Voting in the Echo Chamber? Patterns of Political Online Activities and Voting Behavior in Switzerland

Understanding the political consequences of digitalization is among the key challenges for modern societies. A pressing issue is the question whether political online activities make individuals more close-minded and less willing to consider alternative arguments. We examine this question using a peculiarity of the Swiss electoral system – the possibility to split votes – as a behavioral outcome measure. We argue that political online activities might either make individuals less likely to split votes (“echo chamber”-argument) or more likely to spread their votes across parties (“deliberation”-argument). Empirically, we use data from the Swiss Election Study Selects 2019 to test these arguments. The results of a hierarchical logistic regression analysis do not support any of the conflicting arguments. Yet, additional analyses suggest that political interest moderates the relationship between online activities and vote splitting: political interest makes online activists more likely to split votes

Investigating native metal ion binding sites in mammalian histidine-rich glycoprotein

Funding: For the purpose of open access, the authors have applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license to any Accepted Author Manuscript version arising. They acknowledge support by the Wellcome Trust (204821/Z/16/Z), the British Heart Foundation (PG/15/9/31270 and FS/15/42/31556), and the Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2018–397). J.L.W. acknowledges support by the BBSRC DTP Eastbio. B.E.B. acknowledges equipment funding by BBSRC (BB/R013780/1 and BB/T017740/1).Mammalian histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) is a highly versatile and abundant blood plasma glycoprotein with a diverse range of ligands that is involved in regulating many essential biological processes, including coagulation, cell adhesion, and angiogenesis. Despite its biomedical importance, structural information on the multi-domain protein is sparse, not least due to intrinsically disordered regions that elude high-resolution structural characterization. Binding of divalent metal ions, particularly ZnII, to multiple sites within the HRG protein is of critical functional importance and exerts a regulatory role. However, characterization of the ZnII binding sites of HRG is a challenge; their number and composition as well as their affinities and stoichiometries of binding are currently not fully understood. In this study, we explored modern electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy methods supported by protein secondary and tertiary structure prediction to assemble a holistic picture of native HRG and its interaction with metal ions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that this suite of EPR techniques has been applied to count and characterize endogenous metal ion binding sites in a native mammalian protein of unknown structure.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Comparison of artesunate–mefloquine and artemether–lumefantrine fixed-dose combinations for treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children younger than 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa: a randomised, multicentre, phase 4 trial

SummaryBackgroundWHO recommends combinations of an artemisinin derivative plus an antimalarial drug of longer half-life as treatment options for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum infection. In Africa, artemether–lumefantrine is the most widely used artemisinin-based combination therapy, whereas artesunate–mefloquine is used infrequently because of a perceived poor tolerance to mefloquine. WHO recommends reconsideration of the use of artesunate–mefloquine in Africa. We compared the efficacy and safety of fixed-dose artesunate–mefloquine with that of artemether–lumefantrine for treatment of children younger than 5 years with uncomplicated P falciparum malaria.MethodsWe did this multicentre, phase 4, open-label, non-inferiority trial in Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Tanzania. Children aged 6–59 months with uncomplicated malaria were randomly assigned (1:1), via a computer-generated randomisation list, to receive 3 days' treatment with either one or two artesunate–mefloquine tablets (25 mg artesunate and 55 mg mefloquine) once a day or one or two artemether–lumefantrine tablets (20 mg artemether and 120 mg lumefantrine) twice a day. Parasitological assessments were done independently by two microscopists who were blinded to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was the PCR-corrected rate of adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) at day 63 in the per-protocol population. Non-inferiority was shown if the lower limit of the 95% CI for the difference between groups was greater than −5%. Early vomiting was monitored and neuropsychiatric status assessed regularly during follow-up. This study is registered with ISRCTN, number ISRCTN17472707, and the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry, number PACTR201202000278282.Findings945 children were enrolled and randomised, 473 to artesunate–mefloquine and 472 to artemether–lumefantrine. The per-protocol population consisted of 407 children in each group. The PCR-corrected ACPR rate at day 63 was 90·9% (370 patients) in the artesunate–mefloquine group and 89·7% (365 patients) in the artemether–lumefantrine group (treatment difference 1·23%, 95% CI −2·84% to 5·29%). At 72 h after the start of treatment, no child had detectable parasitaemia and less than 6% had fever, with a similar number in each group (21 in the artesunate–mefloquine group vs 24 in the artemether–lumefantrine group). The safety profiles of artesunate–mefloquine and artemether–lumefantrine were similar, with low rates of early vomiting (71 [15·3%] of 463 patients in the artesunate–mefloquine group vs 79 [16·8%] of 471 patients in the artemether–lumefantrine group in any of the three dosing days), few neurological adverse events (ten [2·1%] of 468 vs five [1·1%] of 465), and no detectable psychiatric adverse events.InterpretationArtesunate–mefloquine is effective and safe, and an important treatment option, for children younger than 5 years with uncomplicated P falciparum malaria in Africa.FundingAgence Française de Développement, France; Department for International Development, UK; Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands; European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership; Fondation Arpe, Switzerland; Médecins Sans Frontières; Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Switzerland

