Explaining Public Opinion towards a Federal Educational Reform: The Impact of Accountability, Symbolism, Group Interest, and Authoritarianism on Support for the No Child Left Behind Law

This study focuses on public opinion of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The act is a federal reform act, therefore politicians will pay attention to voters’ opinions of the law when considering if they should pass future legislation like it. Data were collected from a sample population of United States citizens by the Princeton Survey Research Associates International. People’s educational views, political views, group interests, and authoritarian views were all used to measure which groups have a positive attitude toward NCLB. Logistic regression was used to test several models to predict which groups have the strongest opinion of the law. The results indicate people’s views toward standardized testing, Republicans, and parents are the groups most likely to have a positive view of the law, followed closely by people with authoritarian attitudes

The norms are more guidelines than actual rules: applying Isomorphism to disability accommodations in the catholic church.

This dissertation addresses the role of isomorphism as it pertains to disability accommodations in the Catholic Church. Isomorphism is the concept articulated by DiMaggio and Powell (1983) that organizations are becoming more similar. They do this in three ways: mimetic (when one organization copies another organization), coercive (when one organization or cultural practices pressure another organization to perform an action or adopt a policy), and normative (when organizations adopt similar actions because their leaders are following a common set of norms established through professional or educational processes). Sacraments that address disability issues in the Catholic Church are unique because they are exempt from federal and state laws. Therefore, the only entity that can coerce a parish (individual Catholic Church headed by a priest) is the diocese (the umbrella organization the governs parishes headed by a bishop). This dissertation uses that dynamic to isolate the coercive factors and quantify the three types of isomorphism. To do this I mainly use two surveys sent to parishes and dioceses in the United States by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA). The findings show that normative isomorphism is the most influential type of vi isomorphism, around three times as influential as mimetic isomorphism. Coercive isomorphism is not influential in any models in the dissertation. I conclude that the reason coercive isomorphism is not influential is because the tools bishops use to influence disability accommodations lack a strong enforcement mechanism. Most bishops do not regard disability accommodations as a high priority and without a strong enforcement mechanism, disability accommodations are not regularly implemented. Normative isomorphism is influential because a priest and bishop’s position is inherently social, therefore people and organizations have the opportunity to affect how the priest/bishop thinks about disability accommodations. Once they start thinking about them, other organizations have an opportunity to influence the decision and mimetic isomorphism can also influence their decision because the priest or bishop is searching for solutions and looks to similar organizations for those solutions

SERTRALINE AND MIRTAZAPINE AS GERIATRIC ANTIDEPRESSANTS

Background: Depression within the geriatric patient population is an important issue as it is associated with increased mortality. Such depression may have a different aetiology to that in younger patients and be associated with comorbid chronic physical health problems or cognitive impairment. However, there is no specific UK guideline for the treatment of depression within elderly patients. The first-line pharmacological treatment recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is to use a serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Unfortunately these can have significant side-effects in the elderly such as hyponatraemia. Sertraline is one such SSRI commonly used in the geriatric population. Mirtazapine, a noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant (NaSSa) is seeing increasing usage as an alternative agent. Here we evaluate the role of using the NaSSA in place of the SSRI and how such drugs may be cross-titrated. Methods: PubMed and an internet search engine were used to identify relevant studies and information sources. Conclusions: Limited evidence suggests that for certain elderly patients, mirtazapine may be preferable to sertraline for treatment of depression. It may also be more cost-effective in patients who have dementia. The choice is highly dependent upon individual co-morbidities and subsequent polypharmacy. If required, sertaline can be cross-titrated to mirtazapine

SERTRALINE AND MIRTAZAPINE AS GERIATRIC ANTIDEPRESSANTS

Background: Depression within the geriatric patient population is an important issue as it is associated with increased mortality. Such depression may have a different aetiology to that in younger patients and be associated with comorbid chronic physical health problems or cognitive impairment. However, there is no specific UK guideline for the treatment of depression within elderly patients. The first-line pharmacological treatment recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is to use a serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Unfortunately these can have significant side-effects in the elderly such as hyponatraemia. Sertraline is one such SSRI commonly used in the geriatric population. Mirtazapine, a noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant (NaSSa) is seeing increasing usage as an alternative agent. Here we evaluate the role of using the NaSSA in place of the SSRI and how such drugs may be cross-titrated. Methods: PubMed and an internet search engine were used to identify relevant studies and information sources. Conclusions: Limited evidence suggests that for certain elderly patients, mirtazapine may be preferable to sertraline for treatment of depression. It may also be more cost-effective in patients who have dementia. The choice is highly dependent upon individual co-morbidities and subsequent polypharmacy. If required, sertaline can be cross-titrated to mirtazapine

