Can filesharers be triggered by economic incentives? Results of an experiment

Illegal filesharing on the internet leads to considerable financial losses for artists and copyright owners as well as producers and sellers of music. Thus far, measures to contain this phenomenon have been rather restrictive. However, there are still a considerable number of illegal systems, and users are able to decide quite freely between legal and illegal downloads because the latter are still difficult to sanction. Recent economic approaches account for the improved bargaining position of users. They are based on the idea of revenue-splitting between professional sellers and peers. In order to test such an innovative business model, the study reported in this article carried out an experiment with 100 undergraduate students, forming five small peer-to-peer networks.The networks were confronted with different economic conditions.The results indicate that even experienced filesharers hold favourable attitudes towards revenue-splitting.They seem to be willing to adjust their behaviour to different economic conditions

Stochastic Approach to Enantiomeric Excess Amplification and Chiral Symmetry Breaking

Stochastic aspects of chemical reaction models related to the Soai reactions as well as to the homochirality in life are studied analytically and numerically by the use of the master equation and random walk model. For systems with a recycling process, a unique final probability distribution is obtained by means of detailed balance conditions. With a nonlinear autocatalysis the distribution has a double-peak structure, indicating the chiral symmetry breaking. This problem is further analyzed by examining eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the master equation. In the case without recycling process, final probability distributions depend on the initial conditions. In the nonlinear autocatalytic case, time-evolution starting from a complete achiral state leads to a final distribution which differs from that deduced from the nonzero recycling result. This is due to the absence of the detailed balance, and a directed random walk model is shown to give the correct final profile. When the nonlinear autocatalysis is sufficiently strong and the initial state is achiral, the final probability distribution has a double-peak structure, related to the enantiomeric excess amplification. It is argued that with autocatalyses and a very small but nonzero spontaneous production, a single mother scenario could be a main mechanism to produce the homochirality.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figure

Cognitive impairment, fatigue and depression in multiple sclerosis: Is there a difference between benign and non-benign MS?

INTRODUCTION Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). The severity of disability in people with MS (PwMS) is generally measured with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). A variant of MS known as 'benign MS' (BMS) has been defined as an EDSS score of 3 or lower, combined with a disease duration of 10 years or longer; however, there is disagreement in the field about whether BMS really exists. Given that the EDSS does not capture cognitive issues, communication dysfunction, fatigue, depression, or anxiety properly, its ability to accurately represent disability in all PwMS, including BMS, remains questionable. METHODS In this study, 141 persons with BMS (PwBMS) were included, consisting of 115 females (82%) and 26 males (18%) with a mean age of 50.8 (±8.68). A computerized test battery (NeuroTrax®) was used to assess cognition, covering seven cognitive domains (memory, executive function, visual-spatial processing, verbal function, attention, information processing, and motor skills). Fatigue was measured using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess symptoms of depression. Cognitive impairment was defined for this study as when someone has a score lower than 85 in at least two subdomains of the cognitive test battery. Rates of impairment were compared to 158 persons with non-benign MS (PwNBMS; with a disease duration of 10 years and longer and an EDSS score higher than 3) and 487 PwMS with a disease duration of fewer than 10 years. RESULTS Cognitive impairment was found in 38% of PwBMS and in 66% of PwNBMS (p<0.001). In PwBMS, the lowest rate of impairment was found in the verbal function domain (18%) and the highest rate of impairment in the domain of information processing (32%). Fatigue and depression were found in 78% and 55% of all PwBMS, with no difference in these rates between PwBMS and PwNBMS (p = 0.787 and p = 0.316 resp.) CONCLUSION: Cognitive impairment, fatigue and depression are common among people with an EDSS-based definition of benign MS. These aspects should be incorporated into a new and better definition of truly benign MS

Cognitive impairment, fatigue and depression in multiple sclerosis: Is there a difference between benign and non-benign MS?

