Low-Income Subsidies for the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit: The Impact of the Asset Test

Assesses the impact of the requirement that low-income individuals with Medicare meet an asset test in order to receive additional help paying premiums and cost sharing under the new Medicare drug benefit. Raises questions about the equity of the test

The Burden of Out-of-Pocket Health Spending Among Older Versus Younger Adults: Analysis from the Consumer Expenditure Survey, 1998-2003

Analyzes the extent to which health care spending as a share of income has differed among younger adults versus people ages 65 and older, both at a single point in time (2003) and over the six-year period from 1998 to 2003

Variable modes of larval development in the Polydora cornuta complex (Polychaeta: Spionidae) are directly related to stored sperm availability

Abstract Reproductive crosses between geographically separated populations of the nominal species, Polydora cornuta, support the hypothesis that the Florida/ Gulf of Mexico populations represent a single, potentially interbreeding lineage that is reproductively isolated from West Coast (California) and East Coast (Carolinas to Maine) populations. Previous research has indicated that California populations are reproductively compatible with worms from North Carolina but reproductively isolated from Maine populations. In spite of these species-level differences, all populations of this nominal species deposit egg capsules inside the female's tube that usually develop into three-chaetiger planktonic larvae measuring about 200 µm in length. Although adelphophagy (feeding upon unfertilized eggs within an egg capsule) has been reported in some populations of P. cornuta and in numerous other spionid polychaetes, the relationship between stored sperm in the female parent and the size of larvae within capsules has not been explored. We raised isolated female P. cornuta from three genetically and reproductively distinct populations (Florida, California and Maine) over a period of about 16 weeks and determined percent fertilization and larval size in successive spawnings over time until the females ran out of stored sperm. As each female used up stored sperm during successive spawnings, the percent of fertilized eggs per capsule declined and larval size at release increased. In some cases, the largest larvae produced by an isolated female were 114% larger than the smallest larvae produced by the same female. Larvae inside capsules containing unfertilized eggs fed upon these eggs and grew larger than larvae that did not have unfertilized eggs to feed upon. The effects of producing larger larvae following stored sperm depletion were completely reversed by transfer of fresh spermatophores to the isolated females. Variable larval size produced by a single female worm (poecilogony) may therefore be a result of stored sperm limitations rather than a genetically determined reproductive strategy in this species complex

The City Lost and Found : nouvelles perspectives sur la représentation urbaine et l’activisme entre 1960 et 1980

Dans les années 1960 et 1970, la ville était en crise. Les bâtiments étaient en proie aux flammes. Des autoroutes gigantesques menaçaient d’éventrer des quartiers animés. Les citoyens descendaient dans la rue pour manifester. Pour résumer la situation, l’avenir de la ville semblait plus qu’incertain. Que l’on consulte les articles du magazine Life ou les rapports municipaux, ces décennies ont été marquées par l’essor de forces menaçant de détruire le tissu social et physique des villes améric..

The City Lost and Found: New Perspectives on Urban Representation and Activism, 1960-1980

The city of the 1960s and 1970s was in crisis. Buildings were on fire. Massive highways threatened vibrant neighborhoods. Citizens were taking to the streets in protest. In short, the future of the city was anything but assured. From the pages of Life magazine to municipal reports, these decades witnessed a widespread recognition of forces that threatened to destroy the social and physical fabric of American cities. Nowhere was this more evident than in the country’s three largest cities: New..

Characterization of a novel and spontaneous mouse model of inflammatory arthritis

Abstract Introduction Mouse models of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have proven critical for identifying genetic and cellular mechanisms of the disease. Upon discovering mice in our breeding colony that had spontaneously developed inflamed joints reminiscent of RA, we established the novel IIJ (inherited inflamed joints) strain. The purpose of this study was to characterize the histopathological, clinical, genetic and immunological properties of the disease. Methods To begin the IIJ strain, an arthritic male mouse was crossed with SJL/J females. Inheritance of the phenotype was then tracked by intercrossing, backcrossing and outcrossing to other inbred strains. The histopathology of the joints and extraarticular organ systems was examined. Serum cytokines and immunoglobulins (Igs) were measured by ELISA and cytometric bead array. Transfer experiments tested whether disease could be mediated by serum alone. Finally, the cellular joint infiltrate and the composition of secondary lymphoid organs were examined by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Results After nine generations of intercrossing, the total incidence of arthritis was 33% (304 of 932 mice), with females being affected more than males (38% vs. 28%; P < 0.001). Swelling, most notably in the large distal joints, typically became evident at an early age (mean age of 52 days). In addition to the joint pathology, which included bone and cartilage erosion, synovial hyperproliferation and a robust cellular infiltration of mostly Gr-1+ neutrophils, there was also evidence of systemic inflammation. IL-6 was elevated in the sera of recently arthritic mice, and extraarticular inflammation was observed histologically in multiple organs. Total serum Ig and IgG1 levels were significantly elevated in arthritic mice, and autoantibodies such as rheumatoid factor and Ig reactive to joint components (collagen type II and joint homogenate) were also detected. Nevertheless, serum failed to transfer disease. A high percentage of double-negative (CD4-CD8-) CD3+ TCRα/β+ T cells in the lymphoid organs of arthritic IIJ mice suggested significant disruption in the T-cell compartment. Conclusions Overall, these data identify the IIJ strain as a new murine model of inflammatory, possibly autoimmune, arthritis. The IIJ strain is similar, both histologically and serologically, to RA and other murine models of autoimmune arthritis. It may prove particularly useful for understanding the female bias in autoimmune diseases

