315 research outputs found
Legal regulation of prices in Tanzania : an examination of the Regulation of Prices Act 1973 as a tool of social change and development
No full textDrawing mainly from the Tazanian experience this study
attempts to review the principal issues in the legal regulation of
prices, by identifying both the general and specific importance
of law in this respect. The position I shall present is that
legal control is both necessary and desirable for the welfare
and social development of the people. The key issue is whether
the market-place will perform its function satisfactory: Will
it produce socially desirable results? If it will not, why will
it not? And will legal regulation help to do the job a little
better?
In an attempt to answer some of these questions,
first of all, outline the basic issues raised by the study in
the first Chapter. Then I examine the general case for price
controls - the theory about the controls, the motives and reasons
for their imposition and the manner in which they are effected
in different economic systems. This is done in Chapter Two. Relying
most on the available literature on the regulatory process, this
Chapter also looks at the relationship between law and economic
regulation and concludes that the effectiveness of law depends
on the existence of a conducive socio-economic environment. In
Chapter Three I describe the past record of price control laws
in Tanzania. I conclude that despite the failure in the past,
the controls still constitute an important policy instrument
in the transition to socialism. In Chapters Four and Five I describe
the manner in which the current regulations are implemented and
the problems encountered. I conclude that the operational performance
of the controls is constrained by internal and external influences on the economic and political life of the country. In the concluding
Chapter I assess the impact of the controls: Do the controls
work? Do people buy goods at the controlled prices? Why today
the controls are almost popularly accepted as worthwhile? I conclude
that while there may be no measurable economic gains derived
by consumers, the controls have a stabilising effect on the social
and political front. In the final section I argue that the
future success of the legislation depends on creating a correspondence
between the economic structures and the control system. What
makes the controls ineffective is not so much defects in the
law but the contradictions between the orientation of and functioning
of the economic system and the ideological commitment
Private devotion in England on the eve of the Reformation illustrated from works printed or reprinted in the period 1530-40
No full textThis is the first attempt to provide a detailed description of the different types of devotional literature (excluding all liturgical books, biblical translations, doctrinal and polemic works, saintS lives and sermons) available in print to English readers in the years immediately preceding England's break with Rome. It shows that there were far more Catholic works of devotion, many of them written or printed for the first time 1520 - 35, than has previously been recognized. It is also clear that this flourishing literature came to a sudden and decisive end in 1535, although the tradition lived on unofficially to be taken up by the English Recusants. The leading themes of this traditional literature are indicated in chapters on treatises about confession and prayer, the mass, the life and Passion of Christ, on tribulation, death and the Last Things, while more general teaching about the Christian life addressed to religious, contemplatives and lay people, and the humanist and Protestant contribution to this literature is also discussed. The treatises are doctrinally sound and on the whole advocate moderation and common-sense; they avoid many of the weaknesses of popular non-literary devotion, including the Marioleatry and excessive morbidity for which the late middle ages are often condemned. Some of the weaknesses of the Catholic tradition are suggested by comparison with the more rational and secular attitudes of Christian humanist , authors, notably Erasmus, available during the 1530s. The Protestants, whose treatises become increasingly common, despite official censorship, during the decade until they dominate its second half, carry the humanist~ reform much further, and break with the Catholic Church. Traditional devotional topics and audiences are displaced by doctrinal and biblical teaching addressed to lay people. The Bible replaces the Church's authority and there is more emphasis on the spiritual and social dimensions of religion
Analysis of the Parametric Instability of the STC Combined Wind and Wave Energy Concept