An Unbiased Survey of 500 Nearby Stars for Debris Disks: A JCMT Legacy Program

We present the scientific motivation and observing plan for an upcoming detection survey for debris disks using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. The SCUBA-2 Unbiased Nearby Stars (SUNS) Survey will observe 500 nearby main sequence and sub-giant stars (100 of each of the A, F, G, K and M spectral classes) to the 850 micron extragalactic confusion limit to search for evidence of submillimeter excess, an indication of circumstellar material. The survey distance boundaries are 8.6, 16.5, 22, 25 and 45 pc for M, K, G, F and A stars, respectively, and all targets lie between the declinations of -40 deg to 80 deg. In this survey, no star will be rejected based on its inherent properties: binarity, presence of planetary companions, spectral type or age. This will be the first unbiased survey for debris disks since IRAS. We expect to detect ~125 debris disks, including ~50 cold disks not detectable in current shorter wavelength surveys. A substantial amount of complementary data will be required to constrain the temperatures and masses of discovered disks. High resolution studies will likely be required to resolve many of the disks. Therefore, these systems will be the focus of future observational studies using a variety of observatories to characterize their physical properties. For non-detected systems, this survey will set constraints (upper limits) on the amount of circumstellar dust, of typically 200 times the Kuiper Belt mass, but as low as 10 times the Kuiper Belt mass for the nearest stars in the sample (approximately 2 pc).Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures (3 color), accepted by the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacifi

Opportunities for machine learning and artificial intelligence in national mapping agencies:enhancing ordnance survey workflow

National Mapping agencies (NMA) are frequently tasked with providing highly accurate geospatial data for a range of customers. Traditionally, this challenge has been met by combining the collection of remote sensing data with extensive field work, and the manual interpretation and processing of the combined data. Consequently, this task is a significant logistical undertaking which benefits the production of high quality output, but which is extremely expensive to deliver. Therefore, novel approaches that can automate feature extraction and classification from remotely sensed data, are of great potential interest to NMAs across the entire sector. Using research undertaken at Great Britain’s NMA; Ordnance Survey (OS) as an example, this paper provides an overview of the recent advances at an NMA in the use of artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) based applications. Examples of these approaches are in automating the process of feature extraction and classification from remotely sensed aerial imagery. In addition, recent OS research in applying deep (convolutional) neural network architectures to image classification are also described. This overview is intended to be useful to other NMAs who may be considering the adoption of similar approaches within their workflows

Enhanced Brain Disposition and Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in P-Glycoprotein and Breast Cancer Resistance Protein Knockout Mice

The ABC transporters P-glycoprotein (P-gp, Abcb1) and breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp, Abcg2) regulate the CNS disposition of many drugs. The main psychoactive constituent of cannabis Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has affinity for P-gp and Bcrp, however it is unknown whether these transporters modulate the brain accumulation of THC and its functional effects on the CNS. Here we aim to show that mice devoid of Abcb1 and Abcg2 retain higher brain THC levels and are more sensitive to cannabinoid-induced hypothermia than wild-type (WT) mice. Abcb1a/b (−/−), Abcg2 (−/−) and wild-type (WT) mice were injected with THC before brain and blood were collected and THC concentrations determined. Another cohort of mice was examined for THC-induced hypothermia by measuring rectal body temperature. Brain THC concentrations were higher in both Abcb1a/b (−/−) and Abcg2 (−/−) mice than WT mice. ABC transporter knockout mice exhibited delayed elimination of THC from the brain with the effect being more prominent in Abcg2 (−/−) mice. ABC transporter knockout mice were more sensitive to THC-induced hypothermia compared to WT mice. These results show P-gp and Bcrp prolong the brain disposition and hypothermic effects of THC and offer a novel mechanism for both genetic vulnerability to the psychoactive effects of cannabis and drug interactions between CNS therapies and cannabis

