On the nucleotide distribution in bacterial DNA sequences

It is probable that the distributional structure of DNA sequences arises from the accumulation of many successive stochastic events such as nucleotide deletions, insertions, substitutions and elongations [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Although the existence of long-range correlations in non-coding portions of DNA sequences is well established [8, 9, 10, 11], first order Markov chains might well capture aspects of their nucleotide distributions [12]. Here we propose a hidden Markov model based on a coupling of an urn process with a Markov chain to approximate the distributional structure of primitive DNA sequences. Then, by supposing that a bacterial DNA sequence can be derived from uniformly distributed mutations of some primitive DNA, we use the model to explain and predict some distributional properties of bacterial DNA sequences. The distributional properties intrinsic to the model were compared to statistical estimates from 1049 bacterial DNA sequences. In particular, the proposed model provides another possible theoretical explanation for Chargaff’s second parity rule for short oligonucleotides [13, 14]

Why we can't help working when ill: the perverse causes of presenteeism in the UK, with a focus on prison officers and academics

The term ‘presenteeism’ refers to situations where employees continue to attend work while they are sick. In this report we look at why absenteeism policies can encourage presenteeism and how presenteeism presents in two working populations: UK prison officers and UK academics

Hospital expenditure at the end-of-life: what are the impacts of health status and health risks?

Background: It is important for health policy and expenditure projections to understand the relationship between age, death and expenditure on health care (HC). Research has shown that older age groups incur lower hospital costs than previously anticipated and that remaining time to death (TTD) was a much stronger indicator for expenditure than age. How health behaviour or risk factors impact on HC utilisation and costs at the end of life is relatively unknown. Smoking and Body Mass Index (BMI) have featured most prominently and mixed findings exist as to the exact nature of this association.<p></p> Methods: This paper considers the relationship between TTD, age and expenditure for inpatient care in the last 12 quarters of life; and introduces measures of health status and risks. A longitudinal dataset covering 35 years is utilised, including baseline survey data linked to hospital and death records. The effect of age, TTD and health indicators on expenditure for inpatient care is estimated using a two-part model.<p></p> Results: As individuals approach death costs increase. This effect is highly significant (p<0.01) from the last until the 8th quarter before death and influenced by age. Statistically significant effects on costs were found for: smoking status, systolic blood pressure and lung function (FEV1). On average, smokers incurred lower quarterly costs in their last 12 quarters of life than non-smokers (~7%). Participants’ BMI at baseline did show a negative association with probability of HC utilisation however this effect disappeared when costs were estimated.<p></p> Conclusions: Health risk measures obtained at baseline provide a good indication of individuals’ probability of needing medical attention later in life and incurring costs, despite the small size of the effect. Utilising a linked dataset, where such measures are available can add substantially to our ability to explain the relationship between TTD and costs.<p></p&gt

Cashman Equipment Co. v. West Edna Assocs., 132 Nev. Adv. Op. 69 (Sep. 29, 2016)

The Court determined that (1) NRS 108.2457(5)(e) precludes enforcement of an unconditional release from a bottom-tiered contractor to a higher-tiered contractor, when the higher-tiered contractor properly paid the middle-tiered contractor, but the middle-tiered contractor failed to pay the bottom-tiered contractor; and (2) that equitable fault analysis may not be used to reduce an award in a mechanic’s lien case

Motivating the professional learning community; assembling a framework for generative professional development: A generative professional development model by and for teachers

This project examined teachers’ motivation to engage with the construction of a framework for professional development (PD), underpinned by generative learning principles in a school requiring a shift in practice for its teacher. The project also explored how generative PD practices within such a framework might support the development of an emergent Professional Learning Community (PLC). It was proposed that a shift in ownership of PD, through the application of generative practices, might enhance teachers’ intrinsic motivation to engage with PD and provide momentum for PLC genesis. Participants contributed to the school’s PD cycle for one year. TeachMeet principles were employed, where anything of interest within teachers’ professional spheres was shared in a low-stakes setting. Data emanated from semi-structured interviews (SSIs) after the implementation of the generative framework, followed by inductive coding and narrative analysis. This permitted an exploration of beliefs and authentic experiences of each teacher, with a holistic recount of teachers’ experiences of PD throughout their careers emerging, in tandem with their current engagement and motivation regarding the generative framework. Teachers clearly articulated that some models of PD, such as the deficit model, had been detrimental to motivation. Teachers expressed eagerness to share knowledge and skills with colleagues in the findings, with the generative PD framework facilitating the co-creation of knowledge within spheres of professional interest. Teachers were clear that the new framework supported their motivation to engage with PD and was supportive of their growth as autonomous professionals. These findings indicated that generative learning principles, when applied to PD, supported the early formation of a PLC in the project school and suggested that a significant contributory factor was engaging with the process of seeking to understand teachers’ motivation to engage with the PD framework itself