EXAMINING THE TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE FOR FARMERS IN THE U.S.: ROLE OF INFORMATION AND INCENTIVES IN PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program for farmers was established in 2002 to assist farmers adversely affected by import surges. Since its introduction, the program has been mostly underused by farmers, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in 2009 eased the program rules to drive more participation of farmers. Based on the decision-making model and the uniquely constructed panel data set, we find that farmers’ incentive to make up for the losses in other types of direct government payments as well as eligibility criteria explain farmers’ participation in the TAA program. Less time and efforts needed for participation, proxied by previously approved cases of the same or similar commodities, also seems to drive farmers’ participation. Results also confirm that the ARRA of 2009 was effective in increasing farmers’ participation

A Coevolutionary Journey of Strategic Knowledge Management Alignment: A Chinese Case

Although knowledge has emerged as the strategic resource of the firm in the increasingly turbulent and dynamic environment, it is underestimated how knowledge management (KM) contributes to sustained competitive advantage of the firm over time. Drawing upon a coevolutionary view of alignment, this study examines a strategic KM coevolutionary mechanism in which KM strategy, processes, and infrastructure dynamically align with the changing competitive strategy; in turn, the KM derived competitive advantage drives the firm to pursue a more superior position in its niche. To trace the coevolutionary mechanism, we conducted a case study in Li-Ning Company, which experiences 20 years’ development and has become a leading sports goods company in China. Two strategic transitions result in the corresponding changes of its KM strategy, KM processes and infrastructure. The cumulated knowledge helps the firm upgrade from an imitator to a prospector with balanced performance portfolio. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed

Promoting the right to work of disabled people? : a historical comparative analysis of Sweden, Great Britain and Taiwan

This study aims to compare and analyse the similarities and differences in the approaches adopted by Sweden, Great Britain and Taiwan, on the issue of the right to work of disabled people. Drawing from the three welfare models proposed by EspingAndersen (1990, 1999), the study attempts to examine the validity of the three models in explaining the differing approaches taken by the three countries. The historical comparative analysis method is used to answer the three research questions posed in this study. Data was collected mainly by the documentary analysis method. However, to fill the gap in information that the documents did not provide, in-depth interviews, email, postal, and telephone contacts were also carried out as complementary data collection methods This study shows that the welfare models are useful in explaining the differing degrees of inclusiveness in terms of the main policy directions of the three countries. However, a distinction between the 'provision' type and 'market intervention' type of programmes should be made, in order to capture the differences in the power structure and the mechanisms in the differing welfare models. In addition, in all three countries, the role of the disability movement in changing the definitions of disability in the policies has to be highlighted Furthermore, I argue that in all three countries, the labour market programmes specifically designed for disabled people are based on the capitalist value of individual market merits. If this value is not changed fundamentally and if the right to work does not include the right to participate in the labour market and to be included in the society, regardless of an individual's market merits, labour market programmes in all three countnes will continue to promote the right to work of only those groups of disabled people who tend to be more competitive in the labour market

LEVERAGING E-GOVERNMENT FOR CITY TRANSFORMATION: A CASE STUDY OF DIGITAL WUYI

Seeing the scarcity of successful e-government programs in developing countries while a high failure rate reported on the opposite, this study investigates the success of \u27Digital Wuyi\u27 program in China. This study exhibits its ten-year roadmap in which the e-government has been continuously upgraded at a municipal level, spanning from e-government infrastructure and platform development, community informatization with rural priority, e-commerce development for pillar industry, to Internet of Things development. Further, this study identifies the key success factors and reflects the corresponding practices that lead Wuyishan City to achieve the success in e-government development. We find that sustainable and dynamic strategic planning, mayor\u27s leadership with entrepreneurships spirits and action learning, public-private partnership and modular promotion contribute much to the success of this municipal e-government project in China. Implications of this study can be derived for the municipal government development in China and other developing countries

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Mitochondria abnormalities in skeletal muscle may contribute to frailty and sarcopenia, commonly present in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Dysfunctional mitochondria are also a major source of oxidative stress and may contribute to cardiovascular disease in CKD We tested the hypothesis that mitochondrial structure and function worsens with the severity of CKD Mitochondrial volume density, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number, BNIP3, and PGC1α protein expression were evaluated in skeletal muscle biopsies obtained from 27 subjects (17 controls and 10 with CKD stage 5 on hemodialysis). We also measured mtDNA copy number in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), plasma isofurans, and plasma F2-isoprostanes in 208 subjects divided into three groups: non-CKD (eGFR>60 mL/min), CKD stage 3-4 (eGFR 60-15 mL/min), and CKD stage 5 (on hemodialysis). Muscle biopsies from patients with CKD stage 5 revealed lower mitochondrial volume density, lower mtDNA copy number, and higher BNIP3 content than controls. mtDNA copy number in PBMCs was decreased with increasing severity of CKD: non-CKD (6.48, 95% CI 4.49-8.46), CKD stage 3-4 (3.30, 95% CI 0.85-5.75, P = 0.048 vs. non-CKD), and CKD stage 5 (1.93, 95% CI 0.27-3.59, P = 0.001 vs. non-CKD). Isofurans were higher in patients with CKD stage 5 (median 59.21 pg/mL, IQR 41.76-95.36) compared to patients with non-CKD (median 49.95 pg/mL, IQR 27.88-83.46, P = 0.001), whereas F2-isoprostanes did not differ among groups. Severity of CKD is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and markers of oxidative stress. Mitochondrial abnormalities, which are common in skeletal muscle from patients with CKD stage 5, may explain the muscle dysfunction associated with frailty and sarcopenia in CKD Further studies are required to evaluate mitochondrial function in vivo in patients with different CKD stages

