raised under heat stress conditions (HS, 23.9 to 38 °C cycling). Average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were obtained from 1 to 42 days of age. Furthermore, at the end of the experiment (day 42), birds were bled to determine some blood biochemical parameters and weighed for final body weight (BW). ADFI, ADG, and BW were not influenced significantly by dietary CrPic and P.mint (P>0.05). A significant interaction between dietary CrPic and P.mint on FCR (P=0.012) was detected. FCR significantly decreased in chicks fed the diet including both CrPic and P.mint compared with the CrPic group. Significant interaction between dietary P.mint and CrPic on serum concentrations of triglycerides, glucose, and albumin were observed (P<0.05), but the other measured blood biochemical parameters were not statistically affected by dietary treatments (P>0.05). The serum concentrations of glucose, triglycerides were decreased (P<0.05) in broilers fed the diet including both CrPic and P.mint. Plasma chromium (Cr) content increased significantly (P<0.05) in birds fed the CrPic-included diet compared with the control group (P<0.05). From the results of the present experiment it can be concluded that dietary supplementation with combined P.mint and CrPic could have beneficial effects on some blood biochemical parameters of female chicks reared under heat stress conditions.

X11/Mint Genes Control Polarized Localization of Axonal Membrane Proteins in Vivo

PubMed Central

Gross, Garrett G.; Lone, G. Mohiddin; Leung, Lok Kwan; Hartenstein, Volker

2013-01-01

Mislocalization of axonal proteins can result in misassembly and/or miswiring of neural circuits, causing disease. To date, only a handful of genes that control polarized localization of axonal membrane proteins have been identified. Here we report that Drosophila X11/Mint proteins are required for targeting several proteins, including human amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Drosophila APP-like protein (APPL), to axonal membranes and for their exclusion from dendrites of the mushroom body in Drosophila, a brain structure involved in learning and memory. Axonal localization of APP is mediated by an endocytic motif, and loss of X11/Mint results in a dramatic increase in cell-surface levels of APPL, especially on dendrites. Mutations in genes required for endocytosis show similar mislocalization of these proteins to dendrites, and strongly enhance defects seen in X11/Mint mutants. These results suggest that X11/Mint-dependent endocytosis in dendrites may serve to promote the axonal localization of membrane proteins. Since X11/Mint binds to APP, and abnormal trafficking of APP contributes to Alzheimer's disease, deregulation of X11/Mint may be important for Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. PMID:23658195

Getting Started with PBL--A Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Müller, Tanja; Henning, Thomas

2017-01-01

In this paper, we provide insight into the PBL project called PoLiMINT (Problem-oriented Learning in MINT). The project is located at the Bremen University of Applied Sciences and aims to introduce and foster PBL in the introductory phase of a physics study program. Concerning our general conditions, we will present our incremental implementation…

Mint Viruses: Beauty, Stealth and Disease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mint has been cultivated for thousands of years for the unique fragrances produced by its volatile oils. The major areas of production include India, the United States, China, and Brazil. Mint is a vegetatively propagated crop and world-wide sharing of plant material along with repeated clonal propa...

31 CFR 92.4 - Uncirculated Mint Sets.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Uncirculated Mint Sets. 92.4 Section 92.4 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance MONETARY OFFICES, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY UNITED STATES MINT OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES Numismatic Operations § 92.4...

31 CFR 92.4 - Uncirculated Mint Sets.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Uncirculated Mint Sets. 92.4 Section 92.4 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance MONETARY OFFICES, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY UNITED STATES MINT OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES Numismatic Operations § 92.4...

77 FR 840 - Pricing for 2012 Products Featuring $1 Coins

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-06

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for 2012 Products Featuring $1 Coins AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing 2012 pricing for products featuring $1 coins, as follows: Product Retail price Presidential $1...

78 FR 3083 - Revised Pricing for Five 2013 Products

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-15

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Revised Pricing for Five 2013 Products AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing revised pricing for five 2013 products. Please see the table below. 2013 retail Product price...

75 FR 62184 - Notification of United States Mint Silver Eagle Bullion Coin Premium Increase

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-07

... Bullion Coin Premium Increase ACTION: Notification of United States Mint Silver Eagle Bullion Coin Premium Increase. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is increasing the premium charged to Authorized Purchasers for... will increase the premium charged to Authorized Purchasers for American Eagle Silver Bullion Coins...

77 FR 839 - Pricing for 2011 American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coins

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-06

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for 2011 American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coins Agency: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the re-pricing of the 2011 American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coins. The price of...

76 FR 27182 - Pricing for American Eagle and American Buffalo Bullion Presentation Cases

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-10

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for American Eagle and American Buffalo Bullion Presentation Cases AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price increase of the American Eagle/Buffalo Bullion...

76 FR 53717 - Pricing for the 2011 American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coin

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-29

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for the 2011 American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coin AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the pricing of the 2011 American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coin. The price of...

78 FR 25784 - Re-pricing of Several Silver Coin Products

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-02

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Re-pricing of Several Silver Coin Products AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Because of the recent decrease in the market price of silver, the United States Mint is lowering the price of several numismatic...

78 FR 11954 - Revised Pricing Grid for Gold and Platinum Products

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-20

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Revised Pricing Grid for Gold and Platinum Products AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing a revised pricing grid for 2013 gold and platinum products. Please see the grid...

75 FR 14257 - Pricing for Bronze Medals

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-24

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for Bronze Medals AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the 1\\5/16\\- inch bronze medals, 1\\1/2\\-inch bronze medals and three-inch bronze medals. Beginning March...

78 FR 41195 - Re-pricing of Several Silver Coin Products

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-09

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Re-pricing of Several Silver Coin Products AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Because of the recent decrease in the market price of silver, the United States Mint is lowering the price of several silver coin...

76 FR 417 - 2011 Numismatic Products Pricing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-04

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint 2011 Numismatic Products Pricing ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the prices of its 2011 numismatic products. Pursuant to the authority that 31 U.S.C. 5111(2)(3) & 5112 grant the Secretary of the Treasury to mint, prepare and...

31 CFR 91.1 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.1 Authority. The regulations in this part governing conduct in and on the Bureau of the Mint buildings and grounds located as follows: U.S. Mint, Colfax, and...

31 CFR 91.2 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.2 Applicability. The regulations in this part apply to the buildings and grounds of the Bureau of the Mint located as follows: U.S. Mint, Colfax and...

77 FR 69548 - Price for the 2012 Limited Edition Silver Proof SetTM

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-19

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Price for the 2012 Limited Edition Silver Proof Set TM AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing a price of $149.95 for the 2012 Limited Edition Silver Proof Set TM . FOR FURTHER...

77 FR 54659 - Price for the 2012 Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-05

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Price for the 2012 Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing a price of $54.95 for the 2012 Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set. This set...

78 FR 39832 - Price for the 2013 5-Star Generals Profile Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-02

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Price for the 2013 5-Star Generals Profile Collection AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing a price of $74.95 for the 2013 5-Star Generals Profile Collection. FOR FURTHER...

76 FR 67799 - Pricing for the American Eagle 25th Anniversary Silver Coin Set

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-02

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for the American Eagle 25th Anniversary Silver Coin Set AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the American Eagle 25th Anniversary Silver Coin Set. The...

77 FR 15457 - Pricing for the 2012 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-15

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for the 2012 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the 2012 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin. The coins will be offered...

78 FR 5245 - Pricing for New Product-America the Beautiful Quarters® Three-Roll Set

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-24

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for New Product--America the Beautiful Quarters[supreg] Three-Roll Set AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing pricing for a new product, the America the Beautiful...

76 FR 65563 - Pricing for 2011 American Eagle Silver Proof and Uncirculated Coins

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-21

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for 2011 American Eagle Silver Proof and Uncirculated Coins AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the re-pricing of the 2011 American Eagle Silver Proof and Uncirculated Coins...

76 FR 65563 - Pricing for America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated CoinsTM

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-21

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins TM AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the re-pricing of the America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver...

77 FR 31069 - Pricing for the 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated CoinsTM

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-24

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for the 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins TM AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the 2012 America the Beautiful...

76 FR 53717 - Pricing for the 2011 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-29

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for the 2011 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the re-pricing of the 2011 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin. The price of the coins...

77 FR 840 - Pricing for America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated CoinsTM

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-06

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins TM AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the re-pricing of the America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver...

76 FR 33026 - Pricing for the 2011 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-07

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for the 2011 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the 2011 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin. The coin will be offered for...

76 FR 17485 - Pricing for America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Bullion Coin Presentation Case

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-29

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Bullion Coin Presentation Case AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver...

77 FR 42365 - Price for the Making American History Coin and Currency Set

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-18

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Price for the Making American History Coin and Currency Set AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing a price of $72.95 for the Making American History Coin and Currency Set. FOR...

78 FR 70414 - Pricing for the 2013 Coin and Chronicles Set-Theodore Roosevelt

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-25

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for the 2013 Coin and Chronicles Set--Theodore Roosevelt AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing a price of $57.95 for the 2013 Coin and Chronicles Set--Theodore...

Data characterizing the chloroplast genomes of extinct and endangered Hawaiian endemic mints (Lamiaceae) and their close relatives.

PubMed

Welch, Andreanna J; Collins, Katherine; Ratan, Aakrosh; Drautz-Moses, Daniela I; Schuster, Stephan C; Lindqvist, Charlotte

2016-06-01

These data are presented in support of a plastid phylogenomic analysis of the recent radiation of the Hawaiian endemic mints (Lamiaceae), and their close relatives in the genus Stachys, "The quest to resolve recent radiations: Plastid phylogenomics of extinct and endangered Hawaiian endemic mints (Lamiaceae)" [1]. Here we describe the chloroplast genome sequences for 12 mint taxa. Data presented include summaries of gene content and length for these taxa, structural comparison of the mint chloroplast genomes with published sequences from other species in the order Lamiales, and comparisons of variability among three Hawaiian taxa vs. three outgroup taxa. Finally, we provide a list of 108 primer pairs targeting the most variable regions within this group and designed specifically for amplification of DNA extracted from degraded herbarium material.

Effect of mint solution concentration on the absorption spectra of silver nanoparticles in thulium ions presence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmagin, S. I.; Krasovskii, V. I.; Apresyan, L. A.; Novikov, I. K.; Krystob, V. I.; Kazaryan, M. A.

2018-04-01

By the method of green synthesis, silver nanoparticles were obtained in colloidal solutions. The solutions were modified with thulium ions. Using the method of electron microscopy and optical method, the properties of silver nanoparticles obtained are studied. The influence of change in concentration of the solution of mint and thulium ions on the properties of colloidal silver nanoparticles was studied.

78 FR 26116 - Pricing for the 2013 America the Beautiful Quarter Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated CoinsTM

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-03

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for the 2013 America the Beautiful Quarter Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins TM AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the 2013 America the Beautiful Quarter...

77 FR 14600 - Pricing for 2012 Kennedy Half-Dollar Bags and Rolls, Bronze Medals, the First Spouse Bronze Medal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-12

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for 2012 Kennedy Half-Dollar Bags and Rolls, Bronze Medals, the First Spouse Bronze Medal Set and the Birth Set AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing 2012 pricing for...

78 FR 24816 - Pricing for the 2013 American Eagle West Point Two-Coin Silver Set

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-26

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for the 2013 American Eagle West Point Two-Coin Silver Set AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the 2013 American Eagle West Point Two-Coin Silver Set. The...

75 FR 17832 - Pricing for 2010 Lincoln One-Cent Coin Two-Roll Set

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-07

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for 2010 Lincoln One-Cent Coin Two-Roll Set AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the 2010 Lincoln One-Cent Coin Two-Roll Set. The 2010 Lincoln One-Cent...

eMINTS Program Evaluation Report: An Investigation of Program Fidelity and Its Impact on Teacher Mastery and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Wendy; Strother, Scott; Weatherholt, Tara; Dechaume, Merav

2008-01-01

The eMINTS professional development programs are designed to help teachers learn how to integrate technology into their teaching, using instructional strategies that promote inquiry-based learning and encourage collaboration and community building among students and teachers. The eMINTS programs considered in this evaluation include: (1) eMINTS…

Identification and quantification of a major anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory phenolic compound found in basil, lemon, thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Basil, lemon thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme are in the mint family of plants that are used as culinary herbs world-wide. These herbs contain phenolic compounds that are believed to have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, the major phenolic compounds fr...

78 FR 38452 - Price for the 2013 Girl Scouts of the USA Young Collector Set

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-26

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Price for the 2013 Girl Scouts of the USA Young Collector Set AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing a price of $54.95 for the 2013 Girl Scouts of the USA Young Collector Set. FOR...

MinT: Middleware for Cooperative Interaction of Things

PubMed Central

Jeon, Soobin; Jung, Inbum

2017-01-01

This paper proposes an Internet of Things (IoT) middleware called Middleware for Cooperative Interaction of Things (MinT). MinT supports a fully distributed IoT environment in which IoT devices directly connect to peripheral devices easily construct a local or global network, and share their data in an energy efficient manner. MinT provides a sensor abstract layer, a system layer and an interaction layer. These enable integrated sensing device operations, efficient resource management, and active interconnection between peripheral IoT devices. In addition, MinT provides a high-level API to develop IoT devices easily for IoT device developers. We aim to enhance the energy efficiency and performance of IoT devices through the performance improvements offered by MinT resource management and request processing. The experimental results show that the average request rate increased by 25% compared to Californium, which is a middleware for efficient interaction in IoT environments with powerful performance, an average response time decrease of 90% when resource management was used, and power consumption decreased by up to 68%. Finally, the proposed platform can reduce the latency and power consumption of IoT devices. PMID:28632182

MinT: Middleware for Cooperative Interaction of Things.

PubMed

Jeon, Soobin; Jung, Inbum

2017-06-20

This paper proposes an Internet of Things (IoT) middleware called Middleware for Cooperative Interaction of Things (MinT). MinT supports a fully distributed IoT environment in which IoT devices directly connect to peripheral devices easily construct a local or global network, and share their data in an energy efficient manner. MinT provides a sensor abstract layer, a system layer and an interaction layer. These enable integrated sensing device operations, efficient resource management, and active interconnection between peripheral IoT devices. In addition, MinT provides a high-level API to develop IoT devices easily for IoT device developers. We aim to enhance the energy efficiency and performance of IoT devices through the performance improvements offered by MinT resource management and request processing. The experimental results show that the average request rate increased by 25% compared to Californium, which is a middleware for efficient interaction in IoT environments with powerful performance, an average response time decrease of 90% when resource management was used, and power consumption decreased by up to 68%. Finally, the proposed platform can reduce the latency and power consumption of IoT devices.

Transfer factors of polonium from soil to parsley and mint.

PubMed

Al-Masri, M S; Al-Hamwi, A; Eadan, Z; Amin, Y

2010-12-01

Transfer factors of (210)Po from soil to parsley and mint have been determined. Artificial polonium isotope ((208)Po) was used as a tracer to determine transfer factor of Po from soil to plant in pot experiments. Two plant growing systems were used for this study namely, an outdoor system and a sheltered system by a polyethylene tent. (208)Po and (210)Po were determined in soil and different parts of the studied plants (stem and leaf), using alpha spectroscopy. The results have shown that there was a clear uptake of (208)Po by roots to leaves and stems of both plants. Higher values of transfer factors using the (210)Po activity concentrations than the (208)Po activity concentration were observed. Transfer factors of (210)Po from soil to parsley varied between 20 × 10⁻² and 50 × 10⁻² and 22 × 10⁻³ and 67 × 10⁻³ in mint, while (208)Po transfer factors varied between 4 × 10⁻² and 12 × 10⁻² for parsley and 10 × 10⁻² and 22 × 10⁻² in mint. Transfer factors of Po were higher in those plants grown in the sheltered system than in the open system; about 75% of Po was transferred from atmosphere to parsley parts using the two systems. Ratios of transferred Po from soil to mint stem and leaf in the sheltered system were higher by 2 times from those in the open system. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

31 CFR Appendix H to Subpart C of... - United States Mint

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false United States Mint H Appendix H to Subpart C of Part 1 Money and Finance: Treasury Office of the Secretary of the Treasury DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS Privacy Act Pt. 1, Subpt. C, App. H Appendix H to Subpart C of Part 1—United States Mint 1. In...

Development of remote sensing based site specific weed management for Midwest mint production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gumz, Mary Saumur Paulson

Peppermint and spearmint are high value essential oil crops in Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Although the mints are profitable alternatives to corn and soybeans, mint production efficiency must improve in order to allow industry survival against foreign produced oils and synthetic flavorings. Weed control is the major input cost in mint production and tools to increase efficiency are necessary. Remote sensing-based site-specific weed management offers potential for decreasing weed control costs through simplified weed detection and control from accurate site specific weed and herbicide application maps. This research showed the practicability of remote sensing for weed detection in the mints. Research was designed to compare spectral response curves of field grown mint and weeds, and to use these data to develop spectral vegetation indices for automated weed detection. Viability of remote sensing in mint production was established using unsupervised classification, supervised classification, handheld spectroradiometer readings and spectral vegetation indices (SVIs). Unsupervised classification of multispectral images of peppermint production fields generated crop health maps with 92 and 67% accuracy in meadow and row peppermint, respectively. Supervised classification of multispectral images identified weed infestations with 97% and 85% accuracy for meadow and row peppermint, respectively. Supervised classification showed that peppermint was spectrally distinct from weeds, but the accuracy of these measures was dependent on extensive ground referencing which is impractical and too costly for on-farm use. Handheld spectroradiometer measurements of peppermint, spearmint, and several weeds and crop and weed mixtures were taken over three years from greenhouse grown plants, replicated field plots, and production peppermint and spearmint fields. Results showed that mints have greater near infrared (NIR) and lower green reflectance and a steeper red edge slope than all weed species. These distinguishing characteristics were combined to develop narrow band and broadband spectral vegetation indices (SVIs, ratios of NIR/green reflectance), that were effective in differentiating mint from key weed species. Hyperspectral images of production peppermint and spearmint fields were then classified using SVI-based classification. Narrowband and broadband SVIs classified early season peppermint and spearmint with 64 to 100% accuracy compared to 79 to 100% accuracy for supervised classification of multispectral images of the same fields. Broadband SVIs have potential for use as an automated spectral indicator for weeds in the mints since they require minimal ground referencing and can be calculated from multispectral imagery which is cheaper and more readily available than hyperspectral imagery. This research will allow growers to implement remote sensing based site specific weed management in mint resulting in reduced grower input costs and reduced herbicide entry into the environment and will have applications in other specialty and meadow crops.

Consumer acceptance of orange juice mixed with water mint leave extract.

PubMed

Ali, Marwa Rashad

2017-10-31

Orange-Mint leaves juice was formulated using different addition percentages of mint leaves extract. The juice was aseptically processed, packed in glass bottles under sterilized environment and sterilized at 70°C for 15 minutes then storage at 5°C for 3 months. The physicochemical, nutritional value, microbiological and sensory characteristics of the juice was evaluated. There is no difference in pH, total soluble solids, ash, and total acidity in all samples moreover, the sample A2, "orange juice with 15% of mint leaves extract" recorded the best values of sensory evaluation, on the other hand, it was recorded lower values of vitamin C and total phenolic compound than sample (C) or (C1) because of increasing in addition% of mint leaves extract to orange juice. The sensory properties of juice samples were not remarkable any changes during storage. The result indicated that the juice was acceptable up to 3 months of storage 5°C. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Botanical perspectives on health peppermint: more than just an after-dinner mint.

PubMed

Spirling, L I; Daniels, I R

2001-03-01

Throughout history different species of mint have been used across the globe for their varying properties, both medicinal and culinary. Today, the commercial sales of mints are expanding each year--and at the end of a large meal after-dinner mints are frequently served. But why do we take them? Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is usually taken after a meal for its ability to reduce indigestion and colonic spasms by reducing the gastrocolic reflex. It is a naturally occurring hybrid cross between water mint (M. aquatica) and spearmint (M. spicata) and is best known for its role as a popular flavouring agent. Less well recognised is peppermint's potential role in the management of numerous other medical conditions including certain procedures, e.g. colonoscopy. With the growing popularity of herbal remedies, among both the public and medical practitioners, it would seem that now is an opportune time to consider further what peppermint has to offer the world of medicine.

Strategies to retain participants in a long-term HIV prevention randomized controlled trial: Lessons from the MINTS-II study

PubMed Central

Horvath, Keith J.; Nygaard, Kate; Danilenko, Gene P.; Goknur, Sinan; Oakes, J. Michael; Rosser, B.R. Simon

2012-01-01

Achieving satisfactory retention in online HIV prevention trials typically have proved difficult, particularly over extended timeframes. The overall aim of this study was to assess factors associated with retention in the Men’s INTernet Study II (MINTS-II), a randomized controlled trial of a sexual risk reduction intervention for men who have sex with men. Participants were recruited via e-mails and banner advertisements in December, 2007 to participate in the MINTS-II Sexpulse intervention and followed over a 12-month period. Retention across the treatment and control arms was 85.2% at 12 months. Factors associated with higher retention included: randomization to the control arm, previous participation in a study by the research team, e-mail and telephone reminders to complete a survey once it was available to take, and fewer e-mail contacts between surveys. The results provide evidence that achieving satisfactory retention is possible in online HIV prevention trials, and suggest best practices for maximizing retention. PMID:21538084

“Molecular Imaging in Nanotechnology and Theranostics” (MINT) Interest Group

PubMed Central

Andreou, Chrysafis; Pal, Suchetan; Rotter, Lara; Yang, Jiang; Kircher, Moritz F.

2017-01-01

The “Molecular Imaging in Nanotechnology and Theranostics” (MINT) Interest Group of the World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS) was founded in 2015 and was officially inaugurated during the 2016 World Molecular Imaging Conference (WMIC). The MINT interest group was created in response to the exponential growth of the fields of Nanotechnology and Theranostics in recent years, and the resulting need to provide a more organized and focused forum on these topics at the WMIS and the WMIC. The overarching goal of MINT is to bring together the many scientists who work on molecular imaging approaches using nanotechnology, and those that work on theranostic agents. MINT therefore represents scientists, labs, and institutes that are very diverse in their scientific backgrounds and areas of expertise, reflecting the wide array of materials and approaches that drive these fields. In this short review, we attempt to provide a condensed overview over some of the key areas covered by MINT. Given the breadth of the fields and the given space constraints, we have limited the coverage to the realm of nano-constructs, although theranostics is certainly not limited to this domain. We will also focus only on the most recent developments of the last 3-5 years, in order to provide the reader with an intuition of what is “in the pipeline” and has potential for clinical translation in the near future. PMID:28349293

Low track height standard-cells enable high-placement density and low-BEOL cost (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debacker, Peter; Matti, Luca; Sherazi, Syed M. Y.; Baert, Rogier; Gerousis, Vassilios; Nauts, Claire; Raghavan, Praveen; Ryckaert, Julien; Kim, Ryoung-Han; Verkest, Diederik

2017-04-01

Making standards cells smaller by lowering the cell height from 7.5 tracks to 6 tracks for the same set of ground rules is an efficient way to reduce area for high density digital IP blocks without increasing wafer cost. Denser cells however also imply a higher pin density and possible more routing congestion because of that. In Place and Route phase, this limits the cell density (a.k.a. utilization) that can be reached without design rule violations. This study shows that 6-track cells (192nm high) and smart routing results in up to 60% lower area than 7.5-track cells in N5 technology. Standard cells have been created for 7.5T and 6T cells in N5 technology (poly pitch 42nm, metal pitch 32nm). The cells use a first horizontal routing layer (Mint) and vertical M1 for 1D intra-cell routing as much as possible. Place and route was performed on an opencores LDPC decoder. Various cell architectures and place and route optimizations are used to scale down the cell area and improve density. Most are not process optimizations, but optimized cell architectures and routing methods: • Open M1: M1 is removed as much as possible. This allows the router to use M1 for inter-cell routing in dense areas. • Routing in Mint: With open M1 the router can also use Mint to extend pins to access nearby free M1 tracks in congested areas. • Outbound rail: The 7.5T cells have inbound VDD/VSS rails in Mint for easy supply tapping. Moving the Mint rail outbound and shared between cells is required to enable lower track height cells. • Vertical Power distribution network (PDN): in 6T cells too many horizontal tracks would be consumed by the wide M2 rail. Mint is used instead combined with a vertical PDN in M1. • Self-Aligned Gate Contact allows to contact the gate on top of active fins. Any Mint track then can contact a gate, reducing cell area considerably. • Partially landing Mint Via trench: In 6T cells, a continuous Via trench underneath the Mint rail is used. This via partially lands on M0A to relax tip-to-tip requirements. • Relaxed M2 pitch: When pin access is handled in Mint and M1, this allows for a relaxed M2 pitch (48nm) with cheaper double patterning. To avoid horizontal routing layer congestion with the smaller cells, the 6T cells depend on the vertical PDN and open M1 to improve routability and pin access. Already in 7.5T cells, open M1 and vertical PDN help to improve routable utilization from 50% with closed M1 to 85% maximum. Moving to 6T cells, the combination of reduced cell area and high 85% utilization of result in a 60% area reduction vs the original 7.5T cells. We have shown that combining 6-track cells and smart routing results in up to 60% lower area than 7.5-track cells in N5 technology. Open M1 and vertical PDN are main area boosters for any cell architecture, boosting utilization from 50% to 85% already for the 7.5T cells.

Cosmic Microwave Background Observations with a Compact Heterogeneous 150 GHz Interferometer in Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fowler, J. W.; Doriese, W. B.; Marriage, T. A.; Tran, H. T.; Aboobaker, A. M.; Dumont, C.; Halpern, M.; Kermish, Z. D.; Loh, Y.-S.; Page, L. A.; Staggs, S. T.; Wesley, D. H.

2005-01-01

We report on the design, first observing season, and analysis of data from a new prototype millimeter-wave interferometer, MINT. MINT consists of four 145 GHz SIS mixers operating in double-sideband mode in a compact heterogeneous configuration. The signal band is subdivided by a monolithic channelizer, after which the correlations between antennas are performed digitally. The typical receiver sensitivity in a 2 GHz band is 1.4 mK s1/2. The primary beams are 0.45d and 0.30d FWHM, with fringe spacing as small as 0.1d. MINT observed the cosmic microwave background (CMB) from Cerro Toco, in the Chilean Altiplano. The site quality at 145 GHz is good, with median nighttime atmospheric temperature of 9 K at zenith (exclusive of the CMB). Repeated observations of Mars, Jupiter, and a telescope-mounted calibration source establish the phase and magnitude stability of the system. MINT is the first interferometer dedicated to CMB studies to operate above 50 GHz. The same type of system can be used to probe the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect in galaxy clusters near the SZ null at 217 GHz. We give the essential features of MINT and present an analysis of sideband-separated, digitally sampled data recorded by the array. Based on 215 hours of data taken in late 2001, we set an upper limit on the CMB anisotropy in a band of width Δl=700 around l=1540 of δT<105 μK (95% confidence). Increased sensitivity can be achieved with more integration time, greater bandwidth, and more elements.

21 CFR 158.170 - Frozen peas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... flavors. (ii) Condiments such as spices and mint leaves. (iii) Dry nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners. (iv... condiment such as spices and mint leaves that characterizes the product, e.g., “Spice added”. Where a...

76 FR 24959 - Notification of Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-03

... States Mint, 801 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20220. Subject: Review and consideration of candidate... recommended. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Weinman, Acting United States Mint Liaison to the CCAC; 801...

DC-8 Airborne Laboratory in flight over Mint Canyon near the San Gabriel Mountains

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-02-20

NASA DC-8 airborne laboratory flying over Mint Canyon near the snow-covered San Gabriel Mountains of California. The mostly white aircraft is silhouetted against the darker mountains in the background.

Sensitive and specific detection of early gastric cancer with DNA methylation analysis of gastric washes.

PubMed

Watanabe, Yoshiyuki; Kim, Hyun Soo; Castoro, Ryan J; Chung, Woonbok; Estecio, Marcos R H; Kondo, Kimie; Guo, Yi; Ahmed, Saira S; Toyota, Minoru; Itoh, Fumio; Suk, Ki Tae; Cho, Mee-Yon; Shen, Lanlan; Jelinek, Jaroslav; Issa, Jean-Pierre J

2009-06-01

Aberrant DNA methylation is an early and frequent process in gastric carcinogenesis and could be useful for detection of gastric neoplasia. We hypothesized that methylation analysis of DNA recovered from gastric washes could be used to detect gastric cancer. We studied 51 candidate genes in 7 gastric cancer cell lines and 24 samples (training set) and identified 6 for further studies. We examined the methylation status of these genes in a test set consisting of 131 gastric neoplasias at various stages. Finally, we validated the 6 candidate genes in a different population of 40 primary gastric cancer samples and 113 nonneoplastic gastric mucosa samples. Six genes (MINT25, RORA, GDNF, ADAM23, PRDM5, MLF1) showed frequent differential methylation between gastric cancer and normal mucosa in the training, test, and validation sets. GDNF and MINT25 were most sensitive molecular markers of early stage gastric cancer, whereas PRDM5 and MLF1 were markers of a field defect. There was a close correlation (r = 0.5-0.9, P = .03-.001) between methylation levels in tumor biopsy and gastric washes. MINT25 methylation had the best sensitivity (90%), specificity (96%), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.961) in terms of tumor detection in gastric washes. These findings suggest MINT25 is a sensitive and specific marker for screening in gastric cancer. Additionally, we have developed a new method for gastric cancer detection by DNA methylation in gastric washes.

76 FR 57806 - Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-16

..., 2011. Time: 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Location: Conference Room A, United States Mint, 801 9th Street, NW... CONTACT: Andy Fishburn, United States Mint Liaison to the CCAC; 801 9th Street, NW.; Washington, DC 20220...

78 FR 31633 - Meeting of Citizen Coinage Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-24

... public may attend the meeting at the United States Mint, 801 9th Street NW., Washington, DC, Conference..., United States Mint Liaison to the CCAC; 801 9th Street NW., Washington, DC 20220; or call 202-354-7200...

76 FR 2754 - Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-14

.... Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Location: 8th Floor Board Room, United States Mint, 801 9th Street, NW... CONTACT: Cliff Northup, United States Mint Liaison to the CCAC; 801 9th Street, NW.; Washington, DC 20220...

75 FR 70363 - Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-17

.... Time: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Location: 8th Floor Board Room, United States Mint, 801 9th Street, NW... CONTACT: Cliff Northup, United States Mint Liaison to the CCAC; 801 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20220...

77 FR 12371 - Notification of Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee February 28, 2012, Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-29

...: Conference Room A, United States Mint, 801 9th Street NW., Washington, DC 20220. Subject: Review and... CONTACT: Andy Fishburn, United States Mint Liaison to the CCAC; 801 9th Street NW., Washington, DC 20220...

Early medieval coinage in the territory of Slovenia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šmit, Ž.; Šemrov, A.

2006-11-01

Silver coins minted in the territory of present Slovenia and neighboring countries Italy and Austria between the 12th and 14th century were analyzed by PIXE. Gold and bismuth were found as predominant impurities, which allowed distribution of coins into two groups. Coins with the predominant Bi impurity were minted from silver that was very likely mined in Carinthia and diffusion of this type of silver towards the mints in eastern Slovenia was observed. This finding confirms the historical hypothesis that silver currency in this period was largely produced for the trade with the east.

Analysis of Greek small coinage from the classic period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šmit, Ž.; Šemrov, A.

2018-02-01

A series of 25 Greek coins from the 6th to 4th centuries BC was studied by PIXE for their trace element composition, with an aim to discover the origin of their silver ore. The procedure revealed a counterfeited coin, and then concentrated on distinguishing the coins minted from the ore of Laurion on the Attica peninsula and the coins minted from other sources. Linear discriminant analysis based on the impurities and alloying elements of copper, gold, lead and bismuth revealed that discrimination is indeed possible according to a single canonical variable.

77 FR 66663 - Senior Executive Service; Combined Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-06

... Director, BPD; Leonard R. Olijar, Chief Financial Officer/Associate Director, BEP; Beverly Ortega Babers, Chief Administrative Officer, United States Mint; Cheri Mitchell, Chief Financial Officer/Assistant... States Mint; Mary G. Ryan, Deputy Administrator, TTB. Alternate Members Marty Greiner, Chief Financial...

Long-term preservation of Pycnanthemum genetic resources

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plants of Pycnanthemum Michx. (Mountain mint; Lamiaceae) are native to North America. They naturally grow in prairies, forest edges, pastures and along roadsides. Their flowers provide abundant nectar for honey bees, wasps, butterflies and other insects. Mountain mint leaves are very scented and pun...

75 FR 11228 - Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee March 2010 Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-10

..., 2010. Time: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Location: 8th Floor Boardroom, United States Mint, 801 9th Street, NW... CONTACT: Cliff Northup, United States Mint Liaison to the CCAC; 801 9th Street, NW.; Washington, DC 20220...

Green synthesis of tea Ag nanocomposite hydrogels via mint leaf extraction for effective antibacterial activity.

PubMed

Jayaramudu, Tippabattini; Varaprasad, Kokkarachedu; Raghavendra, Gownolla Malegowd; Sadiku, E R; Mohana Raju, Konduru; Amalraj, John

2017-10-01

In this report, we investigated the swelling behavior and antibacterial property of nanosilver composite hydrogels made from tea with polyacrylamide via a free-radical polymerization and green process technique. This is probably for the first time; tea-based nano silver composite hydrogels were developed. The composite hydrogels comprise embedded nano silver particles in the tea hydrogel matrix via a green process with mint leaf extract. The size of the nano silver particles in the hydrogel matrix was found to be < 10 nm. The nano silver composite hydrogels formed and their blank hydrogels from the mint leaf were characterized by using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction studies. The nano silver composite hydrogels developed exhibit eminent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. This clearly indicates that the nano silver composite hydrogels are potential candidates for antimicrobial applications.

78 FR 58383 - Senior Executive Service; Combined Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-23

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Senior Executive Service; Combined Performance Review Board (PRB) AGENCY: United States Mint (USM), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of members of Combined... Trade Bureau (TTB). The Combined PRB reviews the performance appraisals of career senior executives...

75 FR 2933 - Notification of Pricing for United States Mint 2010 Native American $1 Coin 25-Coin Rolls, 2010...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-19

... 25-Coin Rolls, honoring Presidents Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan and Abraham Lincoln, will be priced at $35.95 each. Rolls of coins struck at both the United States Mint facilities at...

Molecular features of colorectal hyperplastic polyps and sessile serrated adenoma/polyps from Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Kyoung-Mee; Lee, Eui Jin; Ha, Sangyun; Kang, So Young; Jang, Kee-Taek; Park, Cheol Keun; Kim, Jin Yong; Kim, Young Ho; Chang, Dong Kyung; Odze, Robert Daniel

2011-09-01

Abundant recent data suggest that sessile serrated adenoma/polyp (SSA/P) is an early precursor lesion in the serrated pathway of carcinogenesis. It is believed that SSA/Ps develop cancer by an SSA/P-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence. Hyperplastic polyps (HPs) share some histologic and molecular characteristics with SSA/P, but it is unclear whether SSA/Ps are derived from HPs or whether they develop by a different pathogenetic pathway. Previous studies have shown that serrated polyps from Korean patients show different prevalence rates of certain molecular abnormalities compared with similar lesions from American patients, and this suggests that lifestyle and dietary factors may influence the serrated neoplasia pathway. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the molecular features of HPs and SSA/Ps, the latter both with and without dysplasia, from Korean patients and to compare the findings with similar lesions from American patients. One hundred and eleven serrated polyps, consisting of 45 HPs (30 microvesicular, 11 goblet cell, 4 mucin depleted) and 56 SSA/Ps (36 with dysplasia, 20 without dysplasia), were retrieved from the pathology files of a large medical center in Korea and 38 SSA/P from American patients were evaluated for BRAF and KRAS mutations, microsatellite instability, and hypermethylation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), hMLH1, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), p16, methylated in tumor-1 (MINT-1), MINT2, and MINT31. Methylation of hMLH1 was performed using 2 different sets of primers. Twenty-three conventional adenomas from Korean patients were included as controls. The data were compared between polyp subtypes and between polyps in the right versus the left colon. With regard to HP, KRAS mutations were present in 31.1% of polyps and BRAF mutations in 46.7% of polyps. KRAS mutations were significantly more common in goblet cell HP and BRAF in microvesicular HP (MVHP). Methylation of MGMT, hMLH1, APC, p16, MINT1, MINT2, and MINT31 were present in 42.2%, 64.4% (and 24.4%), 37.8%, 60%, 68.9%, 51.1%, and 60% of HPs. CpG island methylator phenotype high was noted in 60% of HPs. Methylation of hMLH1, p16, MINT2, and MINT31 were more frequent in MVHPs compared with other types of HPs. In contrast, SSA/Ps showed KRAS and BRAF mutations in 12.5% and 60.7% of cases, respectively. Methylation of all tumor-related genes, except hMLH1 (23.2% using 1 type of primers) and APC (37.5%), occurred in >50% of lesions, and CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) high was noted in 76.8% of cases. None of the molecular findings were significantly more common in SSA/P with, versus those without, dysplasia, but only 2 of the 36 polyps with dysplasia were of the conventional adenomatous type; the remainder (34 of 36) was of the serrated type. Nevertheless, both SSA/P with conventional adenomatous dysplasia showed methylation of MGMT, APC, MINT1, and MINT31 and were CIMP high. BRAF mutations, methylation of most tumor related genes, and CIMP high occurred more frequently in HPs and SSA/Ps in the right colon, compared with the left colon. In fact, no significant differences were observed between HPs and SSPs of the right colon and HPs and SSA/Ps from the left colon. Furthermore, compared with American patients, Korean male individuals were affected more frequently than female individuals, and both BRAF mutations and hMLH1 methylation were less frequent in the latter compared with the former. We conclude that HPs and SSA/Ps in Korean patients share some, but not all, clinical and molecular characteristics to those that occur in Americans. The data support the theory that the right and left colon are biologically different with regard to susceptibility to serrated cancer, and that anatomic location (right vs. left) may be a more significant risk factor of progression than the histologic type of polyp. Our data also support the theory that right-sided MVHPs may be a precursor to SSA/P.

Sensitive and Specific Detection of Early Gastric Cancer Using DNA Methylation Analysis of Gastric Washes

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Yoshiyuki; Kim, Hyun Soo; Castoro, Ryan J.; Chung, Woonbok; Estecio, Marcos R. H.; Kondo, Kimie; Guo, Yi; Ahmed, Saira S.; Toyota, Minoru; Itoh, Fumio; Suk, Ki Tae; Cho, Mee-Yon; Shen, Lanlan; Jelinek, Jaroslav; Issa, Jean-Pierre J.

2009-01-01

Background & Aims Aberrant DNA methylation is an early and frequent process in gastric carcinogenesis and could be useful for detection of gastric neoplasia. We hypothesized that methylation analysis of DNA recovered from gastric washes could be used to detect gastric cancer. Methods We studied 51 candidate genes in 7 gastric cancer cell lines and 24 samples (training set) and identified 6 for further studies. We examined the methylation status of these genes in a test set consisting of 131 gastric neoplasias at various stages. Finally, we validated the 6 candidate genes in a different population of 40 primary gastric cancer samples and 113 non-neoplastic gastric mucosa samples. Results 6 genes (MINT25, RORA, GDNF, ADAM23, PRDM5, MLF1) showed frequent differential methylation between gastric cancer and normal mucosa in the training, test and validation sets. GDNF and MINT25 were most sensitive molecular markers of early stage gastric cancer while PRDM5 and MLF1 were markers of a field defect. There was a close correlation (r=0.5 to 0.9, p=0.03 to 0.001) between methylation levels in tumor biopsy and gastric washes. MINT25 methylation had the best sensitivity (90%), specificity (96%), and area under the ROC curve (0.961) in terms of tumor detection in gastric washes. Conclusions These findings suggest MINT25 is a sensitive and specific marker for screening in gastric cancer. Additionally we have developed a new methodology for gastric cancer detection by DNA methylation in gastric washes. PMID:19375421

Heterogeneity of three molecular data partition phylogenies of mints related to M. x piperita (Mentha; Lamiaceae).

PubMed

Gobert, V; Moja, S; Taberlet, P; Wink, M

2006-07-01

Phylogenetic reconstructions with molecular tools are now widely used, thanks to advances in PCR and sequencing technologies. The choice of the molecular target still remains a problem because too few comparative data are available. This is particularly true for hybrid taxa, where differential introgression of genome parts leads to incongruity between data sets. We have studied the potential of three data partitions to reconstruct the phylogeny of mints related to M. x piperita. These included nuclear DNA (ITS), chloroplast DNA (non-coding regions trnL intron, intergenic spacers trnL-trnF, and psbA-trnH), and AFLP and ISSR, markers. The taxonomic sampling was composed of hybrids, diploid and polyploid genomes. Since the genealogy of cultivated mint hybrids is known, they represent a model group to compare the usefulness of various molecular markers for phylogeny inference. Incongruities between ITS, chloroplast DNA, and AFLP-ISSR phylogenetic trees were recorded, although DNA fingerprinting data were congruent with morphological classification. Evidence of chloroplast capture events was obtained for M. x piperita. Direct sequencing of ITS led to biased results because of the existence of pseudogenes. Sequencing of cloned ITS further failed to provide evidence of the existence of the two parental copy types for M. x piperita, a sterile hybrid that has had no opportunity for concerted evolution of ITS copies. AFLP-ISSR data clustered M. x piperita with the parent that had the largest genome. This study sheds light on differential of introgression of different genome regions in mint hybrids.

76 FR 55744 - Currently Approved Information Collection: Comment Request for Application for Intellectual...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-08

... Request for Application for Intellectual Property Use Forms AGENCY: United States Mint. ACTION: Notice and... United States Mint Application for Intellectual Property Use forms. DATES: Written comments should be....treas.gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Applications for Intellectual Property Use. OMB Number...

Flavor improvement does not increase abuse liability of nicotine chewing gum.

PubMed

Houtsmuller, Elisabeth J; Fant, Reginald V; Eissenberg, Thomas E; Henningfield, Jack E; Stitzer, Maxine L

2002-06-01

Because the taste of nicotine gum has impeded compliance with dosing recommendations, nicotine gum with improved taste (mint, orange) was developed and marketed. Prior to marketing, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required a rigorous abuse liability assessment to examine whether enhanced palatability of nicotine gum would increase its abuse liability. Subjective, physiological, and psychomotor effects of mint flavor and original nicotine gum were tested in adult smokers (22-55 years old); a group of younger subjects (18-21 years old) was also included to allow for assessment of abuse liability in young adults specifically. Amphetamine and confectionery gum served as positive controls for abuse liability and palatability. Subjects rated palatability of mint gum higher than original nicotine gum, but substantially lower than confectionery gum. Palatability decreased with increasing dose of nicotine. Neither original nor mint gum increased ratings of traditional abuse liability predictors [Good Effect, Like Effect, Morphine-Benzedrine Group (MBG) scales of Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI)], while amphetamine increased ratings of all these measures. Both flavors of nicotine gum decreased craving during 2 h of abstinence. These effects were more pronounced in the adult group and mint gum was more effective than original gum. Younger subjects reported fewer withdrawal symptoms and lower ratings for drug effects and flavor. Improved flavor of nicotine gum does not increase abuse liability, but may be associated with enhanced craving reduction.

75 FR 60864 - Senior Executive Service Combined Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-01

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Senior Executive Service Combined Performance Review Board (PRB) AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Pursuant to... career senior executives below the level of bureau head and principal deputy in the bureaus, except for...

Medium- and long-term storage of the Pycnanthemum (Mountain mint) germplasm collection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The US collection of mountain mint (Pycnanthemum Michx.) is held at the USDA-ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR) in Corvallis, OR as seed, potted plants and tissue cultures and a long-term storage collection is preserved at the USDA-ARS National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation ...

78 FR 46686 - Privacy Act of 1974; Treasury/United States Mint .013-United States Mint National Electronic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-01

... following: Individual names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, driver's license numbers, social security numbers, license plate numbers, medical information (typically in the case of accidents or... numbers, social security numbers, license plate numbers, medical information (typically in the case of...

76 FR 36176 - Pricing for National September 11 Memorial & Museum Commemorative Medal

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-21

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for National September 11 Memorial & Museum Commemorative Medal ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum Commemorative Medal. Introductory pricing will be $56.95, and regular pricing...

76 FR 17189 - Revision to Currently Approved Information Collection: Comment Request for Customer Satisfaction...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-28

... Collection: Comment Request for Customer Satisfaction and Opinion Surveys and Focus Group Interviews AGENCY..., is soliciting comments on the United States Mint customer satisfaction and opinion surveys and focus... States Mint customer satisfaction and opinion surveys and focus group interviews. OMB Number: 1525-0012...

Predicting epidermal growth factor receptor gene amplification status in glioblastoma multiforme by quantitative enhancement and necrosis features deriving from conventional magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Dong, Fei; Zeng, Qiang; Jiang, Biao; Yu, Xinfeng; Wang, Weiwei; Xu, Jingjing; Yu, Jinna; Li, Qian; Zhang, Minming

2018-05-01

To study whether some of the quantitative enhancement and necrosis features in preoperative conventional MRI (cMRI) had a predictive value for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene amplification status in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).Fifty-five patients with pathologically determined GBMs who underwent cMRI were retrospectively reviewed. The following cMRI features were quantitatively measured and recorded: long and short diameters of the enhanced portion (LDE and SDE), maximum and minimum thickness of the enhanced portion (MaxTE and MinTE), and long and short diameters of the necrotic portion (LDN and SDN). Univariate analysis of each feature and a decision tree model fed with all the features were performed. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was used to assess the performance of features, and predictive accuracy was used to assess the performance of the model.For single feature, MinTE showed the best performance in differentiating EGFR gene amplification negative (wild-type) (nEGFR) GBM from EGFR gene amplification positive (pEGFR) GBM, and it got an AUC of 0.68 with a cut-off value of 2.6 mm. The decision tree model included 2 features MinTE and SDN, and got an accuracy of 0.83 in validation dataset.Our results suggest that quantitative measurement of the features MinTE and SDN in preoperative cMRI had a high accuracy for predicting EGFR gene amplification status in GBM.

77 FR 40704 - Price for the 2012 American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coin

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-10

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Price for the 2012 American Eagle Silver... States Mint is announcing the price of the 2012 American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coin. The coin will be offered for sale at a price of $45.95. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: B. B. Craig, Associate Director...

77 FR 28568 - Foreign-Trade Zone 216-Olympia, WA; Notification of Proposed Production Activity; Callisons, Inc...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-15

... during customs entry procedures that apply to essential oils of peppermint (mentha piperita), other essential mint oils, odoriferous mixtures for use by the food and drink industries and non- alcohol perfume... oxygen, essential oils of peppermint (mentha piperita), essential oils of mint and essential oils of...

The MIntAct project—IntAct as a common curation platform for 11 molecular interaction databases

PubMed Central

Orchard, Sandra; Ammari, Mais; Aranda, Bruno; Breuza, Lionel; Briganti, Leonardo; Broackes-Carter, Fiona; Campbell, Nancy H.; Chavali, Gayatri; Chen, Carol; del-Toro, Noemi; Duesbury, Margaret; Dumousseau, Marine; Galeota, Eugenia; Hinz, Ursula; Iannuccelli, Marta; Jagannathan, Sruthi; Jimenez, Rafael; Khadake, Jyoti; Lagreid, Astrid; Licata, Luana; Lovering, Ruth C.; Meldal, Birgit; Melidoni, Anna N.; Milagros, Mila; Peluso, Daniele; Perfetto, Livia; Porras, Pablo; Raghunath, Arathi; Ricard-Blum, Sylvie; Roechert, Bernd; Stutz, Andre; Tognolli, Michael; van Roey, Kim; Cesareni, Gianni; Hermjakob, Henning

2014-01-01

IntAct (freely available at http://www.ebi.ac.uk/intact) is an open-source, open data molecular interaction database populated by data either curated from the literature or from direct data depositions. IntAct has developed a sophisticated web-based curation tool, capable of supporting both IMEx- and MIMIx-level curation. This tool is now utilized by multiple additional curation teams, all of whom annotate data directly into the IntAct database. Members of the IntAct team supply appropriate levels of training, perform quality control on entries and take responsibility for long-term data maintenance. Recently, the MINT and IntAct databases decided to merge their separate efforts to make optimal use of limited developer resources and maximize the curation output. All data manually curated by the MINT curators have been moved into the IntAct database at EMBL-EBI and are merged with the existing IntAct dataset. Both IntAct and MINT are active contributors to the IMEx consortium (http://www.imexconsortium.org). PMID:24234451

The Role of the Left Inferior Frontal Gyrus in Implicit Semantic Competition and Selection: An Event-Related fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Grindrod, Christopher M.; Bilenko, Natalia Y.; Myers, Emily B.; Blumstein, Sheila E.