No full textResonant motions of a combined wind and wave concept (STC) in waves may induce significant loads in the structural components (such as wind turbine blades, nacelle or the interface between the spar and the torus). One type of resonant motions is related to the so-called Mathieu instability. For the STC under the survival mode where the torus is locked to the spar at the mean water level (MWL mode), the large heave motion in severe waves induces a significant change in the buoyancy center and therefore leads to a periodic change in the restoring term for the pitch motion. When the wave period reaches the half of the natural period, the Mathieu instability (a dynamic instability in pitch for this case) occurs and leads to significant pitch motions.The purpose of this study is to numerically predict such unstable motions for regular and irregular wave conditions and to compare the results with the experimental observations. First, a literature study on Mathieu instability is carried out to understand the mechanism behind this phenomenon. Then the results of the STC concept from the experiments carried out by Dr. Ling Wan are investigated in order to study the developments of the Mathieu unstable pitch motions and the corresponding wave conditions in which they occur. Finally, a numerical model of Mathieu instability for analysis of the STC pitch motions is established to get insight into the phenomenon.The numerical model is compared with the experimental results of Dr. Ling Wan. A sensitivity study using the numerical model is then carried out to investigate the conditions where the Mathieu instability may occur
Calcium-sensing receptor mediates phenylalanine-induced cholecystokinin secretion in enteroendocrine STC-1 cells
No full textIntraluminal l-phenylalanine (Phe) stimulates cholecystokinin (CCK) secretion in vivo and in vitro. However, the cellular mechanism by which CCK-producing enteroendocrine cells sense Phe is unknown. The calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) can sense amino acids, and is expressed in the gastrointestinal tract. In the present study, we examined whether CaR functions as a receptor for Phe in CCK-producing enteroendocrine cells. CCK secretion and intracellular Ca2+ concentration in response to Phe were measured in the murine CCK-producing enteroendocrine cell line STC-1 at various extracellular Ca2+ concentrations or after treatment with a CaR antagonist. At more than 20 mm, Phe induced dose-dependent CCK secretion and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in STC-1 cells. In the presence of 3.0 mm extracellular Ca2+, 10 and 20 mm Phe induced significantly higher CCK secretion than under normal conditions (1.2 mm extracellular Ca2+). Intracellular Ca2+ mobilization, induced by 10 or 20 mm Phe, was also enhanced by increasing extracellular Ca2+ concentrations. In addition, intracellular Ca2+ mobilization induced by addition of extracellular Ca2+ was augmented by the presence of Phe. These results closely match the known CaR properties. Treatment with a specific CaR antagonist (NPS2143) completely inhibited Phe-induced CCK secretion and the latter phase of intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. CaR mRNA expression was demonstrated by RT-PCR in STC-1 cells, as well as in other mouse tissues including the kidney, thyroid, stomach and intestine. In conclusion, CaR functions as a receptor for Phe, stimulating CCK secretion in enteroendocrine STC-1 cells
Soybean β51–63 peptide stimulates cholecystokinin secretion via a calcium-sensing receptor in enteroendocrine STC-1 cells
No full textWe previously demonstrated that intraduodenal administration of an arginine-rich β51-63 peptide in soybean β-conglycinin suppresses food intake via cholecystokinin (CCK) secretion in rats. However, the cellular mechanisms by which the β51-63 peptide induces CCK secretion remain to be clarified. In the present study, we examined whether the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) mediates β51-63-induced CCK secretion in murine CCK-producing enteroendocrine cell line STC-1. CCK secretion and changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration in response to β51-63 peptide were measured in STC-1 cells under various extracellular Ca2+ concentrations and after treatment with a CaR antagonist. Intracellular Ca2+ concentrations in response to β51-63 peptide and extracellular Ca2+ were also measured in CaR-expressing human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells. The β51-63 peptide induced CCK secretion and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in STC-1 cells under normal (1.2 mM) extracellular Ca2+ conditions in a dose-dependent manner. These responses to β51-63 peptide were reduced by the removal of intra- or extracellular Ca2+ but enhanced by increasing extracellular Ca2+ concentrations. Intracellular Ca2+ mobilization induced by extracellular Ca2+ was also increased by the pretreatment with β51-63 peptide. Treatment with a specific CaR antagonist (NPS2143) inhibited β51-63-induced CCK secretion and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. In addition, HEK-293 cells transfected with CaR acquired sensitivity to the β51-63 peptide. From these results, we conclude that CaR is the β51-63 peptide sensor responsible for the stimulation of CCK secretion in enteroendocrine STC-1 cells
Intravitreal STC-1 administration decreased apoptosis and oxidative damage in the retina after optic nerve transection.
