A Novel Condom Distribution Program for County Jail Prisoners

The Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), in collaboration with the Center for Health Justice, the Forensic AIDS Project, and the San Francisco Sheriff's Department, conducted a feasibility study of a novel method of providing condoms to prisoners by installing a condom dispens- ing machine in the San Francisco County Jail.This study begins to address the dearth of research on prisoner condom access programs, a novel component of HIV prevention behavioral interventions among an extremely high-risk population, and to identify a method of providing prisoners condoms on a larger scale than any current program. Further, this pilot feasibility study has the potential to stimulate research on the impact of condom distribution and consideration of legislation in other jurisdictions to allow prisoners access to condoms

Trading aggressiveness and market efficiency

Stein (2009) shows that crowding by sophisticated traders can cause price overreaction. To test Stein's theory, in this paper I use trading aggressiveness after earnings releases as a measure of crowding. With a large number of traders, their strong aggregate demand makes trade execution more difficult, and leads every individual investor to trade more aggressively. I find that the prices of aggressively traded stocks overreact after good news, but not after bad news, except during the financial crisis. The asymmetry in observed results can be explained by differences in belief heterogeneity of investors and market attention during news releases

Cognitive problems in multiple sclerosis: a mixed methods study on the perceived effectiveness and service provision of cognitive rehabilitation

Introduction: Up to 70% of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience mild to moderate cognitive deficits in attention, memory, information processing speed, and executive functioning. Cognitive rehabilitation to address such deficits has emerged as a potential treatment approach, but the evidence regarding its effectiveness is mixed. It is also unclear how cognitive rehabilitation is currently delivered in the UK. Aim: To examine the perceived effectiveness and provision of cognitive rehabilitation services for people with MS. Methods: This mixed methods research comprised three studies. Study One was a meta-synthesis summarising findings of qualitative studies examining patient perspectives of the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation programmes. Study Two was a UK national survey examining the provision of cognitive treatment for people with MS from the perspective of healthcare professionals. Study Three used semi-structured interviews to investigate patient perspectives on the services they received for their cognitive problems: this study was embedded within a large, multi-centre randomised controlled trial (RCT). Participants from both the control and intervention groups of the RCT were interviewed to compare experiences. Results: (1) In the meta-synthesis, findings from seven individual studies highlighted the perceived benefits of cognitive rehabilitation for people with MS. Participants reported benefits in cognitive function, improved mood and quality of their relationships, and felt the programmes helped them change their perceptions of having MS. The group component was specifically referred to as beneficial as it helped participants experience a sense of community and support. Participants reported cognitive, behavioural, emotional and social improvements, and felt more optimistic. Overall, these changes had a positive impact on participants’ quality of life. (2) Survey findings indicated that clinical pathways for assessing and managing cognitive problems varied greatly across the UK and were dependent on the individual healthcare professional’s expertise, available resources, and access to specialist services. Of 109 healthcare professionals who responded, fewer than 50% reported that they developed and implemented a cognitive rehabilitation plan and only 3% followed a manual. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment was the most widely used cognitive assessment tool. (3) In the interview study, five main themes were identified through analysis. Participants reported on the services they received for their cognitive problems before the trial and on their perceived cognitive changes. Participants in the intervention group reported on the perceived mechanism of change of cognitive function after the trial and highlighted possible improvements to the treatment. Participants from both the intervention and control groups stated additional reasons for adherence to the treatment and trial. Participants in the intervention group perceived having better cognitive functioning than the participants in the control group. Results suggested that people adopted habits and coping behaviours after participating in a group-based rehabilitation programme, which had a positive impact on daily functioning. Conclusion: There is evidence that people with MS perceive cognitive rehabilitation programmes to have a positive impact on their wellbeing, daily activities, and cognitive functioning. In addition, all participants in the interview study recognised the importance of clinical services focusing on cognitive deficits in MS (i.e., offering cognitive rehabilitation). However, there were no UK-wide standard clinical pathways for the assessment and management of cognitive problems in people with MS. Cognitive rehabilitation was not routinely offered in practice. There is a gap between patient needs and current clinical practice. This is a concern for the management of people with MS and for the access to training for healthcare professionals to improve services, which will need to be addressed in future research

Catalogue of 55-80 MeV solar proton events extending through solar cycles 23 and 24

We present a new catalogue of solar energetic particle events near the Earth, covering solar cycle 23 and the majority of solar cycle 24 (1996-2016), based on the 55-80 MeV proton intensity data gathered by the SOHO/ERNE experiment. In addition to ERNE proton and heavy ion observations, data from the ACE/EPAM (near-relativistic electrons), SOHO/EPHIN (relativistic electrons), SOHO/LASCO (coronal mass ejections, CMEs), and GOES soft X-ray experiments are also considered and the associations between the particle and CME/X-ray events deduced to obtain a better understanding of each event. A total of 176 SEP events have been identified as having occurred during the time period of interest; their onset and solar release times have been estimated using both velocity dispersion analysis (VDA) and time-shifting analysis (TSA) for protons, as well as TSA for near-relativistic electrons. Additionally, a brief statistical analysis has been performed on the VDA and TSA results, as well as the X-rays and CMEs associated with the proton/electron events, both to test the viability of the VDA and to investigate possible differences between the two solar cycles. We find, in confirmation of a number of previous studies, that VDA results for protons that yield an apparent path length of 1 AU < s <~ 3 AU seem to be useful, but those outside this range are probably unreliable, as evidenced by the anticorrelation between apparent path length and release time estimated from the X-ray activity. It also appears that even the first-arriving energetic protons apparently undergo significant pitch angle scattering in the interplanetary medium, with the resulting apparent path length being on average about twice the length of the spiral magnetic field. The analysis indicates an increase in high-energy SEP events originating from the far eastern solar hemisphere; e.g., such an event...Comment: 33 pages, 12 figures (2 with multiple image files), 1 appendix as an external PDF file. Article is in the accepted manuscript/referee (single column) forma