2008-01-01

Recent research suggests that the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) plays a role in selecting semantic information from among competing alternatives. A key question remains as to whether the LIFG is engaged by the selection of semantic information only or by increased semantic competition in and of itself, especially when such competition is implicit in nature. Ambiguous words presented in a lexical context provide a means of examining whether the LIFG is recruited under conditions when contextual cues constrain selection to only the meaning appropriate to the context (e.g., coin-mint-money) or under conditions of increased competition when contextual cues do not allow for the resolution to a particular meaning (e.g., candy-mint-money). In this event-related fMRI study, an implicit task was used in which subjects made lexical (i.e., word/nonword) decisions on the third stimulus of auditorily-presented triplets in conditions where the lexical context either promoted resolution toward a particular ambiguous word meaning or enhanced the competition among ambiguous word meanings. LIFG activation was observed when the context allowed for the resolution of competition and hence the selection of one meaning (e.g., coin-mint-money) but failed to emerge when competition between the meanings of an ambiguous word was unresolved by the context (e.g., candy-mint-money). In the latter case, there was a pattern of reduced activation in frontal, temporal and parietal areas. These findings demonstrate that selection or resolution of competition as opposed to increased semantic competition alone engages the LIFG. Moreover, they extend previous work in showing that the LIFG is recruited even in cases where the selection of meaning takes place implicitly. PMID:18656462

A rapid LC/MS/MS method for the analysis of nonvolatile antiinflammatory agents from Mentha spp.

PubMed

Shen, Diandian; Pan, Min-Hsiung; Wu, Qing-Li; Park, Chung-Heon; Juliani, H Rodolfo; Ho, Chi-Tang; Simon, James E

2011-08-01

Mints (Mentha spp.), aromatic crops grown largely for their essential oils, also are rich sources of nonvolatile antiinflammatory agents. Identification and quantitation of the constituents responsible for their antiinflammatory activity is challenging owing to the lack of suitable chromatographic methodology. In the present research, the simultaneous quantitation of antiinflammatory constituents rosmarinic acid, oleanolic acid, and ursolic acid in mints was attained by using a unique tandem HPLC column system coupled with an electrospray ionization mass detection (MRM mode). The ion mode optimization for rosmarinic acid under negative and triterpenoid acids under positive was achieved by setting 2 time segments in a single run where the polarity mode was switched from negative (0 to 10 min) to positive (10 to 40 min). For the investigated concentration ranges of antiinflammatory agents in mints, good linearities (r² ≥ 0.998) were obtained for each calibration curve. Validation of precision and accuracy for this method showed that intra- and inter-day repeatabilities for all analytes were less than 5.51%, and the recoveries varied from 97.8% to 99.3%. The developed LC/MS/MS assay provides a suitable quality control method for the determination of antiinflammatory constituents in Mentha spp. There is a wide range of diversity in the natural product composition for these acids across the Mentha germplasm collection evaluated. The presence of these antiinflammatory acids in post-distilled mints shows that value-added nutraceutical enriched products can be developed with proper processing and recovery systems in addition to the distillation and capture of the valuable volatile essential oils. Results from this research would benefit both commercial farmers growing mint for essential oil and those in the food industry where value-added phytopharmaceutical enriched products can be developed with proper processing, quality control, and recovery systems during mint essential oil distillation. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Antifungal and Antiochratoxigenic Activities of Essential Oils and Total Phenolic Extracts: A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

EL Khoury, Rachelle; Atoui, Ali; Mathieu, Florence; Kawtharani, Hiba; EL Khoury, Anthony; Maroun, Richard G.; EL Khoury, Andre

2017-01-01

This study is intended to prevent ochratoxin A (OTA) production by Aspergillus carbonarius S402 using essential oils (EOs) and total phenolic compounds extracted from plants and herbs. The EOs used in this study are the following: bay leaves, cumin, fenugreek, melissa, mint, and sage. As for the phenolic compounds, they were extracted from bay leaves, cumin, fenugreek, melissa, mint, sage, anise, chamomile, fennel, rosemary, and thyme. The experiments were conducted on Synthetic Grape Medium (SGM) medium at 28 °C for 4 days. OTA was extracted from the medium with methanol and quantified using HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography). Results showed that EOs had a greater impact than the total phenolic extracts on the OTA production. Reduction levels ranged between 25% (sage) and 80% (melissa) for the EOs at 5 µL mL−1, and 13% (thyme) and 69% (mint) for the phenolic extracts. Although they did not affect the growth of A. carbonarius, total phenolic extracts and EOs were capable of partially reducing OTA production. Reduction levels depended on the nature of the plants and the concentration of the EOs. Reducing OTA with natural extracts could be a solution to prevent OTA production without altering the fungal growth, thus preserving the natural microbial balance. PMID:28698493

Breast MRI at Very Short TE (minTE): Image Analysis of minTE Sequences on Non-Fat-Saturated, Subtracted T1-Weighted Images.

PubMed

Wenkel, Evelyn; Janka, Rolf; Geppert, Christian; Kaemmerer, Nadine; Hartmann, Arndt; Uder, Michael; Hammon, Matthias; Brand, Michael

2017-02-01

Purpose  The aim was to evaluate a minimum echo time (minTE) protocol for breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with breast lesions compared to a standard TE (nTE) time protocol. Methods  Breasts of 144 women were examined with a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner. Additionally to the standard gradient-echo sequence with nTE (4.8 ms), a variant with minimum TE (1.2 ms) was used in an interleaved fashion which leads to a better temporal resolution and should reduce the scan time by approximately 50 %. Lesion sizes were measured and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as well as the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. Subjective confidence was evaluated using a 3-point scale before looking at the nTE sequences (1 = very sure that I can identify a lesion and classify it, 2 = quite sure that I can identify a lesion and classify it, 3 = definitely want to see nTE for final assessment) and the subjective image quality of all examinations was evaluated using a four-grade scale (1 = sharp, 2 = slight blur, 3 = moderate blur and 4 = severe blur/not evaluable) for lesion and skin sharpness. Lesion morphology and contrast enhancement were also evaluated. Results  With minTE sequences, no lesion was rated with "definitely want to see nTE sequences for final assessment". The difference of the longitudinal and transverse diameter did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). With minTE, lesions and skin were rated to be significantly more blurry (p < 0.01 for lesions and p < 0.05 for skin). There was no difference between both sequences with respect to SNR, CNR, lesion morphology, contrast enhancement and detection of multifocal disease. Conclusion  Dynamic breast MRI with a minTE protocol is feasible without a major loss of information (SNR, CNR, lesion morphology, contrast enhancement and lesion sizes) and the temporal resolution can be increased by a factor of 2 using minTE sequences. Key points   · Increase of temporal resolution for a better in-flow curve.. · Dynamic breast MRI with a shorter TE time is possible without relevant loss of information.. · Possible decrease of the overall scan time.. Citation Format · Wenkel E, Janka R, Geppert C et al. Breast MRI at Very Short TE (minTE): Image Analysis of minTE Sequences on Non-Fat-Saturated, Subtracted T1-Weighted Images. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2017; 189: 137 - 145. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Antioxidant potential of curry (Murraya koenigii L.) and mint (Mentha spicata) leaf extracts and their effect on colour and oxidative stability of raw ground pork meat during refrigeration storage.

PubMed

Biswas, A K; Chatli, M K; Sahoo, J

2012-07-15

The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant activity of different solvent extracts of curry and mint leaf and their effect on colour and oxidative stability of raw ground pork meat stored at 4 ± 1°C. The results indicated that among the two individual leaf categories, the ethanol extract of curry leaf (EHEC) and the water extract of mint leaf (WEM) showed higher DPPH and ABTS(+) activity. EHEC also exhibited the highest total phenolic contents while these were the lowest for WEM. WEM showed the highest superoxide anionic scavenging activity (%). The pork meat samples treated with EHEC and WEM showed a decrease in the Hunter L- and a-values and a increase in b-value during storage at 4°C. However, the pH and TBARS values were higher in control samples irrespective of storage periods. In conclusion, EHEC and WEM have the potential to be used as natural antioxidants to minimise lipid oxidation of pork products. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 21802 - Notice Announcing the Price of the 2010 America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated CoinsTM

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-18

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Notice Announcing the Price of the 2010 America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated CoinsTM ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the 2010 America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins TM . In...

Allozyme diversity in Macbridea alba (Lamiaceae), an endemic Florida mint

Treesearch

M.J.W. Godt; Joan L. Walker; J.L. Hamrick

2004-01-01

Macbridea alba is a herbaceous perennial mint endemic to the panhandle region of Florida. We used starch gel electrophoresis to describe allozyme diversity and genetic structure in this federally threatened plant. Ten populations were analyzed, with an average sample size of 47 plants (range 41-48 plants) per population. Of the 22 loci analyzed, 11 (...

77 FR 61661 - Price for the American Eagle Silver Proof and Uncirculated Coins and the America the Beautiful...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-10

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Price for the American Eagle Silver Proof and... price of silver, the United States Mint is raising the price of its American Eagle Silver Proof and... price 2012 American Eagle Silver Proof $59.95 2012 American Eagle Silver Uncirculated 50.95 2011...

Motivational Interviewing (MINT) Improves Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Acceptance and Adherence: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsen, Sara; Smith, Simon S.; Oei, Tian P. S.; Douglas, James

2012-01-01

Objective: Adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is poor. We assessed the effectiveness of a motivational interviewing intervention (motivational interview nurse therapy [MINT]) in addition to best practice standard care to improve acceptance and adherence to CPAP therapy in people with…

77 FR 840 - Pricing for 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters® Products and American Eagle Silver Dollars

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-06

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters.... ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing 2012 pricing for America the Beautiful.... Authority: 31 U.S.C. 5111, 5112 & 9701. Dated: December 30, 2011. Al Runnels, Acting Chief of Staff, United...

77 FR 32716 - Price for the 2012 American Eagle San Francisco Two-Coin Silver Proof Set

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-01

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Price for the 2012 American Eagle San Francisco Two...: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the 2012 American Eagle San Francisco Two-Coin Silver Proof Set. The coin set will be offered for sale at a price of $149.95. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...

Sacramento River Flood Control Project, California, Mid-Valley Area, Phase III. Design Memorandum, Volume 2 of 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-08-01

spp.), clover (Melilotus spp. and Trifoliumsppp.), cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium ), several thistles (Cirsium sp.), grasses, and forbs form an often...including grasses, daisies (Compositae family), cottonwood seedlings, cockelbur (Xanthium strumarium ), mint (Labiatae family), and wild mustard...vegetative species including grasses, daisies (Compositae family), cottonwood seedlings, cockelbur (Xanthium strumarium ), mint (Labiatae family), and wild

Report of the Workshop on Magnetic Information Technology - MINT (Washington, D.C., June 22-24, 1983).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bortz, Alfred B.; Dunkle, Susan B.

Magnetic Information Technology (MINT), which involves use of magnetic techniques and materials to store information, is a critical growth industry in the United States. However, experts from both industry and academe forecast the inability of the United States to meet demand in this area. According to these experts, growth of magnetic information…

75 FR 13344 - Revised Meeting Time for Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee March 2010 Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-19

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Revised Meeting Time for Citizens Coinage Advisory...: March 23, 2010. Time: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Location: 8th Floor Boardroom, United States Mint, 801 9th... call 202-354-7502 for the latest update on meeting time and room location. In accordance with 31 U.S.C...

Analysis of copper and brass coins of the early roman empire.

PubMed

Carter, G F

1966-01-14

X-ray fluorescence analysis of 14 copper and brass coins of the early Roman Empire shows differences in composition between coins minted in Rome and in France. Concentrations of tin, lead, and antimony are nearly always less than in coins minted before 29 B.C. or after 54 A.D. Older coins were not melted to make copper coins of the early empire.

31 CFR Appendix H to Subpart A of... - United States Mint

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false United States Mint H Appendix H to... RECORDS Freedom of Information Act Pt. 1, Subpt. A, App. H Appendix H to Subpart A of Part 1—United States..., DC 20220. 3. Requests for records. Initial determinations under 31 CFR 1.5(h) as to whether to grant...

Divorced women at retirement: projections of economic well-being in the near future.

PubMed

Butrica, B A; Iams, H M

2000-01-01

The Modeling Income in the Near Term (MINT) data system projects retirement income for persons retiring in the 1990s through 2020. Using those data, we examine the economic well-being of divorced women at retirement. The MINT data system improves upon previous estimates of Social Security benefits by: Measuring and projecting years of marriage to determine if the 10-year requirement has been met, Projecting lifetime earnings until retirement and eligibility for Social Security retirement benefits, and Estimating lifetime earnings of former spouses. MINT also makes independent projections of each retiree's income from pensions, assets, and earnings (for working beneficiaries). As a result of changes in marital patterns, MINT projects that the proportion of women who are divorced will increase. At the same time, the proportion of those women who are eligible for auxiliary benefits is projected to decrease, for two main reasons. First, changes in women's earnings and work patterns result in more women receiving retired-worker benefits based on their own earnings. Second, an increased number of divorced women will not meet the 10-year marriage requirement for auxiliary benefits. Despite the projected decrease over time in eligibility rates for auxiliary benefits, the level of Social Security benefits is projected to change little between the older and younger birth cohorts of divorced women entering retirement. According to the MINT data, the most vulnerable of divorced women will be those who have not met the 10-year marriage requirement. Poverty rates will be higher for them than for all other divorced women. This group of divorced women is projected to grow as more and more women divorce from shorter marriages. With more women divorcing and with fewer divorced women meeting the 10-year marriage requirement, the proportion of economically vulnerable aged women will increase when the baby boom retires. Further research is warranted on this long neglected subject. Analyses of divorced women's economic well-being by major socioeconomic characteristics such as race and ethnicity and education are of particular interest. Such analyses can be supported by the MINT data system.

Gauge coupling unification and nonequilibrium thermal dark matter.

PubMed

Mambrini, Yann; Olive, Keith A; Quevillon, Jérémie; Zaldívar, Bryan

2013-06-14

We study a new mechanism for the production of dark matter in the Universe which does not rely on thermal equilibrium. Dark matter is populated from the thermal bath subsequent to inflationary reheating via a massive mediator whose mass is above the reheating scale T(RH). To this end, we consider models with an extra U(1) gauge symmetry broken at some intermediate scale (M(int) ≃ 10(10)-10(12) GeV). We show that not only does the model allow for gauge coupling unification (at a higher scale associated with grand unification) but it can provide a dark matter candidate which is a standard model singlet but charged under the extra U(1). The intermediate scale gauge boson(s) which are predicted in several E6/SO(10) constructions can be a natural mediator between dark matter and the thermal bath. We show that the dark matter abundance, while never having achieved thermal equilibrium, is fixed shortly after the reheating epoch by the relation T(RH)(3)/M(int)(4). As a consequence, we show that the unification of gauge couplings which determines M(int) also fixes the reheating temperature, which can be as high as T(RH) ≃ 10(11) GeV.

Application of PIXE to study ancient Iranian silver coins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajivaliei, M.; Mohammadifar, Y.; Ghiyasi, K.; Jaleh, B.; Lamehi-Rachti, M.; Oliaiy, P.

2008-04-01

A number of ancient Iranian silver coins belonging to Khosrau II (592-626 A.D.) minted during Sasanians dynasty were analyzed using proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique. The 2 MeV proton beam with a current of 2-3 nA from AEOI, Van de Graaff accelerator was used to bombard the coins. The characteristic X-rays emitted from the samples, were detected by a Si(Li) detector from ORTEC with an energy resolution of 170 eV at 5.9 keV. The detector was placed in the beam direction at 135°. The elements Cl, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Au and Pb were observed in the coins along with the major component silver. The percentage of silver varied between 85.87 and 93.39%. The possible correlation between the composition of coins and the minting time or the minting location of coins was the prime goal. There was a negative correlation between copper and silver. The weight of coins varied between 4.02 and 4.30 g. Going through the results, it seems that the local mines were used to die-strike the coins. The obtained results are in good agreement with archaeological records.

The OPTIMIZE trial: Rationale and design of a randomized controlled trial of motivational enhancement therapy to improve adherence to statin medication.

PubMed

Rash, Joshua A; Lavoie, Kim L; Sigal, Ronald J; Campbell, David J T; Manns, Braden J; Tonelli, Marcello; Campbell, Tavis S

2016-07-01

Statins are a class of medications that are particularly effective for lowering cholesterol and reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Despite a range of benefits, non-adherence to statin medication is prevalent with 50% to 75% of patients failing to adhere to treatment within the first 2-years. A previous review on interventions to improve adherence to cholesterol lowering medication concluded that rigorous trials were needed with emphasis on the patient's perspective and shared decision making. Motivational interviewing (MInt) is a promising patient-centered approach for improving adherence in patients with chronic diseases. This manuscript describes the rational and design of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the efficacy of MInt in improving adherence to statin medication. Patients filling their first statin prescription will be recruited to complete a 6-month observation run-in period (phase-1) after which medication possession ratio (MPR) will be assessed. Patients meeting criteria for non-adherence (MPR≤60%) will be invited to participate in the trial. 336 non-adherent new statin users will undergo a fasting lipid panel, complete baseline questionnaires, and be randomly allocated to receive four sessions of adherence education delivered using MInt (EdMInt) or to an education control (EC) delivered at 3-month intervals. Final assessments will occur 12-months after the first EdMInt or EC session. The primary outcome is change in MPR adherence to statin medication from baseline to 12-months. Secondary outcomes include within-patient change in self-reported medication adherence, stage of change and self-efficacy for medication adherence, motivation to adhere to statin medication, and lipid profile. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

KSC-04PD-0801

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On a tour of the Orbiter Processing Facility, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (center) greets workers. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

Molecular Imaging in Nanotechnology and Theranostics.

PubMed

Andreou, Chrysafis; Pal, Suchetan; Rotter, Lara; Yang, Jiang; Kircher, Moritz F

2017-06-01

The fields of biomedical nanotechnology and theranostics have enjoyed exponential growth in recent years. The "Molecular Imaging in Nanotechnology and Theranostics" (MINT) Interest Group of the World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS) was created in order to provide a more organized and focused forum on these topics within the WMIS and at the World Molecular Imaging Conference (WMIC). The interest group was founded in 2015 and was officially inaugurated during the 2016 WMIC. The overarching goal of MINT is to bring together the many scientists who work on molecular imaging approaches using nanotechnology and those that work on theranostic agents. MINT therefore represents scientists, labs, and institutes that are very diverse in their scientific backgrounds and areas of expertise, reflecting the wide array of materials and approaches that drive these fields. In this short review, we attempt to provide a condensed overview over some of the key areas covered by MINT. Given the breadth of the fields and the given space constraints, we have limited the coverage to the realm of nanoconstructs, although theranostics is certainly not limited to this domain. We will also focus only on the most recent developments of the last 3-5 years, in order to provide the reader with an intuition of what is "in the pipeline" and has potential for clinical translation in the near future.

Angioedema Due to Lamiaceae Allergy.

PubMed

Yazıcı, Selçuk; Nacaroglu, Hikmet Tekin; Bahçeci Erdem, Semiha; Karaman, Sait; Can, Demet

2018-02-01

We present a 13-year-old male childallergic to three different plants (Salvia officinalis, Mentha piperita and Origanum onites L.) of Lamiaceae family. The patient developed angioedema 20-30 minutes after eating chicken meat with cheddar cheese. There was no history of allergy. Oral food challenge (OFC) with both cheddar cheese and chicken meat was negative. Skin tests for inhalant allergens were negative. 3 weeks later, the patient was admitted with angioedema after drinking sage tea. OFC with sage was applied and angioedema was observed. It was recognized that the first trigger, chicken meat with cheddar cheese, included oregano (Origanum onites L.). OFC for oregano was positive. Prick to prick test for Lamiaceae herbs (oregano, sage, mint) was performed. A positive reaction was observed only to mint. OFC was repeated with fresh mint and angioedema developed after 16 hours. Diagnose of Lamiaceae allergy is complicated and cross-sensitivity is common. Skin prick test (prick to prick)revealed a positive response only to mint but not to oregano and sage. Commercial radioallergosorbent (RAST) tests are available only for a few members of the family. Finally, thediagnose is based mainly on OFC. Spices from Lamiaceae group should be considered as potential triggers of allergic reactions.

Promoter Hypermethylation Profiling Identifies Subtypes of Head and Neck Cancer with Distinct Viral, Environmental, Genetic and Survival Characteristics

PubMed Central

Choudhury, Javed Hussain; Ghosh, Sankar Kumar

2015-01-01

Background Epigenetic and genetic alteration plays a major role to the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Consumption of tobacco (smoking/chewing) and human papilloma virus (HPV) are also associated with an increase the risk of HNSCC. Promoter hypermethylation of the tumor suppression genes is related with transcriptional inactivation and loss of gene expression. We investigated epigenetic alteration (promoter methylation of tumor-related genes/loci) in tumor tissues in the context of genetic alteration, viral infection, and tobacco exposure and survival status. Methodology The study included 116 tissue samples (71 tumor and 45 normal tissues) from the Northeast Indian population. Methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) was used to determine the methylation status of 10 tumor-related genes/loci (p16, DAPK, RASSF1, BRAC1, GSTP1, ECAD, MLH1, MINT1, MINT2 and MINT31). Polymorphisms of CYP1A1, GST (M1 & T1), XRCC1and XRCC2 genes were studied by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and multiplex-PCR respectively. Principal Findings Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis based on methylation pattern had identified two tumor clusters, which significantly differ by CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), tobacco, GSTM1, CYP1A1, HPV and survival status. Analyzing methylation of genes/loci individually, we have found significant higher methylation of DAPK, RASSF1, p16 and MINT31genes (P = 0.031, 0.013, 0.031 and 0.015 respectively) in HPV (+) cases compared to HPV (-). Furthermore, a CIMP-high and Cluster-1 characteristic was also associated with poor survival. Conclusions Promoter methylation profiles reflecting a correlation with tobacco, HPV, survival status and genetic alteration and may act as a marker to determine subtypes and patient outcome in HNSCC. PMID:26098903

Evaluation of the Oral Tolerance of Three Fluoride Toothpaste Formulations in a Dry Mouth Population: Results from Two Randomized Studies.

PubMed

Jose, Anto; Ward, John; Shneyer, Lucy; Skinner, Jacob; Jeal, Nathan; Cronin, Matthew; Bosma, Mary Lynn

2016-03-01

To evaluate the oral tolerance of three experimental toothpaste formulations containing sodium fluoride (NaF), compared with two marketed sodium monofluorophosphate (SMFP)-containing biotène® toothpastes, in a dry mouth population after 14 days (primary objective) and 7 days (secondary objective) of use. Toothpastes were tested in two separate dual-site, examiner-blind, randomized, parallel group studies in subjects (35-84 years) with self-reported dry mouth. Oral soft tissue (OST) and oral hard tissue (OHT) examinations were performed at screening, followed by a 7- to 28-day wash-in period using a control toothpaste. Subjects were randomized to receive a NaF-containing toothpaste (Study 1: commercially available toothpaste Pronamel® for Children, n = 82; Study 2: experimental plaque biofilm-loosening formula [PBF] toothpaste, n = 79; or experimental Gentle Mint toothpaste, n = 78) or a reference toothpaste (Study 1: biotène® Fresh Mint Original toothpaste [previously marketed formulation], n = 82; Study 2: biotène® Gentle Mint Gel toothpaste [previously marketed formulation], n = 77) during the 14-day treatment phase. Subjects brushed their teeth twice daily for one timed minute with a ribbon of toothpaste to cover the head of the toothbrush provided. Subjects received further OST and OHT examinations at Day 1 and Day 15, and an additional OST examination at Day 8. Adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs (SAEs) were reported throughout the study. Study 1: At Day 15, 42 oral treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs) were reported in 33 subjects, of which seven in five subjects (commercially available toothpaste Pronamel for Children: n = 2; control: n = 3) were considered to be treatment-related. One SAE (dyspnea) was reported in a participant who was randomized but withdrew from the study before receiving the allocated toothpaste. Study 2: At Day 15, 41 oral TEAEs were reported in 38 subjects, of which two in two subjects (experimental Gentle Mint toothpaste: n = 1; control: n = 1) were considered treatment-related, according to the investigator. No SAEs were reported. In both studies, the experimental and reference toothpastes were well tolerated after 7 and 14 days of use. The experimental NaF-containing toothpastes offer potential alternatives to individuals with dry mouth.

KSC-04pd0801

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On a tour of the Orbiter Processing Facility, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (center) greets workers. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

Antimycobacterial activity assessment of three ethnobotanical plants against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis: An In Vitro study.

PubMed

Arjomandzadegan, Mohammad; Emami, Navid; Habibi, Ghasem; Farazi, Ali Asghar; Kahbazi, Manijeh; Sarmadian, Hossein; Jabbari, Mansooreh; Hosseini, Hossein; Ramezani, Mona

2016-12-01

Resistances to herbal medicines are still not defined and finding natural remedies against drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) has research priority. The antimycobacterial susceptibility method for herbal extracts is unclearly defined and there is no standard method for assessment of the materials against bacteria. In the present study, time kill of three medicinal plants was determined against MTB. The clinical isolate of MTB from a patient who harbored confirmed tuberculosis was used in the study. Aqueous extracts of Aloe vera leaves, mint, and Hypericum perforatum were prepared using reflux distillation. Disk diffusion methods were conducted in Petri dishes and McCartney bottles containing Löwenstein-Jensen medium to measure the sensitivity of plant extracts in serial concentrations of 0.25-8mg/mL. A pour plate method was performed by mixing 0.7mL of each concentration of extract in 5mL Löwenstein-Jensen medium followed by surface culturing of MTB fresh cells. The time kill method was conducted by bacterial suspension in equal amounts of the extract and viable evaluation in fresh culture at the beginning, and at 24-h, 48-h, 72-h, and 1-week intervals. All cultures were incubated at 37°C for 4weeks. Inoculum concentrations were considered as a variable. The zones of inhibition of A. vera, H. perforatum, and mint extracts in the disk diffusion method in McCartney bottles were 60mm, 41mm, and zero, respectively, but Petri dishes did not have repeatable results. In the pour plate method, an extract concentration up to 1mg/mL could inhibit cell growth. In mint extract, colony forming was four times more than the others at 0.5mg/mL. Time kill of 95% of cells occurred when exposed to extracts of A. vera and H. perforatum separately, but was 50% in 24 h and 20% in 10 min. The time kill for mint was 95% in 1week. The results give some scientific basis to the use of plant extracts for growth control of MTB cells. Clinical trials are recommended for assessment of the extract as complementary medicine, as well as for antisepsis. Copyright © 2016.

Experience with a mouse intranasal test for the predictive identification of respiratory sensitization potential of proteins.

PubMed

Blaikie, L; Basketter, D A

1999-08-01

The predictive identification of respiratory allergenic potential is an important primary step in the safety evaluation of (novel) proteins, such as the enzymes used in a range of consumer laundry products. In the past this has been achieved by assessing the relative ability of proteins to give rise to the formation of anaphylactic antibody in the guinea pig. Recently, an alternative model has been proposed which assesses the formation of specific IgG1 antibody in a mouse intranasal test (MINT), the assumption being that specific IgG1 antibody is a surrogate for anaphylactic antibody in the mouse. This procedure has undergone successful initial intralaboratory and interlaboratory assessment. In the present work, the MINT has been evaluated in a more thorough intralaboratory study using eight enzymes plus ovalbumin. While the data generated with a reference enzyme protein, Alcalase, showed good reproducibility, results with the remaining eight proteins led to estimates of their relative antigenic or sensitization potential several of which were at variance from those derived from the guinea pig/ human experience. In consequence, it is concluded that the MINT requires substantial further investigation before it can be adopted as a model for the assessment of the relative ability of proteins to behave as respiratory allergens.

In vitro production of M. × piperita not containing pulegone and menthofuran.

PubMed

Bertoli, Alessandra; Leonardi, Michele; Krzyzanowska, Justyna; Oleszek, Wieslaw; Pistelli, Luisa

2012-01-01

The essential oils (EOs) and static headspaces (HSs) of in vitro plantlets and callus of Mentha x piperita were characterized by GC-MS analysis. Leaves were used as explants to induce in vitro plant material. The EO yields of the in vitro biomass were much lower (0.1% v/w) than those of the parent plants (2% v/w). Many typical mint volatiles were emitted by the in vitro production, but the callus and in vitro plantelet EOs were characterized by the lack of both pulegone and menthofuran. This was an important difference between in vitro and in vivo plant material as huge amounts of pulegone and menthofuran may jeopardise the safety of mint essential oil. Regarding the other characteristic volatiles, menthone was present in reduced amounts (2%) in the in vitro plantlets and was not detected in the callus, even if it represented the main constituent of the stem and leaf EOs obtained from the cultivated mint (26% leaves; 33% stems). The M. piperita callus was characterized by menthol (9%) and menthone (2%), while the in vitro plantlet EO showed lower amounts of both these compounds in favour of piperitenone oxide (45%). Therefore, the established callus and in vitro plantlets showed peculiar aromatic profiles characterized by the lack of pulegone and menthofuran which have to be monitored in the mint oil for their toxicity.

Impact of essential oils on the taste acceptance of tomato juice, vegetable soup, or poultry burgers.

PubMed

Espina, Laura; García-Gonzalo, Diego; Pagán, Rafael

2014-08-01

Despite the vast body of available literature on the possibilities of essential oils (EOs) as food preservatives or functional ingredients, the sensory impact of their addition to foods has barely been approached. This work focuses on the hedonic taste acceptance of 3 food products (tomato juice, vegetable soup, and poultry burgers) when they are incorporated with potentially antimicrobial concentrations (20 to 200 μL/L) of 6 selected EOs (lemon, pennyroyal mint, thyme, and rosemary) and individual compounds (carvacrol, p-cymene). Although addition of 20 μL/L of pennyroyal mint or lemon EO did not change the taste acceptance of tomato juice, higher concentrations of these compounds or any concentration of the other 4 compounds did. In vegetable soup, the tolerance limit for rosemary EO, thyme EO, carvacrol, or p-cymene was 20 μL/L, while the addition of 200 μL/L of lemon EO was accepted. Tolerance limits in poultry burgers were established in 20 μL/L for carvacrol and thyme EOs, 100 μL/L for pennyroyal mint EO and p-cymene, and 200 μL/L for lemon and rosemary EOs. Moreover, incorporation of pennyroyal mint EO to tomato juice or poultry burgers, and enrichment of vegetable soup with lemon EO, could contribute to the development of food products with an improved sensory appeal. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Does the taste matter? Taste and medicinal perceptions associated with five selected herbal drugs among three ethnic groups in West Yorkshire, Northern England

PubMed Central

Pieroni, Andrea; Torry, Bren

2007-01-01

In recent years, diverse scholars have addressed the issue of the chemosensory perceptions associated with traditional medicines, nevertheless there is still a distinct lack of studies grounded in the social sciences and conducted from a cross-cultural, comparative perspective. In this urban ethnobotanical field study, 254 informants belonging to the Gujarati, Kashmiri and English ethnic groups and living in Western Yorkshire in Northern England were interviewed about the relationship between taste and medicinal perceptions of five herbal drugs, which were selected during a preliminary study. The herbal drugs included cinnamon (the dried bark of Cinnamomum verum, Lauraceae), mint (the leaves of Mentha spp., Lamiaceae), garlic (the bulbs of Allium sativum, Alliaceae), ginger (the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, Zingiberaceae), and cloves (the dried flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum, Myrtaceae). The main cross-cultural differences in taste perceptions regarded the perception the perception of the spicy taste of ginger, garlic, and cinnamon, of the bitter taste of ginger, the sweet taste of mint, and of the sour taste of garlic. The part of the study of how the five selected herbal drugs are perceived medicinally showed that TK (Traditional Knowledge) is widespread among Kashmiris, but not so prevalent among the Gujarati and especially the English samples. Among Kashmiris, ginger was frequently considered to be helpful for healing infections and muscular-skeletal and digestive disorders, mint was chosen for healing digestive and respiratory troubles, garlic for blood system disorders, and cinnamon was perceived to be efficacious for infectious diseases. Among the Gujarati and Kashmiri groups there was evidence of a strong link between the bitter and spicy tastes of ginger, garlic, cloves, and cinnamon and their perceived medicinal properties, whereas there was a far less obvious link between the sweet taste of mint and cinnamon and their perceived medicinal properties, although the link did exist among some members of the Gujarati group. Data presented in this study show how that links between taste perceptions and medicinal uses of herbal drugs may be understood as bio-cultural phenomena rooted in human physiology, but also constructed through individual experiences and culture, and that these links can therefore be quite different across diverse cultures. PMID:17475019

Relevance of chemistry to conservation of isolated populations: the case of volatile leaf components of Dicerandra mints.

PubMed Central

McCormick, K D; Deyrup, M A; Menges, E S; Wallace, S R; Meinwald, J; Eisner, T

1993-01-01

Chemical analysis of the essential oils of four congeneric species of mint plant (Dicerandra spp.) endemic to Florida revealed a pattern of chemical similarity and dissimilarity that would not have been predicted on morphological or geographic criteria. Dicerandra christmanii differs fundamentally from its congeners in that it produces fewer compounds and lacks the acyclic components. Yet D. christmanii is more closely similar to Dicerandra frutescens than to other Dicerandra species in morphological characters and geographic range. We conclude that the potential chemical value of a species should not be prejudged on the basis of nonchemical characters and that designation of surplus plant populations by conservationists should be resisted unless such populations have also been chemically studied. Images Fig. 2 PMID:8356072

KSC-04PD-0802

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On a tour of the Orbiter Processing Facility, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (center) and his wife, Columba (left), listen to NASA Vehicle Manager Scott Thurston talk about the orbiter Atlantis overhead. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04PD-0804

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On a tour of the Orbiter Processing Facility, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (left) listens to NASA Vehicle Manager Scott Thurston talk about the orbiter Atlantis overhead. At right is Center Director Jim Kennedy. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04pd0804

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On a tour of the Orbiter Processing Facility, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (left) listens to NASA Vehicle Manager Scott Thurston talk about the orbiter Atlantis overhead. At right is Center Director Jim Kennedy. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

Relationships of barometric pressure and environmental temperature with incidence of parturition in beef cows.

PubMed

Troxel, T R; Gadberry, M S

2012-05-01

The relationship between barometric pressure (BARO) and maximum (MAX_T) and minimum (MIN_T) environmental temperatures with the incidence of parturition in beef cows was examined through exploratory data analysis. Spring- and fall-calving records from a 5-yr period (2005 through 2009) collected at the University of Arkansas, Livestock and Forestry Research Station (Batesville) and the Department of Animal Science Savoy Research Unit (Savoy, AR) were used. All cows were multiparous, predominantly Angus, and naturally bred. During this period, 2,210 calves were born over a cumulative 1,547 d. Local weather station BARO and MAX_T and MIN_T data were obtained from the Southern Regional Climate Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. The combined calving record and climate variables were used to determine differences in BARO, MAX_T, and MIN_T on d 0 (d of calving) and -1, -2, or -3 d, respectively, before calving occurred (CALFD) or did not occur (NOCALFD). Location and season also were included in the model. For fall-calving cows, BARO on d 0 and -1, -2, or -3 was not different between CALFD and NOCALFD (P > 0.10). For spring-calving cows, BARO on d 0, -1, -2, and -3 was greater (P < 0.05) for CALFD compared with NOCALFD. The MAX_T was greater on d -1 (24.4 vs. 22.9°C) and -3 (24.8 vs. 23.4°C) for CALFD in the fall compared with NOCALFD (P < 0.05). No differences were detected in the fall for MAX_T on d 0 or -2 (P > 0.10). In the spring, a decreased MAX_T was associated with CALFD. Maximum environmental temperatures on d 0 (14.7 vs. 16.0°C), -1 (14.4 vs. 16.0°C), and -3 (14.0 vs. 15.7°C) were less for CALFD compared with NOCALFD (P < 0.05). No difference was detected on d -2 (P > 0.10). For fall, MIN_T was greater on d -1 (12.8 vs. 11.3°C), -2 (13.0 vs. 11.4°C), and -3 (13.1 vs. 11.7°C) for CALFD compared with NOCALFD (P < 0.05). In spring, MIN_T for d 0 (2.6 vs. 3.9°C), -1 (2.5 vs. 3.7°C), -2 (2.1 vs. 3.7°C), and -3 (1.8 vs. 3.8°C) were lesser (P < 0.05) for CALFD vs. NOCALFD. These data indicate that for spring-calving cows, a greater BARO and decreased MAX_T and MIN_T were associated with CALFD, whereas for fall-calving cows, an increase in MAX_T and MIN_T was associated with CALFD. Therefore, monitoring weather conditions may assist producers in preparing for the obstetric assistance of beef cattle.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mendoza-Lopez, M.L.; Centro de Fisica Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada, Departamento de Nanotecnologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus Juriquilla, Apdo. Postal 1-1010, Queretaro Qro. C.P. 76230; Perez-Bueno, J.J.

This paper presents a complete methodology for the characterization of silver alloys used in modern coin production. Mexican coins with a nominal silver concentration from 10% to 99.99% were used in this study. Calibrated Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometers were used to determine the chemical composition of the alloys as a function of the depth, while inductively coupled plasma was used to determine the total element composition in bulk. Scanning Electron Microscope was used to study the phase distributions in the different silver coins. According to Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometers and inductively coupled plasma, the silver content found inmore » the studied samples was consistently greater than that of the nominal silver content reported by the Mexican mint. This may lead to a review of the new methods of analysis used nowadays in contemporary coin minting. This result is very important because silver is increasing in value as metal and, considering the volume of production of silver coins, this may increase further as a consequence of a growing popular confidence in silver currency. In the case of silver studies, an advantage of the absence of silver detector in the Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometers system is that it allows for the recalibration to have a better range of detection of other metals present in the alloys. A calibration curve using the copper content obtained by inductively coupled plasma (bulk) and Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometers (depth profile) was performed. The relevance of control in modern silver coin minting was clarified, especially in minimizing the discrepancy between the nominal and the core fineness. The physical and chemical properties of the alloys studied are defined, revealing important variations in silver and copper contents. A new methodology and metrology for the control of coinage are suggested.« less

Testing the applicability of the k0-NAA method at the MINT's TRIGA MARK II reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siong, Wee Boon; Dung, Ho Manh; Wood, Ab. Khalik; Salim, Nazaratul Ashifa Abd.; Elias, Md. Suhaimi

2006-08-01

The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at MINT is using the NAA technique since 1980s and is the only laboratory in Malaysia equipped with a research reactor, namely the TRIGA MARK II. Throughout the years the development of NAA technique has been very encouraging and was made applicable to a wide range of samples. At present, the k0 method has become the preferred standardization method of NAA ( k0-NAA) due to its multi-elemental analysis capability without using standards. Additionally, the k0 method describes NAA in physically and mathematically understandable definitions and is very suitable for computer evaluation. Eventually, the k0-NAA method has been adopted by MINT in 2003, in collaboration with the Nuclear Research Institute (NRI), Vietnam. The reactor neutron parameters ( α and f) for the pneumatic transfer system and for the rotary rack at various locations, as well as the detector efficiencies were determined. After calibration of the reactor and the detectors, the implemented k0 method was validated by analyzing some certified reference materials (including IAEA Soil 7, NIST 1633a, NIST 1632c, NIST 1646a and IAEA 140/TM). The analysis results of the CRMs showed an average u score well below the threshold value of 2 with a precision of better than ±10% for most of the elemental concentrations obtained, validating herewith the introduction of the k0-NAA method at the MINT.

Neutron tomographic analysis: Material characterization of silver and electrum coins from the 6th and 5th centuries BCE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salvemini, F., E-mail: filomena.salvemini@ansto.go

Neutron tomography was applied to study a set of Greek silver coins and a single Lydian electrum coin minted in the 6 and 5th centuries BCE. The investigation was conducted at the new neutron imaging station DINGO at ANSTO in order to demonstrate capabilities and to explore limits of this non-invasive method in characterizing numismatic materials. From the reconstructed volume of each sample, the morphology, porosity, inclusions, and presence of composite structures can be revealed and evaluated. This information can be used to elucidate ancient minting technology and to prove authenticity. Moreover, the state of conservation, corrosion processes and attemptsmore » to repair the coins can be determined. - Highlights: •Pre-Roman coins •Non-destructive analysis •Neutron tomography: limit and capability.« less

KSC-04PD-0805

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On a tour of the Orbiter Processing Facility, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (back to camera in white shirt) learns about work being done on the orbiter Endeavour (background). Accompanying him is U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore (at right of Bush). The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe, Bush, Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04pd0805

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On a tour of the Orbiter Processing Facility, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (back to camera in white shirt) learns about work being done on the orbiter Endeavour (background). Accompanying him is U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore (at right of Bush). The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, Bush, Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04pd0802

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On a tour of the Orbiter Processing Facility, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (center) and his wife, Columba (left), listen to NASA Vehicle Manager Scott Thurston talk about the orbiter Atlantis overhead. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

Comparison of Promoter Hypermethylation Pattern in Salivary Rinses Collected with and without an Exfoliating Brush from Patients with HNSCC

PubMed Central

Sun, Wenyue; Zaboli, David; Liu, Yan; Arnaoutakis, Demetri; Khan, Tanbir; Wang, Hao; Koch, Wayne; Khan, Zubair; Califano, Joseph A.

2012-01-01

Background Salivary rinses have been recently proposed as a valuable resource for the development of epigenetic biomarkers for detection and monitoring of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Both salivary rinses collected with and without an exfoliating brush from patients with HNSCC are used in detection of promoter hypermethylation, yet their correlation of promoter hypermethylation has not been evaluated. This study was to evaluate the concordance of promoter hypermethylation between salivary rinses collected with and without an exfoliating brush from patients with HNSCC. Methodolgy 57 paired salivary rinses collected with or without an exfoliating brush from identical HNSCC patients were evaluated for promoter hypermethylation status using Quantitative Methylation-Specific PCR. Target tumor suppressor gene promoter regions were selected based on our previous studies describing a panel for HNSCC screening and surveillance, including P16, CCNA1, DCC, TIMP3, MGMT, DAPK and MINT31. Principal Findings In salivary rinses collected with and without brush, frequent methylation was detected in P16 (8.8% vs. 5.2%), CCNA1 (26.3% vs. 22.8%), DCC (33.3% vs. 29.8%), TIMP3 (31.6% vs. 36.8%), MGMT (29.8% vs. 38.6%), DAPK (14.0% vs. 19.2%), and MINT31 (10.5% vs. 8.8%). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient showed a positive correlation between salivary rinses collected with and without brush for P16 (ρ = 0.79), CCNA1 (ρ = 0.61), DCC (ρ = 0.58), TIMP3 (ρ = 0.10), MGMT (ρ = 0.70), DAPK (ρ = 0.51) and MINT31 (ρ = 0.72) (P<0.01). The percent agreement of promoter methylation between salivary rinses with brush and without brush were 96.5% for P16, 82.5% for CCNA1, 78.9% for DCC, 59.7% for TIMP3, 84.2% for MGMT, 84.2% for DAPK, and 94.7% for MINT31. Conclusions Our study demonstrated strong correlations of gene promoter hypermethylation between salivary rinses collected with and without an exfoliating brush. Salivary rinse collection without using an exfoliating brush may offer a cost effective, rapid, non-invasive, and reliable means for development of epigenetic salivary rinse biomarkers. PMID:22438973

Contemporary group estimates adjusted for climatic effects provide a finer definition of the unknown environmental challenges experienced by growing pigs.

PubMed

Guy, S Z Y; Li, L; Thomson, P C; Hermesch, S

2017-12-01

Environmental descriptors derived from mean performances of contemporary groups (CGs) are assumed to capture any known and unknown environmental challenges. The objective of this paper was to obtain a finer definition of the unknown challenges, by adjusting CG estimates for the known climatic effects of monthly maximum air temperature (MaxT), minimum air temperature (MinT) and monthly rainfall (Rain). As the unknown component could include infection challenges, these refined descriptors may help to better model varying responses of sire progeny to environmental infection challenges for the definition of disease resilience. Data were recorded from 1999 to 2013 at a piggery in south-east Queensland, Australia (n = 31,230). Firstly, CG estimates of average daily gain (ADG) and backfat (BF) were adjusted for MaxT, MinT and Rain, which were fitted as splines. In the models used to derive CG estimates for ADG, MaxT and MinT were significant variables. The models that contained these significant climatic variables had CG estimates with a lower variance compared to models without significant climatic variables. Variance component estimates were similar across all models, suggesting that these significant climatic variables accounted for some known environmental variation captured in CG estimates. No climatic variables were significant in the models used to derive the CG estimates for BF. These CG estimates were used to categorize environments. There was no observable sire by environment interaction (Sire×E) for ADG when using the environmental descriptors based on CG estimates on BF. For the environmental descriptors based on CG estimates of ADG, there was significant Sire×E only when MinT was included in the model (p = .01). Therefore, this new definition of the environment, preadjusted by MinT, increased the ability to detect Sire×E. While the unknown challenges captured in refined CG estimates need verification for infection challenges, this may provide a practical approach for the genetic improvement of disease resilience. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

KSC-04PD-0803

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Standing under the orbiter Atlantis, Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (second from right) provides information about the tiles and Thermal Protection System for NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe (second from left) and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (far right). OKeefe and Bush toured the Orbiter Processing Facility following the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

Effect of wild mint (Mentha longifolia) infusion on the over all performance of broiler chicks.

PubMed

Durrani, F R; Sultan, A; Marri, Muhammad Latif; Chand, N; Durrani, Z

2007-04-01

An attempt was made to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of wild mint (Mentha Ingifolia) on the overall performance of broiler chicks at NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar in July 2005. Three levels of fresh wild mint infusion at the rate of 50, 40 and 30 mL L(-1) of fresh drinking water were provided to chicks in groups A, B and C, respectively and group D was kept as control, each group was replicated four times with 10 chicks per replicate, reared for 35 days, in an open sided house in cages of the same size. No vaccination was practiced. Data were recorded daily for feed intake, water intake and for weight gain on weekly basis. Feed conversion efficiency, dressing percentage, percent mortality, weight of different body organs (breast, thigh and leg), giblets (liver, heart and gizzard), intestine and economics for each group was calculated at the end of experimental period. It was found that group B receiving 40 mL L(-1) of wild mint infusion in drinking water had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on mean body weight gain, feed intake, water intake, feed conversion efficiency, dressing percentage and weight of different body organs (breast, thigh and leg). Significant (p < 0.05) differences were also found in mortality, highest mortality was observed in group D (10%) as compared with groups A, B and C, however there was no significant effect on giblets (liver, heart, gizzard), intestine and weight of abdominal fat. Mean feed cost and gross return was significantly (p < 0.05) effected for group B. Feed cost was lower and gross return was significantly (p < 0.05) higher for group B than other treated groups and control.

Vine Water Deficit Impacts Aging Bouquet in Fine Red Bordeaux Wine.

PubMed

Picard, Magali; van Leeuwen, Cornelis; Guyon, François; Gaillard, Laetitia; de Revel, Gilles; Marchand, Stéphanie

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of vine water status on bouquet typicality, revealed after aging, and the perception of three aromatic notes (mint, truffle, and undergrowth) in bottled fine red Bordeaux wines. To address the issue of the role of vine water deficit in the overall quality of fine aged wines, a large set of wines from four Bordeaux appellations were subjected to sensory analysis. As vine water status can be characterized by carbon isotope discrimination (δ 13 C), this ratio was quantified for each wine studied. Statistical analyses combining δ 13 C and sensory data highlighted that δ 13 C-values discriminated effectively between the most- and least-typical wines. In addition, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed correlations between δ 13 C-values and truffle, undergrowth, and mint aromatic notes, three characteristics of the red Bordeaux wine aging bouquet. These correlations were confirmed to be significant using a Spearman statistical test. This study highlighted for the first time that vine water deficit positively relates to the perception of aging bouquet typicality, as well as the expression of its key aromatic nuances.

Vine water deficit impacts aging bouquet in fine red Bordeaux wine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picard, Magali; van Leeuwen, Cornelis; Guyon, François; Gaillard, Laetitia; de Revel, Gilles; Marchand, Stéphanie

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of vine water status on bouquet typicality, revealed after aging, and the perception of three aromatic notes (mint, truffle, and undergrowth) in bottled fine red Bordeaux wines. To address the issue of the role of vine water deficit in the overall quality of fine aged wines, a large set of wines from four Bordeaux appellations were subjected to sensory analysis. As vine water status can be characterized by carbon isotope discrimination (δ13C), this ratio was quantified for each wine studied. Statistical analyses combining δ13C and sensory data highlighted that δ13C values discriminated effectively between the most- and least-typical wines. In addition, Principal Component Analysis revealed correlations between δ13C values and truffle, undergrowth, and mint aromatic notes, three characteristics of the red Bordeaux wine aging bouquet. These correlations were confirmed to be significant using a Spearman statistical test. This study highlighted for the first time that vine water deficit positively relates to the perception of aging bouquet typicality, as well as the expression of its key aromatic nuances.