Strength in numbers : patient experiences of group exercise within hospice palliative care

Background: Exercise is increasingly recognized as a core component of palliative rehabilitation. The group exercise model is often adopted as a means of reaching more patients with limited resource. Despite the growth of quantitative research examining this area of practice, few qualitative studies have looked at the patient experience of participating in group exercise in a palliative setting, and most exclude patients with a non-cancer diagnosis. Methods: The aim of this study was to explore patients’ experiences of participating in group exercise classes in a hospice setting. In this qualitative, phenomenological study, nine patients participating in a group exercise programme at a South London hospice completed semi-structured interviews. Participants were purposively sampled by gender, age, ethnicity and diagnosis; to include diagnoses across cancer, respiratory and neurological conditions. Transcripts were interpreted using thematic analysis. Results: All patients reported positive experiences of participating in group exercise classes. Improvements reported in physical function had a positive effect on ability to complete activities of daily living and enhanced patient mood. Other reported psychosocial benefits included: promotion of self-management; space and opportunity for reflection; supportive relationships; sharing of information; and a deeper appreciation of patients’ own abilities. Conclusion: This study highlights the positive experiences and value of group exercise classes to groups of people with diverse cancer and non-cancer conditions. The physical, emotional and psychosocial benefits suggest hospices and other palliative services should explore similar programmes as part of their rehabilitation services. The recognition that exercise groups can be mixed and need not be bespoke to one condition has positive cost and staff resource ramifications

Biodiversity of protists and nematodes in the wild nonhuman primate gut

Documenting the natural diversity of eukaryotic organisms in the nonhuman primate (NHP) gut is important for understanding the evolution of the mammalian gut microbiome, its role in digestion, health and disease, and the consequences of anthropogenic change on primate biology and conservation. Despite the ecological significance of gut-associated eukaryotes, little is known about the factors that influence their assembly and diversity in mammals. In this study, we used an 18S rRNA gene fragment metabarcoding approach to assess the eukaryotic assemblage of 62 individuals representing 16 NHP species. We find that cercopithecoids, and especially the cercopithecines, have substantially higher alpha diversity than other NHP groups. Gut-associated protists and nematodes are widespread among NHPs, consistent with their ancient association with NHP hosts. However, we do not find a consistent signal of phylosymbiosis or host-species specificity. Rather, gut eukaryotes are only weakly structured by primate phylogeny with minimal signal from diet, in contrast to previous reports of NHP gut bacteria. The results of this study indicate that gut-associated eukaryotes offer different information than gut-associated bacteria and add to our understanding of the structure of the gut microbiome.Fil: Mann, Allison E.. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Mazel, Florent. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Lemay, Matthew A.. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Morien, Evan. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Billy, Vincent. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Kowalewski, Miguel Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia". Estación Biológica de Usos Múltiples (Sede Corrientes); ArgentinaFil: Di Fiore, Anthony. University of Texas at Austin; Estados UnidosFil: Link, Andrés. Universidad de los Andes; ColombiaFil: Goldberg, Tony L.. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Tecot, Stacey. University of Arizona; Estados UnidosFil: Baden, Andrea L.. City University Of New York. Hunter College; Estados UnidosFil: Gomez, Andres. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Sauther, Michelle L.. State University of Colorado at Boulder; Estados UnidosFil: Cuozzo, Frank P.. Lajuma Research Centre; SudáfricaFil: Rice, Gillian A. O.. Dartmouth College; Estados UnidosFil: Dominy, Nathaniel J.. Dartmouth College; Estados UnidosFil: Stumpf, Rebecca. University of Illinois at Urbana; Estados UnidosFil: Lewis, Rebecca J.. University of Texas at Austin; Estados UnidosFil: Swedell, Larissa. University of Cape Town; Sudáfrica. City University of New York; Estados UnidosFil: Amato, Katherine. Northwestern University; Estados UnidosFil: Wegener Parfrey, Laura. University of British Columbia; Canad

Innate Immune Sensing of DNA

Discusses efforts to understand how DNA triggers immune responses