Evaluation of the feasibility, diagnostic yield, and clinical utility of rapid genome sequencing in infantile epilepsy (Gene-STEPS): an international, multicentre, pilot cohort study

BACKGROUND: Most neonatal and infantile-onset epilepsies have presumed genetic aetiologies, and early genetic diagnoses have the potential to inform clinical management and improve outcomes. We therefore aimed to determine the feasibility, diagnostic yield, and clinical utility of rapid genome sequencing in this population. METHODS: We conducted an international, multicentre, cohort study (Gene-STEPS), which is a pilot study of the International Precision Child Health Partnership (IPCHiP). IPCHiP is a consortium of four paediatric centres with tertiary-level subspecialty services in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the USA. We recruited infants with new-onset epilepsy or complex febrile seizures from IPCHiP centres, who were younger than 12 months at seizure onset. We excluded infants with simple febrile seizures, acute provoked seizures, known acquired cause, or known genetic cause. Blood samples were collected from probands and available biological parents. Clinical data were collected from medical records, treating clinicians, and parents. Trio genome sequencing was done when both parents were available, and duo or singleton genome sequencing was done when one or neither parent was available. Site-specific protocols were used for DNA extraction and library preparation. Rapid genome sequencing and analysis was done at clinically accredited laboratories, and results were returned to families. We analysed summary statistics for cohort demographic and clinical characteristics and the timing, diagnostic yield, and clinical impact of rapid genome sequencing. FINDINGS: Between Sept 1, 2021, and Aug 31, 2022, we enrolled 100 infants with new-onset epilepsy, of whom 41 (41%) were girls and 59 (59%) were boys. Median age of seizure onset was 128 days (IQR 46-192). For 43 (43% [binomial distribution 95% CI 33-53]) of 100 infants, we identified genetic diagnoses, with a median time from seizure onset to rapid genome sequencing result of 37 days (IQR 25-59). Genetic diagnosis was associated with neonatal seizure onset versus infantile seizure onset (14 [74%] of 19 vs 29 [36%] of 81; p=0·0027), referral setting (12 [71%] of 17 for intensive care, 19 [44%] of 43 non-intensive care inpatient, and 12 [28%] of 40 outpatient; p=0·0178), and epilepsy syndrome (13 [87%] of 15 for self-limited epilepsies, 18 [35%] of 51 for developmental and epileptic encephalopathies, 12 [35%] of 34 for other syndromes; p=0·001). Rapid genome sequencing revealed genetic heterogeneity, with 34 unique genes or genomic regions implicated. Genetic diagnoses had immediate clinical utility, informing treatment (24 [56%] of 43), additional evaluation (28 [65%]), prognosis (37 [86%]), and recurrence risk counselling (all cases). INTERPRETATION: Our findings support the feasibility of implementation of rapid genome sequencing in the clinical care of infants with new-onset epilepsy. Longitudinal follow-up is needed to further assess the role of rapid genetic diagnosis in improving clinical, quality-of-life, and economic outcomes. FUNDING: American Academy of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital Children's Rare Disease Cohorts Initiative, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Epilepsy Canada, Feiga Bresver Academic Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, Medical Research Council, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute for Health and Care Research Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, One8 Foundation, Ontario Brain Institute, Robinson Family Initiative for Transformational Research, The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation, University of Toronto McLaughlin Centre

Evolution of Symbiotic Bacteria in the Distal Human Intestine

The adult human intestine contains trillions of bacteria, representing hundreds of species and thousands of subspecies. Little is known about the selective pressures that have shaped and are shaping this community's component species, which are dominated by members of the Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes divisions. To examine how the intestinal environment affects microbial genome evolution, we have sequenced the genomes of two members of the normal distal human gut microbiota, Bacteroides vulgatus and Bacteroides distasonis, and by comparison with the few other sequenced gut and non-gut Bacteroidetes, analyzed their niche and habitat adaptations. The results show that lateral gene transfer, mobile elements, and gene amplification have played important roles in affecting the ability of gut-dwelling Bacteroidetes to vary their cell surface, sense their environment, and harvest nutrient resources present in the distal intestine. Our findings show that these processes have been a driving force in the adaptation of Bacteroidetes to the distal gut environment, and emphasize the importance of considering the evolution of humans from an additional perspective, namely the evolution of our microbiomes