Efficacy of Ambroxol lozenges for pharyngitis: a meta-analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Ambroxol has a local anaesthetic action and is marketed for pain relief for sore throat. The objective is to examine the efficacy and safety of ambroxol for the relief of pain associated with acute uncomplicated sore throat. Methods A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. Selection criteria consisted of randomized controlled trials which compared ambroxol to placebo or any other treatment for sore throat. Two reviewers independently assessed for relevance, inclusion, and risk of bias. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) were calculated and are reported with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results and conclusion From 14 potentially relevant citations, five trials reported in three publications met the inclusion criteria, three of them were published twice. Ambroxol lozenges were compared in different dosages (5–30 mg) with mint flavoured lozenges and once with benzocaine. Main outcome was a ratio of pain reduction measured repeatedly over 3 h compared to baseline on 6-item verbal rating scale. A total of 1.772 adult patients participated in the trials. Pain intensity decreased in both study arms. A meta-analysis of the 5 controlled trials resulted in a difference in pain reduction compared to placebo of -0.11 (95% CI [-0.15, -0.07]; p < 0.0001) favouring ambroxol 20 mg. Quality of reporting of the studies was low. Ambroxol is slightly more effective in relieving pain in acute sore throat than mint flavoured lozenges over a period of 3 h. However, the additional benefits of ambroxol beyond three hours, remain unclear given that more than 50% of patients using mint flavoured lozenges for pain relief reported good or very good efficacy after 1 day compared to 69% with ambroxol. Ambroxol is a safe option for individual patients with mainly local symptoms asking for treatment. PMID:24621446

Efficacy of Ambroxol lozenges for pharyngitis: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Chenot, Jean-François; Weber, Peter; Friede, Tim

2014-03-13

Ambroxol has a local anaesthetic action and is marketed for pain relief for sore throat. The objective is to examine the efficacy and safety of ambroxol for the relief of pain associated with acute uncomplicated sore throat. A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. Selection criteria consisted of randomized controlled trials which compared ambroxol to placebo or any other treatment for sore throat. Two reviewers independently assessed for relevance, inclusion, and risk of bias. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) were calculated and are reported with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). From 14 potentially relevant citations, five trials reported in three publications met the inclusion criteria, three of them were published twice. Ambroxol lozenges were compared in different dosages (5-30 mg) with mint flavoured lozenges and once with benzocaine. Main outcome was a ratio of pain reduction measured repeatedly over 3 h compared to baseline on 6-item verbal rating scale. A total of 1.772 adult patients participated in the trials. Pain intensity decreased in both study arms. A meta-analysis of the 5 controlled trials resulted in a difference in pain reduction compared to placebo of -0.11 (95% CI [-0.15, -0.07]; p < 0.0001) favouring ambroxol 20 mg. Quality of reporting of the studies was low. Ambroxol is slightly more effective in relieving pain in acute sore throat than mint flavoured lozenges over a period of 3 h. However, the additional benefits of ambroxol beyond three hours, remain unclear given that more than 50% of patients using mint flavoured lozenges for pain relief reported good or very good efficacy after 1 day compared to 69% with ambroxol. Ambroxol is a safe option for individual patients with mainly local symptoms asking for treatment.

Genetic polymorphisms in one-carbon metabolism: associations with CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) in colon cancer and the modifying effects of diet

PubMed Central

Curtin, Karen; Slattery, Martha L.; Ulrich, Cornelia M.; Bigler, Jeannette; Levin, Theodore R.; Wolff, Roger K.; Albertsen, Hans; Potter, John D.; Samowitz, Wade S.

2008-01-01

This study investigated associations between CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) colon cancer and genetic polymorphisms relevant to one-carbon metabolism and thus, potentially the provision of methyl groups and risk of colon cancer. Data from a large, population-based case–control study (916 incident colon cancer cases and 1972 matched controls) were used. Candidate polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), thymidylate synthase (TS), transcobalamin II (TCNII), methionine synthase (MTR), reduced folate carrier (RFC), methylene-tetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 1 (MTHFD1), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and alcohol dehydrogenase 3 (ADH3) were evaluated. CIMP− or CIMP+ phenotype was based on five CpG island markers: MINT1, MINT2, MINT31, p16 and MLH1. The influence of specific dietary factors (folate, methionine, vitamin B12 and alcohol) on these associations was also analyzed. We hypothesized that polymorphisms involved in the provision of methyl groups would be associated with CIMP+ tumors (two or more of five markers methylated), potentially modified by diet. Few associations specific to CIMP+ tumors were observed overall, which does not support the hypothesis that the provision of methyl groups is important in defining a methylator phenotype. However, our data suggest that genetic polymorphisms in MTHFR 1298A > C, interacting with diet, may be involved in the development of highly CpG-methylated colon cancers. AC and CC genotypes in conjunction with a high-risk dietary pattern (low folate and methionine intake and high alcohol use) were associated with CIMP+ (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.3–3.4 versus AA/high risk; P-interaction = 0.03). These results provide only limited support for a role of polymorphisms in one-carbon metabolism in the etiology of CIMP colon cancer. PMID:17449906

Genetic polymorphisms in one-carbon metabolism: associations with CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) in colon cancer and the modifying effects of diet.

PubMed

Curtin, Karen; Slattery, Martha L; Ulrich, Cornelia M; Bigler, Jeannette; Levin, Theodore R; Wolff, Roger K; Albertsen, Hans; Potter, John D; Samowitz, Wade S

2007-08-01

This study investigated associations between CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) colon cancer and genetic polymorphisms relevant to one-carbon metabolism and thus, potentially the provision of methyl groups and risk of colon cancer. Data from a large, population-based case-control study (916 incident colon cancer cases and 1,972 matched controls) were used. Candidate polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), thymidylate synthase (TS), transcobalamin II (TCNII), methionine synthase (MTR), reduced folate carrier (RFC), methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 1 (MTHFD1), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and alcohol dehydrogenase 3 (ADH3) were evaluated. CIMP- or CIMP+ phenotype was based on five CpG island markers: MINT1, MINT2, MINT31, p16 and MLH1. The influence of specific dietary factors (folate, methionine, vitamin B(12) and alcohol) on these associations was also analyzed. We hypothesized that polymorphisms involved in the provision of methyl groups would be associated with CIMP+ tumors (two or more of five markers methylated), potentially modified by diet. Few associations specific to CIMP+ tumors were observed overall, which does not support the hypothesis that the provision of methyl groups is important in defining a methylator phenotype. However, our data suggest that genetic polymorphisms in MTHFR 1,298A > C, interacting with diet, may be involved in the development of highly CpG-methylated colon cancers. AC and CC genotypes in conjunction with a high-risk dietary pattern (low folate and methionine intake and high alcohol use) were associated with CIMP+ (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.3-3.4 versus AA/high risk; P-interaction = 0.03). These results provide only limited support for a role of polymorphisms in one-carbon metabolism in the etiology of CIMP colon cancer.

Tools of Individual Evaluation and Prestige Recognition in Spain: How Sexenio 'Mints the Golden Coin of Authority'

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marini, Giulio

2018-01-01

Individual experiences in dealing with individual evaluations are studied through a national documental analysis and qualitative interviews. The analysis considers three main individual assessments designed to measure individual credentials or performance: "sexenio" (research and third mission), "quinquenio" (teaching) and…

Microscopical Examination of Ancient Silver Coins

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pistofidis, N.; Vourlias, G.; Pavlidou, El.

2007-04-23

The microstructure of three silver coins of the IIId century B.C. from the Illyrian king Monounios, the ancient Greek city of Dyrrachion and of Korkyra was studied with XRF and microscopy. From this investigation it turned out that these coins have different chemical composition and microstructure that imply different minting method.

Increased Frequency of CpG Island Methylator Phenotype and CDH1 Methylation in a Gastric Cancer High-Risk Region of China1

PubMed Central

Zhang, Kai-Li; Sun, Yuan; Li, Yan; Liu, Ming; Qu, Bo; Cui, Shu-Hong; Kong, Qing-You; Chen, Xiao-Yan; Li, Hong; Liu, Jia

2008-01-01

This study aimed to profile the methylation statuses of CDH1/E-cadherin and five CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP)-associated genes (p16, hMLH1, MINT1, MINT2, and MINT31) in gastric specimens of 47 Dalian long-term residents with and 31 without gastric cancers (GCs). CIMP patterns were classified as CIMP-H with over three methylated genes, CIMP-L with one to two methylated genes, and CIMP-N without methylation. Of 47 GC cases, 24 (51.1%) were CIMP-H, 18 (38.3%) were CIMP-L, and 5 (10.6%) were CIMP-N, whereas 5 of 21 (23.8%) premalignant lesions were CIMP-H and 15 (71.4%) were CIMP-L. CIMP-L was found in 75% (12/16) of GC-adjacent mucosa and in 38.7% (12/31) of mucosa from GC-free patients. CDH1 methylation occurred in 48.9% (23/47) of cancer, in 23.8% (5/21) of premalignant, and in 25% (4/16) of noncancerous tissues and was correlated with patients' age (P = .01), lymph node metastasis, and CIMP severity (P = .000–.028). Our results demonstrated that the frequencies of CIMP-H in Dalian GCs, CIMP-L, and p16 methylation in GC-adjacent tissues and in GC-free mucosa were much higher than those reported previously, indicating the elevated methylation pressure in this GC high-risk region. The close correlation between CDH1 methylation and CIMP severity suggests the necessity of their combination in GC prevention and earlier diagnosis. PMID:18607505

Evaluation of Some Plant Essential Oils against the Brown-Banded Cockroach, Supella longipalpa (Blattaria: Ectobiidae): A Mechanical Vector of Human Pathogens

PubMed Central

Sharififard, Mona; Safdari, Farhad; Siahpoush, Amir; Kassiri, Hamid

2016-01-01

Background: Essential oils, as secondary plant compounds, present a safer alternative to conventional insecticides in insect control programs. So five essential oils including eucalyptus, mint, yarrow, oregano and rosemary oils were evaluated against the brown-banded cockroach Supella longipalpa. Methods: Evaluation was done against the 3rd and 4th instar nymphs using three bioassay methods; continuous contact toxicity, fumigant toxicity and repellent activity. The study was done in the laboratory of medical entomology, during April 2012 to September 2013. Results: Mortality rates by the lowest concentration (2.5%) of rosemary, oregano, yarrow, eucalyptus and mint oils were 100%, 62.2%, 45 %, 36.2% and 5.2% at 24 h after exposure respectively. Rosemary oil was determined as the most toxic oil because of 100 % mortality rate at the concentration range of 2.5% to 30%. The lowest fumigation effect using 50 μl/L air was recorded from mint oil with 97.2 % mortality after 24 h, while the other oils caused 100% mortality. The most repel activity was related to oregano oil which showed 96.5–99.1% repellency at the concentration range of 2.5–30% with a residual effect lasting at least a week after treatment. Conclusion: Oregano oil could be used as a potential repellent against S. longipalpa. Also, all five essential oils could be used as the safe compounds for surface treating or fumigation in cockroach control programs while rosmary and oregano oils exhibited the most toxicity. PMID:28032105

MSH6 G39E Polymorphism and CpG Island Methylator Phenotype in Colon Cancer

PubMed Central

Curtin, Karen; Samowitz, Wade S.; Wolff, Roger K.; Caan, Bette J.; Ulrich, Cornelia M.; Potter, John D.; Slattery, Martha L.

2010-01-01

The MSH6 G39E germline polymorphism is not associated with an increased risk of either microsatellite stable or unstable sporadic colorectal cancer. Other than microsatellite instability, however, most genetic and epigenetic changes of tumors associated with this common variant have not been studied. The objective of our investigation was to evaluate associations between the MSH6 G39E (116G>A) polymorphism and CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) and BRAF V600E mutations in tumors from a sample of 1048 individuals with colon cancer and 1964 controls from Utah, Northern California, and Minnesota. The G39E polymorphism (rs1042821) was determined by the five prime nuclease assay. CIMP was determined by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of CpG islands in MLH1, methylated in tumors (MINT)1, MINT2, MINT31, and CDKN2A. The BRAF V600E mutation was determined by sequencing exon 15. In microsatellite stable tumors, homozygous carriers of the G39E polymorphism had an increased risk of CIMP+ colon cancer (odds ratio (OR) 2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1, 4.2) and BRAF V600E mutation (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.01, 9.7) in a case–control comparison. This finding was not observed in unstable tumors; however, power may have been low to detect an association. Age at diagnosis, family history, and alcohol use did not interact with MSH6 G39E and CIMP. The MSH6 G39E germline polymorphism may be associated with CIMP+ colon cancer. PMID:19582761

Inhibitory effect of essential oils against Lactobacillus rhamnosus and starter culture in fermented milk during its shelf-life period

PubMed Central

Moritz, Cristiane Mengue Feniman; Rall, Vera Lúcia Mores; Saeki, Margarida Júri; Júnior, Ary Fernandes

2012-01-01

The use of essential oils in foods has attracted great interest, due to their antagonistic action against pathogenic microorganisms. However, this action is undesirable for probiotic foods, as products containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus. The aim of the present study was to measure the sensitivity profile of L. rhamnosus and a yogurt starter culture in fermented milk, upon addition of increasing concentrations of cinnamon, clove and mint essential oils. Essential oils were prepared by steam distillation, and chemically characterised by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and determination of density. Survival curves were obtained from counts of L. rhamnosus and the starter culture (alone and in combination), upon addition of 0.04% essential oils. In parallel, titratable acidity was monitored over 28 experimental days. Minimum inhibitory concentration values, obtained using the microdilution method in Brain Heart Infusion medium, were 0.025, 0.2 and 0.4% for cinnamon, clove and mint essential oils, respectively. Cinnamon essential oil had the highest antimicrobial activity, especially against the starter culture, interfering with lactic acid production. Although viable cell counts of L. rhamnosus were lower following treatment with all 3 essential oils, relative to controls, these results were not statistically significant; in addition, cell counts remained greater than the minimum count of 108CFU/mL required for a product to be considered a probiotic. Thus, although use of cinnamon essential oil in yogurt makes starter culture fermentation unfeasible, it does not prevent the application of L. rhamnosus to probiotic fermented milk. Furthermore, clove and mint essential oil caused sublethal stress to L. rhamnosus. PMID:24031939

Who Goes to Graduate/Professional School? The Importance of Economic Fluctuations, Undergraduate Field, and Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bedard, Kelly; Herman, Douglas A.

2008-01-01

This study examines the impact of fluctuations in entry-level labor market conditions on the graduate school enrollment decisions of newly minted undergraduate degree holders. Using repeated cross-section data for recently graduated science and engineering undergraduates from the National Survey of Recent College Graduates, and state-level…

Saudi Arabia and Canada Lead in Pay for Faculty Members, Study Finds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Karin

2008-01-01

Starting salaries for newly minted professors are highest in Canada, but for the best prospects of raising earnings over an academic career, one should look to Saudi Arabian universities. These are some of the findings of a new study that looks at faculty pay across international borders, examining salary data in 15 countries, among them the…

Clinical evaluation of an ointment with 10% metronidazole and 2% lidocaine in the treatment of alveolitis.

PubMed

Silva, L J; Poi, W R; Panzarini, S R; Rodrigues, T S; Simonato, L E

2006-01-01

In this study, the authors evaluate the use of a 10% metronidazole and 2% lidocaine ointment, using a lanolin base and mint as flavoring, to treat alveolitis in humans. Twenty-five patients, with a diagnosis of alveolitis, were treated in the following way: locoregional anesthesia; surgical cleaning of the socket with alveolar curettes; saline solution irrigation with a 20 ml disposable syringe; and complete filling of the socket with the ointment. The analysis of the results showed that the painful symptoms were severe before and on the day of the treatment in 17 (68%) of the 25 patients treated. Post-treatment analysis presented 2 patients (18%) with severe painful symptoms after 24 h of the treatment and complete remission of painful symptoms after 48 h of the treatment with the ointment. Based on the results, it is possible to conclude that the 10% metronidazole and 2% lidocaine ointment, with mint flavoring and lanolin as a base, can be used to treat alveolitis.

bioGUID: resolving, discovering, and minting identifiers for biodiversity informatics

PubMed Central

Page, Roderic DM

2009-01-01

Background Linking together the data of interest to biodiversity researchers (including specimen records, images, taxonomic names, and DNA sequences) requires services that can mint, resolve, and discover globally unique identifiers (including, but not limited to, DOIs, HTTP URIs, and LSIDs). Results bioGUID implements a range of services, the core ones being an OpenURL resolver for bibliographic resources, and a LSID resolver. The LSID resolver supports Linked Data-friendly resolution using HTTP 303 redirects and content negotiation. Additional services include journal ISSN look-up, author name matching, and a tool to monitor the status of biodiversity data providers. Conclusion bioGUID is available at . Source code is available from . PMID:19900301

KSC-04PD-0796

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the KSC Space Life Sciences Lab, NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe (far right) learns about some of the experiments being conducted. At far left is former astronaut Winston Scott; next to him is U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Bush, Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04pd0799

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- An aerial photo of the recently completed Space Life Sciences Lab at KSC. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The Lab was the site of a tour by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, Center Director Jim Kennedy, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Kennedy and included remarks by O’Keefe, Bush, Fore and Bodman.

KSC-04PD-0799

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- An aerial photo of the recently completed Space Life Sciences Lab at KSC. The new lab is a state- of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The Lab was the site of a tour by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe, Center Director Jim Kennedy, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Bush, Fore and Bodman.

Vine Water Deficit Impacts Aging Bouquet in Fine Red Bordeaux Wine

PubMed Central

Picard, Magali; van Leeuwen, Cornelis; Guyon, François; Gaillard, Laetitia; de Revel, Gilles; Marchand, Stéphanie

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of vine water status on bouquet typicality, revealed after aging, and the perception of three aromatic notes (mint, truffle, and undergrowth) in bottled fine red Bordeaux wines. To address the issue of the role of vine water deficit in the overall quality of fine aged wines, a large set of wines from four Bordeaux appellations were subjected to sensory analysis. As vine water status can be characterized by carbon isotope discrimination (δ13C), this ratio was quantified for each wine studied. Statistical analyses combining δ13C and sensory data highlighted that δ13C-values discriminated effectively between the most- and least-typical wines. In addition, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed correlations between δ13C-values and truffle, undergrowth, and mint aromatic notes, three characteristics of the red Bordeaux wine aging bouquet. These correlations were confirmed to be significant using a Spearman statistical test. This study highlighted for the first time that vine water deficit positively relates to the perception of aging bouquet typicality, as well as the expression of its key aromatic nuances. PMID:28824904

Sensitivity Gains, Linearity, and Spectral Reproducibility in Nonuniformly Sampled Multidimensional MAS NMR Spectra of High Dynamic Range.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suiter, Christopher L.; Paramasivam, Sivakumar; Hou, Guangjin

Recently, we have demonstrated that considerable inherent sensitivity gains are attained in MAS NMR spectra acquired by nonuniform sampling (NUS) and introduced maximum entropy interpolation (MINT) processing that assures the linearity of transformation between the time and frequency domains. In this report, we examine the utility of the NUS/MINT approach in multidimensional datasets possessing high dynamic range, such as homonuclear 13C–13C correlation spectra. We demonstrate on model compounds and on 1–73-(U-13C,15N)/74–108-(U-15N) E. coli thioredoxin reassembly, that with appropriately constructed 50 % NUS schedules inherent sensitivity gains of 1.7–2.1-fold are readily reached in such datasets. We show that both linearity andmore » line width are retained under these experimental conditions throughout the entire dynamic range of the signals. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the reproducibility of the peak intensities is excellent in the NUS/MINT approach when experiments are repeated multiple times and identical experimental and processing conditions are employed. Finally, we discuss the principles for design and implementation of random exponentially biased NUS sampling schedules for homonuclear 13C–13C MAS correlation experiments that yield high quality artifact-free datasets.« less

Sensitivity gains, linearity, and spectral reproducibility in nonuniformly sampled multidimensional MAS NMR spectra of high dynamic range

PubMed Central

Suiter, Christopher L.; Paramasivam, Sivakumar; Hou, Guangjin; Sun, Shangjin; Rice, David; Hoch, Jeffrey C.; Rovnyak, David

2014-01-01

Recently, we have demonstrated that considerable inherent sensitivity gains are attained in MAS NMR spectra acquired by nonuniform sampling (NUS) and introduced maximum entropy interpolation (MINT) processing that assures the linearity of transformation between the time and frequency domains. In this report, we examine the utility of the NUS/MINT approach in multidimensional datasets possessing high dynamic range, such as homonuclear 13C–13C correlation spectra. We demonstrate on model compounds and on 1–73-(U-13C, 15N)/74–108-(U-15N) E. coli thioredoxin reassembly, that with appropriately constructed 50 % NUS schedules inherent sensitivity gains of 1.7–2.1-fold are readily reached in such datasets. We show that both linearity and line width are retained under these experimental conditions throughout the entire dynamic range of the signals. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the reproducibility of the peak intensities is excellent in the NUS/MINT approach when experiments are repeated multiple times and identical experimental and processing conditions are employed. Finally, we discuss the principles for design and implementation of random exponentially biased NUS sampling schedules for homonuclear 13C–13C MAS correlation experiments that yield high-quality artifact-free datasets. PMID:24752819

Changes in optical spectra of silver nanoparticles doped europium ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmagin, S. I.; Krasovskii, V. I.; Novikov, I. K.; Kryshtob, V. I.; Kazaryan, M. A.

2018-04-01

Colloidal solutions of Ag silver nanoparticles were studied in the presence of Eu3+ ions and in the absence of their. Silver nanoparticles were created by the method of green synthesis using an aqueous solution of mint. Optical and electronic spectroscopy have been used to explore the interaction of these ions with silver nanoparticles.

Self-Ratings of Spoken Language Dominance: A Multilingual Naming Test (MINT) and Preliminary Norms for Young and Aging Spanish-English Bilinguals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gollan, Tamar H.; Weissberger, Gali H.; Runnqvist, Elin; Montoya, Rosa I.; Cera, Cynthia M.

2012-01-01

This study investigated correspondence between different measures of bilingual language proficiency contrasting self-report, proficiency interview, and picture naming skills. Fifty-two young (Experiment 1) and 20 aging (Experiment 2) Spanish-English bilinguals provided self-ratings of proficiency level, were interviewed for spoken proficiency, and…

Adaptation of non-technical skills behavioural markers for delivery room simulation.

PubMed

Bracco, Fabrizio; Masini, Michele; De Tonetti, Gabriele; Brogioni, Francesca; Amidani, Arianna; Monichino, Sara; Maltoni, Alessandra; Dato, Andrea; Grattarola, Claudia; Cordone, Massimo; Torre, Giancarlo; Launo, Claudio; Chiorri, Carlo; Celleno, Danilo

2017-03-17

Simulation in healthcare has proved to be a useful method in improving skills and increasing the safety of clinical operations. The debriefing session, after the simulated scenario, is the core of the simulation, since it allows participants to integrate the experience with the theoretical frameworks and the procedural guidelines. There is consistent evidence for the relevance of non-technical skills (NTS) for the safe and efficient accomplishment of operations. However, the observation, assessment and feedback on these skills is particularly complex, because the process needs expert observers and the feedback is often provided in judgmental and ineffective ways. The aim of this study was therefore to develop and test a set of observation and rating forms for the NTS behavioural markers of multi-professional teams involved in delivery room emergency simulations (MINTS-DR, Multi-professional Inventory for Non-Technical Skills in the Delivery Room). The MINTS-DR was developed by adapting the existing tools and, when needed, by designing new tools according to the literature. We followed a bottom-up process accompanied by interviews and co-design between practitioners and psychology experts. The forms were specific for anaesthetists, gynaecologists, nurses/midwives, assistants, plus a global team assessment tool. We administered the tools in five editions of a simulation training course that involved 48 practitioners. Ratings on usability and usefulness were collected. The mean ratings of the usability and usefulness of the tools were not statistically different to or higher than 4 on a 5-point rating scale. In either case no significant differences were found across professional categories. The MINTS-DR is quick and easy to administer. It is judged to be a useful asset in maximising the learning experience that is provided by the simulation.

Deodorization of Garlic Breath by Foods, and the Role of Polyphenol Oxidase and Phenolic Compounds.

PubMed

Mirondo, Rita; Barringer, Sheryl

2016-10-01

Garlic causes a strong garlic breath that may persist for almost a day. Therefore, it is important to study deodorization techniques for garlic breath. The volatiles responsible for garlic breath include diallyl disulfide, allyl mercaptan, allyl methyl disulfide, and allyl methyl sulfide. After eating garlic, water (control), raw, juiced or heated apple, raw or heated lettuce, raw or juiced mint leaves, or green tea were consumed immediately. The levels of the garlic volatiles on the breath were analyzed from 1 to 60 min by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). Garlic was also blended with water (control), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), rosemarinic acid, quercetin or catechin, and the volatiles in the headspace analyzed from 3 to 40 min by SIFT-MS. Raw apple, raw lettuce, and mint leaves significantly decreased all of the garlic breath volatiles in vivo. The proposed mechanism is enzymatic deodorization where volatiles react with phenolic compounds. Apple juice and mint juice also had a deodorizing effect on most of the garlic volatiles but were generally not as effective as the raw food, probably because the juice had enzymatic activity but the phenolic compounds had already polymerized. Both heated apple and heated lettuce produced a significant reduction of diallyl disulfide and allyl mercaptan. The presence of phenolic compounds that react with the volatile compounds even in the absence of enzymes is the most likely mechanism. Green tea had no deodorizing effect on the garlic volatile compounds. Rosmarinic acid, catechin, quercetin, and PPO significantly decreased all garlic breath volatiles in vitro. Rosmarinic acid was the most effective at deodorization. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®.

KSC-04PD-0797

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Former astronaut Winston Scott (left) presents a NASA flag flown at the KSC Space Life Sciences Lab to NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe. The flag was flown during construction through the dedication of the Lab. The presentation was during a tour of the Lab following the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida.

KSC-04pd0800

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Center Director Jim Kennedy presents a Florida flag to Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. The flag was flown during construction of the Space Life Sciences Lab through dedication of the Lab. The presentation was during a tour of the Lab following the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida.

KSC-04PD-0792

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Neil Yorio, a Dynamac scientist(left), explains the function of the KSC Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab to a prestigious tour group: (from left) Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and his wife, Columba; NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe and his wife, Laura; and U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Bush, Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04PD-0793

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Neil Yorio, a Dynamac scientist (left) in the KSC Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab, explains the function of the facility to Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and his wife, Columba. Bush and others were touring the Lab following the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. . The new lab is a state-of-the- art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The launching ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04PD-0798

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Former astronaut Winston Scott (left) presents a NASA flag flown at the KSC Space Life Sciences Lab to NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe. The flag was flown during construction through the dedication of the Lab. The presentation was during a tour of the Lab following the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida.

KSC-04PD-0800

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Center Director Jim Kennedy presents a Florida flag to Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. The flag was flown during construction of the Space Life Sciences Lab through dedication of the Lab. The presentation was during a tour of the Lab following the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida.

KSC-04PD-0788

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Following the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint, NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe (far left), Gov. Jeb Bush (center), U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore (center right) and Center Director Jim Kennedy (in front of Neil Yorio, a Dynamac scientist, at right) tour the KSC Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. Next to OKeefe is Bernadette Kennedy, wife of the Center Director. The launching ceremony was emceed by Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Bush, Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

In Vitro Morphogenesis of Arabidopsis to Search for Novel Endophytic Fungi Modulating Plant Growth.

PubMed

Dovana, Francesco; Mucciarelli, Marco; Mascarello, Maurizio; Fusconi, Anna

2015-01-01

Fungal endophytes have shown to affect plant growth and to confer stress tolerance to the host; however, effects of endophytes isolated from water plants have been poorly investigated. In this study, fungi isolated from stems (stem-E) and roots (root-E) of Mentha aquatica L. (water mint) were identified, and their morphogenetic properties analysed on in vitro cultured Arabidopsis (L.) Heynh., 14 and 21 days after inoculation (DAI). Nineteen fungi were analysed and, based on ITS analysis, 17 isolates showed to be genetically distinct. The overall effect of water mint endophytes on Arabidopsis fresh (FW) and dry weight (DW) was neutral and positive, respectively, and the increased DW, mainly occurring 14 DAI, was possibly related to plant defence mechanism. Only three fungi increased both FW and DW of Arabidopsis at 14 and 21 DAI, thus behaving as plant growth promoting (PGP) fungi. E-treatment caused a reduction of root depth and primary root length in most cases and inhibition-to-promotion of root area and lateral root length, from 14 DAI. Only Phoma macrostoma, among the water mint PGP fungi, increased both root area and depth, 21 DAI. Root depth and area 14 DAI were shown to influence DWs, indicating that the extension of the root system, and thus nutrient uptake, was an important determinant of plant dry biomass. Reduction of Arabidopsis root depth occurred to a great extent when plants where treated with stem-E while root area decreased or increased under the effects of stem-E and root-E, respectively, pointing to an influence of the endophyte origin on root extension. M. aquatica and many other perennial hydrophytes have growing worldwide application in water pollution remediation. The present study provided a model for directed screening of endophytes able to modulate plant growth in the perspective of future field applications of these fungi.

76 FR 26291 - Pesticide Products; Registration Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-06

..., spanish lime, starfruit, sugar apple, wax jambu, rambutan, and persimmon. Contact: Rita Kumar..., sweet; cotton; cucurbits; fruiting vegetables, field and greenhouse; grapes; hops; mint; pome fruit...

Antimicrobial activity of essential oils from Mediterranean aromatic plants against several foodborne and spoilage bacteria.

PubMed

Silva, Nuno; Alves, Sofia; Gonçalves, Alexandre; Amaral, Joana S; Poeta, Patrícia

2013-12-01

The antimicrobial activity of essential oils extracted from a variety of aromatic plants, often used in the Portuguese gastronomy was studied in vitro by the agar diffusion method. The essential oils of thyme, oregano, rosemary, verbena, basil, peppermint, pennyroyal and mint were tested against Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and Gram-negative strains (Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). For most essential oils examined, S. aureus, was the most susceptible bacteria, while P. aeruginosa showed, in general, least susceptibility. Among the eight essential oils evaluated, thyme, oregano and pennyroyal oils showed the greatest antimicrobial activity, followed by rosemary, peppermint and verbena, while basil and mint showed the weakest antimicrobial activity. Most of the essential oils considered in this study exhibited a significant inhibitory effect. Thyme oil showed a promising inhibitory activity even at low concentration, thus revealing its potential as a natural preservative in food products against several causal agents of foodborne diseases and food spoilage. In general, the results demonstrate that, besides flavoring the food, the use of aromatic herbs in gastronomy can also contribute to a bacteriostatic effect against pathogens.

Foraging Experiences with Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Helen Ross

1976-01-01

Provided are foraging experiences and wild foods information for utilization in the urban school curriculum. Food uses are detailed for roses, dandelions, wild onions, acorns, cattails, violets and mints. (BT)

Site specific toxicological risk from fluoride exposure through ingestion of vegetables and cereal crops in Unnao district, Uttar Pradesh, India.

PubMed

Jha, S K; Nayak, A K; Sharma, Y K

2011-05-01

A study was carried out to assess toxicological risk from the fluoride (F) exposure due to ingestion of vegetables and cereal crops such as rice and wheat grown in potentially fluoridated area (brick kiln and sodic areas), of different age groups in Unnao district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Fluoride contents in vegetables and cereal were found to be in the order brick kiln sites>sodic sites>normal sites. Among vegetables maximum F concentration was found in spinach and mint, whereas in cereal crops, wheat accumulated more F than rice. The exposure dose of F was determined using estimated daily intake (EDI) and bio-concentration factor (BCF) of F. The children of age group 3-14 years in the potentially fluoridated area were found to be at the risk of fluorosis. The mean BCF value of F was the highest in mint (36.6 mg/kg(dwt) plant/mg/kg(dwt) soil), followed by spinach (33.99 mg/kg(dwt) plant.mg/kg(dwt) soil). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on 1-peso and 2-pesos of the Argentine Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gard, Faramarz S.; Duffo, Gustavo; Bergamasco, Pablo; Forlerer, Elena

2018-04-01

Relative concentrations of nickel and copper at the surface of the ring and centre parts of 1-peso and 2-pesos Argentine coins have been studied by means of X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). It has been observed Ni-enrichment at the surface of the ring (silvery) part of a 1-peso, minted in 1994, whereas the XPS data reveals lack of nickel at the surface of the centre (silvery) part of a 2-pesos, minted in 2016. This discrepancy is explained by analyzing the XPS peaks of oxygen and carbon, and is suggested to be related to the contamination layer on the surface of the coins. The XPS analysis of the golden parts of the coins, namely the centre part of the 1-peso and the ring part of the 2-pesos coins were inconclusive, due to the small amount of the Ni (nominally %2) used in those parts. The possible oxidations states of the metals at the surface of the untreated and treated coins with the artificial human sweat were also identified.

Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Mint Extract and their Application in Chitosan/Gelatin Composite Packaging Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhoir, Shraddha A.; Chawla, S. P.

The present study reports synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using mint extract (ME) in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as capping material. PVA, ME and silver nitrate at concentration of 1%, 0.01% and 0.02%, respectively were found to be optimum for the synthesis of nanoparticles. The formation of AgNPs was confirmed by measuring surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak. The intensity of SPR peak remained unaltered thus suggesting stability of colloid without aggregation during storage. The nanoparticles inhibited the growth of food borne bacteria namely Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus. The incorporation of these nanoparticles in chitosan and gelatin blend resulted in homogenous films. Mechanical properties and water vapor transmission rate of chitosan-gelatin films improved due to addition of AgNPs, whereas optical (opacity and UV light transmittance) and oxygen permeability properties remained unchanged. These films had the ability to inhibit growth of 5 log CFU of the above test organisms. These findings suggest that the AgNPs obtained by reduction of silver by ME can be effectively utilized to prepare antibacterial eco-friendly food packaging material.

Inhibition of low-density lipoprotein oxidation and up-regulation of low-density lipoprotein receptor in HepG2 cells by tropical plant extracts.

PubMed

Salleh, Mohd Nizar; Runnie, Irine; Roach, Paul D; Mohamed, Suhaila; Abeywardena, Mahinda Y

2002-06-19

Twelve edible plant extracts rich in polyphenols were screened for their potential to inhibit oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in vitro and to modulate LDL receptor (LDLr) activity in cultured HepG2 cells. The antioxidant activity (inhibition of LDL oxidation) was determined by measuring the formation of conjugated dienes (lag time) and thiobarbituric acid reagent substances (TBARS). Betel leaf (94%), cashew shoot (63%), Japanese mint (52%), semambu leaf (50%), palm frond (41%), sweet potato shoot, chilli fruit, papaya shoot, roselle calyx, and maman showed significantly increased lag time (>55 min, P < 0.05) and inhibition of TBARS formation (P < 0.05) compared to control. LDLr was significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05) by Japanese mint (67%), semambu (51%), cashew (50%), and noni (49%). Except for noni and betel leaf, most plant extracts studied demonstrated a positive association between antioxidant activity and the ability to up-regulate LDL receptor. Findings suggest that reported protective actions of plant polyphenols on lipoprotein metabolism might be exerted at different biochemical mechanisms.

Financial incentives for exercise adherence in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Mitchell, Marc S; Goodman, Jack M; Alter, David A; John, Leslie K; Oh, Paul I; Pakosh, Maureen T; Faulkner, Guy E

2013-11-01

Less than 5% of U.S. adults accumulate the required dose of exercise to maintain health. Behavioral economics has stimulated renewed interest in economic-based, population-level health interventions to address this issue. Despite widespread implementation of financial incentive-based public health and workplace wellness policies, the effects of financial incentives on exercise initiation and maintenance in adults remain unclear. A systematic search of 15 electronic databases for RCTs reporting the impact of financial incentives on exercise-related behaviors and outcomes was conducted in June 2012. A meta-analysis of exercise session attendance among included studies was conducted in April 2013. A qualitative analysis was conducted in February 2013 and structured along eight features of financial incentive design. Eleven studies were included (N=1453; ages 18-85 years and 50% female). Pooled results favored the incentive condition (z=3.81, p<0.0001). Incentives also exhibited significant, positive effects on exercise in eight of the 11 included studies. One study determined that incentives can sustain exercise for longer periods (>1 year), and two studies found exercise adherence persisted after the incentive was withdrawn. Promising incentive design feature attributes were noted. Assured, or "sure thing," incentives and objective behavioral assessment in particular appear to moderate incentive effectiveness. Previously sedentary adults responded favorably to incentives 100% of the time (n=4). The effect estimate from the meta-analysis suggests that financial incentives increase exercise session attendance for interventions up to 6 months in duration. Similarly, a simple count of positive (n=8) and null (n=3) effect studies suggests that financial incentives can increase exercise adherence in adults in the short term (<6 months). © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

KSC-04pd0795

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On a tour of the KSC Space Life Sciences Lab, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe (at left) listen to Rob Ferl (right), assistant director of the Bio Technology Program, University of Florida (one of the five partners in the SLS Lab). Second from right is U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by O’Keefe, Bush, Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04PD-0794

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A Dynamac worker (left) explains the function of the KSC Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab to a prestigious tour group: in the center, Laura OKeefe and NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe; at right, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush flanked by his wife, Columba on the left and Bernadette Kennedy, wife of Center Director Jim Kennedy. The new lab is a state-of- the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04PD-0791

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Neil Yorio, a Dynamac scientist(left), explains the function of the KSC Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab to a prestigious tour group: Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, left of center, and NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe, and his wife, Laura, at right. Others in the group included former astronaut Winston Scott, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore, and Center Director Jim Kennedy. The new lab is a state-of- the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Bush, Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04PD-0795

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On a tour of the KSC Space Life Sciences Lab, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe (at left) listen to Rob Ferl (right), assistant director of the Bio Technology Program, University of Florida (one of the five partners in the SLS Lab). Second from right is U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore. The new lab is a state-of-the- art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Center Director Jim Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Bush, Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04PD-0787

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Center Director Jim Kennedy (center left) and NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe (center right) wait with their wives, Bernadette and Laura, respectively, for the start of a tour of KSC facilities. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe, Gov. Jeb Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman. Kennedy and OKeefe accompanied by NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe and Center Director Jim Kennedy and their wives.

Financial incentives and weight control.

PubMed

Jeffery, Robert W

2012-11-01

This paper reviews research studies evaluating the use of financial incentives to promote weight control conducted between 1972 and 2010. It provides an overview of behavioral theories pertaining to incentives and describes empirical studies evaluating specific aspects of incentives. Research on financial incentives and weight control has a history spanning more than 30 years. Early studies were guided by operant learning concepts from Psychology, while more recent studies have relied on economic theory. Both theoretical orientations argue that providing financial rewards for losing weight should motivate people to engage in behaviors that produce weight loss. Empirical research has strongly supported this idea. However, results vary widely due to differences in incentive size and schedule, as well as contextual factors. Thus, many important questions about the use of incentives have not yet been clearly answered. Weight-maintenance studies using financial incentives are particularly sparse, so that their long-term efficacy and thus, value in addressing the public health problem of obesity is unclear. Major obstacles to sustained applications of incentive in weight control are funding sources and acceptance by those who might benefit. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

76 FR 64428 - Senior Executive Service; Combined Performance Review Board (PRB)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-18

... Greiner, Chief Financial Officer, United States Mint. John J. Manfreda, Administrator, TTB. Diane K. Wade... of Engraving and Printing (BEP), the Financial Management Service (FMS), the United [[Page 64429

75 FR 4451 - Notification of United States Mint 2010 Commemorative Coin Pricing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-27

... Dollar and the 2010 Boy Scouts of America Centennial Silver Dollar Programs. Public Laws 110-227 and 110... Scouts of America Centennial Silver Dollar Commemorative Coins, respectively. [[Page 4452

22. Historic American Buildings Survey Runnels & Stateler, Photographers c. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

22. Historic American Buildings Survey Runnels & Stateler, Photographers c. 1882 - 85 Collection of Senator Edward F. Burton REFINERY - U. S. Branch Mint, Mission & Fifth Streets, San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA

31 CFR 92.12 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Symbol means any design or graphic used by the United States Mint or the Treasury Department to represent themselves or their products. A design or graphic may include (1) A trademark, designation of origin, or mark...

78 FR 73238 - Currently Approved Information Collection: Comment Request for Customer Satisfaction and Opinion...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-05

... not a toll-free number); [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Quantitative Consumer Research--United States Mint Customer Spend Trajectory Research Survey. OMB Number: 1525-0015...

The Impact of Incentives on Exercise Behavior: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Strohacker, Kelley; Galarraga, Omar; Williams, David M.

2015-01-01

Background The effectiveness of reinforcing exercise behavior with material incentives is unclear. Purpose Conduct a systematic review of existing research on material incentives for exercise, organized by incentive strategy. Methods Ten studies conducted between January 1965 and June 2013 assessed the impact of incentivizing exercise compared to a non-incentivized control. Results There was significant heterogeneity between studies regarding reinforcement procedures and outcomes. Incentives tended to improve behavior during the intervention while findings were mixed regarding sustained behavior after incentives were removed. Conclusions The most effective incentive procedure is unclear given the limitations of existing research. The effectiveness of various incentive procedures in promoting initial behavior change and habit formation, as well as the use of sustainable incentive procedures should be explored in future research. PMID:24307474

KSC-04pd0786

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and his wife, Columba (right), wait outside the KSC Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab for a tour. At left is Debra Holliday, director of Business Development and International Affairs, Florida Spaceport Authority. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, Gov. Jeb Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman. On the tour, Gov. Bush was accompanied by NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe and Center Director Jim Kennedy and their wives.

KSC-04PD-0786

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and his wife, Columba (right), wait outside the KSC Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab for a tour. At left is Debra Holliday, director of Business Development and International Affairs, Florida Spaceport Authority. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Kennedy and included remarks by NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe, Gov. Jeb Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman. On the tour, Gov. Bush was accompanied by NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe and Center Director Jim Kennedy and their wives.

Navy Shipbuilding: Need to Document Rationale for the Use of Fixed-Price Incentive Contracts and Study Effectiveness of Added Incentives

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

NAVY SHIPBUILDING Need to Document Rationale for the Use of Fixed-Price Incentive Contracts and Study Effectiveness of Added...Use of Fixed-Price Incentive Contracts and Study Effectiveness of Added Incentives What GAO Found Over 80 percent of the Navy’s shipbuilding...mackinm@gao.gov. Why GAO Did This Study DOD encourages the use of FPI contracts because they allow for equitable sharing of costs savings and risk

The role of behavioral economic incentive design and demographic characteristics in financial incentive-based approaches to changing health behaviors: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Haff, Nancy; Patel, Mitesh S; Lim, Raymond; Zhu, Jingsan; Troxel, Andrea B; Asch, David A; Volpp, Kevin G

2015-01-01

To evaluate the use of behavioral economics to design financial incentives to promote health behavior change and to explore associations with demographic characteristics. Studies performed by the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics at the University of Pennsylvania published between January 2006 and March 2014. Randomized, controlled trials with available participant-level data. Studies that did not use financial incentives to promote health behavior change were excluded. Participant-level data from seven studies were pooled. Meta-analysis on the pooled sample using a random-effects model with interaction terms to examine treatment effects and whether they varied by incentive structure or demographic characteristics. The pooled study sample comprised 1403 participants, of whom 35% were female, 70% were white, 24% were black, and the mean age was 48 years (standard deviation 11.2 years). In the fully adjusted model, participants offered financial incentives had higher odds of behavior change (odds ratio [OR]: 3.96; p < .01) when compared to control. There were no significant interactions between financial incentives and gender, age, race, income, or education. When further adjusting for incentive structure, blacks had higher odds than whites of achieving behavior change (OR: 1.67; p < .05) with a conditional payment. Compared to lower-income participants, higher-income participants had lower odds of behavior change (OR: 0.46; p = .01) with a regret lottery. Financial incentives designed using concepts from behavioral economics were effective for promoting health behavior change. There were no large and consistent relationships between the effectiveness of financial incentives and observable demographic characteristics. Second-order examinations of incentive structure suggest potential relationships among the effectiveness of financial incentives, incentive structure, and the demographic characteristics of race and income.

Study of parameters of the nearest neighbour shared algorithm on clustering documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustika Rukmi, Alvida; Budi Utomo, Daryono; Imro’atus Sholikhah, Neni

2018-03-01

Document clustering is one way of automatically managing documents, extracting of document topics and fastly filtering information. Preprocess of clustering documents processed by textmining consists of: keyword extraction using Rapid Automatic Keyphrase Extraction (RAKE) and making the document as concept vector using Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA). Furthermore, the clustering process is done so that the documents with the similarity of the topic are in the same cluster, based on the preprocesing by textmining performed. Shared Nearest Neighbour (SNN) algorithm is a clustering method based on the number of "nearest neighbors" shared. The parameters in the SNN Algorithm consist of: k nearest neighbor documents, ɛ shared nearest neighbor documents and MinT minimum number of similar documents, which can form a cluster. Characteristics The SNN algorithm is based on shared ‘neighbor’ properties. Each cluster is formed by keywords that are shared by the documents. SNN algorithm allows a cluster can be built more than one keyword, if the value of the frequency of appearing keywords in document is also high. Determination of parameter values on SNN algorithm affects document clustering results. The higher parameter value k, will increase the number of neighbor documents from each document, cause similarity of neighboring documents are lower. The accuracy of each cluster is also low. The higher parameter value ε, caused each document catch only neighbor documents that have a high similarity to build a cluster. It also causes more unclassified documents (noise). The higher the MinT parameter value cause the number of clusters will decrease, since the number of similar documents can not form clusters if less than MinT. Parameter in the SNN Algorithm determine performance of clustering result and the amount of noise (unclustered documents ). The Silhouette coeffisient shows almost the same result in many experiments, above 0.9, which means that SNN algorithm works well with different parameter values.

31 CFR 101.6 - Return of the bullion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY MITIGATION OF FORFEITURE OF COUNTERFEIT GOLD COINS § 101.6 Return of the bullion. After receiving the gold bullion from the Bureau of the Mint, the Assistant Secretary shall notify the...

31 CFR 101.6 - Return of the bullion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY MITIGATION OF FORFEITURE OF COUNTERFEIT GOLD COINS § 101.6 Return of the bullion. After receiving the gold bullion from the Bureau of the Mint, the Assistant Secretary shall notify the...

31 CFR 101.6 - Return of the bullion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY MITIGATION OF FORFEITURE OF COUNTERFEIT GOLD COINS § 101.6 Return of the bullion. After receiving the gold bullion from the Bureau of the Mint, the Assistant Secretary shall notify the...

31 CFR 101.6 - Return of the bullion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY MITIGATION OF FORFEITURE OF COUNTERFEIT GOLD COINS § 101.6 Return of the bullion. After receiving the gold bullion from the Bureau of the Mint, the Assistant Secretary shall notify the...

Methylation Integration (Mint) | Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR)

Cancer.gov

A comprehensive software pipeline and set of Galaxy tools/workflows for integrative analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation data. Data types can be either bisulfite sequencing and/or pull-down methods.

76 FR 4688 - Pesticide Products; Registration Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-26

...: Propiconazole. Proposed Use(s): Mint, onion subgroups 3-07 A and B, and berry subgroups 13-07 A, B, and G... foot and tuber vegetables, sugar beet molasses, bulb onion subgroup, peanut nutmeat, peanut hay and...

Outcome-based and Participation-based Wellness Incentives

PubMed Central

Barleen, Nathan A.; Marzec, Mary L.; Boerger, Nicholas L.; Moloney, Daniel P.; Zimmerman, Eric M.; Dobro, Jeff

2017-01-01

Objective: This study examined whether worksite wellness program participation or achievement of health improvement targets differed according to four incentive types (participation-based, hybrid, outcome-based, and no incentive). Methods: The study included individuals who completed biometric health screenings in both 2013 and 2014 and had elevated metrics in 2013 (baseline year). Multivariate logistic regression modeling tested for differences in odds of participation and achievement of health improvement targets between incentive groups; controlling for demographics, employer characteristics, incentive amounts, and other factors. Results: No statistically significant differences between incentive groups occurred for odds of participation or achievement of health improvement target related to body mass index, blood pressure, or nonhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Conclusions: Given the null findings of this study, employers cannot assume that outcome-based incentives will result in either increased program participation or greater achievement of health improvement targets than participation-based incentives. PMID:28146041

Human Keratinocytes Radioprotection with Mentha Longifolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, Angela Maria; Berselli, P.; Zava, S.; Negroni, M.; Corsetto, P.; Montorfano, G.; Bertolotti, A.; Ranza, E.; Ottolenghi, A.; Berra, B.

Antioxidants are suggested to act as radioprotectors, and dietary supplements based on antiox-idants have been proposed for astronauts involved in long-term space missions. Plant extracts with antioxidant properties may be used in dietetic supplements for astronauts; in fact recent nutritional guidelines suggest that "fruits and vegetables may become as important on space-going vessels as limes were on the sea-going vessels of old". Mint presents a large variety of biological properties, such as antiallergenic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, an-tiviral, gastrointestinal protective, hepatoprotective, chemopreventive activities, most of which are attributable to its antioxidant activity. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the antioxidant properties and protective bio-efficacy of a phenol enriched Mentha longifolia ex-tract on gamma rays stressed human keratinocytes (NCTC2544). We assessed first the in vitro antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH), and then evaluated different stress markers in order to investigate various oxidative stress targets: cell viability (MTT); retained proliferating ca-pability (CA); DNA damage (histone H2AX) and protein damage (HSP70 induction). Results indicate that this Mint extract has a higher antioxidant activity respect to fresh extracts, that could be responsible of its really interesting radio-protective effects.

