Evaluation of phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium content in commercially available foods formulated for healthy cats.

BackgroundHigh dietary phosphorus (P) and low calcium-to-phosphorus ratio (Ca:P) are associated with kidney damage in cats. There are no established guidelines for dietary P maximum for cats.ObjectivesTo quantify crude protein, P, Ca, and magnesium (Mg) concentrations in cat foods and compare among food formats (dry, canned, raw), primary protein ingredients, protein concentrations (low, moderate, high), grain-free versus grain-containing foods, foods intended for adult maintenance versus all life stages, and cost.SamplesEighty-two commercial nonprescription cat foods.MethodsDescriptive study. Mineral concentrations were measured using inductively coupled argon plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. Crude protein was measured using the Dumas nitrogen combustion method. Mineral and crude protein concentrations were compared among food categories.ResultsTwenty-seven foods contained ≥3.6 g P/1000 kcal metabolizable energy (ME), of which 7 exceeded 4.8 g/1000 kcal ME. Thirteen foods had low Ca:P ratio (≤1.0). The low-protein diet group had no products ≥3.6 g P/1000 kcal ME, which was significantly different compared to the high-protein diet group (52% of products had ≥3.6 g P/1000 kcal ME; P = .01). No significant differences in P content and Ca:P ratio were found among other diet categories. Canned foods had significantly lower Mg compared to dry (P < .001) and raw (P = .007) foods. Declared minimum P and Ca were significantly lower than analyzed concentrations (P = .0005 and P = .003, respectively).Conclusions and clinical importanceThe high number of foods with high P and low Ca suggest that pet food regulatory reform should be considered

“Students” as Nodal Point of Identity: Analyzing the Discourses of Quebec’s News Media and Students in the 2012 Printemps Érable

This thesis presents a comparative discourse analysis of Quebec’s news media and students in the context of the 2012 student strike and more broad-based uprising known as the Printemps érable (Maple Spring). More specifically, the analysis concerns how educational issues were represented in the discourse of the news media compared to that of students, as expressed in mainstream newspapers and student association press releases, respectively. It also addresses the role of these discourses in either reproducing or contesting hegemonic political and economic ideologies. The discourse theory of Laclau and Mouffe (1985) is operationalized as the primary methodological framework for this study, focusing on the articulation of polysemic signifiers as moments and nodal points. Ten texts were selected from The Gazette and ten from La Presse, as well as ten press releases from the FECQ/FEUQ and ten from the CLASSE. Analysis reveals that the signifier “students” represents a nodal point of identity or master signifier central to each discourse, as they fail to conform to notions of a common media or student discourse. The discourse of The Gazette may be described as that of an illiberal or neoliberal democracy, while those of La Presse and the FECQ/FEUQ are more or less both liberal democratic and neoliberal capitalist. The discourse of the CLASSE is identified as postliberal, with features of direct and participatory democracy, and though it reproduces few neoliberal articulations it also contests few. In the end, challenging the political order appears more practicable than challenging the economic one

Design of an Apparatus to Detect Small Changes in the Mass of Rotational Machine Components

In this study, an apparatus was designed to detect changes on the order of grams in the mass of test samples subject to accelerations approaching 275g. The apparatus incorporated a surface speedometer, displacement transducer and on-board data-logging device in order to correlate mass loss events with changes in rotational speed and acceleration. An accessory was also designed to allow for on-board video recording to validate the findings and to better understand the mechanics of mass loss events. Such mass loss events are of interest for high-speed rotating machinery (e.g., manufacturing equipment, turbine rotors and automotive drivetrains), where material can build up and be dislodged, or other mass loss events can occur that currently cannot be measured directly. Results of such a design will allow for identification of mass loss in service for improved equipment diagnostics and control

OPTIC: Orbiting Plutonian Topographic Image Craft Proposal for an Unmanned Mission to Pluto

The proposal for an unmanned probe to Pluto is presented and described. The Orbiting Plutonian Topographic Image Craft's (OPTIC's) trip will take twenty years and after its arrival, will begin its data collection which includes image and radar mapping, surface spectral analysis, and magnetospheric studies. This probe's design was developed based on the request for proposal of an unmanned probe to Pluto requirements. The distinct problems which an orbiter causes for each subsystem of the craft are discussed. The final design revolved around two important factors: (1) the ability to collect and return the maximum quantity of information on the Plutonian system; and (2) the weight limitations which the choice of an orbiting craft implied. The velocity requirements of this type of mission severely limited the weight available for mission execution-owing to the large portion of overall weight required as fuel to fly the craft with present technology. The topics covered include: (1) scientific instrumentation; (2) mission management; (3) power and propulsion; (4) attitude and articulation control; (5) structural subsystems; and (6) command, control, and communication

