Partnerships That Work: National Service and Business in Welfare to Work

Welfare-to-work has come to the fore of the social policy debate in recent years. This especially has been the case since the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). PRWORA significantly altered over 60 years of American welfare policy by creating a public assistance program with the aim of replacing public sector welfare checks with private sector paychecks. In order to reach this goal, time limits on receipt of assistance as well as stronger work requirements have become central in moving people from welfare and into work

Psychophysical evaluation of sweetness functions across multiple sweeteners

Sweetness is one of the 5 prototypical tastes and is activated by sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS). The aim of this study was to investigate measures of sweet taste function [detection threshold (DT), recognition threshold (RT), and suprathreshold intensity ratings] across multiple sweeteners. Sixty participants, 18-52 years of age (mean age in years = 26, SD = ±7.8), were recruited to participate in the study. DT and RT were collected for caloric sweeteners (glucose, fructose, sucrose, erythritol) and NNS (sucralose, rebaudioside A). Sweetness intensity for all sweeteners was measured using a general Labeled Magnitude Scale. There were strong correlations between DT and RT of all 4 caloric sweeteners across people (r = 0.62-0.90, P < 0.001), and moderate correlations between DT and RT for both of the NNS (r = 0.39-0.48, P < 0.05); however, weaker correlations were observed between the DT or RT of the caloric sweeteners and NNS (r = 0.26-0.48, P < 0.05). The DT and RT of glucose and fructose were not correlated with DT or RT of sucralose (P > 0.05). In contrast, there were strong correlations between the sweetness intensity ratings of all sweeteners (r = 0.70-0.96, P < 0.001). This suggests those caloric sweeteners and NNS access at least partially independent mechanisms with respect to DT and RT measures. At suprathreshold level, however, the strong correlation between caloric sweeteners and NNS through weak, moderate, and strong intensity indicates a commonality in sweet taste mechanism for the perceived intensity range

The association between sweet taste function, anthropometry, and dietary intake in adults

Variation in ability to detect, recognize, and perceive sweetness may influence food consumption, and eventually chronic nutrition-related conditions such as overweight and obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between sweet taste function, anthropometry, and dietary intake in adults. Participants\u27 (n = 60; mean age in years = 26, SD = ±7.8) sweet taste function for a range of sweeteners (glucose, fructose, sucrose, sucralose, erythritol, and Rebaudioside A) was assessed by measuring detection and recognition thresholds and sweetness intensity. Height, weight, and waist circumference were also measured, and participants also completed a Food Frequency Questionnaire. There was large inter-individual variation in detection, recognition and sweetness intensity measures. Pearson\u27s correlation coefficient revealed no robust correlations between measures of sweet taste function, anthropometry, and dietary intake, with the exception of suprathreshold intensity, which was moderately correlated with total energy intake (r = 0.23-0.40). One-way analysis of variance revealed no significant differences between the most and least sensitive participants in terms of BMI, waist circumference, and dietary intake for all measures of sweet taste function and sweeteners (all p > 0.01). When stratified into BMI categories, there were no significant differences in any measure of sweet taste function between the normal weight and overweight/obese participants (all p > 0.01). Results show that that sweet taste function is not associated with anthropometry and sweetness intensity measures are the most appropriate measure when assessing links between sweet taste and food consumption

Ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation using a second‐generation cryoballoon catheter or contact‐force sensing radiofrequency ablation catheter: A comparison of costs and long‐term clinical outcomes

IntroductionAlthough noninferiority of cryoballoon ablation (CBA) and radiofrequency catheter ablation for antral pulmonary vein isolation (APVI) has been reported in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), it is not clear whether contact force sensing (CF‐RFA) and CBA with the second‐generation catheter have similar procedural costs and long‐term outcomes. The objective of this study is to compare the long‐term efficacy and cost implications of CBA and CF‐RFA in patients with PAF.Methods and resultsA first APVI was performed in 146 consecutive patients (age: 63 ± 10 years, men: 95 [65%], left atrial diameter: 42 ± 6 mm) with PAF using CBA (71) or CF‐RFA (75). Clinical outcomes and procedural costs were compared. The mean procedure time was significantly shorter with CBA than with CF‐RFA (98 ± 39 vs. 158 ± 47 minutes, P < 0.0001). Despite a higher equipment cost in the CBA than the CF‐RFA group, the total procedure cost was similar between the two groups (P = 0.26), primarily driven by a shorter procedure duration that resulted in a lower anesthesia cost. At 25 ± 5 months after a single ablation procedure, 51 patients (72%) in the CBA, and 55 patients (73%) in the CF‐RFA groups remained free from atrial arrhythmias without antiarrhythmic drug therapy (P = 0.84).ConclusionsThe procedure duration was approximately 60 minutes shorter with CBA than CF‐RFA. The procedural costs were similar with both approaches. At 2 years after a single procedure, CBA and CF‐RFA have similar single‐procedure efficacies of 72–73%.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142442/1/jce13378_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142442/2/jce13378.pd

Use of electromyography to detect muscle exhaustion in finishing barrows fed ractopamine HCl