Hybridization in the section Mentha (Lamiaceae) inferred from AFLP markers.

PubMed

Gobert, V; Moja, S; Colson, M; Taberlet, P

2002-12-01

The amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) method was used to evaluate genetic diversity and to assess genetic relationships within the section Mentha in order to clarify the taxonomy of several interspecific mint hybrids with molecular markers. To this end, genetic diversity of 62 Mentha accessions from different geographic origins, representing five species and three hybrids, was assessed. Three EcoRI/MseI AFLP primer combinations generated an average of 40 AFLP markers per primer combination, ranging in size from 50 to 500 base pairs (bp). The percentage of markers polymorphic ranged from 50% to 60% across all accessions studied. According to phenetic and cladistic analysis, the 62 mint accessions were grouped into two major clusters. Principal coordinates analysis separated species into well-defined groups, and clear relationships between species and hybrids could be described. Our AFLP analysis supports taxonomic classification established among Mentha species by conventional (morphological, cytological, and chemical) methods. It allows the assessment of phenetic relationships between species and the hybrids M. spicata and M. × piperita, largely cultivated all over the world for their menthol source, and provides new insights into the subdivision of M. spicata, based for the first time on molecular markers.

Relative extrinsic stain removal effectiveness of a new battery-powered toothbrush and a flat trim manual toothbrush.

PubMed

Hunt, Sheri A; Bartizek, Robert D

2004-01-01

To evaluate the stain removal efficacy of two different toothbrush designs using a laboratory stained pellicle test with seven different dentifrices. The toothbrushes were a prototype powered toothbrush (Crest SpinBrush Pro Whitening) and an ADA reference manual toothbrush, as a control. The dentifrices used in the study were: Crest Dual Action Whitening (Cool Mint), Crest Extra Whitening with Tartar Control (Clean Mint), Crest MultiCare Whitening (Fresh Mint), Colgate Total, Colgate Total Plus Whitening, Arm & Hammer Advance White with Tartar Control and Rembrandt Plus with Active Dental Peroxide. This was a randomized, parallel group study that examined stain removal with a novel toothbrushing configuration adapted for powered and manual toothbrushes. Stain was scored before and after brushing for two consecutive, 1-minute periods using digital image analysis. The mean change in L* was statistically compared between toothbrushes with ANCOVA. Labial enamel specimens were obtained from bovine permanent incisors and these specimens were subjected to a laboratory staining process until the L* values for the samples were in the range of 35-45. Digital images for CIE L*a*b* analysis were captured using a high-resolution digital camera under standard polarized lighting conditions. Based on the L* values, the enamel specimens were divided into 14 groups of nine specimens each. Baseline L* values ranged from 40.62 to 41.38 for the 14 toothbrush/dentifrice combinations. The change in L* (post-brushing minus baseline), denoted as deltaL*, was calculated for each specimen and the resulting data were subjected to a two-way ANCOVA. Toothbrush type and dentifrice type were the two terms in the model, and baseline L* was the covariate. Pairwise tests were performed on the adjusted means in order to compare the stain removal efficacy of the two toothbrushes for each of the seven dentifrices evaluated. The powered toothbrush resulted in statistically significantly greater deltaL* values (all P < or = 0.006) than the manual toothbrush for every dentifrice tested. The deltaL* values for dentifrices used with the powered toothbrush were from 66.0-164.2% higher than for the same dentifrice used with the manual toothbrush.

Multimycotoxin LC-MS/MS Analysis in Tea Beverages after Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction (DLLME).

PubMed

Pallarés, Noelia; Font, Guillermina; Mañes, Jordi; Ferrer, Emilia

2017-11-29

The aim of the present study was to develop a multimycotoxin liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method with a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure (DLLME) for the analysis of AFs, 3aDON, 15aDON, NIV, HT-2, T-2, ZEA, OTA, ENNs, and BEA in tea beverages and to evaluate their mycotoxin contents. The proposed method was characterized in terms of linearity, limits of detection (LODs), limits of quantification (LOQs), recoveries, repeatability (intraday precision), reproducibility (interday precision), and matrix effects to check suitability. The results show LODs in the range of 0.05-10 μg/L, LOQs in the range of 0.2-33 μg/L, and recoveries in the range of 65-127% (RSD < 20%). The method developed in this study was applied to 44 commercial samples of black tea, red tea, green tea, and green mint tea. The results show that, of the analyzed mycotoxins, AFB2, AFG2, 15aDON, AFG1, and ENB were detected in the samples. AFB2 (14.4-32.2 μg/L) and 15aDON (60.5-61 μg/L) presented the highest levels. Green mint tea contained the highest concentration of mycotoxins. The risk assessment study shows that the population is not much exposed to mycotoxins through the consumption of tea beverages.

Environmental Inventory and Analysis for Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Volume II. Appendices. Pine Bluff Metropolitan Area, Arkansas Urban Water Management Study. Revised.

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-10-01

pesticides were all taken on July 18, 1974. All samples were secured in six (6) ounce po.lyethylene Whirl-pac bags or one (1) liter polyethylene...tested for nutrients, minerals, o,~gen demands, trace metal’s and pesticides throughout the course of the study. The purpose of this quality control...Pastures, lawns, fields Self-heal Pycnanthemum albescens Open woods along streams White Basil Pycnanthemum muticum Dry open woods Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum

Incentives for college student participation in web-based substance use surveys.

PubMed

Patrick, Megan E; Singer, Eleanor; Boyd, Carol J; Cranford, James A; McCabe, Sean Esteban

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two incentive conditions (a $10 pre-incentive only vs. a $2 pre-incentive and a $10 promised incentive) on response rates, sample composition, substantive data, and cost-efficiency in a survey of college student substance use and related behaviors. Participants were 3000 randomly-selected college students invited to participate in a survey on substance use. Registrar data on all invitees was used to compare response rates and respondents, and web-based data collection on participants was used to compare substantive findings. Participants randomized to the pre-incentive plus promised incentive condition were more likely to complete the survey and less likely to give partial responses. Subgroup differences by sex, class year, and race were evaluated among complete responders, although only sex differences were significant. Men were more likely to respond in the pre-incentive plus promised incentive condition than the pre-incentive only condition. Substantive data did not differ across incentive structure, although the pre-incentive plus promised incentive condition was more cost-efficient. Survey research on college student populations is warranted to support the most scientifically sound and cost-efficient studies possible. Although substantive data did not differ, altering the incentive structure could yield cost savings with better response rates and more representative samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact and Costs of Incentives to Reduce Attrition in Online Trials: Two Randomized Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Murray, Elizabeth; Kalaitzaki, Eleftheria; White, Ian R; McCambridge, Jim; Thompson, Simon G; Wallace, Paul; Godfrey, Christine

2011-01-01

Background Attrition from follow-up is a major methodological challenge in randomized trials. Incentives are known to improve response rates in cross-sectional postal and online surveys, yet few studies have investigated whether they can reduce attrition from follow-up in online trials, which are particularly vulnerable to low follow-up rates. Objectives Our objective was to determine the impact of incentives on follow-up rates in an online trial. Methods Two randomized controlled trials were embedded in a large online trial of a Web-based intervention to reduce alcohol consumption (the Down Your Drink randomized controlled trial, DYD-RCT). Participants were those in the DYD pilot trial eligible for 3-month follow-up (study 1) and those eligible for 12-month follow-up in the DYD main trial (study 2). Participants in both studies were randomly allocated to receive an offer of an incentive or to receive no offer of an incentive. In study 1, participants in the incentive arm were randomly offered a £5 Amazon.co.uk gift voucher, a £5 charity donation to Cancer Research UK, or entry in a prize draw for £250. In study 2, participants in the incentive arm were offered a £10 Amazon.co.uk gift voucher. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants who completed follow-up questionnaires in the incentive arm(s) compared with the no incentive arm. Results In study 1 (n = 1226), there was no significant difference in response rates between those participants offered an incentive (175/615, 29%) and those with no offer (162/611, 27%) (difference = 2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] –3% to 7%). There was no significant difference in response rates among the three different incentives offered. In study 2 (n = 2591), response rates were 9% higher in the group offered an incentive (476/1296, 37%) than in the group not offered an incentive (364/1295, 28%) (difference = 9%, 95% CI 5% to 12%, P < .001). The incremental cost per extra successful follow-up in the incentive arm was £110 in study 1 and £52 in study 2. Conclusion Whereas an offer of a £10 Amazon.co.uk gift voucher can increase follow-up rates in online trials, an offer of a lower incentive may not. The marginal costs involved require careful consideration. Trial registration ISRCTN31070347; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN31070347 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/5wgr5pl3s) PMID:21371988

76 FR 71621 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-18

... publication of this notice. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling the Treasury Bureau... Clearance Officer: Yvonne Pollard, United States Mint, 799 9th Street NW., 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20220...

Video Analysis in Multi-Intelligence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Key, Everett Kiusan; Van Buren, Kendra Lu; Warren, Will

This is a project which was performed by a graduated high school student at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The goal of the Multi-intelligence (MINT) project is to determine the state of a facility from multiple data streams. The data streams are indirect observations. The researcher is using DARHT (Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility) as a proof of concept. In summary, videos from the DARHT facility contain a rich amount of information. Distribution of car activity can inform us about the state of the facility. Counting large vehicles shows promise as another feature for identifying the state of operations. Signalmore » processing techniques are limited by the low resolution and compression of the videos. We are working on integrating these features with features obtained from other data streams to contribute to the MINT project. Future work can pursue other observations, such as when the gate is functioning or non-functioning.« less

KSC-04PD-0789

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Neil Yorio, a Dynamac scientist (right), explains the function of the KSC Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab to a prestigious tour group. From left are NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe and his wife, Laura; Florida Gov. Jeb Bush; Bernadette Kennedy, wife of the Center Director (CD); Columba Bush, wife of the governor; behind Mrs. Bush, former astronaut Winston Scott; and third from right, CD Jim Kennedy. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Bush, U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

KSC-04PD-0790

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Neil Yorio, a Dynamac scientist(left), explains the function of the KSC Space Life Sciences (SLS) Lab to a prestigious tour group. In the background at left is former astronaut Winston Scott; at center is Bernadette Kennedy, wife of the Center Director (CD); next to her are Columba and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush; third from right is NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe, next to his wife, Laura; and on the far right is U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman Fore. The new lab is a state-of-the-art facility built for ISS biotechnology research. It was developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida. The tour followed the launching ceremony at the KSC Visitor Complex for the new Florida quarter issued by the U.S. Mint. The ceremony was emceed by CD Jim Kennedy and included remarks by OKeefe, Bush, Fore and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Samuel W. Bodman.

77 FR 61475 - Price for the 2012 Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-09

...--four Presidential $1 Coins, one Native American $1 Coin and one American Eagle Silver Coin. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: B.B. Craig, Associate Director for Sales and Marketing; United States Mint; 801 9th...

There's a Mint in School-Owned Real Estate for Boards That Land Sweet Deals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott-Blair, Rose Marie

1979-01-01

Some school systems are easing their financial burdens by turning to land development, leasing oil rights to school owned land, and involving themselves in other creative ways of raising money. (Author/IRT)

Wild Plants Used by the Native Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nature Study, 1984

1984-01-01

Describes 10 wild plants used by Native Americans. They include: rose hips; the common milkweed; cattails; elderberries; cactus fruits; lamb's quarters pigweeds (Chenopodium sp.); persimmons; mints (Monardo sp.); the yucca; and the hawthorn. Illustrations of each plant are included. (JN)

31 CFR 1.1 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Intelligence) and all offices reporting to such official, including immediate staff; (N) Assistant Secretary... Secretary (Intelligence and Analysis) and all offices reporting to such official, including immediate staff... Supervision. (viii) Bureau of Engraving and Printing. (ix) United States Mint. (x) Financial Crimes...

Effectiveness of Using Incentives to Improve Parolee Admission and Attendance in Community Addiction Treatment

PubMed Central

Prendergast, Michael L.; Hall, Elizabeth A.; Grossman, Jason; Veliz, Robert; Gregorio, Liliana; Warda, Umme S.; Van Unen, Kory; Knight, Chloe

2017-01-01

This study is a randomized effectiveness trial of the use of incentives to improve treatment utilization among parolees in community treatment. In prison, Admission phase parolees were randomized to Admission Incentive (N=31) or Education (N=29). Attendance phase parolees entering community treatment were randomized to Attendance Incentive (N=104) or Education (N=98). There was no main effect for incentives in either study phase. Neither admission to community treatment (Incentive 60%, Education 64%; p =.74), nor intervention completion (Incentive 22%; Education 27%; p =.46) appeared to be impacted. Time-in-treatment was predicted by age, first arrest age, and type of parole status (Cox regression p<.05), but not by treatment group. Providing incentives did not increase the likelihood that parolees enrolled in or stayed in community treatment. In light of this finding, criminal justice practitioners who are considering incentives to increase admission or retention should be aware that they may not produce the desired outcomes. PMID:28331241

Financial incentives for a healthy life style and disease prevention among older people: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Tambor, Marzena; Pavlova, Milena; Golinowska, Stanisława; Arsenijevic, Jelena; Groot, Wim

2016-09-05

To motivate people to lead a healthier life and to engage in disease prevention, explicit financial incentives, such as monetary rewards for attaining health-related targets (e.g. smoking cessation, weight loss or increased physical activity) or disincentives for reverting to unhealthy habits, are applied. A review focused on financial incentives for health promotion among older people is lacking. Attention to this group is necessary because older people may respond differently to financial incentives, e.g. because of differences in opportunity costs and health perceptions. To outline how explicit financial incentives for healthy lifestyle and disease prevention work among older persons, this study reviews the recent evidence on this topic. We applied the method of systematic literature review and we searched in PUBMED, ECONLIT and COCHRANE LIBRARY for studies focused on explicit financial incentives targeted at older adults to promote health and stimulate primary prevention as well as screening. The publications selected as relevant were analyzed based on directed (relational) content analysis. The results are presented in a narrative manner complemented with an appendix table that describes the study details. We assessed the design of the studies reported in the publications in a qualitative manner. We also checked the quality of our review using the PRISMA 2009 checklist. We identified 15 studies on the role of explicit financial incentives in changing health-related behavior of older people. They include both, quantitative studies on the effectiveness of financial rewards as well as qualitative studies on the acceptability of financial incentives. The quantitative studies are characterized by a great diversity of designs and provide mixed results on the effects of explicit financial incentives. The results of the qualitative studies indicate limited trust of older people in the use of explicit financial incentives for health promotion and prevention. More research is needed on the effects of explicit financial incentives for prevention and promotion among older people before their broader use can be recommended. Overall, the design of the financial incentive system may be a crucial element in their acceptability.

Design, rationale, and baseline characteristics of a cluster randomized controlled trial of pay for performance for hypertension treatment: study protocol

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Despite compelling evidence of the benefits of treatment and well-accepted guidelines for treatment, hypertension is controlled in less than one-half of United States citizens. Methods/design This randomized controlled trial tests whether explicit financial incentives promote the translation of guideline-recommended care for hypertension into clinical practice and improve blood pressure (BP) control in the primary care setting. Using constrained randomization, we assigned 12 Veterans Affairs hospital outpatient clinics to four study arms: physician-level incentive; group-level incentive; combination of physician and group incentives; and no incentives (control). All participants at the hospital (cluster) were assigned to the same study arm. We enrolled 83 full-time primary care physicians and 42 non-physician personnel. The intervention consisted of an educational session about guideline-recommended care for hypertension, five audit and feedback reports, and five disbursements of incentive payments. Incentive payments rewarded participants for chart-documented use of guideline-recommended antihypertensive medications, BP control, and appropriate responses to uncontrolled BP during a prior four-month performance period over the 20-month intervention. To identify potential unintended consequences of the incentives, the study team interviewed study participants, as well as non-participant primary care personnel and leadership at study sites. Chart reviews included data collection on quality measures not related to hypertension. To evaluate the persistence of the effect of the incentives, the study design includes a washout period. Discussion We briefly describe the rationale for the interventions being studied, as well as the major design choices. Rigorous research designs such as the one described here are necessary to determine whether performance-based payment arrangements such as financial incentives result in meaningful quality improvements. Trial Registration http://www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00302718 PMID:21967830

Design, rationale, and baseline characteristics of a cluster randomized controlled trial of pay for performance for hypertension treatment: study protocol.

PubMed

Petersen, Laura A; Urech, Tracy; Simpson, Kate; Pietz, Kenneth; Hysong, Sylvia J; Profit, Jochen; Conrad, Douglas; Dudley, R Adams; Lutschg, Meghan Z; Petzel, Robert; Woodard, Lechauncy D

2011-10-03

Despite compelling evidence of the benefits of treatment and well-accepted guidelines for treatment, hypertension is controlled in less than one-half of United States citizens. This randomized controlled trial tests whether explicit financial incentives promote the translation of guideline-recommended care for hypertension into clinical practice and improve blood pressure (BP) control in the primary care setting. Using constrained randomization, we assigned 12 Veterans Affairs hospital outpatient clinics to four study arms: physician-level incentive; group-level incentive; combination of physician and group incentives; and no incentives (control). All participants at the hospital (cluster) were assigned to the same study arm. We enrolled 83 full-time primary care physicians and 42 non-physician personnel. The intervention consisted of an educational session about guideline-recommended care for hypertension, five audit and feedback reports, and five disbursements of incentive payments. Incentive payments rewarded participants for chart-documented use of guideline-recommended antihypertensive medications, BP control, and appropriate responses to uncontrolled BP during a prior four-month performance period over the 20-month intervention. To identify potential unintended consequences of the incentives, the study team interviewed study participants, as well as non-participant primary care personnel and leadership at study sites. Chart reviews included data collection on quality measures not related to hypertension. To evaluate the persistence of the effect of the incentives, the study design includes a washout period. We briefly describe the rationale for the interventions being studied, as well as the major design choices. Rigorous research designs such as the one described here are necessary to determine whether performance-based payment arrangements such as financial incentives result in meaningful quality improvements. http://www.clinicaltrials.govNCT00302718.

The Influence of Different Kinds of Incentives on Decision-Making and Cognitive Control in Adolescent Development: A Review of Behavioral and Neuroscientific Studies

PubMed Central

Kray, Jutta; Schmitt, Hannah; Lorenz, Corinna; Ferdinand, Nicola K.

2018-01-01

A number of recent hypothetical models on adolescent development take a dual-systems perspective and propose an imbalance in the maturation of neural systems underlying reward-driven and control-related behavior. In particular, such models suggest that the relative dominance of the early emerging subcortical reward system over the later emerging prefrontal-guided control system leads to higher risk-taking and sensation-seeking behavior in mid-adolescents. Here, we will review recent empirical evidence from behavioral and neuroscientific studies examining interactions between these systems and showing that empirical evidence in support for the view of a higher sensitivity to rewards in mid-adolescents is rather mixed. One possible explanation for this may be the use of different kinds and amounts of incentives across studies. We will therefore include developmental studies comparing the differential influence of primary and secondary incentives, as well as those investigating within the class of secondary incentives the effects of monetary, cognitive, or social incentives. We hypothesized that the value of receiving sweets or sours, winning or losing small or large amounts of money, and being accepted or rejected from a peer group may also changes across development, and thereby might modulate age differences in decision-making and cognitive control. Our review revealed that although developmental studies directly comparing different kinds of incentives are rather scarce, results of various studies rather consistently showed only minor age differences in the impact of incentives on the behavioral level. In tendency, adolescents were more sensitive to higher amounts of incentives and larger uncertainty of receiving them, as well as to social incentives such as the presence of peers observing them. Electrophysiological studies showed that processing efficiency was enhanced during anticipation of incentives and receiving them, irrespective of incentive type. Again, we found no strong evidence for interactions with age across studies. Finally, functional brain imaging studies revealed evidence for overlapping brain regions activated during processing of primary and secondary incentives, as well as social and non-social incentives. Adolescents recruited similar reward-related and control-related brain regions as adults did, but to a different degree. Implications for future research will be discussed. PMID:29875720

The Influence of Different Kinds of Incentives on Decision-Making and Cognitive Control in Adolescent Development: A Review of Behavioral and Neuroscientific Studies.

PubMed

Kray, Jutta; Schmitt, Hannah; Lorenz, Corinna; Ferdinand, Nicola K

2018-01-01

A number of recent hypothetical models on adolescent development take a dual-systems perspective and propose an imbalance in the maturation of neural systems underlying reward-driven and control-related behavior. In particular, such models suggest that the relative dominance of the early emerging subcortical reward system over the later emerging prefrontal-guided control system leads to higher risk-taking and sensation-seeking behavior in mid-adolescents. Here, we will review recent empirical evidence from behavioral and neuroscientific studies examining interactions between these systems and showing that empirical evidence in support for the view of a higher sensitivity to rewards in mid-adolescents is rather mixed. One possible explanation for this may be the use of different kinds and amounts of incentives across studies. We will therefore include developmental studies comparing the differential influence of primary and secondary incentives, as well as those investigating within the class of secondary incentives the effects of monetary, cognitive, or social incentives. We hypothesized that the value of receiving sweets or sours, winning or losing small or large amounts of money, and being accepted or rejected from a peer group may also changes across development, and thereby might modulate age differences in decision-making and cognitive control. Our review revealed that although developmental studies directly comparing different kinds of incentives are rather scarce, results of various studies rather consistently showed only minor age differences in the impact of incentives on the behavioral level. In tendency, adolescents were more sensitive to higher amounts of incentives and larger uncertainty of receiving them, as well as to social incentives such as the presence of peers observing them. Electrophysiological studies showed that processing efficiency was enhanced during anticipation of incentives and receiving them, irrespective of incentive type. Again, we found no strong evidence for interactions with age across studies. Finally, functional brain imaging studies revealed evidence for overlapping brain regions activated during processing of primary and secondary incentives, as well as social and non-social incentives. Adolescents recruited similar reward-related and control-related brain regions as adults did, but to a different degree. Implications for future research will be discussed.

Incentive schemes in development of socio-economic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grachev, V. V.; Ivushkin, K. A.; Myshlyaev, L. P.

2018-05-01

The paper is devoted to the study of incentive schemes when developing socio-economic systems. The article analyzes the existing incentive schemes. It is established that the traditional incentive mechanisms do not fully take into account the specifics of the creation of each socio-economic system and, as a rule, are difficult to implement. The incentive schemes based on the full-scale simulation approach, which allow the most complete information from the existing projects of creation of socio-economic systems to be extracted, are proposed. The statement of the problem is given, the method and algorithm of the full-scale simulation study of the efficiency of incentive functions is developed. The results of the study are presented. It is shown that the use of quadratic and piecewise linear functions of incentive allows the time and costs for creating social and economic systems to be reduced by 10%-15%.

Improving working memory in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: the separate and combined effects of incentives and stimulant medication.

PubMed

Strand, Michael T; Hawk, Larry W; Bubnik, Michelle; Shiels, Keri; Pelham, William E; Waxmonsky, James G

2012-10-01

Working memory (WM) is considered a core deficit in Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with numerous studies demonstrating impaired WM among children with ADHD. We tested the degree to which WM in children with ADHD was improved by performance-based incentives, an analog of behavioral intervention. In two studies, WM performance was assessed using a visuo-spatial n-back task. Study 1 compared children (ages 9-12 years) with ADHD-Combined type (n = 24) to a group of typically developing (TD) children (n = 32). Study 1 replicated WM deficits among children with ADHD. Incentives improved WM, particularly among children with ADHD. The provision of incentives reduced the ADHD-control group difference by approximately half but did not normalize WM. Study 2 examined the separate and combined effects of incentives and stimulant medication among 17 children with ADHD-Combined type. Both incentives and a moderate dose of long-acting methylphenidate (MPH; ~0.3 mg/kg t.i.d. equivalent) robustly improved WM relative to the no-incentive, placebo condition. The combination of incentives and medication improved WM significantly more than either incentives or MPH alone. These studies indicate that contingencies markedly improve WM among children with ADHD-Combined type, with effect sizes comparable to a moderate dose of stimulant medication. More broadly, this work calls attention to the role of motivation in studying cognitive deficits in ADHD and in testing multifactorial models of ADHD.

Using incentives to promote workers' participation in worksite research.

PubMed

Lusk, S L; Baer, L M

1994-08-01

We designed this study to examine the effects of two types of incentives on the participation rate of workers from two plants in worksite research. There were 186 workers in the study, some of whom received chances for savings bonds. Given reductions in funding and concerns of management, no comparison could be made between the incentives; however, the study provided valuable information regarding planning for incentives in worksite research.

What about money? Effect of small monetary incentives on enrollment, retention, and motivation to change behaviour in an HIV/STD prevention counselling intervention. The Project RESPECT Study Group.

PubMed

Kamb, M L; Rhodes, F; Hoxworth, T; Rogers, J; Lentz, A; Kent, C; MacGowen, R; Peterman, T A

1998-08-01

We studied the effect of small monetary incentives and non-monetary incentives of similar value on enrollment and participation in clinic based HIV/STD prevention counselling. We examined incident STDs to try to assess whether participants offered money may be less motivated to change risky behaviours than those offered other incentives. Patients from five US STD clinics were invited to enroll in a multisession risk reduction counselling intervention and, based on their enrollment date, were offered either $15 for each additional session or non-monetary incentives worth $15. The two incentive groups were compared on participants' enrollment, completion of intervention sessions, and new STDs over the 24 months after enrollment. Of 648 patients offered money, 198 (31%) enrolled compared with 160 (23%) of 696 patients offered other incentives (p = 0.002). Enrollees in the two incentive groups had similar baseline characteristics, including condom use. Of the 198 participants offered money, 109 (55%) completed all sessions compared with 59 (37%) of the participants offered other incentives (p < 0.0001). Comparing those offered money with those offered other incentives STD rates were similar after 6, 12, and 24 months. Small monetary incentives enhanced enrollment and participation compared with other incentives of similar value. Regardless of incentive offered, participants had similar post-enrollment STD rates, suggesting that the type of incentive does not adversely affect motivation to change behaviour. Money may be useful in encouraging high risk individuals to participate in and complete counselling or other public health interventions.

Tropical Fruit Compote

MedlinePlus

... peeled and pitted, cut into 8 pieces 3 bananas, peeled, cut into 8 diagonal pieces Fresh mint leaves (optional) Directions In a saucepan combine 3/4 cup of water with the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon peel (and rum or vanilla extract if desired). Bring ...

77 FR 57645 - Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-18

..., 2012. Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location: Conference Room A, United States Mint, 801 9th Street NW... the CCAC; 801 9th Street NW., Washington, DC 20220; or call 202-354-7200. Any member of the public...

76 FR 73019 - Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee November 29, 2011; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-28

...: Conference Room A, United States Mint, 801 9th Street NW., Washington, DC 20220. Subject: Review and... the CCAC; 801 9th Street NW., Washington, DC 20220; or call (202) 354-6700. Any member of the public...

1. Photocopy of lithograph (from Annual Report of the Supervising ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. Photocopy of lithograph (from Annual Report of the Supervising Architect to the Secretary for the Calendar Year Ending December 31, 1888) GENERAL VIEW, SOUTH (FRONT) ELEVATION - Old U.S. Mint, Chestnut & Juniper Streets, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

The Effects of Incentives on Workplace Performance: A Meta-Analytic Review of Research Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Condly, Steven J.; Clark, Richard E.; Stolovitch, Harold D.

2003-01-01

A meta-analytic review of all adequately designed field and laboratory research on the use of incentives to motivate performance is reported. Of approximately 600 studies, 45 qualified. The overall average effect of all incentive programs in all work settings and on all work tasks was a 22% gain in performance. Team-directed incentives had a…

Comparing Types of Financial Incentives to Promote Walking: An Experimental Test.

PubMed

Burns, Rachel J; Rothman, Alexander J

2018-04-19

Offering people financial incentives to increase their physical activity is an increasingly prevalent intervention strategy. However, little is known about the relative effectiveness of different types of incentives. This study tested whether incentives based on specified reinforcement types and schedules differentially affected the likelihood of meeting a walking goal and explored if observed behavioural changes may have been attributable to the perceived value of the incentive. A 2 (reinforcement type: cash reward, deposit contract) × 2 (schedule: fixed, variable) between-subjects experiment with a hanging control condition was conducted over 8 weeks (n = 153). Although walking was greater in the incentive conditions relative to the control condition, walking did not differ across incentive conditions. Exploratory analyses indicated that the perceived value of the incentive was associated with the likelihood of meeting the walking goal, but was not affected by reinforcement type or schedule. The reinforcement type and schedule manipulations tested in this study did not differentially affect walking. Given that walking behaviour was associated with perceived value, designing incentive strategies that optimise the perceived value of the incentive may be a promising avenue for future research. © 2018 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

The effectiveness of a monetary incentive offer on survey response rates and response completeness in a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Yu, Shengchao; Alper, Howard E; Nguyen, Angela-Maithy; Brackbill, Robert M; Turner, Lennon; Walker, Deborah J; Maslow, Carey B; Zweig, Kimberly C

2017-04-26

Achieving adequate response rates is an ongoing challenge for longitudinal studies. The World Trade Center Health Registry is a longitudinal health study that periodically surveys a cohort of ~71,000 people exposed to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. Since Wave 1, the Registry has conducted three follow-up surveys (Waves 2-4) every 3-4 years and utilized various strategies to increase survey participation. A promised monetary incentive was offered for the first time to survey non-respondents in the recent Wave 4 survey, conducted 13-14 years after 9/11. We evaluated the effectiveness of a monetary incentive in improving the response rate five months after survey launch, and assessed whether or not response completeness was compromised due to incentive use. The study compared the likelihood of returning a survey for those who received an incentive offer to those who did not, using logistic regression models. Among those who returned surveys, we also examined whether those receiving an incentive notification had higher rate of response completeness than those who did not, using negative binomial regression models and logistic regression models. We found that a $10 monetary incentive offer was effective in increasing Wave 4 response rates. Specifically, the $10 incentive offer was useful in encouraging initially reluctant participants to respond to the survey. The likelihood of returning a survey increased by 30% for those who received an incentive offer (AOR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.4), and the incentive increased the number of returned surveys by 18%. Moreover, our results did not reveal any significant differences on response completeness between those who received an incentive offer and those who did not. In the face of the growing challenge of maintaining a high response rate for the World Trade Center Health Registry follow-up surveys, this study showed the value of offering a monetary incentive as an additional refusal conversion strategy. Our findings also suggest that an incentive offer could be particularly useful near the end of data collection period when an immediate boost in response rate is needed.

A Systematic Review of Financial Incentives for Dietary Behavior Change

PubMed Central

Purnell, Jason Q.; Gernes, Rebecca; Stein, Rick; Sherraden, Margaret S.; Knoblock-Hahn, Amy

2014-01-01

In light of the obesity epidemic, there is growing interest in the use of financial incentives for dietary behavior change. Previous reviews of the literature have focused on randomized, controlled trials and found mixed results. The purpose of this systematic review is to update and expand upon previous reviews by considering a broader range of study designs, including RCTs, quasi-experimental, observational, and simulation studies testing the use of financial incentives to change dietary behavior and to inform both dietetic practice and research. The review was guided by theoretical consideration of the type of incentive used based upon the principles of operant conditioning. There was further examination of whether studies were carried out with an institutional focus and whether incentives took the form of assets or savings. Studies published between 2006 and 2012 were selected for review, and data were extracted regarding study population, intervention design, outcome measures, study duration and follow-up, and key findings. Twelve studies meeting selection criteria were reviewed, with eleven finding a positive association between incentives and dietary behavior change in the short-term. All studies pointed to more specific information on the type, timing, and magnitude of incentives needed to motivate individuals to change behavior, the types of incentives and disincentives most likely to affect the behavior of various socioeconomic groups, and promising approaches for potential policy and practice innovations. Limitations of studies are noted, including the lack of theoretical guidance in the selection of incentive structures and the absence of basic experimental data. Future research should consider these factors even as policymakers and practitioners continue to experiment with this potentially useful approach to addressing obesity. PMID:24836967

Incentives for breastfeeding and for smoking cessation in pregnancy: an exploration of types and meanings.

PubMed

Crossland, Nicola; Thomson, Gill; Morgan, Heather; Dombrowski, Stephan U; Hoddinott, Pat

2015-03-01

Financial or tangible incentives are a strategy for improving health behaviours. The mechanisms of action of incentives are complex and debated. Using a multidisciplinary integrated mixed methods study, with service-user collaboration throughout, we developed a typology of incentives and their meanings for initiating and sustaining smoking cessation in pregnancy and breastfeeding. The ultimate aim was to inform incentive intervention design by providing insights into incentive acceptability and mechanisms of action. Systematic evidence syntheses of incentive intervention studies for smoking cessation in pregnancy or breastfeeding identified incentive characteristics, which were developed into initial categories. Little published qualitative data on user perspectives and acceptability was available. Qualitative interviews and focus groups conducted in three UK regions with a diverse socio-demographic sample of 88 women and significant others from the target population, 53 service providers, 24 experts/decision makers, and conference attendees identified new potential incentives and providers, with and without experience of incentives. Identified incentives (published and emergent) were classified into eight categories: cash and shopping vouchers, maternal wellbeing, baby and pregnancy-related, behaviour-related, health-related, general utility, awards and certificates, and experiences. A typology was refined iteratively through concurrent data collection and thematic analysis to explore participants' understandings of 'incentives' and to compare and contrast meanings across types. Our typology can be understood in three dimensions: the degree of restriction, the extent to which each is hedonic and/or utilitarian, and whether each has solely monetary value versus monetary with added social value. The layers of autonomy, meanings and the social value of incentive types influence their acceptability and interact with structural, social, and personal factors. Dimensions of incentive meaning that go beyond the simple incentive description should inform incentive programme design and are likely to influence outcomes. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

WWC Quick Review of the Manuscript "Paying for A's: An Early Exploration of Student Reward and Incentive Programs in Charter Schools"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2008

2008-01-01

This review examined a study designed to evaluate whether offering student reward and incentive programs in charter schools affects academic achievement. The study measured effects by comparing changes in average grade-level test scores in schools that had incentive programs to changes in schools that did not have incentive programs. The study…

78 FR 36034 - Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-14

.... Time: 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Location: Conference Room A, United States Mint, 801 9th Street NW... the CCAC; 801 9th Street NW.; Washington, DC 20220; or call 202-354-7200. Any member of the public...

75 FR 62184 - Notification of Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee October 26, 2010 Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-07

... (Room A), United States Mint, 801 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20220. Subject: Review and discuss... the CCAC; 801 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20220; or call 202-354-7200. Any member of the public...

78 FR 59426 - Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-26

.... Time: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Location: Conference Room A, United States Mint, 801 9th Street NW... the CCAC; 801 9th Street NW.; Washington, DC 20220; or call 202-354-7200. Any member of the public...

78 FR 68158 - Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-13

... 22, 2013. Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Location: Conference Room A, United States Mint, 801 9th... the CCAC; 801 9th Street NW., Washington, DC 20220; or call 202-354-7200. Any member of the public...

75 FR 6791 - Notification of Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee February 2010 Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-10

..., United States Mint, 801 9th Street NW., Washington, DC 20220. Subject: Review 2011 First Spouse Gold Coin... the CCAC, 801 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20220; or call 202-354-7200. Any member of the public...

Listeria monocytogenes Growth Kinetics in Milkshakes Made from Naturally and Artificially Contaminated Ice Cream.

PubMed

Salazar, Joelle K; Bathija, Vriddi M; Carstens, Christina K; Narula, Sartaj S; Shazer, Arlette; Stewart, Diana; Tortorello, Mary Lou

2018-01-01

This study assessed the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in milkshakes made using the process-contaminated ice cream associated with a listeriosis outbreak in comparison to milkshakes made with artificially contaminated ice cream. For all temperatures, growth kinetics including growth rates, lag phases, maximum populations, and population increases were determined for the naturally and artificially derived contaminants at 5, 10, 15, and 25°C storage for 144 h. The artificially inoculated L. monocytogenes presented lower growth rates and shorter lag phases than the naturally contaminated populations at all temperatures except for 5°C, where the reverse was observed. At 25°C, lag phases of the naturally and artificially contaminated L. monocytogenes were 11.6 and 7.8 h, respectively. The highest increase in population was observed for the artificially inoculated pathogen at 15°C after 96 h (6.16 log CFU/mL) of storage. Growth models for both contamination states in milkshakes were determined. In addition, this study evaluated the antimicrobial effectiveness of flavoring agents, including strawberry, chocolate and mint, on the growth of the pathogen in milkshakes during 10°C storage. All flavor additions resulted in decreased growth rates of L. monocytogenes for both contamination states. The addition of chocolate and mint flavoring also resulted in significantly longer lag phases for both contamination states. This study provides insight into the differences in growth between naturally and artificially contaminated L. monocytogenes in a food product.

Listeria monocytogenes Growth Kinetics in Milkshakes Made from Naturally and Artificially Contaminated Ice Cream

PubMed Central

Salazar, Joelle K.; Bathija, Vriddi M.; Carstens, Christina K.; Narula, Sartaj S.; Shazer, Arlette; Stewart, Diana; Tortorello, Mary Lou

2018-01-01

This study assessed the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in milkshakes made using the process-contaminated ice cream associated with a listeriosis outbreak in comparison to milkshakes made with artificially contaminated ice cream. For all temperatures, growth kinetics including growth rates, lag phases, maximum populations, and population increases were determined for the naturally and artificially derived contaminants at 5, 10, 15, and 25°C storage for 144 h. The artificially inoculated L. monocytogenes presented lower growth rates and shorter lag phases than the naturally contaminated populations at all temperatures except for 5°C, where the reverse was observed. At 25°C, lag phases of the naturally and artificially contaminated L. monocytogenes were 11.6 and 7.8 h, respectively. The highest increase in population was observed for the artificially inoculated pathogen at 15°C after 96 h (6.16 log CFU/mL) of storage. Growth models for both contamination states in milkshakes were determined. In addition, this study evaluated the antimicrobial effectiveness of flavoring agents, including strawberry, chocolate and mint, on the growth of the pathogen in milkshakes during 10°C storage. All flavor additions resulted in decreased growth rates of L. monocytogenes for both contamination states. The addition of chocolate and mint flavoring also resulted in significantly longer lag phases for both contamination states. This study provides insight into the differences in growth between naturally and artificially contaminated L. monocytogenes in a food product. PMID:29416531

Effects of Compensation Methods and Physician Group Structure on Physicians' Perceived Incentives to Alter Services to Patients

PubMed Central

Reschovsky, James D; Hadley, J ack; Landon, Bruce E

2006-01-01

Objective To examine how health plan payment, group ownership, compensation methods, and other practice management tools affect physician perceptions of whether their overall financial incentives tilt toward increasing or decreasing services to patients. Data Source Nationally representative data on physicians are from the 2000–2001 Community Tracking Study Physician Survey (N = 12,406). Study Design Ordered and multinomial logistic regression were used to explore how physician, group, and market characteristics are associated with physician reports of whether overall financial incentives are to increase services, decrease services, or neither. Principal Findings Seven percent of physicians report financial incentives are to reduce services to patients, whereas 23 percent report incentives to increase services. Reported incentives to reduce services were associated with reports of lower ability to provide quality care. Group revenue in the form of capitation was associated with incentives to reduce services whereas practice ownership and variable compensation and bonuses for employee physicians were mostly associated with incentives to increase services to patients. Full ownership of groups, productivity incentives, and perceived competitive markets for patients were associated with incentives to both increase and reduce services. Conclusions Practice ownership and the ways physicians are compensated affect their perceived incentives to increase or decrease services to patients. In the latter case, this adversely affects perceived quality of care and satisfaction, although incentives to increase services may also have adverse implications for quality, cost, and insurance coverage. PMID:16899003

A Review of the Literature on Remote Monitoring Technology in Incentive-Based Interventions for Health-Related Behavior Change.

PubMed

Kurti, Allison N; Davis, Danielle R; Redner, Ryan; Jarvis, Brantley P; Zvorsky, Ivori; Keith, Diana R; Bolivar, Hypatia A; White, Thomas J; Rippberger, Peter; Markesich, Catherine; Atwood, Gary; Higgins, Stephen T

2016-06-01

Use of technology (e.g., Internet, cell phones) to allow remote implementation of incentives interventions for health-related behavior change is growing. To our knowledge, there has yet to be a systematic review of this literature reported. The present report provides a systematic review of the controlled studies where technology was used to remotely implement financial incentive interventions targeting substance use and other health behaviors published between 2004 and 2015. For inclusion in the review, studies had to use technology to remotely accomplish one of the following two aims alone or in combination: (a) monitor the target behavior, or (b) deliver incentives for achieving the target goal. Studies also had to examine financial incentives (e.g., cash, vouchers) for health-related behavior change, be published in peer-reviewed journals, and include a research design that allowed evaluation of the efficacy of the incentive intervention relative to another condition (e.g., non-contingent incentives, treatment as usual). Of the 39 reports that met inclusion criteria, 18 targeted substance use, 10 targeted medication adherence or home-based health monitoring, and 11 targeted diet, exercise, or weight loss. All 39 (100%) studies used technology to facilitate remote monitoring of the target behavior, and 26 (66.7%) studies also incorporated technology in the remote delivery of incentives. Statistically significant intervention effects were reported in 71% of studies reviewed. Overall, the results offer substantial support for the efficacy of remotely implemented incentive interventions for health-related behavior change, which have the potential to increase the cost-effectiveness and reach of this treatment approach.

Parent Genotype and Environmental Factors Influence Introduction Success of the Critically Endangered Savannas Mint (Dicerandra immaculata var. savannarum)

PubMed Central

Peterson, Cheryl L.; Kaufmann, Gregory S.; Vandello, Christopher; Richardson, Matthew L.

2013-01-01

Species previously unknown to science are continually discovered and some of these species already face extinction at the time of their discovery. Conserving new and rare species in these cases becomes a trial-and-error process and conservationists will attempt to manage them by using knowledge of closely related species, or those that fill the same ecological niche, and then adapting the management program as needed. Savannas Mint (Dicerandra immaculata Lakela var. savannarum Huck) is a perennial plant that was discovered in Florida scrub habitat at two locations in 1995, but is nearly extinct at these locations. We tested whether shade, leaf litter, propagation method, parent genotype, parent collection site, planting date, and absorbent granules influenced survival, reproduction, and recruitment of Savannas Mint in a population of 1,614 plants that we introduced between June 2006 and July 2009 into a state protected site. Survival and reproduction of introduced plants, and recruitment of new plants, was higher in microhabitats in full sun and no leaf litter and lower in partially shaded habitats. The two sites from which parent plants were collected differentially influenced survival and reproduction of introduced plants. These differences in survival and reproduction are likely due to underlying genetic differences. Differential survival of progeny from different parent genotypes further supports the idea that underlying genetics is an important consideration when restoring plant populations. The most successful progeny of parent genotypes had survival rates nearly 12 times higher than the least successful progeny. We speculate that many of these environmental and genetic factors are likely to influence allopatric congeners and other critically endangered gap specialists that grow in Florida scrub and our results can be used to guide their conservation. PMID:23593479

The unique fold and lability of the [2Fe-2S] clusters of NEET proteins mediate their key functions in health and disease.

PubMed

Karmi, Ola; Marjault, Henri-Baptiste; Pesce, Luca; Carloni, Paolo; Onuchic, Jose' N; Jennings, Patricia A; Mittler, Ron; Nechushtai, Rachel

2018-02-12

NEET proteins comprise a new class of [2Fe-2S] cluster proteins. In human, three genes encode for NEET proteins: cisd1 encodes mitoNEET (mNT), cisd2 encodes the Nutrient-deprivation autophagy factor-1 (NAF-1) and cisd3 encodes MiNT (Miner2). These recently discovered proteins play key roles in many processes related to normal metabolism and disease. Indeed, NEET proteins are involved in iron, Fe-S, and reactive oxygen homeostasis in cells and play an important role in regulating apoptosis and autophagy. mNT and NAF-1 are homodimeric and reside on the outer mitochondrial membrane. NAF-1 also resides in the membranes of the ER associated mitochondrial membranes (MAM) and the ER. MiNT is a monomer with distinct asymmetry in the molecular surfaces surrounding the clusters. Unlike its paralogs mNT and NAF-1, it resides within the mitochondria. NAF-1 and mNT share similar backbone folds to the plant homodimeric NEET protein (At-NEET), while MiNT's backbone fold resembles a bacterial MiNT protein. Despite the variation of amino acid composition among these proteins, all NEET proteins retained their unique CDGSH domain harboring their unique 3Cys:1His [2Fe-2S] cluster coordination through evolution. The coordinating exposed His was shown to convey the lability to the NEET proteins' [2Fe-2S] clusters. In this minireview, we discuss the NEET fold and its structural elements. Special attention is given to the unique lability of the NEETs' [2Fe-2S] cluster and the implication of the latter to the NEET proteins' cellular and systemic function in health and disease.

The X11L/X11{beta}/MINT2 and X11L2/X11{gamma}/MINT3 scaffold proteins shuttle between the nucleus and cytoplasm

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sumioka, Akio; Saito, Yuhki; Sakuma, Megumi

2008-03-10

The X11/MINT family proteins are adaptor scaffolding proteins involved in formation of multiprotein complexes, and trafficking and metabolism of membrane proteins such as the beta-amyloid precursor protein. We found that a significant portion of X11L and X11L2 are recovered in nuclear fraction of mouse brain homogenates. EGFP-X11s were not detected in the nucleus of N2a neuroblastoma cells; however, administration of leptomycin B (LMB) induced substantial nuclear accumulation of EGFP-X11L and EGFP-X11L2, while EGFP-X11 showed little accumulation. Fluorescence loss in photobleaching (FLIP) analysis indicated that EGFP-X11L2 and EGFP-X11L are shuttled between the cytoplasm and nucleus, the former more effectively than themore » latter. We identified a nuclear export signal (NES) in the N-terminus of X11L2, mutation of which induces nuclear accumulation of EGFP-X11L2 in the absence of LMB. X11L2 fused to the Gal4 DNA binding domain (DBD) showed transcriptional activity, suggesting that X11L2 could function as a transcriptional activator if tethered near a promoter. Interestingly, attenuation of the nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling of GAL4-DBD-X11L2 by mutating the NES or attaching the SV40 nuclear localization signal significantly decreased the apparent transcriptional activity. Our observations suggest that X11L2 functions in the nucleus by a mechanism distinct from conventional transactivators.« less

Patient attitudes about financial incentives for diabetes self-management: A survey.

PubMed

Blondon, Katherine S

2015-06-10

To study the acceptability of incentives for behavior changes in individuals with diabetes, comparing financial incentives to self-rewards and non-financial incentives. A national online survey of United States adults with diabetes was conducted in March 2013 (n = 153). This survey was designed for this study, with iterative testing and modifications in a pilot population. We measured the demographics of individuals, their interest in incentives, as well as the perceived challenge of diabetes self-management tasks, and expectations of incentives to improve diabetes self-management (financial, non-financial and self-rewards). Using an ordered logistic regression model, we assessed the association between a 32-point score of the perceived challenge of the self-management tasks and the three types of rewards. Ninety-six percent of individuals were interested in financial incentives, 60% in non-financial incentives and 72% in self-rewards. Patients were less likely to use financial incentives when they perceived the behavior to be more challenging (odds ratio of using financial incentives of 0.82 (95%CI: 0.72-0.93) for each point of the behavior score). While the effectiveness of incentives may vary according to the perceived level of challenge of each behavior, participants did not expect to need large amounts to motivate them to modify their behavior. The expected average amounts needed to motivate a 5 lb weight loss in our population and to maintain this weight change for a year was $258 (interquartile range of $10-100) and $713 (interquartile range of $25-250) for a 15 lb weight loss. The difference in mean amount estimates for 5 lb and 15 lb weight loss was significant (P < 0.001). Individuals with diabetes are willing to consider financial incentives to improve diabetes self-management. Future studies are needed to explore incentive programs and their effectiveness for diabetes.

Patient attitudes about financial incentives for diabetes self-management: A survey

PubMed Central

Blondon, Katherine S

2015-01-01

AIM: To study the acceptability of incentives for behavior changes in individuals with diabetes, comparing financial incentives to self-rewards and non-financial incentives. METHODS: A national online survey of United States adults with diabetes was conducted in March 2013 (n = 153). This survey was designed for this study, with iterative testing and modifications in a pilot population. We measured the demographics of individuals, their interest in incentives, as well as the perceived challenge of diabetes self-management tasks, and expectations of incentives to improve diabetes self-management (financial, non-financial and self-rewards). Using an ordered logistic regression model, we assessed the association between a 32-point score of the perceived challenge of the self-management tasks and the three types of rewards. RESULTS: Ninety-six percent of individuals were interested in financial incentives, 60% in non-financial incentives and 72% in self-rewards. Patients were less likely to use financial incentives when they perceived the behavior to be more challenging (odds ratio of using financial incentives of 0.82 (95%CI: 0.72-0.93) for each point of the behavior score). While the effectiveness of incentives may vary according to the perceived level of challenge of each behavior, participants did not expect to need large amounts to motivate them to modify their behavior. The expected average amounts needed to motivate a 5 lb weight loss in our population and to maintain this weight change for a year was $258 (interquartile range of $10-100) and $713 (interquartile range of $25-250) for a 15 lb weight loss. The difference in mean amount estimates for 5 lb and 15 lb weight loss was significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Individuals with diabetes are willing to consider financial incentives to improve diabetes self-management. Future studies are needed to explore incentive programs and their effectiveness for diabetes. PMID:26069724

Acceptability of Parental Financial Incentives and Quasi-Mandatory Interventions for Preschool Vaccinations: Triangulation of Findings from Three Linked Studies.