Evaluation de la stratégie de lutte contre le cancer en Suisse, Phase 2, 2002 : document de synthèse

[Table des matières] 1. Introduction. 2. Méthode. 3. Conclusions et recommandations générales. 3.1. Stratégie. 3.2. Conclusions et recommandations concernant la stratégie, les structures et le fonctionnement, la collaboration avec l'extérieur. 3.3. Les 4 programmes nationaux. 3.4. Conclusions et recommandations pour les 4 programmes nationaux. 3.5. Bilan de l'expérience de la mise en place du dépistage du sein. 3.6. Conclusions et recommandations pour la mise en place du dépistage du sein. 3.7. Les données à disposition pour le suivi et l'évaluation de la stratégie nationale de lutte contre le cancer. 3.8. Conclusions et recommandations pour le suivi et l'évaluation de la stratégie nationale de lutte contre le cancer. 4. Annexes: Résumés des études 1 à 7. Etude 1: Suivi du développement de la stratégie nationale. Studie 2: Prozessevaluation und Prozessdokumentation. Studie 3: Mammographie-Screening in der Schweiz : eine retrospektive Analyse zur Umsetzung. Studie 4: Sekundäre Analyse der verfügbaren Indikatoren zur Messung der Ergebnisse des nationalen Krebsbekämpfungsprogrammes. Etude 5: Quel ancrage local des actions de la Ligue suisse contre le cancer ? : l'exemple de la prévention du mélanome. Studie 6: Begleitevaluation der Pilotphase des Aktionsmonats Brustkrebs. Etude 7: Accompagnement psychosocial des personnes ayant un diagnostic de cancer : étude de deux cantons

Evaluating the Impact of Computerized Provider Order Entry on Medical Students Training at Bedside: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To evaluate the impact of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) at the bedside on medical students training. Materials and Methods We conducted a randomized cross-controlled educational trial on medical students during two clerkship rotations in three departments, assessing the impact of the use of CPOE on their ability to place adequate monitoring and therapeutic orders using a written test before and after each rotation. Students’ satisfaction with their practice and the order placement system was surveyed. A multivariate mixed model was used to take individual students and chief resident (CR) effects into account. Factorial analysis was applied on the satisfaction questionnaire to identify dimensions, and scores were compared on these dimensions. Results: Thirty-six students show no better progress (beginning and final test means = 69.87 and 80.98 points out of 176 for the control group, 64.60 and 78.11 for the CPOE group, p = 0.556) during their rotation in either group, even after adjusting for each student and CR, but show a better satisfaction with patient care and greater involvement in the medical team in the CPOE group (p = 0.035*). Both groups have a favorable opinion regarding CPOE as an educational tool, especially because of the order reviewing by the supervisor. Conclusion: This is the first randomized controlled trial assessing the performance of CPOE in both the progress in prescriptions ability and satisfaction of the students. The absence of effect on the medical skills must be weighted by the small time scale and low sample size. However, students are more satisfied when using CPOE rather than usual training

A population of gamma-ray emitting globular clusters seen with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