Citation: Noel, J. A., Broxterman, R. M., McCoy, G. M., Craig, J. C., Phelps, K. J., Burnett, D. D., . . . Gonzalez, J. M. (2016). Use of electromyography to detect muscle exhaustion in finishing barrows fed ractopamine HCl. Journal of Animal Science, 94(6), 2344-2356. doi:10.2527/jas2016-0398The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of dietary ractopamine HCl (RAC) on muscle fiber characteristics and electromyography (EMG) measures of finishing barrow exhaustion when barrows were subjected to increased levels of activity. Barrows (n = 34; 92 +/- 2 kg initial BW) were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: a conventional swine finishing diet containing 0 mg/kg ractopamine HCl (CON) or a diet formulated to meet the requirements of finishing barrows fed 10 mg/kg RAC (RAC+). After 32 d on feed, barrows were individually moved around a track at 0.79 m/s until subjectively exhausted. Wireless EMG sensors were affixed to the deltoideus (DT), triceps brachii lateral head (TLH), tensor fasciae latae (TFL), and semitendinosus (ST) muscles to measure median power frequency (MdPF) and root mean square (RMS) as indicators of action potential conduction velocity and muscle fiber recruitment, respectively. After harvest, samples of each muscle were collected for fiber type, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), and capillary density analysis. Speed was not different (P = 0.82) between treatments, but RAC+ barrows reached subjective exhaustion earlier and covered less distance than CON barrows (P 0.29). There was a treatment x muscle interaction (P = 0.04) for end-point RMS values. The RAC diet did not change end-point RMS values in the DT or TLH (P > 0.37); however, the diet tended to decrease and increase end-point RMS in the ST and TFL, respectively (P 0.10). Muscles of RAC+ barrows tended to have less type I fibers and more capillaries per fiber (P < 0.07). Type I and IIA fibers of RAC+ barrows were larger (P < 0.07). Compared with all other muscles, the ST had more (P < 0.01) type IIB fibers and larger type I, IIA, and IIX fibers (P < 0.01). Type I, IIA, and IIX fibers of the ST also contained less SDH compared with the other muscles (P < 0.01). Barrows fed a RAC diet had increased time to subjective exhaustion due to loss of active muscle fibers in the ST, possibly due to fibers being larger and less oxidative in metabolism. Size increases in type I and IIA fibers with no change in oxidative capacity could also contribute to early exhaustion of RAC+ barrows. Overall, EMG technology can measure real-time muscle fiber loss to help explain subjective exhaustion in barrows

Custom Integrated Circuits

Contains reports on nine research projects.Analog Devices, Inc.International Business Machines CorporationJoint Services Electronics Program Contract DAAL03-89-C-0001U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research Contract AFOSR 86-0164BDuPont CorporationNational Science Foundation Grant MIP 88-14612U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Contract N00014-87-K-0825American Telephone and TelegraphDigital Equipment CorporationNational Science Foundation Grant MIP 88-5876

Custom Integrated Circuits

Contains reports on twelve research projects.Analog Devices, Inc.International Business Machines, Inc.Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAL03-86-K-0002)Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAL03-89-C-0001)U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research (Grant AFOSR 86-0164)Rockwell International CorporationOKI Semiconductor, Inc.U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-81-K-0742)Charles Stark Draper LaboratoryNational Science Foundation (Grant MIP 84-07285)National Science Foundation (Grant MIP 87-14969)Battelle LaboratoriesNational Science Foundation (Grant MIP 88-14612)DuPont CorporationDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency/U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-87-K-0825)American Telephone and TelegraphDigital Equipment CorporationNational Science Foundation (Grant MIP-88-58764

Custom Integrated Circuits

Contains reports on ten research projects.Analog Devices, Inc.IBM CorporationNational Science Foundation/Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Grant MIP 88-14612Analog Devices Career Development Assistant ProfessorshipU.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Contract N0014-87-K-0825AT&TDigital Equipment CorporationNational Science Foundation Grant MIP 88-5876

Home and Online Management and Evaluation of Blood Pressure (HOME BP) using a digital intervention in poorly controlled hypertension: randomised controlled trial

Objective: The HOME BP (Home and Online Management and Evaluation of Blood Pressure) trial aimed to test a digital intervention for hypertension management in primary care by combining self-monitoring of blood pressure with guided self-management. Design: Unmasked randomised controlled trial with automated ascertainment of primary endpoint. Setting: 76 general practices in the United Kingdom. Participants: 622 people with treated but poorly controlled hypertension (&gt;140/90 mm Hg) and access to the internet. Interventions: Participants were randomised by using a minimisation algorithm to self-monitoring of blood pressure with a digital intervention (305 participants) or usual care (routine hypertension care, with appointments and drug changes made at the discretion of the general practitioner; 317 participants). The digital intervention provided feedback of blood pressure results to patients and professionals with optional lifestyle advice and motivational support. Target blood pressure for hypertension, diabetes, and people aged 80 or older followed UK national guidelines. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was the difference in systolic blood pressure (mean of second and third readings) after one year, adjusted for baseline blood pressure, blood pressure target, age, and practice, with multiple imputation for missing values. Results: After one year, data were available from 552 participants (88.6%) with imputation for the remaining 70 participants (11.4%). Mean blood pressure dropped from 151.7/86.4 to 138.4/80.2 mm Hg in the intervention group and from 151.6/85.3 to 141.8/79.8 mm Hg in the usual care group, giving a mean difference in systolic blood pressure of −3.4 mm Hg (95% confidence interval −6.1 to −0.8 mm Hg) and a mean difference in diastolic blood pressure of −0.5 mm Hg (−1.9 to 0.9 mm Hg). Results were comparable in the complete case analysis and adverse effects were similar between groups. Within trial costs showed an incremental cost effectiveness ratio of £11 ($15, €12; 95% confidence interval £6 to £29) per mm Hg reduction. Conclusions: The HOME BP digital intervention for the management of hypertension by using self-monitored blood pressure led to better control of systolic blood pressure after one year than usual care, with low incremental costs. Implementation in primary care will require integration into clinical workflows and consideration of people who are digitally excluded. Trial registration: ISRCTN13790648