Deliberating inequality: a blueprint for studying the social formation of beliefs about economic inequality

In most contemporary societies, people underestimate the extent of economic inequality, resulting in lower support for taxation and redistribution than might be expressed by better informed citizens. We still know little, however, about how understandings of inequality arise, and therefore about where perceptions and misperceptions of it might come from. This methodological article takes one step toward filling this gap by developing a research design—a blueprint—to study how people’s understandings of wealth and income inequality develop through social interaction. Our approach combines insights from recent scholarship highlighting the socially situated character of inequality beliefs with those of survey experimental work testing how information about inequality changes people’s understandings of it. Specifically, we propose to use deliberative focus groups to approximate the interactional contexts in which individuals process information and form beliefs in social life. Leveraging an experimental methodology, our design then varies the social makeup of deliberative groups, as well as the information about inequality we share with participants, to explore how different types of social environments and information shape people’s understandings of economic inequality. This should let us test, in particular, whether the low socioeconomic diversity of people’s discussion and interaction networks relates to their tendency to underestimate inequality, and whether beliefs about opportunity explain people’s lack of appetite for redistributive policies. In this exploratory article we motivate our methodological apparatus and describe its key features, before reflecting on the findings from a proof-of-concept study conducted in London in the fall of 2019

Structural basis for mechanotransduction in a potassium-dependent mechanosensitive ion channel

Mechanosensitive channels of small conductance, found in many living organisms, open under elevated membrane tension and thus play crucial roles in biological response to mechanical stress. Amongst these channels, MscK is unique in that its activation also requires external potassium ions. To better understand this dual gating mechanism by force and ligand, we elucidate distinct structures of MscK along the gating cycle using cryo-electron microscopy. The heptameric channel comprises three layers: a cytoplasmic domain, a periplasmic gating ring, and a markedly curved transmembrane domain that flattens and expands upon channel opening, which is accompanied by dilation of the periplasmic ring. Furthermore, our results support a potentially unifying mechanotransduction mechanism in ion channels depicted as flattening and expansion of the transmembrane domain

Directed assembly of optically bound matter

We present a study of optically bound matter formation in a counter-propagating evanescent field, exploiting total internal reflection on a prism surface. Small ensembles of silica microspheres are assembled in a controlled manner using optical tweezers. The structures and dynamics of the resulting optically bound chains are interpreted using a simulation implementing generalized Lorentz-Mie theory. In particular, we observe enhancement of the scattering force along the propagation direction of the optically bound colloidal chains leading to a microscopic analogue of a driven pendulum which, at least superficially, resembles Newton’s cradle

Understanding the security and privacy concerns about the use of identifiable health data in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic : survey study of public attitudes toward COVID-19 and data-sharing

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic increased the availability and use of population and individual health data to optimize tracking and analysis of the spread of the virus. Many health care services have had to rapidly digitalize in order to maintain the continuity of care provision. Data collection and dissemination have provided critical support for defending against the spread of the virus since the beginning of the pandemic; however, little is known about public perceptions of and attitudes toward the use, privacy, and security of data. Objective: The goal of this study is to better understand people’s willingness to share data in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A web-based survey was conducted on individuals’ use of and attitudes toward health data for individuals aged 18 years and older, and in particular, with a reported diagnosis of a chronic health condition placing them at the highest risk of severe COVID-19. Results: In total, 4764 individuals responded to this web-based survey, of whom 4674 (98.1%) reported a medical diagnosis of at least 1 health condition (3 per person on average), with type 2 diabetes (n=2974, 62.7%), hypertension (n=2147, 45.2%), and type 1 diabetes (n=1299, 27.4%) being most prominent in our sample. In general, more people are comfortable with sharing anonymized data than personally identifiable data. People reported feeling comfortable sharing data that were able to benefit others; 66% (3121 respondents) would share personal identifiable data if its primary purpose was deemed beneficial for the health of others. Almost two-thirds (n=3026; 63.9%) would consent to sharing personal, sensitive health data with government or health authority organizations. Conversely, over a quarter of respondents (n=1297, 27.8%) stated that they did not trust any organization to protect their data, and 54% (n=2528) of them reported concerns about the implications of sharing personal information. Almost two-thirds (n=3054, 65%) of respondents were concerned about the provisions of appropriate legislation that seeks to prevent data misuse and hold organizations accountable in the case of data misuse. Conclusions: Although our survey focused mainly on the views of those living with chronic health conditions, the results indicate that data sensitivity is highly contextual. More people are more comfortable with sharing anonymized data rather than personally identifiable data. Willingness to share data also depended on the receiving body, highlighting trust as a key theme, in particular who may have access to shared personal health data and how they may be used in the future. The nascency of legal guidance in this area suggests a need for humanitarian guidelines for data responsibility during disaster relief operations such as pandemics and for involving the public in their development