Globular clusters with their large populations of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are believed to be potential emitters of high-energy gamma-ray emission. Our goal is to constrain the millisecond pulsar populations in globular clusters from analysis of gamma-ray observations. We use 546 days of continuous sky-survey observations obtained with the Large Area Telescope aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to study the gamma-ray emission towards 13 globular clusters. Steady point-like high-energy gamma-ray emission has been significantly detected towards 8 globular clusters. Five of them (47 Tucanae, Omega Cen, NGC 6388, Terzan 5, and M 28) show hard spectral power indices $(0.7 < \Gamma <1.4)$ and clear evidence for an exponential cut-off in the range 1.0-2.6 GeV, which is the characteristic signature of magnetospheric emission from MSPs. Three of them (M 62, NGC 6440 and NGC 6652) also show hard spectral indices $(1.0 < \Gamma < 1.7)$, however the presence of an exponential cut-off can not be unambiguously established. Three of them (Omega Cen, NGC 6388, NGC 6652) have no known radio or X-ray MSPs yet still exhibit MSP spectral properties. From the observed gamma-ray luminosities, we estimate the total number of MSPs that is expected to be present in these globular clusters. We show that our estimates of the MSP population correlate with the stellar encounter rate and we estimate 2600-4700 MSPs in Galactic globular clusters, commensurate with previous estimates. The observation of high-energy gamma-ray emission from a globular cluster thus provides a reliable independent method to assess their millisecond pulsar populations that can be used to make constraints on the original neutron star X-ray binary population, essential for understanding the importance of binary systems in slowing the inevitable core collapse of globular clusters.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. Corresponding authors: J. Kn\"odlseder, N. Webb, B. Pancraz

Fermi Large Area Telescope Constraints on the Gamma-ray Opacity of the Universe

The Extragalactic Background Light (EBL) includes photons with wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared, which are effective at attenuating gamma rays with energy above ~10 GeV during propagation from sources at cosmological distances. This results in a redshift- and energy-dependent attenuation of the gamma-ray flux of extragalactic sources such as blazars and Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). The Large Area Telescope onboard Fermi detects a sample of gamma-ray blazars with redshift up to z~3, and GRBs with redshift up to z~4.3. Using photons above 10 GeV collected by Fermi over more than one year of observations for these sources, we investigate the effect of gamma-ray flux attenuation by the EBL. We place upper limits on the gamma-ray opacity of the Universe at various energies and redshifts, and compare this with predictions from well-known EBL models. We find that an EBL intensity in the optical-ultraviolet wavelengths as great as predicted by the "baseline" model of Stecker et al. (2006) can be ruled out with high confidence.Comment: 42 pages, 12 figures, accepted version (24 Aug.2010) for publication in ApJ; Contact authors: A. Bouvier, A. Chen, S. Raino, S. Razzaque, A. Reimer, L.C. Reye

Gamma-ray and radio properties of six pulsars detected by the fermi large area telescope

We report the detection of pulsed γ-rays for PSRs J0631+1036, J0659+1414, J0742-2822, J1420-6048, J1509-5850, and J1718-3825 using the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (formerly known as GLAST). Although these six pulsars are diverse in terms of their spin parameters, they share an important feature: their γ-ray light curves are (at least given the current count statistics) single peaked. For two pulsars, there are hints for a double-peaked structure in the light curves. The shapes of the observed light curves of this group of pulsars are discussed in the light of models for which the emission originates from high up in the magnetosphere. The observed phases of the γ-ray light curves are, in general, consistent with those predicted by high-altitude models, although we speculate that the γ-ray emission of PSR J0659+1414, possibly featuring the softest spectrum of all Fermi pulsars coupled with a very low efficiency, arises from relatively low down in the magnetosphere. High-quality radio polarization data are available showing that all but one have a high degree of linear polarization. This allows us to place some constraints on the viewing geometry and aids the comparison of the γ-ray light curves with high-energy beam models

Relatório de estágio em farmácia comunitária

Relatório de estágio realizado no âmbito do Mestrado Integrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas, apresentado à Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Coimbr