PubMed

Adams, Jean; McNaughton, Rebekah J; Wigham, Sarah; Flynn, Darren; Ternent, Laura; Shucksmith, Janet

2016-01-01

Childhood vaccinations are a core component of public health programmes globally. Recent measles outbreaks in the UK and USA have prompted debates about new ways to increase uptake of childhood vaccinations. Parental financial incentives and quasi-mandatory interventions (e.g. restricting entry to educational settings to fully vaccinated children) have been successfully used to increase uptake of childhood vaccinations in developing countries, but there is limited evidence of effectiveness in developed countries. Even if confirmed to be effective, widespread implementation of these interventions is dependent on acceptability to parents, professionals and other stakeholders. We conducted a systematic review (n = 11 studies included), a qualitative study with parents (n = 91) and relevant professionals (n = 24), and an on-line survey with embedded discrete choice experiment with parents (n = 521) exploring acceptability of parental financial incentives and quasi-mandatory interventions for preschool vaccinations. Here we use Triangulation Protocol to synthesise findings from the three studies. There was a consistent recognition that incentives and quasi-mandatory interventions could be effective, particularly in more disadvantaged groups. Universal incentives were consistently preferred to targeted ones, but relative preferences for quasi-mandatory interventions and universal incentives varied between studies. The qualitative work revealed a consistent belief that financial incentives were not considered an appropriate motivation for vaccinating children. The costs of financial incentive interventions appeared particularly salient and there were consistent concerns in the qualitative work that incentives did not represent the best use of resources for promoting preschool vaccinations. Various suggestions for improving delivery of the current UK vaccination programme as an alternative to incentives and quasi-mandates were made. Parental financial incentives and quasi-mandatory interventions for increasing uptake of preschool vaccinations do not currently attract widespread enthusiastic support in the UK; but some potential benefits of these approaches are recognised.

Acceptability of Parental Financial Incentives and Quasi-Mandatory Interventions for Preschool Vaccinations: Triangulation of Findings from Three Linked Studies

PubMed Central

McNaughton, Rebekah J.; Wigham, Sarah; Flynn, Darren; Ternent, Laura; Shucksmith, Janet

2016-01-01

Background Childhood vaccinations are a core component of public health programmes globally. Recent measles outbreaks in the UK and USA have prompted debates about new ways to increase uptake of childhood vaccinations. Parental financial incentives and quasi-mandatory interventions (e.g. restricting entry to educational settings to fully vaccinated children) have been successfully used to increase uptake of childhood vaccinations in developing countries, but there is limited evidence of effectiveness in developed countries. Even if confirmed to be effective, widespread implementation of these interventions is dependent on acceptability to parents, professionals and other stakeholders. Methods We conducted a systematic review (n = 11 studies included), a qualitative study with parents (n = 91) and relevant professionals (n = 24), and an on-line survey with embedded discrete choice experiment with parents (n = 521) exploring acceptability of parental financial incentives and quasi-mandatory interventions for preschool vaccinations. Here we use Triangulation Protocol to synthesise findings from the three studies. Results There was a consistent recognition that incentives and quasi-mandatory interventions could be effective, particularly in more disadvantaged groups. Universal incentives were consistently preferred to targeted ones, but relative preferences for quasi-mandatory interventions and universal incentives varied between studies. The qualitative work revealed a consistent belief that financial incentives were not considered an appropriate motivation for vaccinating children. The costs of financial incentive interventions appeared particularly salient and there were consistent concerns in the qualitative work that incentives did not represent the best use of resources for promoting preschool vaccinations. Various suggestions for improving delivery of the current UK vaccination programme as an alternative to incentives and quasi-mandates were made. Conclusions Parental financial incentives and quasi-mandatory interventions for increasing uptake of preschool vaccinations do not currently attract widespread enthusiastic support in the UK; but some potential benefits of these approaches are recognised. PMID:27253196

Incentive program to strengthen motivation for increasing physical activity via conjoint analysis.

PubMed

Matsushita, Munehiro; Harada, Kazuhiro; Arao, Takashi

2017-01-01

Objectives　Promoting physical activity is a key public health issue. Incentive programs have attracted attention as a technique for promoting physical activity. For the use of effective incentives, there is a need to clarify the most effective incentive program conditions for the promotion of physical activity. Therefore, the present study used the conjoint analysis to examine the effective incentive program conditions for strengthening the motivation to increase physical activity.Methods　Data on 1,998 subjects (aged 40-74) were analyzed. The main variables in this study were physical activity (IPAQ-Short Form) and the strengthening of motivation to increase physical activity. The incentive programs that were implemented, comprised four factors: 1) cash equivalents (1,000 yen, 2,000 yen, and 3,000 yen); 2) duration between increase in physical activity and receipt of the incentive (1, 2, or 3 months); 3) method to record the physical activity (recording sheet, recording website, and automatic pedometer recording); and 4) lottery (yes or no). Eleven incentive programs were created, which was the minimum number required for comparison of these factors and levels. The average importance of each of the four factors was calculated to compare their contributions to the strengthening of the motivation to increase physical activity. The utility of each level was also calculated to compare their contributions to the strengthening of motivation. All statistics were stratified by age (≤65 years and 65+ years) and physical activity (<150 min/week, 150+ min/week) for additional analysis.Results　Cash incentives and the lottery ranked equally on average importance, followed by duration and recording methods. Utility was higher for each factor, as follows: 1) more valuable cash incentives, 2) shorter duration, 3) automatic pedometer recording, and 4) no lottery. There was no notable difference in the average importance and utility of age and physical activity.Conclusions　The results of this study suggest that no lottery and more valuable incentives were important for improving the effectiveness of incentive programs in increasing physical activity. Moreover, these two factors would be important regardless of age and physical activity levels. Further intervention studies on incentive programs for increasing physical activity considering the present results are needed.

Effects of Strategy Training and Incentives on Students' Performance, Confidence, and Calibration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutierrez, Antonio P.; Schraw, Gregory

2015-01-01

This study examined the effect of strategy instruction and incentives on performance, confidence, and calibration accuracy. Individuals (N = 107) in randomly assigned treatment groups received a multicomponent strategy instruction intervention, financial incentives for high performance, or both. The authors predicted that incentives would improve…

Coupons for Success: A Marketing Incentive in Academic Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potacco, Donna R.; Chen, Peter; Desroches, Danielle; Chisholm, Daniel R.; De Young, Sandra

2013-01-01

How does a Coupon Incentive Program motivate students to seek academic support in high-risk courses? Results from this study demonstrated that the Coupon Incentive Program was effective in motivating voluntary student attendance and improving student outcomes. Recommendations related to implementation of the Coupon Incentive Program are discussed.…

Faculty Incentives for Online Course Design, Delivery, and Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Jennifer H.

2013-01-01

This quantitative study investigated the types and frequency of incentives for online instruction at non-profit institutions of higher education with an established teaching and learning development unit. While up to 70% of institutions offer incentives, this support is not universal and varies by incentive type and purpose.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Idle Reduction

Science.gov Websites

Cities Annual Petroleum Savings Clean Cities Annual Petroleum Savings Incentive and Law Additions by Fuel /Technology Type Incentive and Law Additions by Fuel/Technology Type Incentive Additions by Policy Type Incentive Additions by Policy Type More Idle Reduction Data | All Maps & Data Case Studies Massachusetts

Antifungal activity of essential oils on two Venturia inaequalis strains with different sensitivities to tebuconazole.

PubMed

Muchembled, Jérôme; Deweer, Caroline; Sahmer, Karin; Halama, Patrice

2017-11-02

The antifungal activity of seven essential oils (eucalyptus, clove, mint, oregano, savory, tea tree, and thyme) was studied on Venturia inaequalis, the fungus responsible for apple scab. The composition of the essential oils was checked by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Each essential oil had its main compound. Liquid tests were performed to calculate the IC 50 of essential oils as well as their majority compounds. The tests were made on two strains with different sensitivities to tebuconazole: S755, the sensitive strain, and rs552, the strain with reduced sensitivity. Copper sulfate was selected as the reference mineral fungicidal substance. IC 50 with confidence intervals were calculated after three independent experiments. The results showed that all essential oils and all major compounds had in vitro antifungal activities. Moreover, it was highlighted that the effectiveness of four essential oils (clove, eucalyptus, mint, and savory) was higher than copper sulfate on both strains. For each strain, the best activity was obtained using clove and eucalyptus essential oils. For clove, the IC 50 obtained on the sensitive strain (5.2 mg/L [4.0-6.7 mg/L]) was statistically lower than the IC 50 of reduced sensitivity strain (14 mg/L [11.1-17.5 mg/L]). In contrast, for eucalyptus essential oil, the IC 50 were not different with respectively 9.4-13.0 and 12.2-17.9 mg/L for S755 and rs552 strains. For mint, origano, savory, tea tree, and thyme, IC 50 were always the best on rs552 strain. The majority compounds were not necessarily more efficient than their corresponding oils; only eugenol (for clove) and carvacrol (for oregano and savory) seemed to be more effective on S755 strain. On the other hand, rs552 strain seemed to be more sensitive to essential oils than S755 strain. In overall, it was shown that essential oils have different antifungal activities but do not have the same antifungal activities depending on the fungus strain used.

The use of incentives in vulnerable populations for a telephone survey: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Knoll, Megan; Soller, Lianne; Ben-Shoshan, Moshe; Harrington, Daniel; Fragapane, Joey; Joseph, Lawrence; La Vieille, Sebastien; St-Pierre, Yvan; Wilson, Kathi; Elliott, Susan; Clarke, Ann

2012-10-19

Poor response rates in prevalence surveys can lead to nonresponse bias thereby compromising the validity of prevalence estimates. We conducted a telephone survey of randomly selected households to estimate the prevalence of food allergy in the 10 Canadian provinces between May 2008 and March 2009 (the SCAAALAR study: Surveying Canadians to Assess the Prevalence of Common Food Allergies and Attitudes towards Food LAbeling and Risk). A household response rate of only 34.6% was attained, and those of lower socioeconomic status, lower education and new Canadians were underrepresented. We are now attempting to target these vulnerable populations in the SPAACE study (Surveying the Prevalence of Food Allergy in All Canadian Environments) and are evaluating strategies to increase the response rate. Although the success of incentives to increase response rates has been demonstrated previously, no studies have specifically examined the use of unconditional incentives in these vulnerable populations in a telephone survey. The pilot study will compare response rates between vulnerable Canadian populations receiving and not receiving an incentive. Randomly selected households were randomly assigned to receive either a $5 incentive or no incentive. The between group differences in response rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The response rates for the incentive and non-incentive groups were 36.1% and 28.7% respectively, yielding a between group difference of 7.4% (-0.7%, 15.6%). Although the wide CI precludes definitive conclusions, our results suggest that unconditional incentives are effective in vulnerable populations for telephone surveys.

Incentives for increasing prenatal care use by women in order to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.

PubMed

Till, Sara R; Everetts, David; Haas, David M

2015-12-15

Prenatal care is recommended during pregnancy as a method to improve neonatal and maternal outcomes. Improving the use of prenatal care is important, particularly for women at moderate to high risk of adverse outcomes. Incentives are sometimes utilized to encourage women to attend prenatal care visits. To determine whether incentives are an effective tool to increase utilization of timely prenatal care among women. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 January 2015) and the reference lists of all retrieved studies. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, and cluster-RCTs that utilized direct incentives to pregnant women explicitly linked to initiation and frequency of prenatal care were included. Incentives could include cash, vouchers, coupons or products not generally offered to women as a standard of prenatal care. Comparisons were to no incentives and to incentives not linked directly to utilization of care. We also planned to compare different types of interventions, i.e. monetary versus products or services. Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion and methodological quality. Two review authors independently extracted data. Data were checked for accuracy. We identified 11 studies (19 reports), six of which we excluded. Five studies, involving 11,935 pregnancies were included, but only 1893 pregnancies contributed data regarding our specified outcomes. Incentives in the studies included cash, gift card, baby carrier, baby blanket or taxicab voucher and were compared with no incentives. Meta-analysis was performed for only one outcome 'Return for postpartum care' and this outcome was not pre-specified in our protocol. Other analyses were restricted to data from single studies.Trials were at a moderate risk of bias overall. Randomization and allocation were adequate and risk of selection bias was low in three studies and unclear in two studies. None of the studies were blinded to the participants. Blinding of outcome assessors was adequate in one study, but was limited or not described in the remaining four studies. Risk of attrition was deemed to be low in all studies that contributed data to the review. Two of the studies reported or analyzed data in a manner that was not consistent with the predetermined protocol and thus were deemed to be at high risk. The other three studies were low risk for reporting bias. The largest two of the five studies comprising the majority of participants took place in rural, low-income, homogenously Hispanic communities in Central America. This setting introduces a number of confounding factors that may affect generalizability of these findings to ethnically and economically diverse urban communities in developed countries.The five included studies of incentive programs did not report any of this review's primary outcomes: preterm birth, small-for-gestational age, or perinatal death.In terms of this review's secondary outcomes, pregnant women receiving incentives were no more likely to initiate prenatal care (risk ratio (RR) 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78 to 1.38, one study, 104 pregnancies). Pregnant women receiving incentives were more likely to attend prenatal visits on a frequent basis (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.38, one study, 606 pregnancies) and obtain adequate prenatal care defined by number of "procedures" such as testing blood sugar or blood pressure, vaccinations and counseling about breastfeeding and birth control (mean difference (MD) 5.84, 95% CI 1.88 to 9.80, one study, 892 pregnancies). In contrast, women who received incentives were more likely to deliver by cesarean section (RR 1.97, 95% CI 1.18 to 3.30, one study, 979 pregnancies) compared to those women who did not receive incentives.Women who received incentives were no more likely to return for postpartum care based on results of meta-analysis (average RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.21 to 2.64, two studies, 833 pregnancies, Tau² = 0.81, I² = 98%). However, there was substantial heterogeneity in this analysis so a subgroup analysis was performed and this identified a clear difference between subgroups based on the type of incentive being offered. In one study, women receiving non-cash incentives were more likely to return for postpartum care (RR 1.26, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.47, 240 pregnancies) than women who did not receive non-cash incentives. In another study, women receiving cash incentives were less likely to return for postpartum care (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.62, 593 pregnancies) than women who did not receive cash incentives.No data were identified for the following secondary outcomes: frequency of prenatal care; pre-eclampsia; satisfaction with birth experience; maternal mortality; low birthweight (less than 2500 g); infant macrosomia (birthweight greater than 4000 g); or five-minute Apgar less than seven. The included studies did not report on this review's main outcomes: preterm birth, small-for-gestational age, or perinatal death. There is limited evidence that incentives may increase utilization and quality of prenatal care, but may also increase cesarean rate. Overall, there is insufficient evidence to fully evaluate the impact of incentives on prenatal care initiation. There are conflicting data as to the impact of incentives on return for postpartum care. Two of the five studies which accounted for the majority of women in this review were conducted in rural, low-income, overwhelmingly Hispanic communities in Central America, thus limiting the external validity of these results.There is a need for high-quality RCTs to determine whether incentive program increase prenatal care use and improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. Incentive programs, in particular cash-based programs, as suggested in this review and in several observational studies may improve the frequency and ensure adequate quality of prenatal care. No peer-reviewed data have been made publicly available for one of the largest incentive-based prenatal programs - the statewide Medicaid-based programs within the United States. These observational data represent an important starting point for future research with significant implications for policy development and allocation of healthcare resources. The disparate findings related to attending postpartum care should also be further explored as the findings were limited by the number of studies. Future large RCTs are needed to focus on the outcomes of preterm birth, small-for-gestational age and perinatal outcomes.

Our Two Cents Worth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corcoran, Tim; Allen, Bill

1991-01-01

Described is an activity in which students determine the percent composition of zinc and copper in pennies minted before and after 1982. Students also use pennies to show the natural relative abundance of isotopes and to explain how the weighted atomic mass of the elements is determined. (KR)

78 FR 14154 - Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-04

..., 2013. Time: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Location: Conference Room A, United States Mint, 801 9th Street NW... the CCAC; 801 9th Street NW; Washington, DC 20220; or call 202-354-7200. Any member of the public...

31 CFR 1.20 - Purpose and scope of regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Intelligence) and all offices reporting to such official, including immediate staff; (14) Assistant Secretary... Secretary (Intelligence and Analysis) and all offices reporting to such official, including immediate staff... Supervision. (h) Bureau of Engraving and Printing. (i) United States Mint. (j) Financial Crimes Enforcement...

31 CFR 92.12 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... telecast means widespread dissemination by electronic transmission or method, whether audio and/or visual... person named in an Initial Notice of Assessment. (i) Symbol means any design or graphic used by the United States Mint or the Treasury Department to represent themselves or their products. A design or...

Enhanced parent selection algorithms in mintroute protocol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Ki-Il

2012-11-01

A low-rate, short-range wireless radio communication on a small device often hampers high reliability in wireless sensor networks. However, more applications are increasingly demanding high reliability. To meet this requirement, various approaches have been proposed in each viewpoint of layers. Among those, MintRoute is a well-known network layer approach to develop a new metric based on link quality for path selection towards the sink. By choosing the link with the highest measured value, it has a higher possibility to transmit a packet over the link without error. However, there are still several issues to be mentioned during operations. In this paper, we propose how to improve the MintRoute protocol through revised algorithms. They include a parent selection considering distance and level from the sink node, and a fast recovery method against failures. Simulations and analysis are performed by in order to validate the suitability of reduced end-to-end delay and fast recovery for failures, thus to enhance the reliability of communication.

Inhibitory effects of some plant essential oils against Arcobacter butzleri and potential for rosemary oil as a natural food preservative.

PubMed

Irkin, Reyhan; Abay, Secil; Aydin, Fuat

2011-03-01

We investigated the inhibitory activity of commercially marketed essential oils of mint, rosemary, orange, sage, cinnamon, bay, clove, and cumin against Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacter skirrowii and the effects of the essential oil of rosemary against A. butzleri in a cooked minced beef system. Using the disc diffusion method to determine the inhibitory activities of these plant essential oils against strains of Arcobacter, we found that those of rosemary, bay, cinnamon, and clove had strong inhibitory activity against these organisms, whereas the essential oils of cumin, mint, and sage failed to show inhibitory activity against most of the Arcobacter strains tested. The 0.5% (vol/wt) essential oil of rosemary was completely inhibitory against A. butzleri in the cooked minced beef system at 4°C. These essential oils may be further investigated as a natural solution to the food industry by creating an additional barrier (hurdle technology) to inhibit the growth of Arcobacter strains.

Working under a clinic-level quality incentive: primary care clinicians' perceptions.

PubMed

Greene, Jessica; Kurtzman, Ellen T; Hibbard, Judith H; Overton, Valerie

2015-01-01

A key consideration in designing pay-for-performance programs is determining what entity the incentive should be awarded to-individual clinicians or to groups of clinicians working in teams. Some argue that team-level incentives, in which clinicians who are part of a team receive the same incentive based on the team's performance, are most effective; others argue for the efficacy of clinician-level incentives. This study examines primary care clinicians' perceptions of a team-based quality incentive awarded at the clinic level. This research was conducted with Fairview Health Services, where 40% of the primary care compensation model was based on clinic-level quality performance. We conducted 48 in-depth interviews to explore clinicians' perceptions of the clinic-level incentive, as well as an online survey of 150 clinicians (response rate 56%) to investigate which entity the clinicians would consider optimal to target for quality incentives. Clinicians reported the strengths of the clinic-based quality incentive were quality improvement for the team and less patient "dumping," or shifting patients with poor outcomes to other clinicians. The weaknesses were clinicians' lack of control and colleagues riding the coattails of higher performers. There were mixed reports on the model's impact on team dynamics. Although clinicians reported greater interaction with colleagues, some described an increase in tension. Most clinicians surveyed (73%) believed that there should be a mix of clinic and individual-level incentives to maintain collaboration and recognize individual performance. The study highlights the important advantages and disadvantages of using incentives based upon clinic-level performance. Future research should test whether hybrid incentives that mix group and individual incentives can maintain some of the best elements of each design while mitigating the negative impacts. © 2015 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Effects of Mental Fatigue on Physical Endurance Performance and Muscle Activation Are Attenuated by Monetary Incentives.

PubMed

Brown, Denver M Y; Bray, Steven R

2017-12-01

Physical performance is impaired following cognitive control exertion. Incentives can ameliorate adverse carryover effects of cognitive control exertion but have not been investigated for physical endurance. This study examined the effect of monetary incentives on physical performance and muscle activation following exposure to a mentally fatiguing, cognitive control task. Participants (N = 82) performed two isometric endurance handgrip trials separated by a 12-min cognitive control manipulation using a 2 (high cognitive control [HCC]/low cognitive control [LCC]) × 2 (incentive/no incentive) design. Mental fatigue was significantly higher in the HCC conditions. Performance decreased in the HCC/no incentive condition but was unaffected in the HCC/incentive condition, which did not differ from the low cognitive control conditions. Electromyography data revealed increased muscle activation in the HCC/no incentive condition, which was also attenuated in the HCC/incentive condition. Findings show that incentives counteract the negative effects of HCC on physical endurance and alter central drive to motor units.

Improving medicaid health incentives programs: lessons from substance abuse treatment research.

PubMed

Hand, Dennis J; Heil, Sarah H; Sigmon, Stacey C; Higgins, Stephen T

2014-06-01

This commentary addresses the efforts of Medicaid programs in several US states to employ financial incentives to increase healthy behavior among their beneficiaries. While these Medicaid incentive programs have been successful at boosting rates of less effortful behaviors, like semiannual dental visits, they have fallen short in promoting more complex behaviors, like smoking cessation, drug abstinence, and weight management. Incentives have been extensively studied as a treatment for substance use disorders for over 20years, with good success. We identify two variables shown by meta-analysis to moderate the efficacy of incentive interventions in substance abuse treatment, the immediacy of incentive delivery and size (or magnitude) of the incentive, that are lacking in current Medicaid incentive program. We also offer some guidance on how these moderating variables could be addressed within Medicaid programs. This is a critical time for such analysis, as more than 10 states are employing incentives in their Medicaid programs, and some are currently reevaluating their incentive strategies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Applied economics: The use of monetary incentives to modulate behavior.

PubMed

Strang, S; Park, S Q; Strombach, T; Kenning, P

2016-01-01

According to standard economic theory higher monetary incentives will lead to higher performance and higher effort independent of task, context, or individual. In many contexts this standard economic advice is implemented. Monetary incentives are, for example, used to enhance performance at workplace or to increase health-related behavior. However, the fundamental positive impact of monetary incentives has been questioned by psychologists as well as behavioral economists during the last decade, arguing that monetary incentives can sometimes even backfire. In this chapter, studies from proponents as well as opponents of monetary incentives will be presented. Specifically, the impact of monetary incentives on performance, prosocial, and health behavior will be discussed. Furthermore, variables determining whether incentives have a positive or negative impact will be identified. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coupling Financial Incentives With Direct Mail in Population-Based Practice.

PubMed

Slater, Jonathan S; Parks, Michael J; Malone, Michael E; Henly, George A; Nelson, Christina L

2017-02-01

Financial incentives are being used increasingly to encourage a wide array of health behaviors because of their well-established efficacy. However, little is known about how to translate incentive-based strategies to public health practice geared toward improving population-level health, and a dearth of research exists on how individuals respond to incentives through public health communication strategies such as direct mail. This study reports results of a population-based randomized controlled trial testing a direct mail, incentive-based intervention for promoting mammography uptake. The study population was composed of a random sample of Minnesota women enrolled in Medicare fee-for-service and overdue for breast cancer screening. Participants ( N = 18,939) were randomized into three groups: (1) Direct Mail only, (2) Direct Mail plus Incentive, and (3) Control. Both direct mail groups received two mailers with a message about the importance of mammography; however, Mail plus Incentive mailers also offered a $25 incentive for getting a mammogram. Logistic regression analyses measured intervention effects. Results showed the odds for receiving mammography were significantly higher for the Direct Mail plus Incentive group compared with both Direct Mail only and Control groups. The use of incentives also proved to be cost-effective. Additionally, the Direct Mail only group was more likely to receive mammography than the Control group. Findings offer experimental evidence on how the population-based strategy of direct mail coupled with a financial incentive can encourage healthy behavior, as well as how incentive-based programs can be translated into health promotion practice aimed at achieving population-level impact.

Motivational interviewing for screening and feedback and encouraging lifestyle changes to reduce relative weight in 4-8 year old children: design of the MInT study.

PubMed

Taylor, Rachael W; Brown, Deirdre; Dawson, Anna M; Haszard, Jill; Cox, Adell; Rose, Elaine A; Taylor, Barry J; Meredith-Jones, Kim; Treacy, Lee; Ross, Jim; William, Sheila M

2010-05-24

Because parental recognition of overweight in young children is poor, we need to determine how best to inform parents that their child is overweight in a way that enhances their acceptance and supports motivation for positive change. This study will assess 1) whether weight feedback delivered using motivational interviewing increases parental acceptance of their child's weight status and enhances motivation for behaviour change, and 2) whether a family-based individualised lifestyle intervention, delivered primarily by a MInT mentor with limited support from "expert" consultants in psychology, nutrition and physical activity, can improve weight outcomes after 12 and 24 months in young overweight children, compared with usual care. 1500 children aged 4-8 years will be screened for overweight (height, weight, waist, blood pressure, body composition). Parents will complete questionnaires on feeding practices, physical activity, diet, parenting, motivation for healthy lifestyles, and demographics. Parents of children classified as overweight (BMI > or = CDC 85th) will receive feedback about the results using Motivational interviewing or Usual care. Parental responses to feedback will be assessed two weeks later and participants will be invited into the intervention. Additional baseline measurements (accelerometry, diet, quality of life, child behaviour) will be collected and families will be randomised to Tailored package or Usual care. Parents in the Usual care condition will meet once with an advisor who will offer general advice regarding healthy eating and activity. Parents in the Tailored package condition will attend a single session with an "expert team" (MInT mentor, dietitian, physical activity advisor, clinical psychologist) to identify current challenges for the family, develop tailored goals for change, and plan behavioural strategies that best suit each family. The mentor will continue to provide support to the family via telephone and in-person consultations, decreasing in frequency over the two-year intervention. Outcome measures will be obtained at baseline, 12 and 24 months. This trial offers a unique opportunity to identify effective ways of providing feedback to parents about their child's weight status and to assess the efficacy of a supportive, individualised early intervention to improve weight outcomes in young children. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12609000749202.

Geographical and climatic gradients of evergreen versus deciduous broad-leaved tree species in subtropical China: Implications for the definition of the mixed forest.

PubMed

Ge, Jielin; Xie, Zongqiang

2017-06-01

Understanding climatic influences on the proportion of evergreen versus deciduous broad-leaved tree species in forests is of crucial importance when predicting the impact of climate change on broad-leaved forests. Here, we quantified the geographical distribution of evergreen versus deciduous broad-leaved tree species in subtropical China. The Relative Importance Value index (RIV) was used to examine regional patterns in tree species dominance and was related to three key climatic variables: mean annual temperature (MAT), minimum temperature of the coldest month (MinT), and mean annual precipitation (MAP). We found the RIV of evergreen species to decrease with latitude at a lapse rate of 10% per degree between 23.5 and 25°N, 1% per degree at 25-29.1°N, and 15% per degree at 29.1-34°N. The RIV of evergreen species increased with: MinT at a lapse rate of 10% per °C between -4.5 and 2.5°C and 2% per °C at 2.5-10.5°C; MAP at a lapse rate of 10% per 100 mm between 900 and 1,600 mm and 4% per 100 mm between 1,600 and 2,250 mm. All selected climatic variables cumulatively explained 71% of the geographical variation in dominance of evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved tree species and the climatic variables, ranked in order of decreasing effects were as follows: MinT > MAP > MAT. We further proposed that the latitudinal limit of evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forests was 29.1-32°N, corresponding with MAT of 11-18.1°C, MinT of -2.5 to 2.51°C, and MAP of 1,000-1,630 mm. This study is the first quantitative assessment of climatic correlates with the evergreenness and deciduousness of broad-leaved forests in subtropical China and underscores that extreme cold temperature is the most important climatic determinant of evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved tree species' distributions, a finding that confirms earlier qualitative studies. Our findings also offer new insight into the definition and distribution of the mixed forest and an accurate assessment of vulnerability of mixed forests to future climate change.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Federal and State Laws and Incentives

Science.gov Websites

in this section... Search Federal State Local Examples Summary Tables Federal and State Laws and Legislation Find Local Laws and Incentives Find examples of laws and incentives from local governments. For ) Requirements by Year More Laws & Incentives Data | All Maps & Data Case Studies Deploying Clean Buses

Motivation for Participating in a Weight Loss Program and Financial Incentives: An Analysis from a Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Crane, Melissa M.; Tate, Deborah F.; Finkelstein, Eric A.; Linnan, Laura A.

2012-01-01

This analysis investigated if changes in autonomous or controlled motivation for participation in a weight loss program differed between individuals offered a financial incentive for weight loss compared to individuals not offered an incentive. Additionally, the same relationships were tested among those who lost weight and either received or did not receive an incentive. This analysis used data from a year-long randomized worksite weight loss program that randomly assigned employees in each worksite to either a low-intensity weight loss program or the same program plus small financial incentives for weight loss ($5.00 per percentage of initial weight lost). There were no differences in changes between groups on motivation during the study, however, increases in autonomous motivation were consistently associated with greater weight losses. This suggests that the small incentives used in this program did not lead to increases in controlled motivation nor did they undermine autonomous motivation. Future studies are needed to evaluate the magnitude and timing of incentives to more fully understand the relationship between incentives and motivation. PMID:22577524

Study of the Incentive Program for Washington's National Board Certified Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plecki, Margaret L.; Elfers, Ana M.; St. John, Elise; Finster, Matthew; Emry, Terese; Nishida, Nasue; Harmon, Jeanne

2010-01-01

This study examines the impact of Washington state's incentives for teachers to attain National Board Certification and to work in challenging schools. Using surveys and secondary analyses of state databases, we examine the workforce both prior to and following recent changes in the incentive program. The study considers the nature of National…

Group Incentives for Teachers and Their Effects on Student Learning: A Systematic Review of Theory and Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tirivayi, Nyasha; Maasen van den Brink, Henriette; Groot, Wim

2014-01-01

The effects of teachers' group incentives on student achievement are examined by reviewing theoretical arguments and empirical studies published between 1990 and 2011. Studies from developing countries reported positive effects of group incentives on student test scores. However, experimental studies from developed countries reported insignificant…

Benefits of Incentives for Breastfeeding and Smoking cessation in pregnancy (BIBS): a mixed-methods study to inform trial design.

PubMed

Morgan, Heather; Hoddinott, Pat; Thomson, Gill; Crossland, Nicola; Farrar, Shelley; Yi, Deokhee; Hislop, Jenni; Moran, Victoria Hall; MacLennan, Graeme; Dombrowski, Stephan U; Rothnie, Kieran; Stewart, Fiona; Bauld, Linda; Ludbrook, Anne; Dykes, Fiona; Sniehotta, Falko F; Tappin, David; Campbell, Marion

2015-04-01

Smoking in pregnancy and/or not breastfeeding have considerable negative health outcomes for mother and baby. To understand incentive mechanisms of action for smoking cessation in pregnancy and breastfeeding, develop a taxonomy and identify promising, acceptable and feasible interventions to inform trial design. Evidence syntheses, primary qualitative survey, and discrete choice experiment (DCE) research using multidisciplinary, mixed methods. Two mother-and-baby groups in disadvantaged areas collaborated throughout. UK. The qualitative study included 88 pregnant women/recent mothers/partners, 53 service providers, 24 experts/decision-makers and 63 conference attendees. The surveys included 1144 members of the general public and 497 health professionals. The DCE study included 320 women with a history of smoking. (1) Evidence syntheses: incentive effectiveness (including meta-analysis and effect size estimates), delivery processes, barriers to and facilitators of smoking cessation in pregnancy and/or breastfeeding, scoping review of incentives for lifestyle behaviours; (2) qualitative research: grounded theory to understand incentive mechanisms of action and a framework approach for trial design; (3) survey: multivariable ordered logit models; (4) DCE: conditional logit regression and the log-likelihood ratio test. Out of 1469 smoking cessation and 5408 breastfeeding multicomponent studies identified, 23 smoking cessation and 19 breastfeeding studies were included in the review. Vouchers contingent on biochemically proven smoking cessation in pregnancy were effective, with a relative risk of 2.58 (95% confidence interval 1.63 to 4.07) compared with non-contingent incentives for participation (four studies, 344 participants). Effects continued until 3 months post partum. Inconclusive effects were found for breastfeeding incentives compared with no/smaller incentives (13 studies) but provider commitment contracts for breastfeeding show promise. Intervention intensity is a possible confounder. The acceptability of seven promising incentives was mixed. Women (for vouchers) and those with a lower level of education (except for breastfeeding incentives) were more likely to disagree. Those aged ≤ 44 years and ethnic minority groups were more likely to agree. Agreement was greatest for a free breast pump and least for vouchers for breastfeeding. Universal incentives were preferred to those targeting low-income women. Initial daily text/telephone support, a quitting pal, vouchers for > £20.00 per month and values up to £80.00 increase the likelihood of smoking cessation. Doctors disagreed with provider incentives. A 'ladder' logic model emerged through data synthesis and had face validity with service users. It combined an incentive typology and behaviour change taxonomy. Autonomy and well-being matter. Personal difficulties, emotions, socialising and attitudes of others are challenges to climbing a metaphorical 'ladder' towards smoking cessation and breastfeeding. Incentive interventions provide opportunity 'rungs' to help, including regular skilled flexible support, a pal, setting goals, monitoring and outcome verification. Individually tailored and non-judgemental continuity of care can bolster women's capabilities to succeed. Rigid, prescriptive interventions placing the onus on women to behave 'healthily' risk them feeling pressurised and failing. To avoid 'losing face', women may disengage. Included studies were heterogeneous and of variable quality, limiting the assessment of incentive effectiveness. No cost-effectiveness data were reported. In surveys, selection bias and confounding are possible. The validity and utility of the ladder logic model requires evaluation with more diverse samples of the target population. Incentives provided with other tailored components show promise but reach is a concern. Formal evaluation is recommended. Collaborative service-user involvement is important. This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42012001980. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Using Online Project-Based Capstone Experiences to Enhance Soft Skills Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Britton, Gwendolyn Suzanne

2013-01-01

Employers of newly minted information technology graduates are concerned that students graduating with information technology degrees offered in online environments are lacking critical noncomputing skills (soft skills). Further, it is unclear whether online environments have the capacity to foster the "soft skills" necessary for…

31 CFR 92.1 - Manufacture of medals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Manufacture of medals. 92.1 Section 92.1 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance MONETARY OFFICES, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY UNITED STATES MINT OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES Numismatic Operations § 92.1...

31 CFR 92.1 - Manufacture of medals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Manufacture of medals. 92.1 Section 92.1 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance MONETARY OFFICES, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY UNITED STATES MINT OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES Numismatic Operations § 92.1...

Inhibition of HIV-1 infection by aqueous extracts of Prunella vulgaris L

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The mint family produces many metabolites with medicinal properties. Several species are reported to have antiviral activity, including lemon balm, peppermint, hyssop, basil, sage and self-heal. To further characterize the anti-lentiviral activity of self-heal (Prunella vulgaris), we tested water an...

76 FR 9636 - Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-18

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Public Meeting ACTION: Notification of Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee March 1, 2011, Public Meeting. SUMMARY: Pursuant to United States Code, Title... (CCAC) public meeting scheduled for March 1, 2011. Date: March 1, 2011. Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Location...

Paying people to lose weight: the effectiveness of financial incentives provided by health insurers for the prevention and management of overweight and obesity - a systematic review.

PubMed

Ananthapavan, J; Peterson, A; Sacks, G

2018-05-01

Curbing the obesity epidemic is likely to require a suite of interventions targeting the obesogenic environment as well as individual behaviour. Evidence suggests that the effectiveness of behaviour modification programmes can be enhanced by financial incentives that immediately reward weight loss behaviour. This systematic review investigated the effectiveness of incentives with a focus on assessing the relative effectiveness of incentives that target different behaviours as well as factors of importance when implementing these programmes in real-world settings (health insurer settings). A narrative review of the academic and grey literature including a variety of study designs was undertaken. Twenty studies met inclusion criteria and were assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Results suggest that incentivizing weight loss is effective in the short term while the incentives are in place. There are various incentive designs, and although the relative effectiveness of each of these on weight loss is not clear, it appears that positive incentives increase the uptake into programmes and may reduce dropouts. As with other weight loss initiatives, there is a need to explore ways to maintain weight loss in the longer term - incentives for weight maintenance could play a role. © 2017 World Obesity Federation.

Social and monetary incentives counteract fear-driven avoidance: Evidence from approach-avoidance decisions.

PubMed

Pittig, Andre; Hengen, Kristina; Bublatzky, Florian; Alpers, Georg W

2018-04-22

The reduction of avoidance behavior is a central target in the treatment of anxiety disorders, but it has rarely been studied how approach of fear-relevant stimuli may be initiated. In two studies, the impact of hypothetical monetary and symbolic social incentives on approach-avoidance behavior was examined. In Study 1, individuals high or low on fear of spiders (N = 84) could choose to approach a fear-relevant versus a neutral stimulus, which were equally rewarded. In a subsequent micro-intervention, approaching the fear-relevant stimulus was differentially rewarded either by monetary or social incentives. In Study 2 (N = 76), initial incentives for approach were discontinued to investigate the stability of approach. Hypothetical monetary and symbolic social incentives reduced or eliminated initial avoidance, even in highly fearful individuals. Approach resulted in a decrease of self-reported aversiveness towards the fear-relevant stimulus. However, even after successful approach, fearful individuals showed significant avoidance behavior when incentives for approach were discontinued. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of prolonged approach incentives on multiple levels of fear (e.g., self-report, behavioral, physiological). It should also be tested if such an intervention actually improves compliance with exposure based interventions. The present findings highlight that incentives are useful to initiate initial approach towards a feared stimulus. Although incentive-based approach may neither fully eliminate avoidance nor negative feelings towards the feared stimulus, such operant interventions may set the stage for more extensive extinction training. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incentives to promote breastfeeding: a systematic review.

PubMed

Moran, Victoria Hall; Morgan, Heather; Rothnie, Kieran; MacLennan, Graeme; Stewart, Fiona; Thomson, Gillian; Crossland, Nicola; Tappin, David; Campbell, Marion; Hoddinott, Pat

2015-03-01

Few women in industrialized countries achieve the World Health Organization's recommendation to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months. Governments are increasingly seeking new interventions to address this problem, including the use of incentives. The goal of this study was to assess the evidence regarding the effectiveness of incentive interventions, delivered within or outside of health care settings, to individuals and/or their families seeking to increase and sustain breastfeeding in the first 6 months after birth. Searches of electronic databases, reference lists, and grey literature were conducted to identify relevant reports of published, unpublished, and ongoing studies. All study designs published in English, which met our definition of incentives and that were from a developed country, were eligible for inclusion. Abstract and full-text article review with sequential data extraction were conducted by 2 independent authors. Sixteen full reports were included in the review. The majority evaluated multicomponent interventions of varying frequency, intensity, and duration. Incentives involved providing access to breast pumps, gifts, vouchers, money, food packages, and help with household tasks, but little consensus in findings was revealed. The lack of high-quality, randomized controlled trials identified by this review and the multicomponent nature of the interventions prohibited meta-analysis. This review found that the overall effect of providing incentives for breastfeeding compared with no incentives is unclear due to study heterogeneity and the variation in study quality. Further evidence on breastfeeding incentives offered to women is required to understand the possible effects of these interventions. Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Teacher Pay for Performance: Experimental Evidence from the Project on Incentives in Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, Matthew G.; Hamilton, Laura; McCaffrey, Daniel F.; Ballou, Dale; Le, Vi-Nhuan; Pepper, Matthew; Lockwood, J. R.; Stecher, Brian M.

2010-01-01

In an effort to explore the impact of performance incentives in education, the National Center on Performance Incentives (NCPI) partnered with the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) to conduct the Project on Incentives in Teaching, or POINT. The study examines the effects on student outcomes of paying eligible teachers bonuses of up to…

A systematic review of financial incentives for dietary behavior change.

PubMed

Purnell, Jason Q; Gernes, Rebecca; Stein, Rick; Sherraden, Margaret S; Knoblock-Hahn, Amy

2014-07-01

In light of the obesity epidemic, there is growing interest in the use of financial incentives for dietary behavior change. Previous reviews of the literature have focused on randomized controlled trials and found mixed results. The purpose of this systematic review is to update and expand on previous reviews by considering a broader range of study designs, including randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental, observational, and simulation studies testing the use of financial incentives to change dietary behavior and to inform both dietetic practice and research. The review was guided by theoretical consideration of the type of incentive used based on the principles of operant conditioning. There was further examination of whether studies were carried out with an institutional focus. Studies published between 2006 and 2012 were selected for review, and data were extracted regarding study population, intervention design, outcome measures, study duration and follow-up, and key findings. Twelve studies meeting selection criteria were reviewed, with 11 finding a positive association between incentives and dietary behavior change in the short term. All studies pointed to more specific information on the type, timing, and magnitude of incentives needed to motivate individuals to change behavior, the types of incentives and disincentives most likely to affect the behavior of various socioeconomic groups, and promising approaches for potential policy and practice innovations. Limitations of the studies are noted, including the lack of theoretical guidance in the selection of incentive structures and the absence of basic experimental data. Future research should consider these factors, even as policy makers and practitioners continue to experiment with this potentially useful approach to addressing obesity. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Performance-Based Financial Incentives on Work Performance: A Study of Technical-Level Employees in the Private Sector in Sri Lanka

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wickramasinghe, Vathsala; Dabere, Sampath

2012-01-01

The objective of the study is to investigate the effect of performance-based financial incentives on work performance. The study hypothesized that the design features of performance-based financial incentive schemes themselves may influence individuals' work performance. For the study, survey methodology was used and 93 technical-level employees…

For love or money? Attitudes toward financial incentives among actual living kidney donors.

PubMed

van Buren, M C; Massey, E K; Maasdam, L; Zuidema, W C; Hilhorst, M T; Ijzermans, J N; Weimar, W

2010-11-01

Due to lengthening waiting lists for kidney transplantation, a debate has emerged as to whether financial incentives should be used to stimulate living kidney donation. In recent surveys among the general public approximately 25% was in favor of financial incentives while the majority was opposed or undecided. In the present study, we investigated the opinion of living kidney donors regarding financial incentives for living kidney donation. We asked 250 living kidney donors whether they, in retrospect, would have wanted a financial reward for their donation. We also investigated whether they were in favor of using financial incentives in a government-controlled system to stimulate living anonymous donation. Additionally, the type of incentive deemed most appropriate was also investigated. In general almost half (46%) of the study population were positive toward introducing financial incentives for living donors. The majority (78%) was not in favor of any kind of reward for themselves as they had donated out of love for the recipient or out of altruistic principles. Remarkably, 60% of the donors were in favor of a financial incentive for individuals donating anonymously. A reduced premium or free health insurance was the preferred incentive. ©2010 The Authors Journal compilation©2010 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Influential Effects of Intrinsic-Extrinsic Incentive Factors on Management Performance in New Energy Enterprises.

PubMed

Wang, Ping; Lu, Zhengnan; Sun, Jihong

2018-02-08

Background : New energy has become a key trend for global energy industry development. Talent plays a very critical role in the enhancement of new energy enterprise competitiveness. As a key component of talent, managers have been attracting more and more attention. The increase in job performance relies on, to a certain extent, incentive mechanism. Based on the Two-factor Theory, differences in influences and effects of different incentives on management performance have been checked in this paper from an empirical perspective. Methods : This paper selects the middle and low level managers in new energy enterprises as research samples and classifies the managers' performance into task performance, contextual performance and innovation performance. It uses manager performance questionnaires and intrinsic-extrinsic incentive factor questionnaires to investigate and study the effects and then uses Amos software to analyze the inner link between the intrinsic-extrinsic incentives and job performance. Results : Extrinsic incentives affect task performance and innovation performance positively. Intrinsic incentives impose active significant effects on task performance, contextual performance, and innovation performance. The intrinsic incentive plays a more important role than the extrinsic incentive. Conclusions : Both the intrinsic-extrinsic incentives affect manager performance positively and the intrinsic incentive plays a more important role than the extrinsic incentive. Several suggestions to management should be given based on these results.

State Clean Energy Policies Analysis (SCEPA): State Tax Incentives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lantz, E.; Doris, E.

As a policy tool, state tax incentives can be structured to help states meet clean energy goals. Policymakers often use state tax incentives in concert with state and federal policies to support renewable energy deployment or reduce market barriers. This analysis used case studies of four states to assess the contributions of state tax incentives to the development of renewable energy markets. State tax incentives that are appropriately paired with complementary state and federal policies generally provide viable mechanisms to support renewable energy deployment. However, challenges to successful implementation of state tax incentives include serving project owners with limited statemore » tax liability, assessing appropriate incentive levels, and differentiating levels of incentives for technologies with different costs. Additionally, state tax incentives may result in moderately higher federal tax burdens. These challenges notwithstanding, state tax incentives that consider certain policy design characteristics can support renewable energy markets and state clean energy goals.The scale of their impact though is directly related to the degree to which they support the renewable energy markets for targeted sectors and technologies. This report highlights important policy design considerations for policymakers using state tax incentives to meet clean energy goals.« less

The INCENTIVE protocol: an evaluation of the organisation and delivery of NHS dental healthcare to patients—innovation in the commissioning of primary dental care service delivery and organisation in the UK

PubMed Central

Pavitt, Sue H; Baxter, Paul D; Brunton, Paul A; Douglas, Gail; Edlin, Richard; Gibson, Barry J; Godson, Jenny; Hall, Melanie; Porritt, Jenny; Robinson, Peter G; Vinall, Karen; Hulme, Claire

2014-01-01

Introduction In England, in 2006, new dental contracts devolved commissioning of dental services locally to Primary Care Trusts to meet the needs of their local population. The new national General Dental Services contracts (nGDS) were based on payment for Units of Dental Activity (UDAs) awarded in three treatment bands based on complexity of care. Recently, contract currency in UK dentistry is evolving from UDAs based on volume and case complexity towards ‘blended contracts’ that include incentives linked with key performance indicators such as quality and improved health outcome. Overall, evidence of the effectiveness of incentive-driven contracting of health providers is still emerging. The INCENTIVE Study aims to evaluate a blended contract model (incentive-driven) compared to traditional nGDS contracts on dental service delivery in practices in West Yorkshire, England. Methods and analysis The INCENTIVE model uses a mixed methods approach to comprehensively evaluate a new incentive-driven model of NHS dental service delivery. The study includes 6 dental surgeries located across three newly commissioned dental practices (blended contract) and three existing traditional practices (nGDS contracts). The newly commissioned practices have been matched to traditional practices by deprivation index, age profile, ethnicity, size of practice and taking on new patients. The study consists of three interlinked work packages: a qualitative study to explore stakeholder perspectives of the new service delivery model; an effectiveness study to assess the INCENTIVE model in reducing the risk of and amount of dental disease and enhance oral health-related quality of life in patients; and an economic study to assess cost-effectiveness of the INCENTIVE model in relation to clinical status and oral health-related quality of life. Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by NRES Committee London, Bromley. The results of this study will be disseminated at national and international conferences and in international journals. PMID:25231492

Research Compensation and Lottery: An Online Empirical Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zangeneh, Masood; Barmaki, Reza; Gibson-Wood, Hilary; Levitan, Michael-Jane; Romeo, Rosemary; Bottoms, Jennifer

2008-01-01

Recruiting participants for a research project can be challenging. Incentives, particularly monetary incentives, have been shown to increase response rates. Offering a monetary incentive for participation in a research study can become very costly for the investigators. For this reason some researchers, including graduate students involved in…

Incentive spirometry following thoracic surgery: what should we be doing?