O lúdico como forma de resgatar o gosto pelo aprender

The present work approaches the ludic as a way to rescue the taste for learning. This study is justified in order to understand the playfulness, its importance, exploring the ludic elements such as play, play and play in the construction of knowledge and how and as a resource for teaching learning. Through a qualitative research and bibliographic review, which allows us to broaden our knowledge about playfulness in learning. We note the importance of the use of play activities in the development of the child and we illustrate with the analysis of some activities that allow to understand the application of ludic activities in the process of teaching and learning.O presente trabalho aborda o lúdico como forma de resgatar o gosto pelo aprender. Este estudo justifica-se com o intuito de compreender o lúdico, sua importância, explorando os elementos lúdicos como o jogo, o brinquedo e a brincadeira na construção de saberes e como e como recurso para o ensino aprendizagem. Através de uma pesquisa qualitativa e de revisão bibliográfica, que nos permite ampliar nossos conhecimentos sobre a ludicidade na aprendizagem. Constatamos a importância do uso de atividades lúdicas no desenvolvimento da criança e ilustramos com a análise de algumas atividades que permitem compreender a aplicação de atividades lúdicas no processo de ensino e aprendizagem

Commonality in intraday liquidity and multilateral trading facilities : evidence from Chi-X Europe

This paper examines the effects of Chi-X, a pan-European multilateral trading facility, on intraday liquidity co-movements within European equity markets. Chi-X enables simultaneous trading of all European equities on a single trading platform. Further, it induces an increase in multi-market trading between Chi-X and the home exchange, connecting individual markets in a single network. Greater market consolidation combined with an increase in multi-market trading should induce stronger network-wide liquidity co-movements. Consistent with our predictions, we find that Europe-wide liquidity co-movements increase after the Chi-X entry. The increase is stronger in down markets and for stocks with more intense trading on Chi-X

Effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation for people with multiple sclerosis: a meta-synthesis of patient perspectives

While previous randomised controlled trials and meta-analyses offer only limited evidence for the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation, qualitative studies examining patient perspectives report more positive outcomes. This meta-synthesis of qualitative studies examined patient perspectives of cognitive rehabilitation for memory, attention, and executive function problems in people with multiple sclerosis. Using set eligibility criteria, we screened electronic databases, reference lists, and academic networks for relevant papers. Seven papers (195 participants) were selected. Two independent researchers conducted quality appraisals of papers. Data analysis, guided by the thematic synthesis approach, yielded six main themes. These suggested that patients benefitted from the group environment in rehabilitation. Cognitive rehabilitation facilitated the participants’ reflection and awareness of their cognitive deficits, and was associated with increased knowledge and understanding of their illness. Increased strategy use was reported and associated with improvements in cognitive functioning and greater confidence and perseverance. Participants reported emotional and social improvements, and felt more optimistic. Overall, these changes had a positive impact on participants’ quality of life. This synthesis of qualitative studies indicates that people with multiple sclerosis who experience cognitive deficits benefit from cognitive rehabilitation programmes. This finding must, however, be viewed in light of the limitations of this meta-synthesis. The meta-synthesis was registered in the PROSPERO database under CRD42017040148

Flexibility of the Cytoplasmic Domain of the Phototaxis Transducer II from Natronomonas pharaonis

Chemo- and phototaxis systems in bacteria and archaea serve as models for more complex signal transduction mechanisms in higher eukaryotes. Previous studies of the cytoplasmic fragment of the phototaxis transducer (pHtrII-cyt) from the halophilic archaeon Natronomonas pharaonis showed that it takes the shape of a monomeric or dimeric rod under low or high salt conditions, respectively. CD spectra revealed only approximately 24% helical structure, even in 4 M KCl, leaving it an open question how the rod-like shape is achieved. Here, we conducted CD, FTIR, and NMR spectroscopic studies under different conditions to address this question. We provide evidence that pHtrII-cyt is highly dynamic with strong helical propensity, which allows it to change from monomeric to dimeric helical coiled-coil states without undergoing dramatic shape changes. A statistical analysis of predicted disorder for homologous sequences suggests that structural flexibility is evolutionarily conserved within the methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein family

Mandelbrot set in coupled logistic maps and in an electronic experiment

We suggest an approach to constructing physical systems with dynamical characteristics of the complex analytic iterative maps. The idea follows from a simple notion that the complex quadratic map by a variable change may be transformed into a set of two identical real one-dimensional quadratic maps with a particular coupling. Hence, dynamical behavior of similar nature may occur in coupled dissipative nonlinear systems, which relate to the Feigenbaum universality class. To substantiate the feasibility of this concept, we consider an electronic system, which exhibits dynamical phenomena intrinsic to complex analytic maps. Experimental results are presented, providing the Mandelbrot set in the parameter plane of this physical system.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

NMDB@Home: 1st virtual symposium on cosmic ray studies with neutron detectors

An overview on the presentations at the first virtual symposium on cosmic ray studies with neutron detectors is given. The meeting was held online in July 2020. Neutron detectors on ground are shown to provide significant contributions to research on interactions of galactic cosmic rays with magnetic fields in the Heliosphere and on the acceleration of energetic particles, as well as to a growing range of applications, including geophysics and space weather. The advent of easily accessible databases makes original data easily available to a large user community. The present overview outlines and introduces the more detailed articles contained in the proceedings