The Opportunity Cost of Pro-Environmental Activities: Spending Time to Promote the Environment

This study examines how working hours and the opportunity cost of time affect an individual’s decision to participate in a time-consuming pro-environmental activity—namely, the purchase of refillable products—while using data from the Japanese General Social Survey 2002. By purchasing refillable products, an individual can reduce the amount of waste that needs to be disposed; however, she or he must spend time refilling bottles (i.e., a pro-environmental activity). Our empirical results demonstrate that individuals who work long hours and those with high wage rates tend to purchase nonrefillable products. Therefore, both time constraints and the opportunity cost of time are important factors in the decision to undertake pro-environmental activities.     

Dutasteride improves bone mineral density in male patients with lower urinary tract symptoms and prostatic enlargement: a preliminary study

Introduction: We studied the effect of dutasteride on bone mineral density (BMD) in aging male patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and prostatic enlargement.

Methods: We prospectively studied 17 patients with LUTS and prostatic enlargement. Before and 1 year after dutasteride (0.5?mg daily), we assessed International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), prostatic volume (PV), serum prostatic-specific antigen (PSA) and testosterone. BMD in the lumbar and femur was measured by DEXA method.

Results: Dutasteride significantly reduced PV (from 51?±?24 to 34?±?17?ml, p?p?p?2, p?2, p?2, p?Conclusions: Dutasteride has a potential to improve BMD with elevation of serum testosterone in aging male patients with LUTS and prostatic enlargement.     

Coincidence of two failure rate models

In considering an accelerated life test model, Bhattacharyya and Soejoeti (1989) proposed the tampered failure rate (TFR) model, and they gave a necessary and sufficient condition for the model to coincide with the tampered random variable (TRV) model due to DeGroot and Goel (1979). The main purpose of this paper is to show that their claim on the necessity is not true, in a stronger sense than theirs.     

Egg cluster size variation in relation to the larval food abundance inLuehdorfia puziloi (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)

Summary Mean egg cluster size ofLuehdorfia puziloi yessoensis varied among habitats. The mean egg cluster size tended to be large when abundance of the larval food leaves expressed as the fresh weight of leaves per unit area at a given habitat was high. Since this variation was observed among closely located study plots (butterflies can easily move between study plots), the egg cluster size variation among habitats is likely to be a result of flexible response by females to varying food abundance for larvae.     

Elite mobility and continuity during a regime change

How does a regime change influence elite mobility? By collecting data on elites after the Meiji Restoration in Japan in 1868, through which Japan transitioned from a feudal regime to a modern regime, we provide new evidence that the impact of the regime change on elite mobility varies across the stages of the regime change. We analyze the impact of the regime change from two aspects: (1) the composition of elites or elite membership and (2) the internal hierarchy within them. The regime change opened an opportunity for commoners to join the elite group. After the Meiji Restoration, the share of elites whose fathers were commoners in the former regime increased, as did the influence of meritocracy on elite ranks. However, once the new regime was established, the elite hierarchy started to reflect the social stratum of the former regime and the influence of meritocracy declined.     

马复初哲学中的“全体大用”探析

马复初（德新）是明清时期“以儒诠经”的回族穆斯林经师之一,他不仅继承了王岱舆、马注、刘智的哲学传统,而且结合其游学天方伊斯兰世界获得的最新成果,把这场“回儒对话”推到了一个崭新高度。马复初哲学思想中的“全体大用”借用朱熹的概念,但与宋明理学认知宇宙本质的直观知识之认识有所不同,被赋予了伊斯兰教天堂和后世的理性。