PubMed

Agostini, Paula; Singh, Sally

2009-06-01

Thoracic surgery may cause reduced respiratory function and pulmonary complications, with associated increased risk of mortality. Postoperative physiotherapy aims to reverse atelectasis and secretion retention, and may include incentive spirometry. To review the evidence for incentive spirometry, examining the physiological basis, equipment and its use following thoracic surgery. MEDLINE was searched from 1950 to January 2008, EMBASE was searched from 1980 to January 2008, and CINAHL was searched from 1982 to January 2008, all using the OVID interface. The search term was: '[incentive spirometry.mp]'. The Cochrane Library was searched using the terms 'incentive spirometry' and 'postoperative physiotherapy'. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Resource Centre was also searched, and a hand search was performed to follow-up references from the retrieved studies. Non-scientific papers were excluded, as were papers that did not relate to thoracic surgery or the postoperative treatment of patients with incentive spirometry. Initially, 106 studies were found in MEDLINE, 99 in EMBASE and 42 in CINAHL. Eight references were found in the Cochrane Library and one paper in the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Resource Centre. Four studies and one systematic review investigating the effects of postoperative physiotherapy and incentive spirometry in thoracic surgery patients were selected and reviewed. Physiological evidence suggests that incentive spirometry may be appropriate for lung re-expansion following major thoracic surgery. Based on sparse literature, postoperative physiotherapy regimes with, or without, the use of incentive spirometry appear to be effective following thoracic surgery compared with no physiotherapy input.

Acceptability of Financial Incentives for Health Behaviours: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

PubMed

Giles, Emma L; Becker, Frauke; Ternent, Laura; Sniehotta, Falko F; McColl, Elaine; Adams, Jean

2016-01-01

Healthy behaviours are important determinants of health and disease, but many people find it difficult to perform these behaviours. Systematic reviews support the use of personal financial incentives to encourage healthy behaviours. There is concern that financial incentives may be unacceptable to the public, those delivering services and policymakers, but this has been poorly studied. Without widespread acceptability, financial incentives are unlikely to be widely implemented. We sought to answer two questions: what are the relative preferences of UK adults for attributes of financial incentives for healthy behaviours? Do preferences vary according to the respondents' socio-demographic characteristics? We conducted an online discrete choice experiment. Participants were adult members of a market research panel living in the UK selected using quota sampling. Preferences were examined for financial incentives for: smoking cessation, regular physical activity, attendance for vaccination, and attendance for screening. Attributes of interest (and their levels) were: type of incentive (none, cash, shopping vouchers or lottery tickets); value of incentive (a continuous variable); schedule of incentive (same value each week, or value increases as behaviour change is sustained); other information provided (none, written information, face-to-face discussion, or both); and recipients (all eligible individuals, people living in low-income households, or pregnant women). Cash or shopping voucher incentives were preferred as much as, or more than, no incentive in all cases. Lower value incentives and those offered to all eligible individuals were preferred. Preferences for additional information provided alongside incentives varied between behaviours. Younger participants and men were more likely to prefer incentives. There were no clear differences in preference according to educational attainment. Cash or shopping voucher-type financial incentives for healthy behaviours are not necessarily less acceptable than no incentives to UK adults.

The role of incentive design, incentive value, communications strategy, and worksite culture on health risk assessment participation.

PubMed

Seaverson, Erin L D; Grossmeier, Jessica; Miller, Toni M; Anderson, David R

2009-01-01

To examine the impact of financial incentives, communications strategy, and worksite culture on health risk assessment (HRA) participation rates. A cross-sectional study design was used to examine factors that influence employee participation, including incentive value, incentive design, communications strategy, and worksite culture. Large private-sector and public-sector employers. Thirty-six employers (n = 559,988 employees) that provided financial incentives to promote employee HRA participation. Organizations implemented the HRA as part of a more comprehensive worksite health promotion strategy that included follow-up interventions and a variety of other components. The primary outcome of interest was employee HRA participation. Information on program design and structure, as well as on HRA eligibility and participation, was collected for each organization via standard client report and semistructured interviews with account managers. General linear regression models were used to examine the extent to which factors influence HRA participation independently and when controlled for other factors. Incentive value (r2 = .433; p < .000), benefits-integrated incentive design (r2 = .184; p = .009), culture (r2 = .113; p = .045), and communications strategy (r = .300; p = .001) had positive bivariate associations with HRA participation rates. When all factors were included in the model, incentive value (p = .001) and communications strategy (p = .023) were significantly associated with HRA participation. Variance accounted for by all factors combined was R12 = .584. This study suggests that incentive value, incentive type, supportive worksite culture, and comprehensive communications strategy may all play a role in increasing HRA participation.

Incentivizing health care behaviors in emerging adults: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Yu, Catherine H; Guarna, Giuliana; Tsao, Pamela; Jesuthasan, Jude R; Lau, Adrian NC; Siddiqi, Ferhan S; Gilmour, Julie Anne; Ladha, Danyal; Halapy, Henry; Advani, Andrew

2016-01-01

Purpose For emerging adults with chronic medical diseases, the transition from pediatric to adult health care is often a time of great upheaval, commonly associated with unhealthy self-management choices, loss to follow-up, and adverse outcomes. We conducted a systematic review to examine the use of incentive strategies to promote positive health-related behaviors in young adults with chronic medical diseases. Methods The Medline, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, and Cochrane databases were searched through June 2014. Studies of any design where an incentive was used to achieve a target behavior or outcome in a pediatric or emerging adult population (age <30 years) with chronic medical conditions including addictions, were included. Results A total of 26 studies comprising 10,880 patients met our inclusion criteria after screening 10,305 abstracts and 301 full-text articles. Of these studies, 20 examined the effects of behavioral incentives on cigarette smoking or substance abuse, including alcohol; four studies explored behavioral incentives in the setting of HIV or sexual health; and two articles studied individuals with other chronic medical conditions. Seventeen articles reported a statistically significant benefit of the behavioral incentive on one or more outcomes, although only half reported follow-up after the incentive period was terminated. Conclusion While the majority of studies reported positive outcomes, these studies focused on promoting the cessation of adverse behaviors rather than promoting positive behaviors. In addition, conclusions were limited by the high risk of bias present in the majority of studies, as well as lack of follow-up after the incentive period. Whether behavioral incentives facilitate the adoption of positive health choices in this population remains to be determined. PMID:27069356

31 CFR 92.1 - Manufacture of medals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Manufacture of medals. 92.1 Section 92.1 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance UNITED STATES MINT OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES Numismatic Operations § 92.1 Manufacture of medals. With the approval of the...

Thistrol Herbicide Registered in Mint

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

MCPB (Thistrol) is labeled in peppermint and spearmint after many of years of anticipation and frustration. The new label allows for early postemergence application of MCPB at 1 to 2 pts/acre. Lower rates of 10-12 fl oz/acre is adequate for field bindweed suppression in the spring and results in les...

U.S. EPA, Pesticide Product Label, GUARDCO MINT DISINFECTANT, 10/07/1983

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2011-04-19

... I,., III ( ,I ~t·"f ( • /''1 !. 1 In!HI:.j'.l:tll y flu~') C ies or s.kln \\" .. Ith Oll~ot)! of \\· ... tl'l ftjr at '(>;.15t lJ! ... lIub'ect to car-cell.tion !~ ftCcordallce with FlU'" IIEC. ...

31 CFR 92.17 - Final action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Final action. 92.17 Section 92.17 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance UNITED STATES MINT OPERATIONS AND... suspend the payment of all or some of the civil penalty, conditioned on the violator's future compliance...

From Dissertation to Publication: Converting Doctoral Research into a Peer-Reviewed Journal Article

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriquez-Kiino, Diane

2012-01-01

"The Journal of Applied Research in the Community College" (JARCC) actively seeks scholarly submissions on community colleges that originate from doctoral dissertations. Understanding the scope and complexity of community and junior colleges nationally requires multiple vantage points. Newly minted doctorates and doctoral candidates can provide a…

Mathematics Students' Next Steps after Graduation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourner, Tom; Greener, Sue; Rospigliosi, Asher

2009-01-01

This article is about what happens to newly minted mathematics graduates. It explores data from the first destination statistics from the perspective of mathematics lecturers and others involved in institutions that provide a higher education in mathematics. It also looks at reasons why this issue is important to those engaged in the higher…

Identification of Compounds from Etonia Rosemary (Conradina etonia)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-15

to reduce the dis- ase risk to humans and animals from these insects. Some f these are the use of spatial repellents, pesticides , larvi- ides...from the mint family, Lamiaceae, are widely uti- ized by human culture. Culinary herbs such as basil , thyme, pearmint, oregano, sage, and rosemary belong

76 FR 50329 - Request for Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee Membership Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-12

... eight times per year. The United States Mint is responsible for providing the necessary support, technical services and advice to the CCAC. CCAC members are not paid for their time or services, but, consistent with Federal Travel Regulations, members are reimbursed for their travel and lodging expenses to...

Downy mildew on coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides) caused by Peronospora belbahrii sensu lato in Tennessee

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides [syn. = Solenostemon scutellarioides]) is a popular ornamental plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae), prized for its colorful and showy foliage. In August 2015, disease symptoms typical of downy mildew were observed at two sites in Nashville, Tennessee: (i) at the...

75 FR 61572 - Change to “Procedures To Qualify for Bulk Purchase of Silver Bullion Coins”

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-05

... effective immediately. Significant modifications include the addition of the America the Beautiful Silver... ``Marketing Support'' section, and adjustments to the ``Experienced Market-Maker in Silver Bullion Coins... FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: B. B. Craig, Associate Director for Sales and Marketing; United States Mint...

75 FR 53024 - Change to “Procedures To Qualify for Bulk Purchase of Gold Bullion Coins”

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-30

....usmint.gov/consumer/index.cfm?action=AmericanEagles ) These changes apply to new applications effective immediately. Significant modifications include clarifications to the ``Purpose'' section and ``Marketing... FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: B. B. Craig, Associate Director for Sales and Marketing; United States Mint...

31 CFR 91.10 - Photographs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Photographs. 91.10 Section 91.10 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.10 Photographs. The taking of photographs on...

31 CFR 91.6 - Nuisances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Nuisances. 91.6 Section 91.6 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.6 Nuisances. The use of loud, abusive, or profane...

Testing novel patient financial incentives to increase breast cancer screening.

PubMed

Merrick, Elizabeth Levy; Hodgkin, Dominic; Horgan, Constance M; Lorenz, Laura S; Panas, Lee; Ritter, Grant A; Kasuba, Paul; Poskanzer, Debra; Nefussy, Renee Altman

2015-11-01

To examine the effects of 3 types of low-cost financial incentives for patients, including a novel "person-centered" approach on breast cancer screening (mammogram) rates. Randomized controlled trial with 4 arms: 3 types of financial incentives ($15 gift card, entry into lottery for $250 gift card, and a person-centered incentive with choice of $15 gift card or lottery) and a control group. Sample included privately insured Tufts Health Plan members in Massachusetts who were women aged 42 to 69 years with no mammogram claim in ≥ 2.6 years. A sample of 4700 eligible members were randomized to 4 study arms. The control group received a standard reminder letter and the incentive groups received a reminder letter plus an incentive offer for obtaining a mammogram within the next 4 months. Bivariate tests and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess the incentives' impact on mammogram receipt. Data were analyzed for 4427 members (after exclusions such as undeliverable mail). The percent of members receiving a mammogram during the study was 11.7% (gift card), 12.1% (lottery), 13.4% (person-centered/choice), and 11.9% (controls). Differences were not statistically significant in bivariate or multivariate full-sample analyses. In exploratory subgroup analyses of members with a mammogram during the most recent year prior to the study-defined gap, person-centered incentives were associated with a higher likelihood of mammogram receipt. None of the low-cost incentives tested had a statistically significant effect on mammogram rates in the full sample. Exploratory findings for members who were more recently screened suggest that they may be more responsive to person-centered incentives.

Small sustainable monetary incentives versus charitable donations to promote exercise: Rationale, design, and baseline data from a randomized pilot study.

PubMed

Williams, David M; Lee, Harold H; Connell, Lauren; Boyle, Holly; Emerson, Jessica; Strohacker, Kelley; Galárraga, Omar

2018-03-01

Regular physical activity (PA) enhances weight-loss and reduces risk of chronic disease. However, as few as 10% of U.S. adults engage in regular PA. Incentive programs to promote PA have shown some promise, but have typically used incentives that are too large to sustain over time and have not demonstrated habit formation or been tested in community settings. This report presents the rationale and design of a randomized pilot study testing the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of small monetary incentives for PA (n=25) versus charitable donations in the same amount (n=25) versus control (n=25) over 12months among 75 low-active but otherwise healthy adults at a local YMCA. Incentives are based on YMCA attendance, which is verified by electronic swipe card data and is the primary study outcome, with self-reported minutes/week of PA assessed as a secondary outcome. Incentives are intentionally small enough-$1/session, maximum of $5/week-such that they could be indefinitely sustained by community organizations, privately-owned health clubs, healthcare organizations, or employers (e.g., employer fitness facilities). Costs of the incentive program for the sponsoring organization may be partially offset by increases in membership resulting from the appeal of the program. Moreover, if efficacious, the charitable donation incentive program may have the added benefit of building social capital for the sponsoring organization and potentially serving as a tax write-off, thus further offsetting the cost of the incentives. Findings will also have implications for the use of financially sustainable community-based incentive programs for other health-related behaviors (e.g., weight loss, smoking). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sustainability of quality improvement following removal of pay-for-performance incentives.

PubMed

Benzer, Justin K; Young, Gary J; Burgess, James F; Baker, Errol; Mohr, David C; Charns, Martin P; Kaboli, Peter J

2014-01-01

Although pay-for-performance (P4P) has become a central strategy for improving quality in US healthcare, questions persist about the effectiveness of these programs. A key question is whether quality improvement that occurs as a result of P4P programs is sustainable, particularly if incentives are removed. To investigate sustainability of performance levels following removal of performance-based incentives. Observational cohort study that capitalized on a P4P program within the Veterans Health Administration (VA) that included adoption and subsequent removal of performance-based incentives for selected inpatient quality measures. The study sample comprised 128 acute care VA hospitals where performance was assessed between 2004 and 2010. VA system managers set annual performance goals in consultation with clinical leaders, and report performance scores to medical centers on a quarterly basis. These scores inform performance-based incentives for facilities and their managers. Bonuses are distributed based on the attainment of these performance goals. Seven quality of care measures for acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, and pneumonia linked to performance-based incentives. Significant improvements in performance were observed for six of seven quality of care measures following adoption of performance-based incentives and were maintained up to the removal of the incentive; subsequently, the observed performance levels were sustained. This is a quasi-experimental study without a comparison group; causal conclusions are limited. The maintenance of performance levels after removal of a performance-based incentive has implications for the implementation of Medicare's value-based purchasing initiative and other P4P programs. Additional research is needed to better understand human and system-level factors that mediate sustainability of performance-based incentives.

Utility Incentives for Combined Heat and Power

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report describes the results of EPA's research and analysis into utility incentives for CHP. It provides information about utility-initiated policies, programs, and incentives for CHP systems, and includes case studies and tools and resources.

Financial Incentives to Increase Advance Care Planning Among Medicaid Beneficiaries: Lessons Learned From Two Pragmatic Randomized Trials.

PubMed

Barnato, Amber E; Moore, Robert; Moore, Charity G; Kohatsu, Neal D; Sudore, Rebecca L

2017-07-01

Medicaid populations have low rates of advance care planning (ACP). Potential policy interventions include financial incentives. To test the effectiveness of patient plus provider financial incentive compared with provider financial incentive alone for increasing ACP discussions among Medicaid patients. Between April 2014 and July 2015, we conducted two sequential assessor-blinded pragmatic randomized trials in a health plan that pays primary care providers (PCPs) $100 to discuss ACP: 1) a parallel cluster trial (provider-delivered patient incentive) and 2) an individual-level trial (mail-delivered patient incentive). Control and intervention arms included encouragement to complete ACP, instructions for using an online ACP tool, and (in the intervention arm) $50 for completing the online ACP tool and a small probability of $1000 (i.e., lottery) for discussing ACP with their PCP. The primary outcome was provider-reported ACP discussion within three months. In the provider-delivered patient incentive study, 38 PCPs were randomized to the intervention (n = 18) or control (n = 20) and given 10 patient packets each to distribute. Using an intention-to-treat analysis, there were 27 of 180 ACP discussions (15%) in the intervention group and 5 of 200 (2.5%) in the control group (P = .0391). In the mail-delivered patient incentive study, there were 5 of 187 ACP discussions (2.7%) in the intervention group and 5 of 189 (2.6%) in the control group (P = .99). ACP rates were low despite an existing provider financial incentive. Adding a provider-delivered patient financial incentive, but not a mail-delivered patient incentive, modestly increased ACP discussions. PCP encouragement combined with a patient incentive may be more powerful than either encouragement or incentive alone. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Randomized Study of Incentivizing HIV Testing for Parolees in Community Aftercare.

PubMed

Saxena, Preeta; Hall, Elizabeth A; Prendergast, Michael

2016-04-01

HIV risk-behaviors are high in criminal justice populations and more efforts are necessary to address them among criminal justice-involved substance abusers. This study examines the role of incentives in promoting HIV testing among parolees. Participants were randomly assigned to either an incentive (n = 104) or education group (control; n = 98), where the incentive group received a voucher for testing for HIV. Bivariate comparisons showed that a larger proportion of those in the incentive group received HIV testing (59% versus 47%), but this was not statistically significant (p = .09). However, in a multivariate logistic regression model controlling for covariates likely to influence HIV-testing behavior, those in the incentive group had increased odds of HIV testing in comparison to those in the education group (OR = 1.99, p < .05, CI [1.05, 3.78]). As a first of its kind, this study provides a foundation for further research on the utility of incentives in promoting HIV testing and other healthy behaviors in criminal justice populations.

Birth weight differences between those offered financial voucher incentives for verified smoking cessation and control participants enrolled in the Cessation in Pregnancy Incentives Trial (CPIT), employing an intuitive approach and a Complier Average Causal Effects (CACE) analysis.

PubMed

McConnachie, Alex; Haig, Caroline; Sinclair, Lesley; Bauld, Linda; Tappin, David M

2017-07-20

The Cessation in Pregnancy Incentives Trial (CPIT), which offered financial incentives for smoking cessation during pregnancy showed a clinically and statistically significant improvement in cessation. However, infant birth weight was not seen to be affected. This study re-examines birth weight using an intuitive and a complier average causal effects (CACE) method to uncover important information missed by intention-to-treat analysis. CPIT offered financial incentives up to £400 to pregnant smokers to quit. With incentives, 68 women (23.1%) were confirmed non-smokers at primary outcome, compared to 25 (8.7%) without incentives, a difference of 14.3% (Fisher test, p < 0.0001). For this analysis, randomised groups were split into three theoretical sub-groups: independent quitters - quit without incentives, hardened smokers - could not quit even with incentives and potential quitters - required the addition of financial incentives to quit. Viewed in this way, the overall birth weight gain with incentives is attributable only to potential quitters. We compared an intuitive approach to a CACE analysis. Mean birth weight of potential quitters in the incentives intervention group (who therefore quit) was 3338 g compared with potential quitters in the control group (who did not quit) 3193 g. The difference attributable to incentives, was 3338 - 3193 = 145 g (95% CI -617, +803). The mean difference in birth weight between the intervention and control groups was 21 g, and the difference in the proportion who managed to quit was 14.3%. Since the intervention consisted of the offer of incentives to quit smoking, the intervention was received by all women in the intervention group. However, "compliance" was successfully quitting with incentives, and the CACE analysis yielded an identical result, causal birth weight increase 21 g ÷ 0.143 = 145 g. Policy makers have great difficulty giving pregnant women money to stop smoking. This study indicates that a small clinically insignificant improvement in average birth weight is likely to hide an important clinically significant increase in infants born to pregnant smokers who want to stop but cannot achieve smoking cessation without the addition of financial voucher incentives. ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN87508788 . Registered on 1 September 2011.

Essential oils showing in vitro anti MRSA and synergistic activity with penicillin group of antibiotics.

PubMed

Uzair, Bushra; Niaz, Naheed; Bano, Asma; Khan, Barkat Ali; Zafar, Naheed; Iqbal, Muhammad; Tahira, Riffat; Fasim, Fehmida

2017-09-01

This study was planned in order to investigate effective essential oils to inhibit in-vitro growth of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In this study using disc diffusion method anti MRSA activity of ten diverse essential oils extracted from traditional plants namely Thymus vulgaris L, Mentha pulegium, Ocimum sanctum, Mentha piperita, Cymbopogon citratus, Rosmarinus officinalis L., Cortex cinnamom, Citrus nobilis x Citrus deliciosa, Origanum vulgare and Mentha sp. was examined. All the essential oils inhibited growth of S. aureus to different extent, by exhibiting moderate to elevated zones of inhibitions. Essential oils of cinnamon (Cortex cinnamomi) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L) were observed to be the most powerful against MRSA strains used in this study. At lowest concentration of 25μl/ml essential oils comprehensible zone of inhibition was found 9±0.085mm and 8±0.051mm respectively, and at elevated concentrations there was a total decline in growth of MRSA and a very clear zone of inhibition was observed. A synergistic effect of essential oils in amalgamation with amoxicillin a Penicillin group of antibiotic was also examined. Interestingly a strong synergism was observed with oregano (Origanum vulgare) and pennyroyal mint (Mentha pulegium) essential oils, which were not so effective alone driven out to be important synergistic candidate. Our results demonstrated that essential oils of cinnamon and thyme can be used as potential antimicrobial agent against the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections and Amoxicillin antibacterial activity can be enhanced using active constituents present in oregano and pennyroyal mint essential oils.

Interaction of gabaergic ketones with model membranes: A molecular dynamics and experimental approach.

PubMed

Miguel, Virginia; Sánchez-Borzone, Mariela E; García, Daniel A

2018-08-01

γ-Aminobutyric-acid receptor (GABA A -R), a membrane intrinsic protein, is activated by GABA and modulated by a wide variety of recognized drugs. GABA A -R is also target for several insecticides which act by recognition of a non-competitive blocking site. Mentha oil is rich in several ketones with established activity against various insects/pests. Considering that mint ketones are highly lipophilic, their action mechanism could involve, at least in part, a non-specific receptor modulation by interacting with the surrounding lipids. In the present work, we studied in detail the effect on membranes of five cyclic ketones present in mint plants, with demonstrated insecticide and gabaergic activity. Particularly, we have explored their effect on the organization and dynamics of the membrane, by using Molecular Dynamics (MD) Simulation studies in a bilayer model of DPPC. We performed free diffusion MD and obtained spatially resolved free energy profiles of ketones partition into bilayers based on umbrella sampling. The most favored location of ketones in the membrane corresponded to the lower region of the carbonyl groups. Both hydrocarbon chains were slightly affected by the presence of ketones, presenting an ordering effect for the methylene groups closer to the carbonyl. MD simulations results were also contrasted with experimental data from fluorescence anisotropy studies which evaluate changes in membrane fluidity. In agreement, these assays indicated that the presence of ketones between lipid molecules induced an enhancement of the intermolecular interaction, increasing the molecular order throughout the bilayer thickness. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do Incentive-Based Programs Improve Teacher Quality and Student Achievement? An Analysis of Implementation in 12 Urban Charter Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaimal, Girija; Jordan, Will J.

2016-01-01

Context: Policymakers have increasingly advocated for incentive-based approaches for improving urban schools. Purpose of the study: Few studies have examined the implementation of incentive based approaches in the urban charter school context. This paper presents research findings from a 4-year longitudinal study of the implementation of a…

What Incentives Can Teach Us about Missing Data in Longitudinal Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Georgianna L.; Loes, Chad N.

2010-01-01

In this chapter, the authors explore the effect of incentives on attrition and nonresponse in a multi-institutional longitudinal study. They organize this chapter into three sections. First, they review the literature regarding nonresponse among students and the effects of incentives on attrition and nonresponse in studies that employ…

Incentives to promote family planning

PubMed Central

Heil, Sarah H.; Gaalema, Diann E.; Herrmann, Evan S.

2012-01-01

Objective Over the past 60 years, population control has become an increasingly urgent issue worldwide as a growing population strains already limited resources. The use of financial incentives to promote family planning is an innovative approach that has potential to make a contribution to efforts to better manage population growth. This report reviews eight studies that examined the effect of incentives on family planning. Method Published studies that tested the impact of incentives to promote some aspect of family planning and included an appropriate control or comparison condition were reviewed. Results Incentives have been used to promote attendance at contraceptive education sessions, adoption and continuation of contraceptive methods, sterilization, and to limit family size. All but one of the eight studies reviewed reported positive outcomes, but weaknesses in study design and execution limit the strength of the conclusions that can be drawn. Conclusion Review of this literature suggests that family planning behaviors, like other behaviors, are sensitive to incentives. Given the tremendous need for efficacious interventions in global efforts to manage population growth, further research on this topic using more rigorous experimental methods is warranted. PMID:22743293

The impact of incentives on intrinsic and extrinsic motives for fitness-center attendance in college first-year students.

PubMed

Pope, Lizzy; Harvey, Jean

2015-01-01

A criticism of incentives for health behaviors is that incentives undermine intrinsic motivation. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of monetary incentive provision on participation motives for exercise in first-year college students at a northeastern public university. Randomized-controlled trial. Public university in the Northeastern United States. One hundred seventeen first-year college students. Participants were randomized to one of three conditions: a control condition receiving no incentives for meeting fitness-center attendance goals; a discontinued-incentive condition receiving weekly incentives during fall semester 2011, and no incentives during spring semester 2012; or a continued-incentive condition receiving weekly incentives during fall semester, and incentives on a variable-interval schedule during spring semester. The Exercise Motivation Inventory 2 measured exercise participation motives at baseline, end of fall semester, and end of spring semester. Fitness-center attendance was monitored by using ID-card check-in/check-out records. Repeated-measures analyses using linear mixed models with first-order autoregressive covariance structures were run to compare motive changes in the three conditions. Participation motives of Enjoyment and Revitalization associated with intrinsic motivation did not decrease significantly over time in any of the conditions, F(4, 218) = 2.25, p = .065 and F(4, 220) = 1.67, p = .16, respectively. Intrinsically associated participation motives for exercise did not decrease with incentive provision. Therefore, incentives may encourage fitness-center attendance without negatively impacting participation motives for exercise.

Influential Effects of Intrinsic-Extrinsic Incentive Factors on Management Performance in New Energy Enterprises

PubMed Central

Wang, Ping; Lu, Zhengnan; Sun, Jihong

2018-01-01

Background: New energy has become a key trend for global energy industry development. Talent plays a very critical role in the enhancement of new energy enterprise competitiveness. As a key component of talent, managers have been attracting more and more attention. The increase in job performance relies on, to a certain extent, incentive mechanism. Based on the Two-factor Theory, differences in influences and effects of different incentives on management performance have been checked in this paper from an empirical perspective. Methods: This paper selects the middle and low level managers in new energy enterprises as research samples and classifies the managers’ performance into task performance, contextual performance and innovation performance. It uses manager performance questionnaires and intrinsic-extrinsic incentive factor questionnaires to investigate and study the effects and then uses Amos software to analyze the inner link between the intrinsic-extrinsic incentives and job performance. Results: Extrinsic incentives affect task performance and innovation performance positively. Intrinsic incentives impose active significant effects on task performance, contextual performance, and innovation performance. The intrinsic incentive plays a more important role than the extrinsic incentive. Conclusions: Both the intrinsic-extrinsic incentives affect manager performance positively and the intrinsic incentive plays a more important role than the extrinsic incentive. Several suggestions to management should be given based on these results. PMID:29419730

Implementing health care reform in Israel: organizational response to perceived incentives.

PubMed

Gross, Revital

2003-08-01

Devising new incentives was a main element of health care reform in Israel, which created a regulated market that embodies many principles of managed competition. This study examined sick fund directors' perceptions of the new incentives and their strategic responses to these incentives, enabling the testing of how managed competition works in practice. The methodology used was a multiple case study of Israel's four sick funds. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 160 senior officials, analysis of national health insurance legislation, and analysis of published and unpublished archival documents, newspaper articles, public statements of senior managers, and other published data on the sick funds' behavior. The study revealed discrepancies between planned and perceived incentives and highlighted the effect of the latter on strategy formulation. Analysis of sick fund strategies showed that their responses to managed competition incentives deviated from theoretical expectations, compromising some of the objectives of the reform. The study also shows that contextual features account for the specific model of managed competition that was implemented and for the specific strategies employed by the sick funds. The study concludes by highlighting the need to build a process that will enable policy makers to consider local contextual factors when planning and implementing reform, involving health care providers in designing incentives, continuously monitoring processes and outcomes in the reformed system, and allowing for flexibility in policy making.

Volatile Composition of Essential Oils from Different Aromatic Herbs Grown in Mediterranean Regions of Spain

PubMed Central

El-Zaeddi, Hussein; Martínez-Tomé, Juan; Calín-Sánchez, Ángel; Burló, Francisco; Carbonell-Barrachina, Ángel A.

2016-01-01

Volatile composition of essential oils from dill, parsley, coriander, and mint were investigated at different harvest dates to determine the most suitable harvest time for each these herbs. Hydrodistillation (HD), using a Deryng system, was used for isolating the essential oils. Isolation and identification of the volatile compounds were performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) instrument. The results of gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) analysis (quantification) showed that the main components in the essential oil of dill shoots were α-phellandrene, dill ether, and β-phellandrene, and the optimal harvest date was D2 (second harvest, fourth week of February 2015). For parsley shoots, the main compounds were 1,3,8-p-menthatriene, β-phellandrene, and P1 (first harvest, third week of November 2014) was the sample with the highest essential oil. For coriander, the main compounds were E-2-dodecenal, dodecanal, and octane and the highest contents were found at C2 (second harvest, 5 February 2015); while, the main two components of mint essential oil were carvone and limonene, and the highest contents were found at M1 (first harvest, second week of December 2014). The present study was the first one reporting data on descriptive sensory analysis of aromatic herbs at this optimal harvest date according to the content of volatile compounds of their essential oils. PMID:28231136

An Assessment of Incentive Versus Survey Length Trade-offs in a Web Survey of Radiologists

PubMed Central

Niederhauser, Blake D; Kallmes, David; Beebe, Timothy J

2013-01-01

Background It is generally understood that shorter Web surveys and use of incentives result in higher response rates in Web surveys directed to health care providers. Less is known about potential respondent preference for reduced burden as compared to increased reward. Objective To help elicit preference for minimized burden compared to reward for completion of a survey, we observed physician preferences for shorter Web surveys compared to incentives as well as incentive preference (small guaranteed incentive compared to larger lottery incentive) accompanying an electronic request to complete a survey. Methods This was an observational study that accompanied a large Web survey study of radiology staff, fellows, and residents at select academic medical centers in the United States. With the request to complete the survey, potential respondents were offered three options: (1) a 10-minute Web survey with the chance to win an iPad, (2) a 10-minute Web survey with a guaranteed nominal incentive ($5 amazon.com gift card), or (3) a shorter (5-7 minute) Web survey with no incentive. A total of 254 individuals responded to the Web survey request. Results Overwhelmingly, individuals chose a longer survey accompanied by an incentive compared to a shorter survey with no incentive (85% compared to 15%, P<.001). Of those opting for an incentive, a small, but not significant majority chose the chance to win an iPad over a guaranteed $5 gift card (56% compared to 44%). Conclusions When given the choice, radiologists preferred a reward (either guaranteed or based on a lottery) to a less burdensome survey, indicating that researchers should focus more attention at increasing perceived benefits of completing a Web survey compared to decreasing perceived burden. PMID:23514869

An assessment of incentive versus survey length trade-offs in a Web survey of radiologists.

PubMed

Ziegenfuss, Jeanette Y; Niederhauser, Blake D; Kallmes, David; Beebe, Timothy J

2013-03-20

It is generally understood that shorter Web surveys and use of incentives result in higher response rates in Web surveys directed to health care providers. Less is known about potential respondent preference for reduced burden as compared to increased reward. To help elicit preference for minimized burden compared to reward for completion of a survey, we observed physician preferences for shorter Web surveys compared to incentives as well as incentive preference (small guaranteed incentive compared to larger lottery incentive) accompanying an electronic request to complete a survey. This was an observational study that accompanied a large Web survey study of radiology staff, fellows, and residents at select academic medical centers in the United States. With the request to complete the survey, potential respondents were offered three options: (1) a 10-minute Web survey with the chance to win an iPad, (2) a 10-minute Web survey with a guaranteed nominal incentive ($5 amazon.com gift card), or (3) a shorter (5-7 minute) Web survey with no incentive. A total of 254 individuals responded to the Web survey request. Overwhelmingly, individuals chose a longer survey accompanied by an incentive compared to a shorter survey with no incentive (85% compared to 15%, P<.001). Of those opting for an incentive, a small, but not significant majority chose the chance to win an iPad over a guaranteed $5 gift card (56% compared to 44%). When given the choice, radiologists preferred a reward (either guaranteed or based on a lottery) to a less burdensome survey, indicating that researchers should focus more attention at increasing perceived benefits of completing a Web survey compared to decreasing perceived burden.

Enhancing physical activity and reducing obesity through smartcare and financial incentives: A pilot randomized trial.

PubMed

Shin, Dong Wook; Yun, Jae Moon; Shin, Jung-Hyun; Kwon, Hyuktae; Min, Hye Yeon; Joh, Hee-Kyung; Chung, Won Joo; Park, Jin Ho; Jung, Kee-Taig; Cho, BeLong

2017-02-01

A pilot randomized trial assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of an intervention combining Smartcare (activity tracker with a smartphone application) and financial incentives. A three-arm, open-label randomized controlled trial design involving traditional education, Smartcare, and Smartcare with financial incentives was involved in this study. The latter group received financial incentives depending on the achievement of daily physical activity goals (process incentive) and weight loss targets (outcome incentive). Male university students (N = 105) with body mass index of ≥27 were enrolled. The average weight loss in the traditional education, Smartcare, and Smartcare with financial incentives groups was -0.4, -1.1, and -3.1 kg, respectively, with significantly greater weight loss in the third group (both Ps < 0.01). The final weight loss goal was achieved by 0, 2, and 10 participants in the traditional education, Smartcare, and Smartcare with financial incentives groups (odds ratio for the Smartcare with financial incentive vs. Smartcare = 7.27, 95% confidence interval: 1.45-36.47). Levels of physical activity were significantly higher in this group. The addition of financial incentives to Smartcare was effective in increasing physical activity and reducing obesity. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

Evaluation of current incentive/disincentive procedures in construction.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-10-01

This study was initiated to take an in-depth look at the current time and material incentive/disincentive program associated with highway construction projects in Kentucky. The current incentive/disincentive program was first initiated in the mid to ...

It helps me live, sends my children to school, and feeds me: a qualitative study of how food and cash incentives may improve adherence to treatment and care among adults living with HIV in Tanzania.

PubMed

Czaicki, Nancy L; Mnyippembe, Agatha; Blodgett, Madeline; Njau, Prosper; McCoy, Sandra I

2017-07-01

Financial and in-kind incentives have been shown to improve outcomes along the HIV care cascade, however the potential mechanismsthrough which they work remain unclear. To identify the pathways through which incentives improve retention in care and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), we conducted a qualitative study with participants in a trial evaluating conditional food and cash incentives for HIV-positive food insecure adults in Shinyanga, Tanzania. We found that the incentives acted through three pathways to potentially increase retention in care and adherence to ART: (1) addressing competing needs and offsetting opportunity costs associated with clinic attendance, (2) alleviating stress associated with attending clinic and meeting basic needs, and (3) by potentially increasing motivation. Participants did not report any harmful events associated with the incentives, but reported myriad beneficial effects on household welfare. Understanding how incentives are used and how they impact outcomes can improve the design of future interventions.

Career Ladders and Teacher Incentives: The Utah Experiment. Part II: Case Studies. Final Report: Secretary's Discretionary Program Implementation Grant to Develop Teacher Incentive Structures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Ken; Kauchak, Don

This volume, the second of two reports on development of teacher incentive structures, presents case studies of a career ladder design and teacher evaluation experiment in four Utah school districts. Case studies examined relationships among career ladder features, process variables, and career ladder effectiveness, which is defined in terms of…

Comparing the effectiveness of individualistic, altruistic, and competitive incentives in motivating completion of mental exercises.

PubMed

Schofield, Heather; Loewenstein, George; Kopsic, Jessica; Volpp, Kevin G

2015-12-01

This study examines the impact of individually oriented, purely altruistic, and a hybrid of competitive and cooperative monetary reward incentives on older adults' completion of cognitive exercises and cognitive function. We find that all three incentive structures approximately double the number of exercises completed during the six-week active experimental period relative to a no incentive control condition. However, the altruistic and cooperative/competitive incentives led to different patterns of participation, with significantly higher inter-partner correlations in utilization of the software, as well as greater persistence once incentives were removed. Provision of all incentives significantly improved performance on the incentivized exercises. However, results of an independent cognitive testing battery suggest no generalizable gains in cognitive function resulted from the training. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Operations MANDREL and GROMMET Events MINUTE STEAK, DIESEL TRAIN, DIANA MIST, MINT LEAF, HUDSON MOON, DIAGONAL LINE, and MISTY NORTH, 12 September 1969 to 2 May 1972

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-30

conducted from 12 September 1969 to 2 May 1972 to study weapons effects . Two were shaft-type and five were tunnel- type nuclear tests. The following table...1958. Of the 194 nuclear device tests conducted, 161 were for weapons related or effects purposes, and 33 were safety ex- periments. An additional 22...States atmospheric testing on 25 April 1962 until the last atmospheric test on 4 November 1962, 40 weapons related and weapons effects tests were

Effectiveness of provider incentives for anaemia reduction in rural China: a cluster randomised trial

PubMed Central

Luo, Renfu; Zhang, Linxiu; Sylvia, Sean; Shi, Yaojiang; Foo, Patricia; Zhao, Qiran; Martorell, Reynaldo; Medina, Alexis; Rozelle, Scott

2012-01-01

Objectives To test the impact of provider performance pay for anaemia reduction in rural China. Design A cluster randomised trial of information, subsidies, and incentives for school principals to reduce anaemia among their students. Enumerators and study participants were not informed of study arm assignment. Setting 72 randomly selected rural primary schools across northwest China. Participants 3553 fourth and fifth grade students aged 9-11 years. All fourth and fifth grade students in sample schools participated in the study. Interventions Sample schools were randomly assigned to a control group, with no intervention, or one of three treatment arms: (a) an information arm, in which principals received information about anaemia; (b) a subsidy arm, in which principals received information and unconditional subsidies; and (c) an incentive arm, in which principals received information, subsidies, and financial incentives for reducing anaemia among students. Twenty seven schools were assigned to the control arm (1816 students at baseline, 1623 at end point), 15 were assigned to the information arm (659 students at baseline, 596 at end point), 15 to the subsidy arm (726 students at baseline, 667 at end point), and 15 to the incentive arm (743 students at baseline, 667 at end point). Main outcome measures Student haemoglobin concentrations. Results Mean student haemoglobin concentration rose by 1.5 g/L (95% CI –1.1 to 4.1) in information schools, 0.8 g/L (–1.8 to 3.3) in subsidy schools, and 2.4 g/L (0 to 4.9) in incentive schools compared with the control group. This increase in haemoglobin corresponded to a reduction in prevalence of anaemia (Hb <115 g/L) of 24% in incentive schools. Interactions with pre-existing incentives for principals to achieve good academic performance led to substantially larger gains in the information and incentive arms: when combined with incentives for good academic performance, associated effects on student haemoglobin concentration were 9.8 g/L (4.1 to 15.5) larger in information schools and 8.6 g/L (2.1 to 15.1) larger in incentive schools. Conclusions Financial incentives for health improvement were modestly effective. Understanding interactions with other motives and pre-existing incentives is critical. Trial registration number ISRCTN76158086. PMID:22842354

Existing and Potential Incentives for Practicing Sustainable Forestry on Non-industrial Private Forest Lands

Treesearch

John L. Greene; Michael A. Kilgore; Michael G. Jacobson; Steven E. Daniels; Thomas J. Straka

2007-01-01

This study examined the compatibility between sustainable forestry practices and the framework of public and private financial incentive programs directed toward nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) owners. The incentives include tax, cost-share, and other types of programs. The study consisted of four components: a literature review, a mail survey of selected...

Effectiveness and acceptability of parental financial incentives and quasi-mandatory schemes for increasing uptake of vaccinations in preschool children: systematic review, qualitative study and discrete choice experiment.

PubMed

Adams, Jean; Bateman, Belinda; Becker, Frauke; Cresswell, Tricia; Flynn, Darren; McNaughton, Rebekah; Oluboyede, Yemi; Robalino, Shannon; Ternent, Laura; Sood, Benjamin Gardner; Michie, Susan; Shucksmith, Janet; Sniehotta, Falko F; Wigham, Sarah

2015-11-01

Uptake of preschool vaccinations is less than optimal. Financial incentives and quasi-mandatory policies (restricting access to child care or educational settings to fully vaccinated children) have been used to increase uptake internationally, but not in the UK. To provide evidence on the effectiveness, acceptability and economic costs and consequences of parental financial incentives and quasi-mandatory schemes for increasing the uptake of preschool vaccinations. Systematic review, qualitative study and discrete choice experiment (DCE) with questionnaire. Community, health and education settings in England. Qualitative study - parents and carers of preschool children, health and educational professionals. DCE - parents and carers of preschool children identified as 'at high risk' and 'not at high risk' of incompletely vaccinating their children. Qualitative study - focus groups and individual interviews. DCE - online questionnaire. The review included studies exploring the effectiveness, acceptability or economic costs and consequences of interventions that offered contingent rewards or penalties with real material value for preschool vaccinations, or quasi-mandatory schemes that restricted access to 'universal' services, compared with usual care or no intervention. Electronic database, reference and citation searches were conducted. Systematic review - there was insufficient evidence to conclude that the interventions considered are effective. There was some evidence that the quasi-mandatory interventions were acceptable. There was insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on economic costs and consequences. Qualitative study - there was little appetite for parental financial incentives. Quasi-mandatory schemes were more acceptable. Optimising current services was consistently preferred to the interventions proposed. DCE and questionnaire - universal parental financial incentives were preferred to quasi-mandatory interventions, which were preferred to targeted incentives. Those reporting that they would need an incentive to vaccinate their children completely required around £110. Those who did not felt that the maximum acceptable incentive was around £70. Systematic review - a number of relevant studies were excluded as they did not meet the study design inclusion criteria. Qualitative study - few partially and non-vaccinating parents were recruited. DCE and questionnaire - data were from a convenience sample. There is little current evidence on the effectiveness or economic costs and consequences of parental financial incentives and quasi-mandatory interventions for preschool vaccinations. Universal incentives are likely to be more acceptable than targeted ones. Preferences concerning incentives versus quasi-mandatory interventions may depend on the context in which these are elicited. Further evidence is required on (i) the effectiveness and optimal configuration of parental financial incentive and quasi-mandatory interventions for preschool vaccinations - if effectiveness is confirmed, further evidence is required on how to communicate this to stakeholders and the impact on acceptability; and (ii) the acceptability of parental financial incentive and quasi-mandatory interventions for preschool vaccinations to members of the population who are not parents of preschool children or relevant health professionals. Further consideration should be given to (i) incorporating reasons for non-vaccination into new interventions for promoting vaccination uptake; and (ii) how existing services can be optimised. This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42012003192. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Surgical Procedures in Health Professional Shortage Areas: Impact of a Surgical Incentive Payment Plan.

PubMed

Diaz, Adrian; Merath, Katiuscha; Bagante, Fabio; Chen, Qinyu; Akgul, Ozgur; Beal, Eliza; Idrees, Jay; Olsen, Griffin; Gani, Faiz; Pawlik, Timothy M

2018-05-15

The Affordable Care Act established a Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services based 10% reimbursement bonus for general surgeons in Health Professional Shortage Areas. We sought to assess the impact of the Affordable Care Act Surgery Incentive Payment on surgical procedures performed in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Hospital utilization data from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2015, were used to categorize hospitals according to Health Professional Shortage Area location. A difference-in-differences analysis measured the effect of the Surgery Incentive Payment on year-to-year differences for inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures by hospital type pre- (2006-2010) versus post- (2011-2015) Surgery Incentive Payment implementation. Among 409 unique hospitals that performed surgical procedures for at least 1 year of the study period, 2 performed surgery in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area. The two Health Professional Shortage Area -designated hospitals were located in a rural area, were non-teaching hospitals, and had 196 and 202 hospital beds, respectively. After the enactment of the Surgery Incentive Payment, while non- Health Professional Shortage Areas had only a modest relative decrease in total inpatient procedures (Pre-Surgery Incentive Payment: 4,666,938 versus Post-Surgery Incentive Payment: 4,451,612; Δ-4.6%), the proportional decrease in inpatient surgical procedures at Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals was more marked (Pre-Surgery Incentive Payment: 25,830 versus Post-Surgery Incentive Payment: 21,503; Δ-16.7%). In contrast, Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals proportionally had a greater increase in total outpatient procedures (Pre-Surgery Incentive Payment: 17,840 versus Post-Surgery Incentive Payment: 22,375: Δ+25.4%) versus non- Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals (Pre-Surgery Incentive Payment: 5,863,300 versus Post-Surgery Incentive Payment: 6,156,138; Δ+4.9%). Based on the difference-in-differences analysis, the increase in the trend of surgical procedures at Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals was much more notable after Surgery Incentive Payment implementation (Δ+75.2%). The Medicare Surgery Incentive Payment program was associated with an increase in the number of surgical procedures performed at Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals relative to non-Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals during the study period, reversing the trend from negative to positive. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of neurobehavioral incentive valence and magnitude on alcohol drinking behavior

PubMed Central

Joseph, Jane E.; Zhu, Xun; Corbly, Christine R.; DeSantis, Stacia; Lee, Dustin C.; Baik, Grace; Kiser, Seth; Jiang, Yang; Lynam, Donald R.; Kelly, Thomas H.

2014-01-01

The monetary incentive delay (MID) task is a widely used probe for isolating neural circuitry in the human brain associated with incentive motivation. In the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, 82 young adults, characterized along dimensions of impulsive sensation seeking, completed a MID task. fMRI and behavioral incentive functions were decomposed into incentive valence and magnitude parameters, which were used as predictors in linear regression to determine whether mesolimbic response is associated with problem drinking and recent alcohol use. Alcohol use was best explained by higher fMRI response to anticipation of losses and feedback on high gains in the thalamus. In contrast, problem drinking was best explained by reduced sensitivity to large incentive values in meso-limbic regions in the anticipation phase and increased sensitivity to small incentive values in the dorsal caudate nucleus in the feedback phase. Altered fMRI responses to monetary incentives in mesolimbic circuitry, particularly those alterations associated with problem drinking, may serve as potential early indicators of substance abuse trajectories. PMID:25261001

Incentives for Blood Donation: A Discrete Choice Experiment to Analyze Extrinsic Motivation.

PubMed

Sadler, Andrew; Shi, Ling; Bethge, Susanne; Mühlbacher, Axel

2018-04-01

Background: Demographic trends affect size and age structure of populations. One of the consequences will be an increasing need for blood products to treat age-related diseases. Donation services rely on voluntariness and charitable motivation. It might be questioned whether there will be sufficient blood supply with voluntary donation. The present study focused on elicitation of preferences for incentives and aimed to contribute to the discussion on how to increase donation rates. Methods: A self-administered discrete choice experiment (DCE) was applied. Respondents were repeatedly asked to choose between hypothetical blood donation centers. In case of reluctance to receiving incentives a none-option was included. Random parameter logit (RPL) and latent class models (LCM) were used for analysis. Results: The study sample included 416 college students from the US and Germany. Choice decisions were significantly influenced by the characteristics of the donation center in the DCE. Incentives most preferred were monetary compensation, paid leave, and blood screening test. LCM identified subgroups with preference heterogeneity. Small subgroups indicated moderate to strong aversion to incentives. Conclusion: The majority of the sample positively responded to incentives and indicated a willingness to accept incentives. In face of future challenges, the judicious use and appropriate utilization of incentives might be an option to motivate potential donors and should be open to discussion.

The INCENTIVE protocol: an evaluation of the organisation and delivery of NHS dental healthcare to patients-innovation in the commissioning of primary dental care service delivery and organisation in the UK.

PubMed

Pavitt, Sue H; Baxter, Paul D; Brunton, Paul A; Douglas, Gail; Edlin, Richard; Gibson, Barry J; Godson, Jenny; Hall, Melanie; Porritt, Jenny; Robinson, Peter G; Vinall, Karen; Hulme, Claire

2014-09-17

In England, in 2006, new dental contracts devolved commissioning of dental services locally to Primary Care Trusts to meet the needs of their local population. The new national General Dental Services contracts (nGDS) were based on payment for Units of Dental Activity (UDAs) awarded in three treatment bands based on complexity of care. Recently, contract currency in UK dentistry is evolving from UDAs based on volume and case complexity towards 'blended contracts' that include incentives linked with key performance indicators such as quality and improved health outcome. Overall, evidence of the effectiveness of incentive-driven contracting of health providers is still emerging. The INCENTIVE Study aims to evaluate a blended contract model (incentive-driven) compared to traditional nGDS contracts on dental service delivery in practices in West Yorkshire, England. The INCENTIVE model uses a mixed methods approach to comprehensively evaluate a new incentive-driven model of NHS dental service delivery. The study includes 6 dental surgeries located across three newly commissioned dental practices (blended contract) and three existing traditional practices (nGDS contracts). The newly commissioned practices have been matched to traditional practices by deprivation index, age profile, ethnicity, size of practice and taking on new patients. The study consists of three interlinked work packages: a qualitative study to explore stakeholder perspectives of the new service delivery model; an effectiveness study to assess the INCENTIVE model in reducing the risk of and amount of dental disease and enhance oral health-related quality of life in patients; and an economic study to assess cost-effectiveness of the INCENTIVE model in relation to clinical status and oral health-related quality of life. The study has been approved by NRES Committee London, Bromley. The results of this study will be disseminated at national and international conferences and in international journals. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

31 CFR 92.18 - Judicial review.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Judicial review. 92.18 Section 92.18... States Mint § 92.18 Judicial review. A Final Notice of Assessment issued under the procedures in this subpart may be subject to judicial review pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 701 et seq. ...