H-chromatic symmetric functions

We introduce $H$-chromatic symmetric functions, $X_{G}^{H}$, which use the $H$-coloring of a graph $G$ to define a generalization of Stanley's chromatic symmetric functions. We say two graphs $G_1$ and $G_2$ are $H$-chromatically equivalent if $X_{G_1}^{H} = X_{G_2}^{H}$, and use this idea to study uniqueness results for $H$-chromatic symmetric functions, with a particular emphasis on the case $H$ is a complete bipartite graph. We also show that several of the classical bases of the space of symmetric functions, i.e. the monomial symmetric functions, power sum symmetric functions, and elementary symmetric functions, can be realized as $H$-chromatic symmetric functions. We end with some conjectures and open problems.Comment: 38 pages; corrected typos and clarified some detail

Microplate-based platform for combined chromatin and DNA methylation immunoprecipitation assays

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The processes that compose expression of a given gene are far more complex than previously thought presenting unprecedented conceptual and mechanistic challenges that require development of new tools. Chromatin structure, which is regulated by DNA methylation and histone modification, is at the center of gene regulation. Immunoprecipitations of chromatin (ChIP) and methylated DNA (MeDIP) represent a major achievement in this area that allow researchers to probe chromatin modifications as well as specific protein-DNA interactions <it>in vivo </it>and to estimate the density of proteins at specific sites genome-wide. Although a critical component of chromatin structure, DNA methylation has often been studied independently of other chromatin events and transcription.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To allow simultaneous measurements of DNA methylation with other genomic processes, we developed and validated a simple and easy-to-use high throughput microplate-based platform for analysis of DNA methylation. Compared to the traditional beads-based MeDIP the microplate MeDIP was more sensitive and had lower non-specific binding. We integrated the MeDIP method with a microplate ChIP assay which allows measurements of both DNA methylation and histone marks at the same time, Matrix ChIP-MeDIP platform. We illustrated several applications of this platform to relate DNA methylation, with chromatin and transcription events at selected genes in cultured cells, human cancer and in a model of diabetic kidney disease.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The high throughput capacity of Matrix ChIP-MeDIP to profile tens and potentially hundreds of different genomic events at the same time as DNA methylation represents a powerful platform to explore complex genomic mechanism at selected genes in cultured cells and in whole tissues. In this regard, Matrix ChIP-MeDIP should be useful to complement genome-wide studies where the rich chromatin and transcription database resources provide fruitful foundation to pursue mechanistic, functional and diagnostic information at genes of interest in health and disease.</p

Increasing incidence of anogenital warts with an urban–rural divide among males in Manitoba, Canada, 1990–2011

Abstract Background Anogenital warts (AGW) are caused by the most common sexually transmitted infection, human papillomavirus. The objective of this study was to examine AGW incidence from 1990 to 2011 by sex, age, income quintile, and residential area category (urban/rural). The study period included the initiation of school-based HPV vaccination for girls in the sixth grade, which began in 2008. The data presented in this paper may also be useful for establishing baseline rates of AGW incidence which may be used to evaluate the success of the school-based HPV immunization program. Methods Cases of anogenital warts were identified using Manitoba’s administrative databases of Physician Claims and Hospital Discharge Abstracts. Annual age-standardized incidence in Manitoba from 1990 to 2011 was calculated. Incident AGW rates were compared by sex, age group, residential area category (urban/rural), and household income quintile using logistic regression. Joinpoint regression analyses were used to evaluate the time trends of AGW. Results Prior to 2000, AGW incidence was higher among females than males. However, from 2000 to 2011 the incidence was higher among males and increased steadily over time. AGW incidence tended to peak in younger age groups among females compared to males. Females and males living in urban areas had nearly twice the odds of AGW occurrence compared to those in rural areas. Conclusions There is a need for education about AGW in male population. The upcoming initiation of HPV vaccination among boys may reduce the incidence and should be evaluated