Available online 21 March 2023Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). The severity of disability in people with MS (PwMS) is generally measured with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). A variant of MS known as ‘benign MS’ (BMS) has been defined as an EDSS score of 3 or lower, combined with a disease duration of 10 years or longer; however, there is disagreement in the field about whether BMS really exists. Given that the EDSS does not capture cognitive issues, communication dysfunction, fatigue, depression, or anxiety properly, its ability to accurately represent disability in all PwMS, including BMS, remains questionable. Methods: In this study, 141 persons with BMS (PwBMS) were included, consisting of 115 females (82%) and 26 males (18%) with a mean age of 50.8 (±8.68). A computerized test battery (NeuroTrax®) was used to assess cognition, covering seven cognitive domains (memory, executive function, visual-spatial processing, verbal function, attention, information processing, and motor skills). Fatigue was measured using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess symptoms of depression. Cognitive impairment was defined for this study as when someone has a score lower than 85 in at least two subdomains of the cognitive test battery. Rates of impairment were compared to 158 persons with non-benign MS (PwNBMS; with a disease duration of 10 years and longer and an EDSS score higher than 3) and 487 PwMS with a disease duration of fewer than 10 years. Results: Cognitive impairment was found in 38% of PwBMS and in 66% of PwNBMS (p<0.001). In PwBMS, the lowest rate of impairment was found in the verbal function domain (18%) and the highest rate of impairment in the domain of information processing (32%). Fatigue and depression were found in 78% and 55% of all PwBMS, with no difference in these rates between PwBMS and PwNBMS (p = 0.787 and p = 0.316 resp.) Conclusion: Cognitive impairment, fatigue and depression are common among people with an EDSS-based definition of benign MS. These aspects should be incorporated into a new and better definition of truly benign MSHans Bogaardt, Daniel Golan, Marissa A Barrera, Stacie Attrill, Olivia Kaczmarek, Myassar Zarif, Barbara Bumstead, Marijean Buhse, Jeffrey Wilken, Glen M Doniger, Laura M Hancock, Iris-Katharina Penner, June Halper, Sarah A Morrow, Thomas J Covey, Mark Gudesblat

An open-label, multicenter study to evaluate the safe and effective use of the single-use autoinjector with an Avonex® prefilled syringe in multiple sclerosis subjects

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The ability to self-inject in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been associated with a reduced risk of missed injections and drug discontinuation, and a beneficial effect on patients' independence. However, injection anxiety, needle phobia and disease-related disability are major barriers to a patient's ability to self-administer treatment. Use of an autoinjector may improve patients' ability to self-inject. This study evaluated the safe and effective use of Avonex Pen™ (prefilled pen), a single use autoinjector, for intramuscular delivery of interferon beta-1a (IM IFNβ-1a, Avonex) in MS patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a Phase IIIb, open-label, single-country, multicenter trial in MS patients currently using IM IFNβ-1a prefilled syringes. Patients received weekly 30 mcg IM IFNβ-1a treatment over 4 weeks. On Day 1, patients self-administered IM IFNβ-1a using a prefilled syringe at the clinic. On Day 8, patients received training on the prefilled pen and self-administered IM IFNβ-1a using the device. On Day 15, patients self-administered IM IFNβ-1a at home using the prefilled pen. A final injection occurred at the clinic on Day 22 when patients self-administered IM IFNβ-1a using the prefilled pen while clinic staff observed and completed a detailed questionnaire documenting patients' ability to self-inject with the device. Serum neopterin levels were evaluated pre and post-injection on Days 1 and 8. Adverse events were monitored throughout.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Seventy-one (96%) patients completed the study. The overall success rate in safely and effectively using the prefilled pen was 89%. No device malfunctions occurred. One unsuccessful administration occurred at Day 22 due to patient error; no patient injury resulted. Patients gave the prefilled pen high ratings (8.7-9.3) on a 10-point scale for ease of use (0 = extremely difficult, 10 = extremely easy). Ninety-four percent of patients preferred the prefilled pen over the prefilled syringe. Induction of serum neopterin levels, serving as a biomarker for type 1 interferon action, was similar to that of the prefilled syringe. The prefilled pen demonstrated a safety profile comparable to the prefilled syringe.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The prefilled pen is a safe and effective device for administration of IM IFNβ-1a and represents an alternative method for self-injection for MS patients using this therapy.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00828204">NCT00828204</a></p

Endogenous CO2 may inhibit bacterial growth and induce virulence gene expression in enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

Analysis of the growth kinetics of enteropathogenic Escherichia coil (EPEC) revealed that growth was directly proportional to the ratio between the exposed surface area and the liquid culture volume (SA/V). It was hypothesized that this bacterial behavior was caused by the accumulation of an endogenous volatile growth inhibitor metabolite whose escape from the medium directly depended on the SA/V. The results of this work support the theory that an inhibitor is produced and indicate that it is CO2. We also report that concomitant to the accumulation of CO2, there is secretion of the virulence-related EspB and EspC proteins from EPEC. We therefore postulate that endogenous CO2 may have an effect on both bacterial growth and virulence. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved