The Impact of Conditional Cash Transfers on Nutrition: Evidence from Mexico

In this paper, I study the effect of Oportunidades, a conditional cash transfer program in Mexico, on the micronutrient and macronutrient levels of program recipients. Overall, I find that Oportunidades has a positive, significant impact on micronutrient acquisition for Oportunidades beneficiaries. Program participants consume 20.5% more vitamins and 10.1% more minerals than individuals living in non-treatment households. This change could be critical for reducing rates of micronutrient deficiencies in low- and middle-income countries. Furthermore, I conclude that although Oportunidades induces higher micronutrient consumption, program recipients also consume higher levels of calories, fat, and sodium, all of which could be harmful to health. Together, these two conclusions illustrate how Oportunidades contributes to both positive and negative nutritional outcomes

USAFs Role in Space Surveillance

Currently USAF SPACETRACK supports the U. S. space effort in a variety of ways. Space surveillance permits space objects to be detected, identified, located continuously, analyzed, avoided, monitored for status changes, and to have their decay impacts predicted. These functions are performed in compliance with international agreement and national space pol icy. As the U. S. and other nations venture forward in space, new requirements will be levied on USAF to defend our space investments. The USAF SPACETRACK System is evolving to meet this challenge

Localization and Expression Level of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor after Partial Hepatectomy of WKY Rats

Inflammation and fibrosis are indicative of liver regeneration following injury and chronic liver diseases, such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The formation of new vasculature via the process of angiogenesis is vital to the pathological progression of liver regeneration and these diseases. Thus, inhibiting the process of angiogenesis could have the potential to stop or slow the progression of chronic liver diseases. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most potent and specific growth factor for initiating the process of angiogenesis, making it a prime target to inhibit angiogenesis. Bevacizumab is an antibody that binds to VEGF, inhibiting it from initiating angiogenesis. To investigate the effect that bevacizumab had on VEGF, we determined the localization and expression levels of VEGF after partial hepatectomy in Wistar-Kyoto rats using quantitative immunofluorescence. The tissue samples (n=5) consisted of four groups. Group 1 received no treatment and served as the negative control. Group 2 received bevacizumab treatment without hepatectomy and group 3 had a hepatectomy without bevacizumab treatment. Groups 2 and 3 served as controls to bevacizumab treatment and hepatectomy, respectfully. Group 4, the experimental group, had both hepatectomy and bevacizumab treatment. Western Blot analysis confirmed a significant increase in the level of VEGF in rats receiving partial hepatectomy treatment only. To determine the expression level of VEGF in cells/tissues, we prepared cryosections and probed with a fluorescently labelled anti-VEGF. Digitized images were captured using Simple PCI and localization pattern and expression level determined. Our results have broadened our understanding of chronic liver diseases

Modern Susceptibility to Fake News

INTRODUCTION On a cold December day in Washington D.C., Edgar Welch burst into a family pizzeria and accused the owner, James Alefantis, of conspiring with Hillary Clinton and the Democrats to operate a child sex trafficking ring. Equipped with an assault rifle and handgun, Welch had driven some five hours from his North Carolina home to “rescue” children he believed were being harbored in the restaurant’s basement (Alefantis, 2017). Only, the child-slavery ring did not exist; it had been concocted by conspiracy theorists and spread rapidly via social media and fake news websites. As a result of his actions, Welch will serve four years in jail for assault with a deadly weapon and transporting a firearm across state lines (Bendix, 2017). Media personality Alex Jones, threatened with a libel suit, apologized publicly for promoting the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory on his InfoWars website and through other sources (Alefantis, 2017). Even so, Comet Ping Pong, its employees, and Alefantis received death threats and online discussion in fake news chat rooms alleging the authenticity of “Pizzagate” continued. Additionally, groups protested loudly outside the restaurant, referring to it “Sodom and Gomorrah,” among other names (Alefantis, 2017). “Pizzagate” is one example of how fake news can have negative consequences in society, including risks to public and individual safety and damage to reputation. Fake news sites have capitalized on current events to circulate hoaxes and conspiracy theories to varying results. For example: • After the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay shooting—one of the worst mass shootings in modern American history—an online fake news outlet and CNN look-alike spread false rumors that an injured hotel security guard was arrested as an accomplice and second gunman (Mikkelson, 2017). • A fake news website falsely accused acclaimed chef Gordon Ramsay of kicking four Miami Dolphins football players out of his restaurant because he was ashamed of them kneeling during the national anthem (LaCapria, 2017). • Multiple media outlets published exaggerated claims that Yellowstone National Park volcano was going to erupt and wipe out the human race. These claims exploited research from Arizona State University about new developments in understanding the volcano and turned it into a doomsday conspiracy (Kasprak, 2017). In an effort to better understand fake news and its impact, this study examines the psychological processes through which people observe, are persuaded by, and motivated to share fake news on social media. This is a valuable site of study because fake news, as illustrated above, negatively impacts, misleads, and has the potential to endanger society. Because media are an important site of information for most people, it is necessary to develop ways to combat the harmful proliferation of fake news in order to promote media literacy and journalistic integrity. Research about the psychological reasons that people consume and share fake news is an important step to conceptualizing successful tools to combat fake news.Bachelor of Art

Explaining Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Use of High-Volume Hospitals: Decision-Making Complexity and Local Hospital Environments

Racial/ethnic minorities are less likely to use higher-quality hospitals than whites. We propose that a higher level of informationrelated complexity in their local hospital environments compounds the effects of discrimination and more limited access to services, contributing to racial/ethnic disparities in hospital use. While minorities live closer than whites to high-volume hospitals, minorities also face greater choice complexity and live in neighborhoods with lower levels of medical experience. Our empirical results reveal that it is generally the overall context associated with proximity, choice complexity, and local experience, rather than differential sensitivity to these factors, that provides a partial explanation of the disparity gap in highvolume hospital use

The SPI-2 type III secretion system restricts motility of Salmonella-containing vacuoles

Intracellular replication of Salmonella enterica occurs in membrane-bound compartments, called Salmonella-containing vacuoles (SCVs). Following invasion of epithelial cells, most SCVs migrate to a perinuclear region and replicate in close association with the Golgi network. The association of SCVs with the Golgi is dependent on the Salmonella-pathogenicity island-2 (SPI-2) type III secretion system (T3SS) effectors SseG, SseF and SifA. However, little is known about the dynamics of SCV movement. Here, we show that in epithelial cells, 2 h were required for migration of the majority of SCVs to within 5 μm from the microtubule organizing centre (MTOC), which is located in the same subcellular region as the Golgi network. This initial SCV migration was saltatory, bidirectional and microtubule-dependent. An intact Golgi, SseG and SPI-2 T3SS were dispensable for SCV migration to the MTOC, but were essential for maintenance of SCVs in that region. Live-cell imaging between 4 and 8 h post invasion revealed that the majority of wild-type SCVs displaced less than 2 μm in 20 min from their initial starting positions. In contrast, between 6 and 8 h post invasion the majority of vacuoles containing sseG, sseF or ssaV mutant bacteria displaced more than 2 μm in 20 min from their initial starting positions, with some undergoing large and dramatic movements. Further analysis of the movement of SCVs revealed that large displacements were a result of increased SCV speed rather than a change in their directionality, and that SseG influences SCV motility by restricting vacuole speed within the MTOC/Golgi region. SseG might function by tethering SCVs to Golgi-associated molecules, or by controlling microtubule motors, for example by inhibiting kinesin recruitment or promoting dynein recruitment

The Impact of Changing Medicaid Enrollments on New Mexico's Immunization Program

Background: Immunizations are an important component to pediatric primary care. New Mexico is a relatively poor and rural state which has sometimes struggled to achieve and maintain its childhood immunization rates. We evaluated New Mexico’s immunization rates between 1996 and 2006. Specifically, we examined the increase in immunization rates between 2002 and 2004, and how this increase may have been associated with Medicaid enrollment levels, as opposed to changes in government policies concerning immunization practices. Methods and Findings: This study examines trends in childhood immunization coverage rates relative to Medicaid enrollment among those receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in New Mexico. Information on health policy changes and immunization coverage was obtained from state governmental sources and the National Immunization Survey. We found statistically significant correlations varying from 0.86 to 0.93 between immunization rates and Medicaid enrollment. Conclusions: New Mexico’s improvement and subsequent deterioration in immunization rates corresponded with changing Medicaid coverage, rather than the state’s efforts to change immunization practices. Maintaining high Medicaid enrollmen