No full text<p>(<b>A–C</b>) ELISA analysis showed that levels of active caspase-3 and two markers for oxidative damage (nitrotyrosine and protein carbonyl) were significantly decreased in the retina by an intravitreal injection of STC-1. (<b>D, E</b>) Real time RT-PCR indicated that levels of transcripts for HIF-1α and caspase-3 were increased in the retinas at day 1 after injury and significantly decreased by STC-1 treatment. The expression of caspase-3 was also significantly lower in the STC-1-treated retinas at day 7. (<b>F</b>) Western blot analysis confirmed that the expression of HIF-1α protein was increased in the retina at day 1 after ONT, and decreased by STC-1 injection. (<b>G</b>) The protein levels of UCP2 in the retina were decreased by ONT and not changed by STC-1 treatment. The values are presented as the mean ± SEM.</p
STC-1 inhibited ROS levels in RGC-5 cells exposed to CoCl<sub>2</sub>.
No full text<p>(<b>A, B</b>) Flow cytometry showed that CoCl<sub>2</sub> significantly increased the percentage of cells positive for both CellROX<sup>TM</sup> and MitoTracker Green, a marker for oxidative stress, and treatment with either 100 or 500 ng/mL of STC-1 significantly decreased the percentages of CellROX<sup>+</sup> MitoTracker Green<sup>+</sup> cells in RGC-5 cells. (<b>C</b>) ELISA analysis for nitrotyrosine indicated that levels of nitrotyrosine were markedly increased in CoCl<sub>2</sub>-injured RGC-5 cells, and significantly decreased by STC-1 or N-acetylcysteine treatment. (<b>D</b>) Real time RT-PCR analysis indicated that expression of HIF-1α was induced in RGC-5 cells by CoCl<sub>2</sub>, and was significantly down-regulated by STC-1 (100 or 500 ng/mL). However, UCP2 transcripts were not increased by STC-1. (<b>E</b>) Western blot analysis for HIF-1α showed that HIF-1α protein was increased in RGC-5 cells after CoCl<sub>2</sub> injury, and was decreased by STC-1 treatment. (<b>F</b>) ELISA showed that the levels of UCP2 protein were not increased in CoCl<sub>2</sub>-injured RGC-5 cells by STC-1 treatment, whereas N-acetylcysteine treatment significantly increased levels of UCP2. The values are presented as the mean ± SEM.</p
Expression of gut hormones in STC-1 cells.
No full text(A) RT-PCR showed STC-1 cells expressed mRNA transcripts of all of five gut hormones, while C2C12 cells did not. (B) Confocal images of immunostaining revealed the presence of all of five gut hormones (green). The nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue). Bar, 20μm.</p
The model combining RF-FG<sub>STA</sub> and RF-FG<sub>STC</sub>s.
No full text(A) Illustration of the model combining RF-FGSTA and RF-FGSTCs. (B) Distribution of the correlation between the neural spike rate and the responses of the model with RF-FGSTA but without RF-FGSTC (STA model) in response to the corresponding filled stimuli. The gray and red bars indicate all examined neurons and the neurons with the good convergence and significant magnitude, respectively. (C) Distribution of the difference in the neural correlation between the STA model and STA+STC model. Red and green bars indicate those estimated for the filled and natural stimuli, respectively. The distribution of the difference between the STA and STA+STC models was centered around zero, indicating weak or no contribution of the RF-FGSTCs.</p
Intravitreal administration of STC-1 increased the survival of retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve transection.
No full text<p>(<b>A</b>) Immediately after optic nerve transection, 1 μg STC-1 or PBS was injected into the vitreous cavity of rats, and the retinas were evaluated for retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) at days 1, 7, 14, and 28. (<b>B</b>) The density of RGCs was significantly higher in the retinas treated with STC-1 compared to PBS-treated retinas at all time-points examined as counted by cells retrogradely labeled with DTMR dye (<b>C</b>). The values are presented as the mean ± SEM. Scale bars, 100 μm.</p
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