31 CFR 82.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Definitions. 82.3 Section 82.3 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance 5-CENT AND ONE-CENT COIN REGULATIONS § 82.3 Definitions. (a) 5-cent coin of the United States means a 5-cent coin minted and issued by the...

Working Overseas: Implementing Technology for a Branch Campus in the Middle East

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chester, Timothy M.

2005-01-01

On July 5, 2003, the author landed in Qatar, a newly minted CIO from College Station, Texas. His charge is to design and implement the required IT infrastructure--including telecommunications, networking, computing, and instructional technology--necessary to support Texas A&M University's newest branch campus, Texas A&M University at Qatar…

31 CFR 92.3 - Manufacture and sale of “proof” coins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Manufacture and sale of âproofâ coins... MINT OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES Numismatic Operations § 92.3 Manufacture and sale of “proof” coins... additional expense of their manufacture and sale. Their manufacture and issuance are contingent upon the...

Facebook-Driven Newark Overhaul Lurches Forward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gewertz, Catherine

2010-01-01

What began as a swashbuckling move by the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, the state's governor, and a newly minted billionaire to reshape the beleaguered Newark school system has turned into a tangle of blowback and counterpunches as skeptics contend the plan would violate state law. At issue is the power-sharing arrangement proposed by the three…

21 CFR 155.200 - Certain other canned vegetables.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

.... (v) Spice. (vi) A vinegar. (vii) Green peppers or red peppers which may be dried. (viii) Mint leaves... stabilizers, or both, may be added. When butter or margarine is added, no spice or flavoring simulating the... § 101.22 of this chapter, and a declaration of any spice or seasoning that characterizes the product...

21 CFR 145.180 - Canned pineapple.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... optional ingredients: (i) Natural fruit flavors. (ii) Mint flavor. (iii) Spices, spice oils. (iv) Vinegar... declaration of any spice or seasoning that characterizes the product; for example, “Spice added”, or, in lieu of the word “Spice”, the common name of the spice; or “Seasoned with vinegar” or, in lieu of the word...

All in the Name of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smiles, Robin V.

2004-01-01

It takes a village to raise an African American doctoral recipient. Ask any newly minted Ph.D. about the harsh reality of completing the degree. Ask them how many friends, family members, fellow graduate students, faculty mentors, university administrators, co-workers did they have to lean on at some point during their journey? How many times did…

A Helping Hand for Young Faculty Members

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

June, Audrey Williams

2008-01-01

With the academic year just under way, many junior faculty members in search of much-needed advice and guidance have begun to make critical connections with senior colleagues. Departmental pairings are the most standard form of faculty mentoring, as is the practice of newly minted professors' tapping colleagues on their own to answer questions…

31 CFR 100.11 - Exchange of bent and partial coins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... partial coins shall be presented separately by denomination category in lots of at least one pound for... redeemed at the face value equivalent of copper one cent coins. (c) Redemption site. Bent and partial coins will be redeemed only at the United States Mint, P.O. Box 400, Philadelphia, PA 19105. Coins are...

78 FR 19799 - National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Program Design Competition

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-02

... competition, which Challenge.gov is hosting, to select a common obverse design emblematic of the game of... Program Design Competition ACTION: Notification of the Opening of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Program Design Competition on April 11, 2013. SUMMARY: The United States Mint announces the...

78 FR 8550 - Relocation of Regulations and Rulings, Office of International Trade

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-06

... Rulings, Office of International Trade AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland... International Trade, of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is relocating its office from the U.S. Mint... correspondence directed to the Regulations and Rulings, Office of International Trade, including mailed comments...

Separation of Church and State: Has the Military Gone too Far?

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-27

a way to commemorate fallen Marines in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. The Regimental Commander said, “At the base of the cross is a marble plaque bearing...crosses that traced back to the Stone Age. Celtic coins minted many centuries before the Christian era had nothing to do with Christ, so broad brushing

77 FR 4084 - Prices for 2012 Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar and 2012 Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-26

... 2012 Star- Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Program Products AGENCY: United States Mint, Department... Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar and 2012 Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Program products. Prices.... Silver Dollar. 2012 Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar N/A $61.95. Defenders of Freedom Set. 2012 Star...

77 FR 6865 - Pricing for 2012 Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar and 2012 Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-09

... 2012 Star- Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Products AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the... Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar and 2012 Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin products: Introductory... Uncirculated Silver 44.95 49.95 Dollar Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar Special N/A 51.95 Set Star-Spangled...

31 CFR 91.7 - Gambling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Gambling. 91.7 Section 91.7 Money and... REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.7 Gambling. (a) Participating in games for money or other property, the operation of gambling devices, the conduct of a lottery...

31 CFR 91.7 - Gambling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Gambling. 91.7 Section 91.7 Money and... REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.7 Gambling. (a) Participating in games for money or other property, the operation of gambling devices, the conduct of a lottery...

31 CFR 91.7 - Gambling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Gambling. 91.7 Section 91.7 Money and... REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.7 Gambling. (a) Participating in games for money or other property, the operation of gambling devices, the conduct of a lottery...

A Dialogue on Teaching Gay and Lesbian American Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergman, David; Bass, Barbara Kaplan

Two teachers have brought gay and lesbian literature into their American literature courses at a large university near a major metropolitan area. The decision to introduce the works in traditional courses, rather than newly minted ones, was dictated by the university's fairly rigid institutional setting and the relative conservatism and timidity…

77 FR 18307 - Update to the January 6, 2012, Federal Register

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-27

... to announce that a Presidential $1 Four-Coin Set, priced at $9.95, will be offered instead of the $1... follows: Retail Product price Presidential $1 Four-Coin Set $9.95 Presidential $1 Coin & First Spouse... FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: B. B. Craig, Associate Director for Sales and Marketing, United States Mint...

31 CFR 92.16 - Written response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Written response. 92.16 Section 92.16... States Mint § 92.16 Written response. (a) Form and contents. (1) The written response submitted by a... person named in the Initial Notice of Assessment is filing the written response, a copy of the duly...

31 CFR 92.2 - Sale of “list” medals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Sale of âlistâ medals. 92.2 Section 92.2 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance MONETARY OFFICES, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY UNITED STATES MINT OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES Numismatic Operations § 92.2 Sale of...

31 CFR 92.2 - Sale of “list” medals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Sale of âlistâ medals. 92.2 Section 92.2 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance MONETARY OFFICES, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY UNITED STATES MINT OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES Numismatic Operations § 92.2 Sale of...

31 CFR 92.3 - Manufacture and sale of “proof” coins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Manufacture and sale of âproofâ coins. 92.3 Section 92.3 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance MONETARY OFFICES, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY UNITED STATES MINT OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES Numismatic Operations...

31 CFR 92.3 - Manufacture and sale of “proof” coins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Manufacture and sale of âproofâ coins. 92.3 Section 92.3 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance MONETARY OFFICES, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY UNITED STATES MINT OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES Numismatic Operations...

Passing the Baton: Mentoring for Adoption of Active-Learning Pedagogies by Research-Active Junior Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grimes, Catherine Leimkuhler; White, Harold B., III

2015-01-01

There are barriers to adoption of research-based teaching methods. Professional development workshops may inform faculty of these methods, but effective adoption often does not follow. In addition, newly-minted research-active faculty are often overwhelmed by the many new responsibilities (grant writing, group management, laboratory setup,…

76 FR 16655 - Request for Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee Membership Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-24

... not paid for their time or services but, consistent with Federal Travel Regulations, members are reimbursed for their travel and lodging expenses to attend meetings. Members are Special Government Employees... open to the public and are held approximately eight to ten times per year. The United States Mint is...

On the road: workable solutions to the problems of roads and highways

Treesearch

Mary M. Rowland

2004-01-01

Fourteen authors, ranging from transportation specialists to ecologists, have collaborated to write this very useful compendium describing the newly minted discipline of "road ecology." The authors state that road ecology "uses the science of ecology and landscape ecology to explore, understand, and address the interactions of roads and vehicles with...

Missing Elements in the Discussion of Teacher Shortages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, James; Goldhaber, Dan; Hayes, Kyle; Theobald, Roddy

2016-01-01

Though policymakers are increasingly concerned about teacher shortages in U.S. public schools, the national discussion does not reflect historical patterns of the supply of and demand for newly minted teachers. Specifically, the production of teacher candidates has increased steadily since the mid-1980s, and only about half of graduating teacher…

21 CFR 155.200 - Certain other canned vegetables.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... of the sweet pepper plant Whole; halves or halved; pieces; dice or diced; strips; chopped. Red sweet peppers Red-ripe pods of the sweet pepper plant Do. Pimientos or pimentos Red-ripe pods of the pimiento.... (v) Spice. (vi) A vinegar. (vii) Green peppers or red peppers which may be dried. (viii) Mint leaves...

The Sweet Earth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spurr, Aaron; Johnson, Lisa

2005-01-01

This activity compares different kinds of candy to the different types of rocks based on direct observation. Students are asked to make observations about candy samples and how they are formed. The formation of candy and the formation of rocks have many similarities; for instance, Andes Mints show definite layers and it can be inferred that they…

31 CFR 91.8 - Alcoholic beverages, narcotics, hallucinogenic and dangerous drugs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Alcoholic beverages, narcotics, hallucinogenic and dangerous drugs. 91.8 Section 91.8 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.8...

31 CFR 91.5 - Compliance with signs and directions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Compliance with signs and directions. 91.5 Section 91.5 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.5 Compliance with signs and...

31 CFR 91.13 - Weapons and explosives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Weapons and explosives. 91.13 Section 91.13 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.13 Weapons and explosives. No person...

31 CFR 91.9 - Soliciting, vending, debt collection, and distribution of handbills.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Soliciting, vending, debt collection, and distribution of handbills. 91.9 Section 91.9 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS...

31 CFR 91.4 - Preservation of property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Preservation of property. 91.4 Section 91.4 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.4 Preservation of property. It shall be...

31 CFR 91.7 - Gambling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Gambling. 91.7 Section 91.7 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.7 Gambling. (a) Participating in games for money or other...

Diurnal effects on Mentha canadensis oil yields and composition at two different harvests

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Japanese cornmint, also known as menthol mint, (Mentha canadensis L. syn M. arvensis var canadensis L.), is an essential oil crop cultivated in several countries in Asia and South America. The plant is currently the only commercially viable source for natural menthol due to the high concentration of...

Some Medicinal Plants Used in Chinese Medicine.

DTIC Science & Technology

1960-09-27

plant, widely grown in China, probably of hybrid origin. The plant is a source for high-grade mint oil and menthol which are exported. In the world...1.8-2$ while the menthol content is 86-92$. Plants Used as Anodynes Some alkaloid plants have found wide use in Chinese medicine as anodynes. Fang

MIT Mints a Valuable New Form of Academic Currency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, Kevin

2012-01-01

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has invented or improved many world-changing things--radar, information theory, and synthetic self-replicating molecules, to name a few. Last month the university announced, to mild fanfare, an invention that could be similarly transformative, this time for higher education itself. It is called MITx.…

The concept of the eudicot shoot apical meristem as it applies to four Spiraea (Rosaceae), one Mentha (Lamiaceae) and one Euonymus (Celastraceae) cultivars based on chimeric analysis.

PubMed

Korn, Robert W

2013-05-01

Eversporting eudicots were sought to see if they behave like gymnosperms. Behaviour of eversporting gymnosperm chimeras indicates a single apical cell is present in SAM and it would be of interest to see if eudicot chimeras have the same behaviour. Four eversporting spireas, the pineapple mint and the Silver King euonymus were inspected for the fate of the yellow (mutant)-green (wild type) chimeras. As with gymnosperms, unstable eudicot chimeras in the four spireas, the pineapple mint and the Silver King euonymus became stable yellow about 80 % or more of the time and 20 % or less became stable green. The statistically significant preponderance of chimeric fates becoming all yellow suggests that a single apical cell resides in the yellow tunica. As with gymnosperms, descendent cells of the yellow replacement corpus cell eventually take over the corpus. Here is the first chimeric set of data to support the hypothesis of a one-celled meristem in eudicots rather than the traditional view of a muticellular meristem.

Effect of heating rate and plant species on the size and uniformity of silver nanoparticles synthesized using aromatic plant extracts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández-Pinero, Jorge Luis; Terrón-Rebolledo, Manuel; Foroughbakhch, Rahim; Moreno-Limón, Sergio; Melendrez, M. F.; Solís-Pomar, Francisco; Pérez-Tijerina, Eduardo

2016-11-01

Mixing aqueous silver solutions with aqueous leaf aromatic plant extracts from basil, mint, marjoram and peppermint resulted in the synthesis of quasi-spherical silver nanoparticles in a range of size between 2 and 80 nm in diameter as analyzed by analytical high-resolution electron microscopy. The average size could be controlled by applying heat to the initial reaction system at different rates of heating, and by the specific botanical species employed for the reaction. Increasing the rate of heating resulted in a statistically significant decrease in the size of the nanoparticles produced, regardless of the species employed. This fact was more evident in the case of marjoram, which decreased the average diameter from 27 nm at a slow rate of heating to 8 nm at a high rate of heating. With regard to the species, minimum sizes of <10 nm were obtained with basil and peppermint, while marjoram and mint yielded an average size between 10 and 25 nm. The results indicate that aromatic plant extracts can be used to achieve the controlled synthesis of metal nanoparticles.

Use of incentive spirometry in portable chest radiography.

PubMed

McEntee, Mark F; Houssein, Nariman; Al-azawi, Dhafir

2014-01-01

The degree of lung inflation seen on a chest radiograph is dependent on the point during the patient's respiratory cycle at which the radiographer exposes the image receptor. Exposing the image receptor at the exact peak of inflation can be difficult because of the limited time available in which to capture the inspiratory pause. An incentive spirometer can indicate the moment of peak inhalation. This study tested whether images taken with and without an incentive spirometer display different levels of image quality. This is a paired, prospective, single-blinded study of 30 patients undergoing portable chest radiography. The radiographs were acquired with and without the use of an incentive spirometer. Visual grading analysis was performed using the 1996 European Guidelines on Quality Criteria for Diagnostic Radiographic Images. The mean patient age was 53 years. Sixty images were acquired, 30 with the use of incentive spirometry and 30 without. The most common indication for portable chest radiography was "postlung lobectomy." Scoring on the radiologist's ability to see the sixth rib, spine, trachea, and cardiac border was not affected significantly by the use of incentive spirometry. Use of an incentive spirometer was associated with significant improvement in ability to see the 10th rib (P ≤ .004), vascular pattern (P ≤ .001), retrocardiac lung (P ≤ .013), and the costophrenic angles (P ≤ .005). This study introduces a technique to improve the quality of portable chest radiographs. The use of incentive spirometry improved inspiratory depth and image quality for portable chest radiographs.

Black Art Posters, an Incentive to Increase Study Enrollment among Blacks in a Large Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Yancey, Antronette K.; Herring, R. Patti; Fraser, Gary E.; Yan, Ru; Baker, Phyllip; Lampkin, Andrew; Kyle, James

2009-01-01

Objective Black art posters were offered to replace or augment the established $10 incentive for questionnaire completion in a longitudinal cohort study. Method 81 churches located in the US southern region were divided between two intervention groups, with a control group of 24 churches from the same region. Primary outcome measures were study enrollment rates and questionnaire return rates between December 2003 and July 2004 as a proportion of church goal. Results 9.3% of participants returning questionnaires selected a poster in preference to $10. Half of participants offered both monetary and art incentives indicated a poster selection. Crude questionnaire return rates were 57.4% for the pooled intervention churches and 38.2% for the control churches. Enrollment rates among those offered both incentives were significantly higher (p<0.01) than when monetary incentives alone were offered after adjustment for church size, promotional dates, and average income of church members. Survey return rates were also higher in the churches offered both incentives (p=0.04). Conclusion These data suggest that the black art posters improved study enrollment and survey return rates. The relatively low rate of poster selection suggests that the art primarily influenced participation indirectly, by creating a more culturally inclusive image of the study. PMID:18234325

The impact of financial and nonfinancial incentives on business-unit outcomes over time.

PubMed

Peterson, Suzanne J; Luthans, Fred

2006-01-01

Unlike previous behavior management research, this study used a quasi-experimental, control group design to examine the impact of financial and nonfinancial incentives on business-unit (21 stores in a fast-food franchise corporation) outcomes (profit, customer service, and employee turnover) over time. The results showed that both types of incentives had a significant impact on all measured outcomes. The financial incentive initially had a greater effect on all 3 outcomes, but over time, the financial and nonfinancial incentives had an equally significant impact except in terms of employee turnover. (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved.

The Influence of Incentive towards Their Motivation and Discipline (A Case Study at Rectorate of Andalas University, West Sumatera, Indonesia)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frengki; Hubeis, Aida Vitayala; Affandi, M. Joko

2017-01-01

There are several ways that can be done to improve employee performance, among others, by motivating employees and improving work discipline. Increased motivation and discipline can be pursued by the provision of incentive. This study aims to analyze the influence of incentive on Andalas University's employee motivation and discipline and analyze…

Incentive Processing in Persistent Disruptive Behavior and Psychopathic Traits: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study in Adolescents.

PubMed

Cohn, Moran D; Veltman, Dick J; Pape, Louise E; van Lith, Koen; Vermeiren, Robert R J M; van den Brink, Wim; Doreleijers, Theo A H; Popma, Arne

2015-11-01

Children with early-onset disruptive behavior disorder (DBD), especially those with callous-unemotional traits, are at risk of developing persistent and severe adult antisocial behavior. One possible underlying mechanism for persistence is deficient reward and loss sensitivity, i.e., deficient incentive processing. However, little is known about the relation between deficient incentive processing and persistence of antisocial behavior into adulthood or its relation with callous-unemotional and other psychopathic traits. In this study, we investigate the relationship between the neural correlates of incentive processing and both DBD persistence and psychopathic traits. In a sample of 128 adolescents (mean age 17.7) with a history of criminal offending before age 12, functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed during a monetary incentive delay task designed to assess neural responses during incentive processing. Neural activation during incentive processing was then associated with DBD persistence and psychopathic traits, measured with the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory. Compared with both healthy control subjects and youths who had desisted from DBD, persistent DBD subjects showed lower neural responses in the ventral striatum during reward outcomes and higher neural responses in the amygdala during loss outcomes. Callous-unemotional traits were related to lower neural responses in the amygdala during reward outcomes, while other psychopathic traits were not related to incentive processing. In the current study, aberrant incentive processing is related to persistence of childhood antisocial behavior into late adolescence and to callous-unemotional traits. This mechanism may underlie treatment resistance in a subgroup of antisocial youth and provide a target for intervention. Copyright © 2015 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Premium-Based Financial Incentives Did Not Promote Workplace Weight Loss In A 2013-15 Study.

PubMed

Patel, Mitesh S; Asch, David A; Troxel, Andrea B; Fletcher, Michele; Osman-Koss, Rosemary; Brady, Jennifer; Wesby, Lisa; Hilbert, Victoria; Zhu, Jingsan; Wang, Wenli; Volpp, Kevin G

2016-01-01

Employers commonly use adjustments to health insurance premiums as incentives to encourage healthy behavior, but the effectiveness of those adjustments is controversial. We gave 197 obese participants in a workplace wellness program a weight loss goal equivalent to 5 percent of their baseline weight. They were randomly assigned to a control arm, with no financial incentive for achieving the goal, or to one of three intervention arms offering an incentive valued at $550. Two intervention arms used health insurance premium adjustments, beginning the following year (delayed) or in the first pay period after achieving the goal (immediate). A third arm used a daily lottery incentive separate from premiums. At twelve months there were no statistically significant differences in mean weight change either between the control group (whose members had a mean gain of 0.1 pound) and any of the incentive groups (delayed premium adjustment, -1.2 pound; immediate premium adjustment, -1.4 pound; daily lottery incentive, -1.0 pound) or among the intervention groups. The apparent failure of the incentives to promote weight loss suggests that employers that encourage weight reduction through workplace wellness programs should test alternatives to the conventional premium adjustment approach by using alternative incentive designs, larger incentives, or both. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

“It Makes You Feel Like Someone Cares” acceptability of a financial incentive intervention for HIV viral suppression in the HPTN 065 (TLC-Plus) study

PubMed Central

Greene, Elizabeth; Pack, Allison; Stanton, Jill; Shelus, Victoria; Tolley, Elizabeth E.; Taylor, Jamilah; El Sadr, Wafaa M.; Branson, Bernard M.; Leider, Jason; Rakhmanina, Natella; Gamble, Theresa

2017-01-01

Background HPTN 065 (TLC-Plus) evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of providing quarterly $70 gift card financial incentives to HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) to encourage ART adherence and viral suppression, and represents the largest study to-date of a financial incentive intervention for HIV viral suppression. A post-trial qualitative substudy was undertaken to examine acceptability of the financial incentives among those receiving and implementing the intervention. Methods Between July and October 2013, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 72 patients and 12 investigators from 14 sites; three focus groups were conducted with 12 staff from 10 sites. Qualitative data collection elicited experiences with and attitudes about the intervention, including philosophical viewpoints and implementation experiences. Transcripts were analyzed in NVivo 10. Memos and matrices were developed to explore themes from different participant group perspectives. Results Patients, investigators, and staff found the intervention highly acceptable, primarily due to the emotional benefits gained through giving or receiving the incentive. Feeling rewarded or cared for was a main value perceived by patients; this was closely tied to the financial benefit for some. Other factors influencing acceptability for all included perceived effectiveness and health-related benefits, philosophical concerns about the use of incentives for health behavior change, and implementation issues. The termination of the incentive at the end of the study was disappointing to participants and unexpected by some, but generally accepted. Conclusion Positive experiences with the financial incentive intervention and strategies used to facilitate implementation led to high acceptability of the intervention, despite some reluctance in principle to the use of incentives. The findings of this analysis provide encouraging evidence in support of the acceptability of a large-scale financial incentive intervention for HIV viral suppression in a clinical setting, and offer valuable lessons for future applications of similar interventions. PMID:28182706

Flavoured non-cigarette tobacco product use among US adults: 2013-2014.

PubMed

Bonhomme, Michèle G; Holder-Hayes, Enver; Ambrose, Bridget K; Tworek, Cindy; Feirman, Shari P; King, Brian A; Apelberg, Benjamin J

2016-11-01

Limited data exist on flavoured non-cigarette tobacco product (NCTP) use among US adults. Data from the 2013 to 2014 National Adult Tobacco Survey (N=75 233), a landline and cellular telephone survey of US adults aged ≥18, were assessed to estimate past 30-day NCTP use, flavoured NCTP use and flavour types using bivariate analyses. During 2013-2014, 14.4% of US adults were past 30-day NCTP users. Nationally, an estimated 10.2 million e-cigarette users (68.2%), 6.1 million hookah users (82.3%), 4.1 million cigar smokers (36.2%) and 4.0 million smokeless tobacco users (50.6%) used flavoured products in the past 30 days. The most prevalent flavours reported were menthol/mint (76.9%) for smokeless tobacco; fruit (74.0%) for hookah; fruit (52.4%), candy/chocolate/other sweet flavours (22.0%) and alcohol (14.5%) for cigars/cigarillos/filtered little cigars; fruit (44.9%), menthol/mint (43.9%) and candy/chocolate/other sweet flavours (25.7%) for e-cigarettes and fruit (56.6%), candy/chocolate/other sweet flavours (26.5%) and menthol/mint (24.8%) for pipes. Except for hookah and pipes, past 30-day flavoured product use was highest among 18-24-year olds. By cigarette smoking, never smoking e-cigarette users (84.8%) were more likely to report flavoured e-cigarette use, followed by recent former smokers (78.1%), long-term former smokers (70.4%) and current smokers (63.2%). Flavoured NCTP use is prominent among US adult tobacco users, particularly among e-cigarette, hookah and cigar users. Flavoured product use, especially fruit and sweet-flavoured products, was higher among younger adults. It is important for tobacco prevention and control strategies to address all forms of tobacco use, including flavoured tobacco products. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Flavoured non-cigarette tobacco product use among US adults: 2013–2014

PubMed Central

Bonhomme, Michèle G; Holder-Hayes, Enver; Ambrose, Bridget K; Tworek, Cindy; Feirman, Shari P; King, Brian A; Apelberg, Benjamin J

2017-01-01

Introduction Limited data exist on flavoured non-cigarette tobacco product (NCTP) use among US adults. Methods Data from the 2013 to 2014 National Adult Tobacco Survey (N=75 233), a landline and cellular telephone survey of US adults aged ≥18, were assessed to estimate past 30-day NCTP use, flavoured NCTP use and flavour types using bivariate analyses. Results During 2013–2014, 14.4% of US adults were past 30-day NCTP users. Nationally, an estimated 10.2 million e-cigarette users (68.2%), 6.1 million hookah users (82.3%), 4.1 million cigar smokers (36.2%) and 4.0 million smokeless tobacco users (50.6%) used flavoured products in the past 30 days. The most prevalent flavours reported were menthol/mint (76.9%) for smokeless tobacco; fruit (74.0%) for hookah; fruit (52.4%), candy/chocolate/other sweet flavours (22.0%) and alcohol (14.5%) for cigars/cigarillos/filtered little cigars; fruit (44.9%), menthol/mint (43.9%) and candy/chocolate/other sweet flavours (25.7%) for e-cigarettes and fruit (56.6%), candy/chocolate/other sweet flavours (26.5%) and menthol/mint (24.8%) for pipes. Except for hookah and pipes, past 30-day flavoured product use was highest among 18–24-year olds. By cigarette smoking, never smoking e-cigarette users (84.8%) were more likely to report flavoured e-cigarette use, followed by recent former smokers (78.1%), long-term former smokers (70.4%) and current smokers (63.2%). Conclusions Flavoured NCTP use is prominent among US adult tobacco users, particularly among e-cigarette, hookah and cigar users. Flavoured product use, especially fruit and sweet-flavoured products, was higher among younger adults. It is important for tobacco prevention and control strategies to address all forms of tobacco use, including flavoured tobacco products. PMID:27794065

Is incentive spirometry effective following thoracic surgery?

PubMed

Agostini, Paula; Calvert, Rachel; Subramanian, Hariharan; Naidu, Babu

2008-04-01

A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether incentive spirometry is a useful intervention for patients after thoracic surgery. Altogether 255 papers were found using the reported search, of which seven represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. We conclude that incentive spirometry is a relatively good measure of lung function and may be used to assess respiratory recovery in the days after thoracic surgery. Physiotherapy either with or without incentive spirometry reduces the incidence of postoperative complications and improves lung function but there is currently no evidence that incentive spirometry in itself could either replace or significantly augment the work of the physiotherapists. Clinicians should be aware that while incentive spirometry can provide an assessment of lung recovery, well-organised and regular physiotherapy remains the most effective mechanism to augment their patient's recovery and avoid postoperative complications.

Selecting effective incentive structures in health care: A decision framework to support health care purchasers in finding the right incentives to drive performance

PubMed Central

Custers, Thomas; Hurley, Jeremiah; Klazinga, Niek S; Brown, Adalsteinn D

2008-01-01

Background The Ontario health care system is devolving planning and funding authority to community based organizations and moving from steering through rules and regulations to steering on performance. As part of this transformation, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) are interested in using incentives as a strategy to ensure alignment – that is, health service providers' goals are in accord with the goals of the health system. The objective of the study was to develop a decision framework to assist policymakers in choosing and designing effective incentive systems. Methods The first part of the study was an extensive review of the literature to identify incentives models that are used in the various health care systems and their effectiveness. The second part was the development of policy principles to ensure that the used incentive models are congruent with the values of the Ontario health care system. The principles were developed by reviewing the Ontario policy documents and through discussions with policymakers. The validation of the principles and the suggested incentive models for use in Ontario took place at two meetings. The first meeting was with experts from the research and policy community, the second with senior policymakers from the MOHLTC. Based on the outcome of those two meetings, the researchers built a decision framework for incentives. The framework was send to the participants of both meetings and four additional experts for validation. Results We identified several models that have proven, with a varying degree of evidence, to be effective in changing or enabling a health provider's performance. Overall, the literature suggests that there is no single best approach to create incentives yet and the ability of financial and non-financial incentives to achieve results depends on a number of contextual elements. After assessing the initial set of incentive models on their congruence with the four policy principles we defined nine incentive models to be appropriate for use in Ontario and potentially other health care systems that want to introduce incentives to improve performance. Subsequently, the models were incorporated in the resulting decision framework. Conclusion The design of an incentive must reflect the values and goals of the health care system, be well matched to the performance objectives and reflect a range of contextual factors that can influence the effectiveness of even well-designed incentives. As a consequence, a single policy recommendation around incentives is inappropriate. The decision framework provides health care policymakers and purchasers with a tool to support the selection of an incentive model that is the most appropriate to improve the targeted performance. PMID:18371198

The effectiveness of recruitment strategies on general practitioner’s survey response rates – a systematic review

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Low survey response rates in general practice are common and lead to loss of power, selection bias, unexpected budgetary constraints and time delays in research projects. Methods Objective: To assess the effectiveness of recruitment strategies aimed at increasing survey response rates among GPs. Design: Systematic review. Search methods: MEDLINE (OVIDSP, 1948-2012), EMBASE (OVIDSP, 1980-2012), Evidence Based Medicine Reviews (OVIDSP, 2012) and references of included papers were searched. Major search terms included GPs, recruitment strategies, response rates, and randomised controlled trials (RCT). Selection criteria: Cluster RCTs, RCTs and factorial trial designs that evaluate recruitment strategies aimed at increasing GP survey response rates. Data collection and analysis: Abstracts identified by the search strategy were reviewed and relevant articles were retrieved. Each full-text publication was examined to determine whether it met the predetermined inclusion criteria. Data extraction and study quality was assessed by using predetermined checklists. Results Monetary and nonmonetary incentives were more effective than no incentive with monetary incentives having a slightly bigger effect than nonmonetary incentives. Large incentives were more effective than small incentives, as were upfront monetary incentives compared to promised monetary incentives. Postal surveys were more effective than telephone or email surveys. One study demonstrated that sequentially mixed mode (online survey followed by a paper survey with a reminder) was more effective than an online survey or the combination of an online and paper survey sent similtaneously in the first mail out. Pre-contact with a phonecall from a peer, personalised packages, sending mail on Friday, and using registered mail also increased response rates in single studies. Pre-contact by letter or postcard almost reached statistical signficance. Conclusions GP survey response rates may improve by using the following strategies: monetary and nonmonetary incentives, larger incentives, upfront monetary incentives, postal surveys, pre-contact with a phonecall from a peer, personalised packages, sending mail on Friday, and using registered mail. Mail pre-contact may also improve response rates and have low costs. Improved reporting and further trials, including sequential mixed mode trials and social media, are required to determine the effectiveness of recruitment strategies on GPs' response rates to surveys. PMID:24906492

The effectiveness of recruitment strategies on general practitioner's survey response rates - a systematic review.

PubMed

Pit, Sabrina Winona; Vo, Tham; Pyakurel, Sagun

2014-06-06

Low survey response rates in general practice are common and lead to loss of power, selection bias, unexpected budgetary constraints and time delays in research projects. To assess the effectiveness of recruitment strategies aimed at increasing survey response rates among GPs. Systematic review. MEDLINE (OVIDSP, 1948-2012), EMBASE (OVIDSP, 1980-2012), Evidence Based Medicine Reviews (OVIDSP, 2012) and references of included papers were searched. Major search terms included GPs, recruitment strategies, response rates, and randomised controlled trials (RCT). Cluster RCTs, RCTs and factorial trial designs that evaluate recruitment strategies aimed at increasing GP survey response rates. Abstracts identified by the search strategy were reviewed and relevant articles were retrieved. Each full-text publication was examined to determine whether it met the predetermined inclusion criteria. Data extraction and study quality was assessed by using predetermined checklists. Monetary and nonmonetary incentives were more effective than no incentive with monetary incentives having a slightly bigger effect than nonmonetary incentives. Large incentives were more effective than small incentives, as were upfront monetary incentives compared to promised monetary incentives. Postal surveys were more effective than telephone or email surveys. One study demonstrated that sequentially mixed mode (online survey followed by a paper survey with a reminder) was more effective than an online survey or the combination of an online and paper survey sent similtaneously in the first mail out. Pre-contact with a phonecall from a peer, personalised packages, sending mail on Friday, and using registered mail also increased response rates in single studies. Pre-contact by letter or postcard almost reached statistical signficance. GP survey response rates may improve by using the following strategies: monetary and nonmonetary incentives, larger incentives, upfront monetary incentives, postal surveys, pre-contact with a phonecall from a peer, personalised packages, sending mail on Friday, and using registered mail. Mail pre-contact may also improve response rates and have low costs. Improved reporting and further trials, including sequential mixed mode trials and social media, are required to determine the effectiveness of recruitment strategies on GPs' response rates to surveys.

Should we pay the student? A randomised trial of financial incentives in medical education.

PubMed

Raupach, Tobias; Brown, Jamie; Wieland, Anna; Anders, Sven; Harendza, Sigrid

2013-09-01

Financial incentives are effective in moderating physician and patient behaviour, but they have not been studied in the context of medical education. This study assessed whether financial incentives can motivate students to acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation skills. Students enrolled for a cardio-respiratory teaching module (n = 121) were randomised to an intervention (financial incentive) or a control (book voucher raffle) condition. All students took three validated exams of ECG interpretation skills (at module entry, module exit and seven weeks later). Only the exit exam was financially incentivised in the intervention group. The primary outcome was the proportion of students who correctly identified ≥60% of clinically important diagnoses in the exit exam. Financial incentives more than doubled the odds of correctly identifying ≥60% of diagnoses in the exit exam (adjusted odds ratio 2.44, 95% confidence interval 1.05-5.67) and significantly increased student learning time. However, there was no significant effect on performance levels in the retention exam. Financial incentives increase reported learning time and examination results in the short-term. The lack of a sustained effect on performance suggests that financial incentives may foster a superficial or strategic rather than a deep approach to learning.

"All the money in the world …" patient perspectives regarding the influence of financial incentives.

PubMed

Reisinger, Heather Schacht; Brackett, Rachel Horner; Buzza, Colin D; Páez, Monica B Williams; Gourley, Ryan; Weg, Mark W Vander; Christensen, Alan J; Kaboli, Peter J

2011-12-01

To analyze patient perspectives of the use of financial incentives in a hypertension intervention. Study Setting. Twelve Veterans Affairs primary care clinics over a 9-month period. Qualitative semistructured interviews conducted with 54 hypertensive veterans participating in an intervention to promote guideline-consistent therapy. Intervention components included an intervention letter requesting patients talk with their providers, an offer of U.S.$20 to bring in the letter to their provider, and a health educator phone call. Semistructured interviews were conducted. Transcripts were coded for thematic content. The financial incentive theme was then subcoded for more detailed analysis. Most participants (n=48; 88.9 percent) stated the incentive had (or would have) no effect on their decision to initiate a discussion with their provider. Some participants articulated reservations about the effectiveness and/or appropriateness of financial incentives in health care decisions; however, a few expressed the opinion that there may be some potential benefits to the use of financial incentives if they encourage patients to be active in their health care. The findings of this study raise questions about the appropriateness and unintended consequences of employing patient-directed financial incentives in health care settings. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Financial incentives and measurement improved physicians' quality of care in the Philippines.

PubMed

Peabody, John; Shimkhada, Riti; Quimbo, Stella; Florentino, Jhiedon; Bacate, Marife; McCulloch, Charles E; Solon, Orville

2011-04-01

The merits of using financial incentives to improve clinical quality have much appeal, yet few studies have rigorously assessed the potential benefits. The uncertainty surrounding assessments of quality can lead to poor policy decisions, possibly resulting in increased cost with little or no quality improvement, or missed opportunities to improve care. We conducted an experiment involving physicians in thirty Philippine hospitals that overcomes many of the limitations of previous studies. We measured clinical performance and then examined whether modest bonuses equal to about 5 percent of a physician's salary, as well as system-level incentives that increased compensation to hospitals and across groups of physicians, led to improvements in the quality of care. We found that both the bonus and system-level incentives improved scores in a quality measurement system used in our study by ten percentage points. Our findings suggest that when careful measurement is combined with the types of incentives we studied, there may be a larger impact on quality than previously recognized.

Plug-in Electric Vehicle Policy Effectiveness: Literature Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Yan; Levin, Todd; Plotkin, Steven E.

2016-05-01

The U.S. federal government first introduced incentives for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) through the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, which provided a tax credit of up to $7,500 for a new PEV purchase. Soon after, in December 2010, two mass-market PEVs were introduced, the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) Chevrolet Volt and the battery electric vehicle (BEV) Nissan LEAF. Since that time, numerous additional types of PEV incentives have been provided by federal and regional (state or city) government agencies and utility companies. These incentives cover vehicle purchases as well as the purchase and installation of electricmore » vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) through purchase rebates, tax credits, or discounted purchase taxes or registration fees. Additional incentives, such as free high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane access and parking benefits, may also be offered to PEV owners. Details about these incentives, such as the extent to which each type is offered by region, can be obtained from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Alternative Fuel Data Center (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/). In addition to these incentives, other policies, such as zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandates,1 have also been implemented, and community-scale federal incentives, such as the DOE PEV Readiness Grants, have been awarded throughout the country to improve PEV market penetration. This report reviews 18 studies that analyze the impacts of past or current incentives and policies that were designed to support PEV adoption in the U.S. These studies were selected for review after a comprehensive survey of the literature and discussion with a number of experts in the field. The report summarizes the lessons learned and best practices from the experiences of these incentive programs to date, as well as the challenges they face and barriers that inhibit further market adoption of PEVs. Studies that make projections based on future policy scenarios and those that focus solely on international markets are not included in this report. Studies that only provide an overview of the current market without discussing how incentives influence the market are also not included.« less

Blood donors' attitudes towards incentives: influence on motivation to donate.

PubMed

Kasraian, Leila; Maghsudlu, Mahtab

2012-04-01

Understanding the factors that motivate donors to donate will facilitate improvements in recruitment programmes. Donation incentives are often used to improve the effect of recruitment programmes. This cross-sectional study was designed to understand donors' attitudes toward incentives. Participants (n=421) were recruited among volunteer donors at the Shiraz Blood Transfusion Centre when they registered for blood donation. They completed a questionnaire with items regarding demographic characteristics, donation status (first-time donor or regular donor), and their motivation for donating, their attitude towards incentives, and the best type of incentives. Multiple logistic regression and chi-squared tests were used to analyse the data with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The majority of donors (85.6%) donated blood for altruistic reasons. One quarter of the donors (25.3%) believed that incentives should be offered to encourage them to donate. Most donors (84.5%) believed that the most effective incentive was offering specific blood tests. Donors who had donated for non-altruistic reasons were more interested in receiving incentives. The desire to receive incentives was more widespread among younger, married, first-time donors, donors with a lower educational level and donors with a history of more than five donations. The desire to receive incentives decreased as age increased. Most of the donors (74.7%) had no desire to receive incentives, and this was even more apparent among donors who donated for altruistic reasons. Non-monetary incentives may be effective in attracting younger, married, first-time donors, donors with a lower educational level and donors with a history of more than five donations.

Uptake and distribution of minerals and heavy metals in commonly grown leafy vegetable species irrigated with sewage water.

PubMed

Anwar, Sumera; Nawaz, Muhammad Farrakh; Gul, Sadaf; Rizwan, Muhammad; Ali, Shafaqat; Kareem, Arshaad

2016-09-01

Heavy metal uptake and accumulation behavior in dietary vegetables irrigated with sewage waters is an important issue worldwide. The main objective of this study was to examine and compare the physiological and growth responses of leafy vegetables irrigated with sewage water. A pot experiment was conducted in a wire house with three leafy vegetables, coriander (Coriandrum sativum), mint (Mentha arvensis), and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum), grown under ambient conditions. Plants were irrigated with different concentrations, 0, 50 (T 1), and 100 % (T 2), of sewage water. After harvesting, morphological and physiological parameters of plants were measured. Heavy metal (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) concentrations in the sewage water were found much higher than safer limits. The results revealed that the highest plant biomass and lowest metal contents were observed in control treatments in all studied vegetables. The biomass of all the vegetables were negatively affected when irrigated with sewage water. In T 2, coriander accumulated maximum Cd (μg g(-1) DW) in shoots (4.97) as compared to other vegetables. The maximum Pb and Cu concentrations were accumulated in mint roots (44 and 3.9, respectively) as compared to coriander and fenugreek. Zinc was accumulated in the sequence of leaves > roots > shoots under polluted water irrigation. The concentrations of potassium increased in leaves, shoots, and roots in all vegetables, while phosphorous concentrations varied with species and plant parts with increasing sewage water concentration. It was found that the leafy vegetables grown with sewage water irrigation may cause severe human health problems.

Effect of Leadership Style, Motivation, and Giving Incentives on the Performance of Employees--PT. Kurnia Wijaya Various Industries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elqadri, Zaenal Mustafa; Priyono; Suci, Rahayu Puji; Chandra, Teddy

2015-01-01

This study aims to identify and examine the importance of leadership style, motivation, and incentives to improve employee performance. Variables examined as factors that affect performance of employees were style of leadership (X1), motivation (X2), and the provision of incentives (X3). The population of this study was all employees in the Sales…

The Relationship of Financial Incentives and Consumers' Willingness to Disclose Information to eCommerce Marketers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pourhosseini, Parissa

2009-01-01

In this study the problem examined was a lack of research based information on the degree to which incentives can be used to encourage consumers to volunteer private information. The purpose of this study was to determine if monetary incentives would be a beneficial means to increase consumers' involvement in eCommerce and thereby boost the growth…

Effectiveness of a Time-Limited Incentive on Participation by Hard-to-Reach Respondents in a Panel Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fomby, Paula; Sastry, Narayan; McGonagle, Katherine A.

2017-01-01

We describe an experiment to provide a time-limited incentive among a random sample of 594 hard-to-reach respondents, 200 of whom were offered the incentive to complete all survey components of a study during a three-week winter holiday period. Sample members were primary caregivers of children included in the 2014 Child Development Supplement to…

Motivating the Army Acquisition Workforce

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-07

this research study attempts to determine whether the AAW is primarily motivated by monetary incentives or by nonmonetary incentives . This study...analyzes and summarizes motivation theory and strategies through a literature review. The researcher also conducted secondary research using the 2015...most common or well- 2 known form of motivating employees is through financial incentives like a pay raise or a cash bonus. However, managers have a

When Payment Undermines the Pitch.

PubMed

Barasch, Alixandra; Berman, Jonathan Z; Small, Deborah A

2016-10-01

Studies on crowding out document that incentives sometimes backfire-decreasing motivation in prosocial tasks. In the present research, we demonstrated an additional channel through which incentives can be harmful. Incentivized advocates for a cause are perceived as less sincere than nonincentivized advocates and are ultimately less effective in persuading other people to donate. Further, the negative effects of incentives hold only when the incentives imply a selfish motive; advocates who are offered a matching incentive (i.e., who are told that the donations they successfully solicit will be matched), which is not incompatible with altruism, perform just as well as those who are not incentivized. Thus, incentives may affect prosocial outcomes in ways not previously investigated: by crowding out individuals' sincerity of expression and thus their ability to gain support for a cause.

Incentives, Program Configuration, and Employee Uptake of Workplace Wellness Programs.

PubMed

Huang, Haijing; Mattke, Soeren; Batorsky, Benajmin; Miles, Jeremy; Liu, Hangsheng; Taylor, Erin

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of wellness program configurations and financial incentives on employee participation rate. We analyze a nationally representative survey on workplace wellness programs from 407 employers using cluster analysis and multivariable regression analysis. Employers who offer incentives and provide a comprehensive set of program offerings have higher participation rates. The effect of incentives differs by program configuration, with the strongest effect found for comprehensive and prevention-focused programs. Among intervention-focused programs, incentives are not associated with higher participation. Wellness programs can be grouped into distinct configurations, which have different workplace health focuses. Although monetary incentives can be effective in improving employee participation, the magnitude and significance of the effect is greater for some program configurations than others.

Asymmetrically dominated choice problems, the isolation hypothesis and random incentive mechanisms.

PubMed

Cox, James C; Sadiraj, Vjollca; Schmidt, Ulrich

2014-01-01

This paper presents an experimental study of the random incentive mechanisms which are a standard procedure in economic and psychological experiments. Random incentive mechanisms have several advantages but are incentive-compatible only if responses to the single tasks are independent. This is true if either the independence axiom of expected utility theory or the isolation hypothesis of prospect theory holds. We present a simple test of this in the context of choice under risk. In the baseline (one task) treatment we observe risk behavior in a given choice problem. We show that by integrating a second, asymmetrically dominated choice problem in a random incentive mechanism risk behavior can be manipulated systematically. This implies that the isolation hypothesis is violated and the random incentive mechanism does not elicit true preferences in our example.

The dynamic effect of incentives on postreward task engagement.

PubMed

Goswami, Indranil; Urminsky, Oleg

2017-01-01

Although incentives can be a powerful motivator of behavior when they are available, an influential body of research has suggested that rewards can persistently reduce engagement after they end. This research has resulted in widespread skepticism among practitioners and academics alike about using incentives to motivate behavior change. However, recent field studies looking at the longer term effects of temporary incentives have not found such detrimental behavior. We design an experimental framework to study dynamic behavior under temporary rewards, and find that although there is a robust decrease in engagement immediately after the incentive ends, engagement returns to a postreward baseline that is equal to or exceeds the initial baseline. As a result, the net effect of temporary incentives on behavior is strongly positive. The decrease in postreward engagement is not on account of a reduction in intrinsic motivation, but is instead driven by a desire to take a "break," consistent with maintaining a balance between goals with primarily immediate and primarily delayed benefits. Further supporting this interpretation, the initial decrease in postreward engagement is reduced by contextual factors (such as less task difficulty and higher magnitude incentives) that reduce the imbalance between effort and leisure. These findings are contrary to the predictions of major established accounts and have important implications for designing effective incentive policies to motivate behavior change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Cash incentives improve participation rate in a face-to-face survey: an intervention study.

PubMed

Chen, Ke; Lei, Han; Li, Ge; Huang, Wei; Mu, Lihong

2015-02-01

Our study examined the effect of a ChinaYuan (CNY) 10 cash incentive on the participation rate in a face-to-face health survey among the general Chinese population. Subjects older than 15 years of age and had been living in the two selected districts for more than 6 months were selected using multistage random sampling. Participants from only one district received a cash incentive (CNY 10) for completing the survey. The participation rates in the nonincentive and incentive groups were 39.9% and 61.2%, respectively, P < 0.01. In the nonincentive group, the 65-74 years age group had the highest participation rate (54.4%); no significant difference was found between men (39.4%) and women (40.5%), P = 0.59. In the incentive group, the highest participation rate was observed in the ≥75 years (78.1%) age group. The cost for a completed interview was CNY 34.5 in the incentive group and CNY 35.8 in the nonincentive group. Cash incentives might increase participation rates in face-to-face surveys in China. The absolute cost was higher for the incentive group, whereas cost for a completed interview was actually the lowest. Furthermore, participation rate did not differ between men and women, but elders were more likely to participate in health surveys. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Humans Integrate Monetary and Liquid Incentives to Motivate Cognitive Task Performance

PubMed Central

Yee, Debbie M.; Krug, Marie K.; Allen, Ariel Z.; Braver, Todd S.

2016-01-01

It is unequivocal that a wide variety of incentives can motivate behavior. However, few studies have explicitly examined whether and how different incentives are integrated in terms of their motivational influence. The current study examines the combined effects of monetary and liquid incentives on cognitive processing, and whether appetitive and aversive incentives have distinct influences. We introduce a novel task paradigm, in which participants perform cued task-switching for monetary rewards that vary parametrically across trials, with liquid incentives serving as post-trial performance feedback. Critically, the symbolic meaning of the liquid was held constant (indicating successful reward attainment), while liquid valence was blocked. In the first experiment, monetary rewards combined additively with appetitive liquid feedback to improve subject task performance. Aversive liquid feedback counteracted monetary reward effects in low monetary reward trials, particularly in a subset of participants who tended to avoid responding under these conditions. Self-report motivation ratings predicted behavioral performance above and beyond experimental effects. A follow-up experiment replicated the predictive power of motivation ratings even when only appetitive liquids were used, suggesting that ratings reflect idiosyncratic subjective values of, rather than categorical differences between, the liquid incentives. Together, the findings indicate an integrative relationship between primary and secondary incentives and potentially dissociable influences in modulating motivational value, while informing hypotheses regarding candidate neural mechanisms. PMID:26834668

Effect of Incentives and Mailing Features on Online Health Program Enrollment

PubMed Central

Alexander, Gwen L.; Divine, George W.; Couper, Mick P.; McClure, Jennifer B.; Stopponi, Melanie A.; Fortman, Kristine K.; Tolsma, Dennis D.; Strecher, Victor J.; Johnson, Christine Cole

2008-01-01

Background With the growing use of Internet-based interventions, strategies are needed to encourage broader participation. This study examined the effects of combinations of monetary incentives and mailing characteristics on enrollment, retention, and cost effectiveness for an online health program. Methods In 2004, a recruitment letter was mailed to randomly selected Midwestern integrated health system members aged 21–65 and stratified by gender and race/ethnicity; recipients were randomly pre-assigned to one of 24 combinations of incentives and various mailing characteristics. Enrollment and 3-month retention rates were measured by completion of online surveys. Analysis, completed in 2005, compared enrollment and retention factors using t tests and chi-square tests. Multivariate logistic regression modeling assessed the probability of enrollment and retention. Results Of 12,289 subjects, 531 (4.3%) enrolled online, ranging from 1% to 11% by incentive combination. Highest enrollment occurred with unconditional incentives, and responses varied by gender. Retention rates ranged from 0% to 100%, with highest retention linked to higher-value incentives. The combination of a $2 bill prepaid incentive and the promise of $20 for retention (10% enrollment and 71% retention) was optimal, considering per-subject recruitment costs ($32 enrollment, $70 retention) and equivalent enrollment by gender and race/ethnicity. Conclusions Cash incentives improved enrollment in an online health program. Men and women responded differently to mailing characteristics and incentives. Including a small prepaid monetary incentive ($2 or $5) and revealing the higher promised-retention incentive was cost effective and boosted enrollment. PMID:18407004

On Supplementing “Foot in the Door” Incentives for eHealth Program Engagement

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Financial health incentives, such as paying people to lose weight, are being widely implemented by Western nations and large corporations. A growing number of studies have tested the impact of incentives on health behaviors, though few have evaluated the approach on a population-scale. In this issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research, Liu et al add to the evidence-base by examining whether a single incentive can motivate enrollment and engagement in a preventive eHealth program in a sample of 142,726 Canadian adults. While the incentives increased enrollment significantly (by a factor of about 28), a very high level of program attrition was noted (90%). The “foot in the door” incentive technique employed was insufficient; enrollees received incentives for signing-up for, but not for engaging with, the eHealth program. To supplement this technique and drive sustained behavior change, several theoretically- and empirically-based strategies are proposed. Specifically, incentives indexed to behavioral achievements over time are highlighted as one approach to boost engagement in this population in the future. PMID:25092221

Reports of unintended consequences of financial incentives to improve management of hypertension.

PubMed

Hysong, Sylvia J; SoRelle, Richard; Broussard Smitham, Kristen; Petersen, Laura A

2017-01-01

Given the increase in financial-incentive programs nationwide, many physicians and physician groups are concerned about potential unintended consequences of providing financial incentives to improve quality of care. However, few studies examine whether actual unintended consequences result from providing financial incentives to physicians. We sought to document the extent to which the unintended consequences discussed in the literature were observable in a randomized clinical trial (RCT) of financial incentives. We conducted a qualitative observational study nested within a larger RCT of financial incentives to improve hypertension care. We conducted 30-minute telephone interviews with primary care personnel at facilities participating in the RCT housed at12 geographically dispersed Veterans Affairs Medical Centers nationwide. Participants answered questions about unintended effects, clinic team dynamics, organizational impact on care delivery, study participation. We employed a blend of inductive and deductive qualitative techniques for analysis. Sixty-five participants were recruited from RCT enrollees and personnel not enrolled in the larger RCT, plus one primary care leader per site. Emergent themes included possible patient harm, emphasis on documentation over improving care, reduced professional morale, and positive spillover. All discussions of unintended consequences involving patient harm were only concerns, not actual events. Several unintended consequences concerned ancillary initiatives for quality improvement (e.g., practice guidelines and performance measurement systems) rather than financial incentives. Many unintended consequences of financial incentives noted were either only concerns or attributable to ancillary quality-improvement initiatives. Actual unintended consequences included improved documentation of care without necessarily improving actual care, and positive unintended consequences. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00302718.

The Effect of Green Home, Green Behavior, and Livability on the Financial Incentive in Medan City, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fachrudin, K. A.; Fachrudin, H. T.

2017-03-01

A green home focuses on the efficient usage of resources. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of green homes, green behavior, and livability on financial incentives. The population of this study is a largest and oldest housing in Medan City and sample is 100 houses. The method that used is path analysis. The findings show that the application of the green concept according to the residents have positive and significant impact on livability within alpha 5 percent, but livability has positive and unsignificant impact on the financial incentive. The application of green concept have no significant effect either directly or through livability to the financial incentive. Factor affecting the financial incentive is green behavior. It is expected that residents can increase the awareness about environment and have green behavior.

The Effect of Incentives on Cognitive Processing of Text

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konheim-Kalkstein, Yasmine L.; van den Broek, Paul

2008-01-01

This study examines the effect of incentives, a motivational manipulation, on cognitive processes of reading. Extrinsic motivation was manipulated through the use of monetary incentives to assess its effect on information processing in reading. One group of college students was paid for what they remembered from several narrative passages they…

Parental financial incentives for increasing preschool vaccination uptake: systematic review.

PubMed

Wigham, Sarah; Ternent, Laura; Bryant, Andrew; Robalino, Shannon; Sniehotta, Falko F; Adams, Jean

2014-10-01

Financial incentives have been used to promote vaccination uptake but are not always viewed as acceptable. Quasimandatory policies, such as requiring vaccinations for school enrollment, are widely implemented in some countries. A systematic review was conducted to determine the effectiveness, acceptability, and economic costs and consequences of parental financial incentives and quasimandatory schemes for increasing the uptake of preschool vaccinations in high-income countries. Electronic databases and gray literature were searched for randomized controlled trials, controlled before-and-after studies, and time series analyses examining the effectiveness of parental financial incentives and quasimandatory schemes, as well as any empirical studies exploring acceptability. All included studies were screened for information on economic costs and consequences. Two reviewers independently assessed studies for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed the quality of selected articles by using established instruments. Studies were synthesized in narrative reviews. Four studies on the effectiveness and 6 on the acceptability of parental financial incentives and quasimandatory interventions met the inclusion criteria. Only 1 study reported on costs and consequences. Studies of effectiveness had low risk of bias but displayed substantial heterogeneity in terms of interventions and methods. There was insufficient evidence to conclude whether these interventions were effective. Studies of acceptability suggested a preference, in settings where this already occurs, for incentives linking vaccinations to access to education. There was insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on economic costs and consequences. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The Mixed Nature of Incentives for Community Health Workers: Lessons from a Qualitative Study in Two Districts in India.

PubMed

Sarin, Enisha; Lunsford, Sarah Smith; Sooden, Ankur; Rai, Sanjay; Livesley, Nigel

2016-01-01

Incentives play an important role in motivating community health workers (CHWs). In India, accredited social health activists (ASHAs) are female CHWs who provide a range of services, including those specific to reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 49 ASHAs and one of their family members (husband, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, or son) from Gurdaspur and Mewat districts to explore the role of family, community, and health system in supporting ASHAs in their work. Thematic analysis revealed that incentives were both empowering and a source of distress for ASHAs and their families. Earning income and contributing to the household's financial wellbeing inspired a sense of financial independence and self-confidence for ASHAs, especially with respect to relations with their husbands and parents-in-law. In spite of the empowering effects of the incentives, they were a cause of distress. Low incentive rates relative to the level of effort required to complete ASHA responsibilities, compounded by irregular and incomplete payment, put pressure on families. ASHAs dedicated much of their time and own resources to perform their duties, drawing them away from their household responsibilities. Communication around incentives from supervisors may have led ASHAs to prioritize and promote those services that yielded higher incentives, as opposed to focusing on the most appropriate services for the client. ASHAs and their families maintained hope that their positions would eventually bring in a regular salary, which contributed to retention of ASHAs. Incentives, therefore, are both motivating and inspiring as well as a cause dissatisfaction among ASHAs and their families. Recommendations include revising the incentive scheme to be responsive to the time and effort required to complete tasks and the out-of-pocket costs incurred while working as an ASHA; improve communication to ASHAs on incentives and responsibilities; and ensure timely and complete payment of incentives to ASHAs. The findings from this study contribute to the existing literature on incentivized CHW programs and help throw added light on the role incentives play in family dynamics which affects performance of CHW.

Physical activity loyalty cards for behavior change: a quasi-experimental study.

PubMed

Hunter, Ruth F; Tully, Mark A; Davis, Michael; Stevenson, Michael; Kee, Frank

2013-07-01

Financial incentives have been advocated by the UK and U.S. governments to encourage adoption of healthy lifestyles. However, evidence to support the use of incentives for changing physical activity (PA) behavior is sparse. To investigate the effectiveness of financial incentives to increase PA in adults in the workplace. Two-arm quasi-experimental design. Employees (n=406) in a workplace setting in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. Using a loyalty card to collect points and earn rewards, participants (n=199) in the Incentive Group monitored their PA levels and received financial incentives (retail vouchers) for minutes of PA completed over the course of a 12-week intervention period. Participants (n=207) in the comparison group used their loyalty card to self-monitor their PA levels but were not able to earn points or obtain incentives (No Incentive Group). The primary outcome was minutes of PA objectively measured using a novel PA tracking system at baseline (April 2011); Week 6 (June 2011); and Week 12 (July 2011). Other outcomes, including a self-report measure of PA, were collected at baseline, Week 12, and 6 months (October 2011). Data were analyzed in June 2012. No significant differences between groups were found for primary or secondary outcomes at the 12-week and 6-month assessments. Participants in the Incentive Group recorded 17.52 minutes of PA/week (95% CI=12.49, 22.56) compared to 16.63 minutes/week (95% CI=11.76, 21.51) in the No Incentive Group at Week 12 (p=0.59). At 6 months, participants in the Incentive Group recorded 26.18 minutes of PA/week (95% CI=20.06, 32.29) compared to 24.00 minutes/week (95% CI=17.45, 30.54) in the No Incentive Group (p=0.45). Financial incentives did not encourage participants to undertake more PA than self-monitoring PA. This study contributes to the evidence base and has important implications for increasing participation in physical activity and fostering links with the business sector. Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Response of smooth rock skullcap (Scutellaria saxatilis), a globally rare plant, to fire

Treesearch

Cynthia D. Huebner; Kent Karriker

2015-01-01

Scutellaria saxatilis Riddell (smooth rock skullcap or rock skullcap, hereafter abbreviated as SRS), a herbaceous perennial in the mint family, is a globally rare (G3) plant. In West Virginia, SRS is categorized as an S2 species (imperiled and at high risk of extinction due to a very restricted range, very few [

77 FR 43662 - Price for the 2012 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-25

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Price for the 2012 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin... is lowering the price of the 2012 American Eagle Silver Proof Coin. The product will now be offered for sale at a price of $54.95. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: B. B. Craig, Associate Director for...

The giant and the thief

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Socrates Bardi, Jason

2010-01-01

In 1696 Isaac Newton made what seems like a bizarre career move. Abandoning Cambridge University and the mathematical pursuits that made him famous, the 53-year-old scientist upped sticks for London to become warden of the Royal Mint. Part administrator, part coining expert, and part criminal prosecutor, this new role would occupy Newton for the remaining three decades of his life.

75 FR 13345 - Pricing for Certain United States Mint Products

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-19

... is announcing the price of First Spouse Bronze Medals and 2010 First Spouse Bronze Medal Series: Four... currently on sale, effective March 18, 2010. The 2010 First Spouse Bronze Medal Series: Four-Medal Set will be priced at $15.95 and will contain all four 2010 First Spouse Bronze Medals. The release date for...

The Color of Money

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blair, Michael

2004-01-01

What do the glory of ancient Rome and the chemistry of copper have in common? Bronze coins. Romans minted millions of them to be used throughout the empire and a significant number became lost, only for us to find, two millennia later. Over the years, the coins have reacted with oxygen, sulfur, and chlorine to corrode into chemical products that…

76 FR 67793 - Notification of Expanded Pricing Grid for Precious Metals Products Containing Platinum and Gold...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-02

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Notification of Expanded Pricing Grid for Precious... in the Federal Register on January 6, 2009, outlining the new pricing methodology for numismatic... considerably, and is approaching the upper bracket of the pricing grid. As a result, it is necessary to expand...

Scaling the Ivory Tower

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Jamal Eric

2011-01-01

It used to be that newly minted Ph.D.s had to establish themselves and cut their academic teeth at less competitive colleges and universities. That was certainly true for young Black scholars. The prospects of landing a coveted teaching position at one of the nation's eight Ivy League institutions were dim. In the years leading up to the Civil…

31 CFR 91.14 - Penalties and other law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Penalties and other law. 91.14... CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.14 Penalties and other law. Whoever...). Nothing contained in the regulations in this part shall be construed to abrogate any other Federal laws or...

31 CFR 91.11 - Dogs and other animals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Dogs and other animals. 91.11 Section... CONDUCT IN OR ON THE BUREAU OF THE MINT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS § 91.11 Dogs and other animals. Dogs and other animals, except seeing-eye dogs, shall not be brought upon the property for other than official...

31 CFR 92.2 - Sale of “list” medals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES Numismatic Operations § 92.2 Sale of “list” medals. Medals on the regular Mint list, when available, are sold to the public at a charge sufficient to cover their cost, and to include mailing cost when mailed. Copies of the list of medals available for sale and their selling prices may be...

Psychophysical Isolation of the Modality Responsible for Detecting Multimodal Stimuli: A Chemosensory Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagata, Hisanori; Dalton, Pamela; Doolittle, Nadine; Breslin, Paul A. S.

2005-01-01

Multiple sense modalities can be stimulated conjointly by a physically complex item, such as a predator, and also by a physically solitary stimulus that acts on multiple receptor classes. As a prime example of this latter group, l-menthol from mint stimulates taste, smell, and several somatosensory submodalities. In 6 experiments that used a…

31 CFR 92.17 - Final action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Final action. 92.17 Section 92.17... Words, Letters, Symbols, or Emblems of the United States Mint § 92.17 Final action. (a) In making a... Notice of Assessment (or on demand under paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(D) of this section), a civil action to...

Shipboard Acoustic Current Profiling during the Coastal Ocean Dynamics Experiment,

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-05-01

average profile based on the bottori depth estimated from the ship’s posit ion. in the CODEU region. an efficient computer routine was developed for... forex ~and and( port ward comnport ent s of V. at conistant z ., the depth Iill ships coordi- nlatv (’S(Chap 2). The data cort- from I -mintIe

The effect of consumer incentives on Medicaid beneficiaries' compliance with well-child visit guidelines.

PubMed

Nyman, John A; Abraham, Jean M; Riley, William

2013-01-01

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 recommends that consumer incentives be employed to increase the use of preventive care by Medicaid beneficiaries, but few evaluative studies exist. This study evaluates a Target gift card incentive employed by a Minnesota health plan serving Medicaid beneficiaries over the period 2002-2003. Lacking a contemporaneous control group, the proximity between the child's residence and the nearest Target store was used as the intervention variable. Using alternative specifications for the intervention variable, results of the difference-in-differences equations suggest that the incentive program significantly increased the likelihood that a Medicaid beneficiary would have a well-child visit.

Community opioid treatment perspectives on contingency management: Perceived feasibility, effectiveness, and transportability of social and financial incentives

PubMed Central

Hartzler, Bryan; Rabun, Carl

2013-01-01

Treatment community reluctance toward contingency management (CM) may be better understood by eliciting views of its feasibility, effectiveness, and transportability when social vs. financial incentives are utilized. This mixed method study involved individual staff interviews representing three personnel tiers (an executive, clinical supervisor, and two front-line clinicians) at 16 opiate treatment programs. Interviews included Likert ratings of feasibility, effectiveness, and transportability of each incentive type, and content analysis of corresponding interviewee narrative. Multi-level modeling analyses indicated that social incentives were perceived more feasible, more effective, and more transportable than financial incentives, with results pervading personnel tier. Content analysis suggested the more positive perception of social incentives was most often due to expected logistical advantages, positive impacts on patient quality-of-life, and philosophical congruence among staff. Weaker perception of financial incentives was most often influenced by concerns about costs, patient dissatisfaction, and staff philosophical incongruence. Implications for CM dissemination are discussed. PMID:23506780

Blood donors’ attitudes towards incentives: influence on motivation to donate

PubMed Central

Kasraian, Leila; Maghsudlu, Mahtab

2012-01-01

Background Understanding the factors that motivate donors to donate will facilitate improvements in recruitment programmes. Donation incentives are often used to improve the effect of recruitment programmes. This cross-sectional study was designed to understand donors’ attitudes toward incentives. Material and methods Participants (n=421) were recruited among volunteer donors at the Shiraz Blood Transfusion Centre when they registered for blood donation. They completed a questionnaire with items regarding demographic characteristics, donation status (first-time donor or regular donor), and their motivation for donating, their attitude towards incentives, and the best type of incentives. Multiple logistic regression and chi-squared tests were used to analyse the data with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Results The majority of donors (85.6%) donated blood for altruistic reasons. One quarter of the donors (25.3%) believed that incentives should be offered to encourage them to donate. Most donors (84.5%) believed that the most effective incentive was offering specific blood tests. Donors who had donated for non-altruistic reasons were more interested in receiving incentives. The desire to receive incentives was more widespread among younger, married, first-time donors, donors with a lower educational level and donors with a history of more than five donations. The desire to receive incentives decreased as age increased. Discussion Most of the donors (74.7%) had no desire to receive incentives, and this was even more apparent among donors who donated for altruistic reasons. Non-monetary incentives may be effective in attracting younger, married, first-time donors, donors with a lower educational level and donors with a history of more than five donations. PMID:22044949

The Impact of an Incentive on the Use of an Online Self-Directed Wellness and Self-Management Program

PubMed Central

Greene, Jessica

2014-01-01

Background Those who pay for health care are increasingly looking for strategies to influence individuals to take a more active role in managing their health. Incenting health plan members and/or employees to participate in wellness programs is a widely used approach. Objective In this study, we examine financial incentives to health plan members to participate in an online self-management/wellness program—US $20 for completing the patient activation measure (PAM) and an additional US $40 for completing 8 learning modules. We examined whether the characteristics of plan members differed by the degree to which they responded to the incentives. Further, we examined whether participation in the wellness program was associated with improvements in PAM scores and changes in health care utilization. Methods This retrospective study compared demographic characteristics and change in PAM scores and health utilization for 144,625 health plan members in 2011. Four groups were compared: (1) those who were offered the incentives but chose not to participate (n=128,634), (2) those who received the initial incentive (PAM only) but did not complete 8 topics (n=7099), (3) those who received both incentives (completing 8 topics but no more) (n=2693), and (4) those who received both incentives and continued using the online program beyond what was required by the incentives (n=6249). Results The vast majority of health plan members did not participate in the program (88.91%, 128,634/144,675). Of those who participated, only 7099 of 16,041 (44.25%) completed the PAM for the first incentive, 2693 (16.79%) completed 8 topics for the second incentive, and 6249 (38.96%) received both incentives and continued using the program beyond the incentive requirements. Nonparticipants were more likely to be men and to have lower health risk scores on average than the other three groups of participants (P<.001). In multivariate regression models, those who used the online program (8 topics or beyond) increased their PAM score by approximately 1 point more than those who only took the PAM and did not use the wellness program (P<.03). In addition, emergency department visits were lower for all groups who responded to any level of the incentive as compared to those who did not (P<.01). No differences were found in other types of utilization. Conclusions The incentive was not sufficient to spark most health plan members to use the wellness program. However, the fact that many program participants went beyond the incentive in their use of the online wellness program suggests that the users of the online program found value in using it, and it was their own internal motivation that stimulated this additional use. Providing an incentive for program participation may be an effective pathway for working with less activated patients, particularly if the program is tailored to the needs of the less activated. PMID:25280348

Financial incentives and maternal health: where do we go from here?

PubMed

Morgan, Lindsay; Stanton, Mary Ellen; Higgs, Elizabeth S; Balster, Robert L; Bellows, Ben W; Brandes, Neal; Comfort, Alison B; Eichler, Rena; Glassman, Amanda; Hatt, Laurel E; Conlon, Claudia M; Koblinsky, Marge

2013-12-01

Health financing strategies that incorporate financial incentives are being applied in many low- and middle-income countries, and improving maternal and neonatal health is often a central goal. As yet, there have been few reviews of such programmes and their impact on maternal health. The US Government Evidence Summit on Enhancing Provision and use of Maternal Health Services through Financial Incentives was convened on 24-25 April 2012 to address this gap. This article, the final in a series assessing the effects of financial incentives--performance-based incentives (PBIs), insurance, user fee exemption programmes, conditional cash transfers, and vouchers--summarizes the evidence and discusses issues of context, programme design and implementation, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. We suggest key areas to consider when designing and implementing financial incentive programmes for enhancing maternal health and highlight gaps in evidence that could benefit from additional research. Although the methodological rigor of studies varies, the evidence, overall, suggests that financial incentives can enhance demand for and improve the supply of maternal health services. Definitive evidence demonstrating a link between incentives and improved health outcomes is lacking; however, the evidence suggests that financial incentives can increase the quantity and quality of maternal health services and address health systems and financial barriers that prevent women from accessing and providers from delivering quality, lifesaving maternal healthcare.

Influence of paper color and a monetary incentive on response rate.

PubMed

King, Keith A; Vaughan, Jennifer L

2004-10-01

This study examined whether survey response rate differed based on the color of the paper the survey was printed on (blue vs green) and presence of a monetary incentive. A 4-page survey on eating disorders was mailed to Division 1A and 1AA college head athletic trainers (N=223) with half of the surveys on blue paper and half on green paper. Half of the athletic trainers (n = 111) received a $1.00 monetary incentive, and half (n = 112) received no monetary incentive. A total of 166 (71%) athletic trainers returned completed surveys. Response rates did not differ based on survey color but did differ based on presence of a monetary incentive. Athletic trainers who received a monetary incentive were significantly more likely than those who did not to return completed surveys (86% vs 63%, respectively).

EDXRF study of Indian punch-marked silver coins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijayan, V.; Rautray, T. R.; Basa, D. K.

2004-09-01

Coins are important archaeological objects that can provide valuable information regarding coin minting methodology and provenance as well as politics and economics of the time. Punch-marked coins are the oldest known numismatics used in ancient India. 23 Indian punch-marked silver coins were analysed, for the first time, by using multi-elemental non-destructive energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique. Our study reveals that silver, copper, iron, gold and lead are the significant constituents of the Indian punch marked silver coins, with minor/trace of elements like Ti, Cr, Co, Ni, As and Y also seems to indicate the fragmentation as well as the impoverishment of the power for the regimes that had produced the studied coins.

CpG Island Methylator Phenotype and Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer in Northeast China

PubMed Central

Li, Xia; Hu, Fulan; Yao, Xiaoping; Zhang, Zuoming; Wang, Fan; Sun, Guizhi; Cui, Bin-Bin; Dong, Xinshu; Zhao, Yashuang

2014-01-01

Purpose. To investigate the association between CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) and the overall survival of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) in Northeast China. Methods. 282 sporadic CRC patients were recruited in this study. We selected MLH1, MGMT, p16, APC, MINT1, MINT31, and RUNX3 as the CIMP panel markers. The promoter methylation was assessed by methylation sensitive high resolution melting (MS-HRM). Proportional hazards-regression models were fitted with computing hazard ratios (HR) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results. 12.77% (36/282) of patients were CIMP-0, 74.1% (209/282) of patients were CIMP-L, and 13.12% (37/282) of patients were CIMP-H. The five-year survival of the 282 CRC patients was 58%. There was significant association between APC gene promoter methylation and CRC overall survival (HR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.05–2.46; P = 0.03). CIMP-H was significantly associated with worse prognosis compared to CIMP-0 (HR = 3.06; 95% CI: 1.19–7.89; P = 0.02) and CIMP-L (HR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.11–3.48; P = 0.02), respectively. While comparing with the combine of CIMP-L and CIMP-0 (CIMP-L/0), CIMP-H also presented a worse prognosis (HR = 2.31; 95% CI: 1.02–5.24; P = 0.04). Conclusion. CIMP-H may be a predictor of a poor prognosis of CRC in Northeast China patients. PMID:25243122

CpG island methylator phenotype and prognosis of colorectal cancer in Northeast China.

PubMed

Li, Xia; Hu, Fulan; Wang, Yibaina; Yao, Xiaoping; Zhang, Zuoming; Wang, Fan; Sun, Guizhi; Cui, Bin-Bin; Dong, Xinshu; Zhao, Yashuang

2014-01-01

To investigate the association between CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) and the overall survival of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) in Northeast China. 282 sporadic CRC patients were recruited in this study. We selected MLH1, MGMT, p16, APC, MINT1, MINT31, and RUNX3 as the CIMP panel markers. The promoter methylation was assessed by methylation sensitive high resolution melting (MS-HRM). Proportional hazards-regression models were fitted with computing hazard ratios (HR) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). 12.77% (36/282) of patients were CIMP-0, 74.1% (209/282) of patients were CIMP-L, and 13.12% (37/282) of patients were CIMP-H. The five-year survival of the 282 CRC patients was 58%. There was significant association between APC gene promoter methylation and CRC overall survival (HR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.05-2.46; P = 0.03). CIMP-H was significantly associated with worse prognosis compared to CIMP-0 (HR = 3.06; 95% CI: 1.19-7.89; P = 0.02) and CIMP-L (HR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.11-3.48; P = 0.02), respectively. While comparing with the combine of CIMP-L and CIMP-0 (CIMP-L/0), CIMP-H also presented a worse prognosis (HR = 2.31; 95% CI: 1.02-5.24; P = 0.04). CIMP-H may be a predictor of a poor prognosis of CRC in Northeast China patients.

An Alternative Classification Scheme for Teaching Performance Incentives Using a Factor Analytic Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mertler, Craig A.

This study attempted to (1) expand the dichotomous classification scheme typically used by educators and researchers to describe teaching incentives and (2) offer administrators and teachers an alternative framework within which to develop incentive systems. Elementary, middle, and high school teachers in Ohio rated 10 commonly instituted teaching…

Building on Student Achievement through Incentive Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchanan, Saneik

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine if incentive programs like Renaissance impact high school students and faculty. Incentives can go a long way for students in schools. At Lehigh Senior High School (LSHS), for example, students were introduced to the Renaissance Program this school year, by receiving goodies. Coupons at Dairy Queen,…

Effect of preoperative and postoperative incentive spirometry on lung functions after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PubMed

Kundra, Pankaj; Vitheeswaran, Madhurima; Nagappa, Mahesh; Sistla, Sarath

2010-06-01

This study was designed to compare the effects of preoperative and postoperative incentive spirometry on lung functions after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 50 otherwise normal healthy adults. Patients were randomized into a control group (group PO, n=25) and a study group (group PR, n=25). Patients in group PR were instructed to carry out incentive spirometry before the surgery 15 times, every fourth hourly, for 1 week whereas in group PO, incentive spirometry was carried out during the postoperative period. Lung functions were recorded at the time of preanesthetic evaluation, on the day before the surgery, postoperatively at 6, 24, and 48 hours, and at discharge. Significant improvement in the lung functions was seen after preoperative incentive spirometry (group PR), P<0.05. The lung functions were significantly reduced till the time of discharge in both the groups. However, lung functions were better preserved in group PR at all times when compared with group PO; P<0.05. To conclude, lung functions are better preserved with preoperative than postoperative incentive spirometry.

An Examination of Incentive Strategies to Increase Participation in Outcomes Research for an Adolescent Inpatient Unit.

PubMed

Ha, Carolyn; Madan, Alok; Long, Tessa A; Sharp, Carla

2016-05-01

Tracking adolescent outcomes after inpatient hospitalization is important in informing clinical care for this age group, as inpatient care is one of the most expensive treatment modalities. This study examined 4 incentive strategies used to maintain adolescent participation in follow-up research (at 6, 12, and 18 mo) after their discharge from the hospital (N=267). A generalized estimation equation approach was taken to investigate whether different incentive strategies predicted adolescent completion of the follow-up assessments at each time point. Findings demonstrate that implementation of social worker contact significantly differed from other incentive strategies in increasing adolescent completion of follow-up assessments (Z=2.51, P=0.012) over the 3 time points, even when controlling for age and sex. Although these findings ultimately need to be confirmed through a randomized controlled study of incentive strategies, they provide preliminary support for the notion that relational incentives, such as maintaining contact with a member of the clinical team at the hospital, may be particularly important in promoting adolescent participation in outcomes research.

Financial incentives for quality in breast cancer care.

PubMed

Tisnado, Diana M; Rose-Ash, Danielle E; Malin, Jennifer L; Adams, John L; Ganz, Patricia A; Kahn, Katherine L

2008-07-01

To examine the use of financial incentives related to performance on quality measures reported by oncologists and surgeons associated with a population-based cohort of patients with breast cancer in Los Angeles County, California, and to explore the physician and practice characteristics associated with the use of these incentives among breast cancer care providers. Cross-sectional observational study. Physician self-reported financial arrangements from a survey of 348 medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and surgeons caring for patients with breast cancer in Los Angeles County (response rate, 76%). Physicians were asked whether they were subject to financial incentives for quality (ie, patient satisfaction surveys and adherence to practice guidelines). We examined the prevalence and correlates of incentives and performed multivariate logistic regression analyses to assess predictors of incentives, controlling for other covariates. Twenty percent of respondents reported incentives based on patient satisfaction, and 15% reported incentives based on guideline adherence. The use of incentives for quality in this cohort of oncologists and surgeons was modest and was primarily associated with staff- or group-model health maintenance organization (HMO) settings. In other settings, important predictors were partial physician ownership interest, large practice size, and capitation. Most cancer care providers in Los Angeles County outside of staff- or group-model HMOs are not subject to explicit financial incentives based on quality-of-care measures. Those who are, seem more likely to be associated with large practice settings. New approaches are needed to direct financial incentives for quality toward specialists outside of staff- or group-model HMOs if pay-for-performance programs are to succeed in influencing care.

Financial incentives to discontinue long-term benzodiazepine use: a discrete choice experiment investigating patient preferences and willingness to participate

PubMed Central

Marti, Joachim; Bachhuber, Marcus; Feingold, Jordyn; Meads, David; Richards, Michael; Hennessy, Sean

2017-01-01

Objectives Investigate the acceptability of financial incentives for initiating a medically supervised benzodiazepine discontinuation programme among people with long-term benzodiazepine use and to identify programme features that influence willingness to participate. Methods We conducted a discrete choice experiment in which we presented a variety of incentive-based programs to a sample of older adults with long-term benzodiazepine use identified using the outpatient electronic health record of a university-owned health system. We studied four programme variables: incentive amount for initiating the programme, incentive amount for successful benzodiazepine discontinuation, lottery versus certain payment and whether partial payment was given for dose reduction. Respondents reported their willingness to participate in the programmes and additional information was collected on demographics, history of use and anxiety symptoms. Results The overall response rate was 28.4%. Among the 126 respondents, all four programme variables influenced stated preferences. Respondents strongly preferred guaranteed cash-based incentives as opposed to a lottery, and the dollar amount of both the starting and conditional incentives had a substantial impact on choice. Willingness to participate increased with the amount of conditional incentive. Programme participation also varied by gender, duration of use and income. Conclusions Participation in an incentive-based benzodiazepine discontinuation programme might be relatively low, but is modifiable by programme variables including incentive amounts. These results will be helpful to inform the design of future trials of benzodiazepine discontinuation programmes. Further research is needed to assess the financial viability and potential cost-effectiveness of such economic incentives. PMID:28988167

Effectiveness of incentives for agri-environment measure in Mediterranean degraded and eroded vineyards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galati, Antonino; Gristina, Luciano; Crescimanno, Maria; Barone, Ettore; Novara, Agata

2015-04-01

The evaluation of the economic damage caused by soil erosion assumes great importance. It serves to increase awareness of the problem among farmers and policy makers. Moreover, it can promote the implementation of conservative measures at the field and basin level by spurring the development of more sustainable soil management practices. In the present study we have developed a new approach to evaluate the incentive for the adoption of Agri-Environment Measure (AEM) in Mediterranean degraded and eroded vineyards. In order to estimate this incentive, the replacement cost and the loss of income are calculated under two different soil management such as Conventional Tillage (CT) and Cover crop (AEM). Our findings show that the incentive could range between the loss of income due to AEM adoption and ecosystem service benefit (RCCT - RC AEM). In the case of study the incentive ranged between 315 € ha-1 (loss of income) and 1,087.86 € ha-1 (Ecosystem service benefit). Within this range, the incentive amount is determined according to efficiency criteria taking into account the morphological conditions of the territory in which operate the farms. Moreover, a conceptual model on the public spending efficiency has been developed to allocate the incentives where the economic return in term of ecosystem service is higher.

Small Cash Incentives Can Encourage Primary Care Visits By Low-Income People With New Health Care Coverage.

PubMed

Bradley, Cathy J; Neumark, David

2017-08-01

In a randomized controlled trial, we studied low-income adults newly covered by a primary care program to determine whether a cash incentive could encourage them to make an initial visit to a primary care provider. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: three groups whose members received $10 to complete a baseline survey during an interview and who were randomized to incentives of $50, $25, or $0 to visit their assigned primary care provider within six months after enrolling in the study; and a nonincentivized control group not contacted by the research team. Subjects in the $50 and $25 incentive groups were more likely to see a primary care provider (77 percent and 74 percent, respectively), compared to subjects in the $0 incentive group (68 percent). The effects of the intervention were about twice as large when we compared the proportions of subjects in the $50 and $25 incentive groups who visited their providers and the proportion in the nonincentivized group (61 percent). Cash incentive programs may steer newly covered low-income patients toward primary care, which could result in improved health outcomes and lower costs. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Threats to Moral Identity: Testing the Effects of Incentives and Consequences of One’s Actions on Moral Cleansing

PubMed Central

Harkrider, Lauren N.; Tamborski, Michael A.; Wang, Xiaoqian; Brown, Ryan P.; Mumford, Michael D.; Connelly, Shane; Devenport, Lynn D.

2015-01-01

Individuals engage in moral cleansing, a compensatory process to reaffirm one’s moral identity, when one’s moral self-concept is threatened. However, too much moral cleansing can license individuals to engage in future unethical acts. This study examined the effects of incentives and consequences of one’s actions on cheating behavior and moral cleansing. Results found that incentives and consequences interacted such that unethical thoughts were especially threatening, resulting in more moral cleansing, when large incentives to cheat were present and cheating explicitly harmed others. Implications are discussed in terms of ethics training, using incentives as motivators, and the depersonalized norms of science. PMID:26085781

University-Affiliated Alcohol Marketing Enhances the Incentive Salience of Alcohol Cues.

PubMed

Bartholow, Bruce D; Loersch, Chris; Ito, Tiffany A; Levsen, Meredith P; Volpert-Esmond, Hannah I; Fleming, Kimberly A; Bolls, Paul; Carter, Brooke K

2018-01-01

We tested whether affiliating beer brands with universities enhances the incentive salience of those brands for underage drinkers. In Study 1, 128 undergraduates viewed beer cues while event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. Results showed that beer cues paired with in-group backgrounds (logos for students' universities) evoked an enhanced P3 ERP component, a neural index of incentive salience. This effect varied according to students' levels of identification with their university, and the amplitude of the P3 response prospectively predicted alcohol use over 1 month. In Study 2 ( N = 104), we used a naturalistic advertisement exposure to experimentally create in-group brand associations and found that this manipulation caused an increase in the incentive salience of the beer brand. These data provide the first evidence that marketing beer via affiliating it with students' universities enhances the incentive salience of the brand for underage students and that this effect has implications for their alcohol involvement.

BSN completion barriers, challenges, incentives, and strategies.

PubMed

Duffy, Marie T; Friesen, Mary Ann; Speroni, Karen Gabel; Swengros, Diane; Shanks, Laura A; Waiter, Pamela A; Sheridan, Michael J

2014-04-01

The objectives of this study were to explore RN perceptions regarding barriers/challenges and incentives/supports for BSN completion and identify recommendations to increase RN BSN completion. The Institute of Medicine's 2011 The Future of Nursing report recommended the proportion of RNs with a BSN increase to 80% by 2020. This qualitative study included 41 RNs who participated in 1 of 6 focus groups based on their BSN completion status. Primary themes were sacrifices, barriers/challenges, incentives/supports, value, how to begin, and pressure. Primary BSN completion barriers/challenges were work-life balance and economic issues. Incentives/supports identified were financial compensation, assistance from employer and academic institution, and encouragement from family. Institutional strategies recommended for increasing BSN completion rates were improved access to education and financial support facilitated by collaboration between hospitals and academic institutions. Exploring RN barriers/challenges and incentives/supports for BSN completion can lead to implementation of institutional strategies, such as tuition reimbursement and academic collaboration.

The association between incentive spirometry performance and pain in postoperative thoracic epidural analgesia.

PubMed

Harris, David J; Hilliard, Paul E; Jewell, Elizabeth S; Brummett, Chad M

2015-01-01

Effective use of postoperative incentive spirometry improves patient outcomes but is limited by pain after thoracic and upper abdominal surgery. Thoracic epidurals are frequently used to provide analgesia and attenuate postoperative pulmonary dysfunction. We hypothesized that, in patients with thoracic epidurals for thoracic and abdominal surgery, high pain scores would be associated with poorer incentive spirometry performance, even when accounting for other variables. Retrospective study of 468 patients who underwent upper abdominal or thoracic surgery using postoperative thoracic epidural analgesia between June 1, 2009, and August 31, 2013, at a single tertiary academic center. The association between incentive spirometry performance and pain was assessed as the primary outcome. Other independent predictors of incentive spirometry performance were also identified. Postoperative incentive spirometry performance was found to be inversely proportional to pain score, which correlated significantly stronger with deep breathing pain compared with pain at rest (-0.33 vs -0.14 on postoperative day 1; -0.23 vs -0.12 on postoperative day 2). Pain with deep breathing was independently associated with poorer incentive spirometry performance in the multivariable linear regression model (P < 0.0001), as was increasing age, female sex, thoracic surgery, and higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score. The present study suggests that pain with deep breathing is more indicative of thoracic epidural efficacy than is pain at rest. Furthermore, incentive spirometry performance could be used as another indicator of thoracic epidural efficacy. This may be particularly useful in patients reporting high pain scores postoperatively.

Alternative Fuels Data Center

Science.gov Websites

Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Infrastructure Incentives Study The Georgia Joint Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Study Committee evaluated how providing market incentives for AFV fueling infrastructure may lead . For more information, see the Joint Study Committee

Incentives as connectors: insights into a breastfeeding incentive intervention in a disadvantaged area of North-West England

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Incentive or reward schemes are becoming increasingly popular to motivate healthy lifestyle behaviours. In this paper, insights from a qualitative and descriptive study to investigate the uptake, impact and meanings of a breastfeeding incentive intervention integrated into an existing peer support programme (Star Buddies) are reported. The Star Buddies service employs breastfeeding peer supporters to support women across the ante-natal, intra-partum and post-partum period. Methods In a disadvantaged area of North West England, women initiating breastfeeding were recruited by peer supporters on the postnatal ward or soon after hospital discharge to participate in an 8 week incentive (gifts and vouchers) and breastfeeding peer supporter intervention. In-depth interviews were conducted with 26 women participants who engaged with the incentive intervention, and a focus group was held with the 4 community peer supporters who delivered the intervention. Descriptive analysis of routinely collected data for peer supporter contacts and breastfeeding outcomes before and after the incentive intervention triangulated and retrospectively provided the context for the qualitative thematic analysis. Results A global theme emerged of 'incentives as connectors', with two sub-themes of 'facilitating connections' and 'facilitating relationships and wellbeing'. The incentives were linked to discussion themes and gift giving facilitated peer supporter access for proactive weekly home visits to support women. Regular face to face contacts enabled meaningful relationships and new connections within and between the women, families, peer supporters and care providers to be formed and sustained. Participants in the incentive scheme received more home visits and total contact time with peer supporters compared to women before the incentive intervention. Full participation levels and breastfeeding rates at 6-8 weeks were similar for women before and after the incentive intervention. Conclusion The findings suggest that whilst the provision of incentives might not influence women's intentions or motivations to breastfeed, the connections forged provided psycho-social benefits for both programme users and peer supporters. PMID:22458841

Unintended Consequences of Incentive Provision for Behaviour Change and Maintenance around Childbirth

PubMed Central

Thomson, Gill; Morgan, Heather; Crossland, Nicola; Bauld, Linda; Dykes, Fiona; Hoddinott, Pat

2014-01-01

Financial (positive or negative) and non-financial incentives or rewards are increasingly used in attempts to influence health behaviours. While unintended consequences of incentive provision are discussed in the literature, evidence syntheses did not identify any primary research with the aim of investigating unintended consequences of incentive interventions for lifestyle behaviour change. Our objective was to investigate perceived positive and negative unintended consequences of incentive provision for a shortlist of seven promising incentive strategies for smoking cessation in pregnancy and breastfeeding. A multi-disciplinary, mixed-methods approach included involving two service-user mother and baby groups from disadvantaged areas with experience of the target behaviours as study co-investigators. Systematic reviews informed the shortlist of incentive strategies. Qualitative semi-structured interviews and a web-based survey of health professionals asked open questions on positive and negative consequences of incentives. The participants from three UK regions were a diverse sample with and without direct experience of incentive interventions: 88 pregnant women/recent mothers/partners/family members; 53 service providers; 24 experts/decision makers and interactive discussions with 63 conference attendees. Maternity and early years health professionals (n = 497) including doctors, midwives, health visitors, public health and related staff participated in the survey. Qualitative analysis identified ethical, political, cultural, social and psychological implications of incentive delivery at population and individual levels. Four key themes emerged: how incentives can address or create inequalities; enhance or diminish intrinsic motivation and wellbeing; have a positive or negative effect on relationships with others within personal networks or health providers; and can impact on health systems and resources by raising awareness and directing service delivery, but may be detrimental to other health care areas. Financial incentives are controversial and generated emotive and oppositional responses. The planning, design and delivery of future incentive interventions should evaluate unexpected consequences to inform the evidence for effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and future implementation. PMID:25357121

Unintended consequences of incentive provision for behaviour change and maintenance around childbirth.

PubMed

Thomson, Gill; Morgan, Heather; Crossland, Nicola; Bauld, Linda; Dykes, Fiona; Hoddinott, Pat; Dombrowski, Stephan; MacLennan, Graeme; Rothnie, Kieran; Stewart, Fiona; Farrar, Shelley; Yi, Deokhee; Hislop, Jenni; Ludbrook, Anne; Campbell, Marion; Moran, Victoria Hall; Sniehotta, Falko; Tappin, David

2014-01-01

Financial (positive or negative) and non-financial incentives or rewards are increasingly used in attempts to influence health behaviours. While unintended consequences of incentive provision are discussed in the literature, evidence syntheses did not identify any primary research with the aim of investigating unintended consequences of incentive interventions for lifestyle behaviour change. Our objective was to investigate perceived positive and negative unintended consequences of incentive provision for a shortlist of seven promising incentive strategies for smoking cessation in pregnancy and breastfeeding. A multi-disciplinary, mixed-methods approach included involving two service-user mother and baby groups from disadvantaged areas with experience of the target behaviours as study co-investigators. Systematic reviews informed the shortlist of incentive strategies. Qualitative semi-structured interviews and a web-based survey of health professionals asked open questions on positive and negative consequences of incentives. The participants from three UK regions were a diverse sample with and without direct experience of incentive interventions: 88 pregnant women/recent mothers/partners/family members; 53 service providers; 24 experts/decision makers and interactive discussions with 63 conference attendees. Maternity and early years health professionals (n = 497) including doctors, midwives, health visitors, public health and related staff participated in the survey. Qualitative analysis identified ethical, political, cultural, social and psychological implications of incentive delivery at population and individual levels. Four key themes emerged: how incentives can address or create inequalities; enhance or diminish intrinsic motivation and wellbeing; have a positive or negative effect on relationships with others within personal networks or health providers; and can impact on health systems and resources by raising awareness and directing service delivery, but may be detrimental to other health care areas. Financial incentives are controversial and generated emotive and oppositional responses. The planning, design and delivery of future incentive interventions should evaluate unexpected consequences to inform the evidence for effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and future implementation.

The effect of explicit financial incentives on physician behavior.

PubMed

Armour, B S; Pitts, M M; Maclean, R; Cangialose, C; Kishel, M; Imai, H; Etchason, J

2001-05-28

Managed care organizations use explicit financial incentives to influence physicians' use of resources. This has contributed to concerns regarding conflicts of interest for physicians and adverse effects on the quality of patient care. In light of recent publicized legislative and legal battles about this issue, we reviewed the literature and analyzed studies that examine the effect of these explicit financial incentives on the behavior of physicians. The method used to undertake the literature review followed the approach set forth in the Cochrane Collaboration handbook. Our literature review revealed a paucity of data on the effect of explicit financial incentives. Based on this limited evidence, explicit incentives that place individual physicians at financial risk appear to be effective in reducing physician resource use. However, the empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of bonus payments on physician resource use is mixed. Similarly, our review revealed mixed effects of the influence of explicit financial incentives on the quality of patient care. The effect of explicit financial incentives on physician behavior is complicated by a lack of understanding of the incentive structure by the managed care organization and the physician. The lack of a universally acceptable definition of quality renders it important that future researchers identify the term explicitly.

Acute effects of volume-oriented incentive spirometry on chest wall volumes in patients after a stroke.

PubMed

Lima, Illia Ndf; Fregonezi, Guilherme Af; Melo, Rodrigo; Cabral, Elis Ea; Aliverti, Andrea; Campos, Tânia F; Ferreira, Gardênia Mh

2014-07-01

The aim of the present study was to assess how volume-oriented incentive spirometry applied to patients after a stroke modifies the total and compartmental chest wall volume variations, including both the right and left hemithoraces, compared with controls. Twenty poststroke patients and 20 age-matched healthy subjects were studied by optoelectronic plethysmography during spontaneous quiet breathing (QB), during incentive spirometry, and during the recovery period after incentive spirometry. Incentive spirometry was associated with an increased chest wall volume measured at the pulmonary rib cage, abdominal rib cage and abdominal compartment (P = .001) and under 3 conditions (P < .001). Compared with healthy control subjects, the tidal volume (VT) of the subjects with stroke was 24.7, 18.0, and 14.7% lower during QB, incentive spirometry, and postincentive spirometry, respectively. Under all 3 conditions, the contribution of the abdominal compartment to VT was greater in the stroke subjects (54.1, 43.2, and 48.9%) than in the control subjects (43.7, 40.8, and 46.1%, P = .039). In the vast majority of subjects (13/20 and 18/20 during QB and incentive spirometry, respectively), abdominal expansion precedes rib cage expansion during inspiration. Greater asymmetry between the right and left hemithoracic expansions occurred in stroke subjects compared with control subjects, but it decreased during QB (62.5%, P = .002), during incentive spirometry (19.7%), and postincentive spirometry (67.6%, P = .14). Incentive spirometry promotes increased expansion in all compartments of the chest wall and reduces asymmetric expansion between the right and left parts of the pulmonary rib cage; therefore, it should be considered as a tool for rehabilitation. Copyright © 2014 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Financial incentives and purchase restrictions in a food benefit program affect the types of foods and beverages purchased: results from a randomized trial.

PubMed

French, Simone A; Rydell, Sarah A; Mitchell, Nathan R; Michael Oakes, J; Elbel, Brian; Harnack, Lisa

2017-09-16

This research evaluated the effects of financial incentives and purchase restrictions on food purchasing in a food benefit program for low income people. Participants (n=279) were randomized to groups: 1) Incentive- 30% financial incentive for fruits and vegetables purchased with food benefits; 2) Restriction- no purchase of sugar-sweetened beverages, sweet baked goods, or candies with food benefits; 3) Incentive plus Restriction; or 4) Control- no incentive or restrictions. Participants received a study-specific debit card where funds were added monthly for 12-weeks. Food purchase receipts were collected over 16 weeks. Total dollars spent on grocery purchases and by targeted food categories were computed from receipts. Group differences were examined using general linear models. Weekly purchases of fruit significantly increased in the Incentive plus Restriction ($4.8) compared to the Restriction ($1.7) and Control ($2.1) groups (p <.01). Sugar-sweetened beverage purchases significantly decreased in the Incentive plus Restriction (-$0.8 per week) and Restriction ($-1.4 per week) groups compared to the Control group (+$1.5; p< .0001). Sweet baked goods purchases significantly decreased in the Restriction (-$0.70 per week) compared to the Control group (+$0.82 per week; p < .01). Paired financial incentives and restrictions on foods and beverages purchased with food program funds may support more healthful food purchases compared to no incentives or restrictions. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02643576 .